couturière

[ koo-toor-ee-er, -ee-er; French koo-ty-ryer ]

noun

, plural cou·tu·ri·ères [koo-, toor, -ee-erz, -erz, koo-t, y, -, ryer].

1. a woman who is a couturier.

Word History and Origins

Origin of couturière¹

Borrowed into English from French around 1810–20

Example Sentences

A curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London poses in front of garments included in the exhibit “Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto,” the first U.K. exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

From Seattle Times

In the quaint fishing towns of Juan-Les-Pins and Antibes, Chanel’s minimalist mariner’s sweaters and ropes of pearls were the height of chic, but the couturière was also a trendsetter in the garden, where she popularized “poorer” species like lavender and olive trees as opposed to the usual roses and lilies.

From New York Times

Caroline, a set designer in the theatre, has a daughter of about five and an infant son; Liliane, a weaver and couturière who hand-makes clothes to order, has a boy of seven and a girl who’s also about five.

From The New Yorker

The Chinese-born couturiere Yiqing Yin unveiled her debut ready-to-wear collection for the house famous for its loose, fluid silhouettes.

From Washington Times

The Chinese-born couturiere Yiqing Yin unveiled her debut ready-to-wear collection for the house famous for its loose, fluid silhouettes.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• decorator
• fashion designer