Is a Fashion House a Company? How Fashion Houses Work

Yes. Wikipedia uses the term fashion house for companies that design and sell clothing.

How fashion houses are organised

Full-time in-house designers create designs the company owns, working alone or in a design team. Freelance designers may sell designs to fashion houses, shops or manufacturers. Large brands are often designed by a team led by a design director.

What they make

• Haute couture: made-to-order garments for individual clients, using costly fabric and detailed handwork. Wikipedia says it makes little direct profit but is important for prestige and publicity.
• Ready-to-wear: made in small quantities, not for individual customers, and presented during fashion week each season.

Origins and examples

Charles Frederick Worth set up a maison couture in Paris in the 19th century. Examples in Paris include Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Christian Dior and Hermès. In the United States, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford and Michael Kors are listed.

Facts are from Wikipedia’s Fashion house entry at the time of writing.

To explore designer labels, visit the designers page, browse the brands page, or head to the shop.