It may be true that haute couture of the past era is dying but there are also new expectations when we look at the younger generation.

In order to obtain the haute couture title a fashion house must follow some certain rules sustained by law and defined by The French Federation of Fashion and Ready-to-wear of Couturiers and Fashion Designers.

The designs must be made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings; the couture house must have a workshop in Paris with at least fifteen employees working full-time; and the house must present twice a year a collection to the Paris press. The collection must have at least thirty five runs with outfits for daywear and evening wear.

These rules were established in 1945 and updated in 1992.

Officially there are eleven haute couture houses: Adeline Andre, Anne Valerie Hash, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Maurizio Galante.

And there are also Elie Saab, Giorgio Armani and Martin Margiela as foreign correspondent members.

Only the elite class of the society has the privilege to witness the haute couture collections as guests to the runway show.

Haute couture is loosing field for the past years due to the profit seeking of the few couture houses that are standing today. A couture item may run from about £ 10,000 to £ 40,000 or more.