There are less than one thousand women on the planet who can afford haute couture. But paying upwards 500 thousand dollars for ONE made to measure piece of clothing, go to Paris twice a year and spend hours being fitted like a handmade glove does not diminish the yearning to social climb and become part of the most elite group in world fashion. It is the most snobbish culture club. BUT we can dream and imagine we are Cinderella today and see one great masterpiece from each of the 8 designers who showed Couture Fall 2014 last week. Remember these names and select your favorite toure de force couture special for today, this exercise in empowerment and aspiration is important to YOU and me.

Donatella does a one pant number for Jennifer Lopez in hot white who sat in the audience while the navy blue exit was paraded in the couture collection in Paris.

Each couture creation is entirely sewn by hand. The client may change the color, the fabric and embellishment of her chosen design. She may shorten the length, add sleeves in other words get what she is paying for, an exorbitant fee. That is the the price of couture, it is one-of-a-kind dressing. Any repair is shouldered by the designer for life.

This label was ressurected form an Italian designer in the 30s named Elsa Schiaparelli who was the bitter rival of Coco Chanel. Conglomerates who own “dead fashion houses” are using the prestige and brand recall for trickle down licensees like perfume in this case called “SHOCKING” using these couture collection to add media mileage and cache to the brand.

Without the white turban and sunnies, this 2 piece black and white number can be worn for many years, it is seasonless and could be worn in summer or winter with a coat over it. Would be okay for a woman aged 30 to 80. That’s the appeal of couture, it is friendly and elegant and age appropriate.

Lebanese haute couturier always has simple but so expertly beaded feminine creations. Perfect for the jet set or the red carpet. A lot of royalty buy his stuff. They will always be beautiful in his designs.

My personal favorite because it is ANTI-FASHION yet couture in every sense of the world. In fact they find old couture pieces from the mid century and rework them into startling, yes shocking garments of the finest craftsmanship. Dare to be different, this label points to the future of couture which is less precious and pretentious. This LABEL is YOUNG couture and it is very respected in the fashion community.

After the excesses of John Galliano, Belgian designer Raf Simons is doing directional couture for Dior is is freash, fragrant, classy and may be worn everyday. This 4 piece outfit may be mixed and matched with other pieces in ones wardrobe. The embroidery is like the courts of French nobility in the time of Marie Antoinette. Yet it is so minimal and modern. This is the true essence of haute couture, it must be ready-to-where at all times. Rah Rah RAF.

At age 78, death defying Karl Lagefeld still designs great couture collections for Chanel, the most profitable luxury brand in the world followed by Dior and Louis Vuitton. Karl has been designing couture for Chanel since 1984 and it expires when he expires. This shredded tartan tweed is reassembled thread by thread on chiffon to fashion a look for evening. I like Karl, he still has his magic spell on the young and the rich.