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DALLAS, Jul 15, 2003/ FW/ --- Haute Couture is a French tradition, starting way back in 1858, when Charles Worth, an Englishman who moved to Paris and opened an atelier there. Charles Worth is widely accepted as the first person to hold the title, 'couturier.'

And the French takes the term seriously, to the point that it is 'protected by law.'

Accordingly, the rules are stringent. To be called a haute couture house, the fashion label has to be a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture (France's fashion governing body), employ at least 15 people and present two collections a year, with at least 35 outfits.

It's golden age in recent history was during the 1950s and 1960s when Christian Dior, Balenciaga and Givenchy together with Chanel and Valentino dominated the scene.

During that time, there are actualy two couture shows - one in Paris and one in Rome.

But the 1960s proved fatal for the industry. Pierre Cardin launched the first designer ready-to-wear line and it caught on like wildfire.

So, today, Haute Couture has diminished from its high after the second world war, wherein it employed over 35,000 people and catered to approximateley 15,000 customers.

Current statistics show that the industry now employs 5,000 and caters to 1500 customers, comprised of about 60% American.

For the uninitiated, couture outfits sound outrageously expensive, with prices starting at $25,000 and can go as high as $100,000 or more.

But if you considered that each piece is made by hand, with 500 hours of handstitching, the price does not sound so expensive at all.

In this high-tech age, where machines do most of the mundane tasks, exquisite embroidery and handstitched garments are works of art in their own right.

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