Prêt-à-Porter Perceptions: Unraveling the Essentials of Ready-to-Wear Fashion

HEIDI TRUONG

- Fashion Blogger -

The term "Ready-to-Wear" is a familiar one to fashion enthusiasts like you. But have you ever taken the time to delve deeper into this concept?

What is Ready-to-Wear?

Ready-to-Wear, or Prêt-à-porter in French, refers to clothing products that are mass-produced in standard sizes and sold as finished items. This makes them distinctly different from made-to-measure garments like Bespoke or Haute Couture.

The Origins of Ready-to-Wear

While Ready-to-Wear is now seen as the most common type of clothing, bridging the gap between high fashion and the general public, it wasn't always so. Bespoke and Haute Couture used to dominate the scene. Let's travel back to the centuries past for a clearer understanding.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, making clothes at home was quite common. Only wealthier families could afford to have clothes tailor-made at shops. However, in 1812, the U.S. government began mass-producing military uniforms—considered the first Ready-to-Wear garments in history. Born and developed during wartime, Ready-to-Wear gradually became more popular and accessible in men's fashion.

For women's fashion, mass production wasn't as straightforward. Women's fashion tends to be more complex and requires a precise fit, making mass production challenging. However, influenced by media and economic depression, by the 1900s, Ready-to-Wear began to gain public attention for its high utility yet still maintaining a degree of fashionability.

By the late 1960s, the line between Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture began to blur when in 1966, Yves Saint Laurent opened his first store selling Ready-to-Wear fashion, paving the way for other designers to produce this type of clothing alongside traditional Haute Couture. Since then, Ready-to-Wear has become an indispensable part of the fashion industry, providing convenience and style to consumers worldwide.

Comparing Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture

Ready-to-Wear and Haute

Couture are two different approaches in the fashion industry. Ready-to-Wear garments are produced in standard sizes, often mass-produced, and can be purchased and worn immediately without alterations. Haute Couture, on the other hand, refers to the highest-quality items custom-tailored and fully customized for the wearer by fashion houses recognized by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

Most major fashion brands (like Gucci, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, or Dior) offer both Prêt-à-porter or Ready-to-Wear and Haute Couture lines. Here are the main differences between them:

1. Production

Ready-to-wear garments are manufactured in factories with automated processes, while Haute Couture is crafted by hand through every step of the process, including design, sewing, and fitting.

2. Size

Ready-to-Wear garments come in standard sizes (e.g., from XXS to XXL) to optimize production processes. In contrast, Haute Couture is precisely tailored to the measurements of the wearer, ensuring an absolute fit.

3. Cost

Ready-to-Wear garments are less costly to produce and are often sold at reasonable prices. In contrast, Haute Couture can be exceedingly expensive in terms of labor, time, and money, often without a price limit, reflecting the uniqueness and high-quality materials and workmanship used to create one-of-a-kind products.

Ready-to-Wear has become a crucial part of the modern fashion industry, offering convenience and style to global consumers. With its diversity in design, standard sizing, and affordable pricing, Ready-to-Wear makes fashion more accessible than ever. While it may not match the refinement and uniqueness of Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear maintains its position thanks to its practicality and ability to quickly meet market demands.