Couture

Couture is clothing made for one person by hand, fitted on the body and finished with hundreds of hours of work. Here we explain what the protected term haute couture really means, revisit the royal wedding dresses that changed fashion and walk through the stages of a bespoke suit.

Couture

What makes haute couture haute couture

Haute couture is not just a phrase for expensive fashion. It is a protected title in France, with strict rules, specialist workshops and hundreds of hours of handwork.

5 min read

Couture

Royal wedding dresses that changed fashion

From Queen Victoria’s white satin to Meghan’s Commonwealth veil: five royal and near royal dresses, and the ideas each one gave to brides everywhere.

5 min read

Couture

Bespoke, made to measure, ready to wear: a tailoring guide

Three ways to buy a suit, three very different processes. What bespoke really means, what happens at a fitting and the details that reveal quality.

5 min read

• JewelleryTiaras, pearls and signet rings: the pieces that carry a family’s history.
• WatchesComplications, etiquette and the long road from pocket to wrist.
• CollectiblesWatches, royal memorabilia and the paper trail that makes objects valuable.
• Luxury BrandsHeritage houses, royal warrants and the codes of quiet luxury.
• Royal FamiliesDynasties, coronations and the jewels that pass between generations.
• AuctionsHow sales work, record results and a calm checklist for bidders.
• ArtRoyal collections, attribution and how to start collecting.
• GemstonesThe 4Cs, the great coloured stones and the largest diamond ever found.
• AteliersGoldsmiths, hallmarks and the watchmaker’s bench.