When we think of fashion, words like inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility may come to mind. Yet in the world of haute couture, the divide between the elite and the average consumer remains as prominent as ever.
Haute Couture Week — a glamorous display of the world’s most luxurious and unattainable designs — is a stark reminder of this class divide. From extravagant runway shows to six-figure price tags, haute couture is designed for the few, leaving most people to simply watch from afar.
Even as fashion continues to open up to more people through social media and fast fashion, the exclusivity of high fashion persists. The rise of influencers attending these shows, while adding a layer of relatability, only underscores how deeply intertwined wealth and status remain in this space.
In a time where inclusivity is being demanded across industries, it’s worth asking: Why does haute couture remain a privilege for the few? Why are its designs, while aesthetically inspiring, only available to an elite few, with the rest of us relegated to fast-fashion imitations?
The Origins of Exclusivity in Fashion
Haute couture has always been a space for the wealthy. Its origins trace back to the twentieth century, where it was designed exclusively for royalty and aristocrats, with fashion houses like Chanel and Dior serving the wealthiest clients.
The practice of tailoring luxurious, one-of-a-kind garments by hand made haute couture pieces prized objects of status. Back then, fashion wasn’t merely about style — it was a demonstration of wealth and sophistication.
Even as the fashion industry evolved when ready-to-wear lines were introduced, haute couture maintained its elitist roots.
For brands like Valentino and Zuhair Murad, high fashion remains centred around exclusivity, with intricate, high-cost designs that are accessible only to a few. The price tags — often ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars — continue to reinforce the class divide. This exclusivity creates a sense of unattainable aspiration, leaving most consumers to admire these pieces from a distance, whether on Instagram or in fashion magazines.
While social media has democratized fashion discourse, haute couture remains firmly in the grasp of the elite.
The Class Divide: Haute Couture vs. Mass Fashion
Haute couture, by definition, refers to custom-fitted clothing made by hand with exceptional craftsmanship. The stark contrast between haute couture and mass fashion lies not just in price but in accessibility.
Ready-to-wear fashion lines are made for mass production and designed to fit the majority, while couture pieces are unique creations tailored to an individual’s measurements. This exclusivity ensures that high fashion’s influence trickles down, but rarely reaches the hands — or closets — of the average consumer.
Financial barriers to owning couture are significant. While fast fashion brands replicate runway trends for mass consumption, they’re no substitute for the original. For example, a couture gown from Chanel’s collection might cost more than a year’s salary for the average person, creating a clear divide between the fashion elite and the everyday consumer.
Even those with access to high fashion — celebrities, influencers, or the ultra-wealthy — wear these pieces as a demonstration of status, deepening the gap between the elite and the rest of the world.
As fashion shows have become more public through livestreams and social media, the general public is increasingly aware of what happens in the upper ranks of the fashion world, but the divide remains intact.
Influencers now serve as intermediaries between the consumer and the designers, wearing high fashion while the masses settle for cheaper replicas, or rather “dupes.” While these influencers may bridge the gap, they also reinforce the idea that haute couture is aspirational, not accessible.
Fashion Week: A Display of Wealth
September Fashion Month is a global spectacle, featuring runway shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. But for all its glamour, it also serves as a reminder of how far removed luxury fashion (different from haute couture but is just as unattainable) is from the average person’s life. This season, the shows were once again dominated by extravagant collections that are entirely out of reach for most consumers.
Fashion Week events themselves are highly exclusive, attended by celebrities, influencers, and industry insiders who are either well-connected or wealthy enough to be included. Kylie Jenner’s appearance closing Coperni’s Spring 2025 show at Disneyland Paris is a perfect example of this. The star-studded event was more a display of status than fashion, with Jenner’s role underscoring the new class of fashion elites: influencers with millions of followers.
For everyday people, Fashion Week may seem accessible through social media streams, but in reality, the barrier remains intact. Even influencers, who started as “relatable,” have become part of this exclusive, upper-tier world, only furthering the divide.
Consumer Disconnect: What Does It Mean for the Average Person?
The majority of consumers view haute couture as aspirational rather than attainable. In an era where fashion should be becoming more inclusive, haute couture fails to meet the needs and realities of the average person. These designs aren’t meant to be practical; they are symbols of wealth and exclusivity. For the average consumer, haute couture is nothing more than something to admire from afar — most will never be able to wear or afford a piece.
Fast fashion has tried to fill the gap by democratizing trends that start on runways, but it comes with its own ethical issues. While streetwear brands like Zara and H&M offer affordable, runway-inspired looks, these come at a price: poor labour conditions, environmental degradation, and a focus on quantity over quality. Fast fashion may seem like a solution to the class divide in fashion, but it only reinforces the gap by offering watered-down versions of unattainable luxury.
Is There a Future for Inclusivity in Haute Couture?
Despite its long history of exclusivity, haute couture is not entirely resistant to change. Some fashion houses are making efforts to appear more inclusive. Designers like Virgil Abloh, before his passing, sought to integrate streetwear and luxury, offering a blend of high-end fashion that was still accessible to a younger, more diverse audience.
Social media has also played a role in giving people outside of the fashion elite a voice in fashion discourse. While the designs may remain unattainable, the conversation has become more democratized.
However, these efforts are often more about image than actual change. The real question is whether haute couture will ever move beyond its exclusivity. As long as the allure of unattainable luxury persists, it’s hard to imagine haute couture becoming genuinely inclusive.
Still, the industry is slowly evolving. With the rise of rental fashion and a growing push for sustainability, there may be future opportunities for more people to engage with haute couture, even if ownership remains elusive.
The divide between haute couture and everyday consumers is as deep as ever. Again, September Fashion Month shines a light on the exclusivity that continues to dominate the high fashion world, despite broader calls for inclusivity. While fast fashion has made runway trends more accessible, the divide remains intact, with haute couture existing firmly as a privilege of the wealthy.
The gap between what we admire on the runway and what we can wear in everyday life is more than just a matter of taste — it’s a reflection of the broader inequalities that define the fashion industry.
As the industry evolves, it’s worth asking whether fashion can ever truly serve the masses. Will haute couture continue to cater only to the wealthy, or can it be reimagined to serve a broader audience? The future of fashion may depend on how well it balances aspiration with accessibility, but for now, haute couture remains a world apart.