My how times have changed... A wealthy woman in the 1950s would have had a private viewing of a couture designer collection and up to three fittings to ensure a perfect fit. Nearly all clothing today, designer or otherwise, is sold directly off the rack. The last two decades in particular have had a major impact on Haute Couture and it's most impressive how the great fashion houses have responded. They've succeeded in earning billions while preserving the fundamentals of fashion as art.
The cost of producing haute couture along with a decline in buyers created a dilemma for the houses. After WWII, there was an estimated regular international clientele of 20,000; mostly socialites and celebrities. In fact, some women like the Duchess of Windsor would order whole collections at a time. Today the number is about 3,000 of which only 200 are regular customers. The costly fournisseurs, the artisans employed by the ateliers (workshops like the famous House of Lesage), complete the decorative touches such as highly specialized embroidery and ornamental flowers. Designers still depend on the handwork of the ateliers despite their costs and the lack of buyers due to price tags upwards of $25,000 for a suit and over $150,000 for an evening gown. Understandably, fewer couture garments are being produced today. Dior, for example, makes only twenty couture bridal gowns a year.
The rising demand for prêt-à-porter or ready-to-wear designer labels was a great boost as these cost less for the houses to produce and were far more affordable for buyers. At Lesage today, 80% of work is done for ready-to-wear and just 20% for haute couture. Desrues, maker of costume jewelry for the likes of Louis Vuitton and Lanvin, produces a million buttons a year for Chanel alone of which only 3,000 are used for haute couture. The ateliers have certainly felt the effects. In the 1920's, there were about 10,000 embroiderers in France - today about 200. Consider too the increasing number of houses who outsource cheap labor overseas. Famous labels such as Coach and Dolce and Gabbana are now made in China and rather than pay the high prices the French ateliers command, some designers like Jean Paul Gaultier are having their handwork done in India.
What primarily funds haute couture now is the essential licensing. The great fashion houses rake in profits by stamping their labels on a wide range of beauty products; perfume, cosmetics, jewelry and accessories. The reasoning is that, for example, while the average woman may not be able to afford couture Chanel, she can buy a bottle of Chanel Number 5, a scarf or a ready-to-wear Chanel dress. These profits are what enable the houses to continue producing their otherworldly collections despite the monetary losses.
Interestingly, the cost of fashion shows can go as high as a few million dollars even though very few of the designs shown each season are actually sold. Francois Lesage said, "The couture dress is unique and may never even be made to order. It's to attest to the quality of the house and to advertise for the brand. It is a dream of quality with no consideration of cost." For further promotion the houses will loan clothes to movie stars and other public figures.
Buyers' attitudes have also changed in that the client who once remained loyal to only one designer will now buy from many designers to create their desired look. Also, today's approach to dressing leans more toward personal preference rather than the "must have" ideal of yesteryear. It's of no consequence to see a woman wearing a chic suit standing next to another wearing a pair of tights with thigh high boots at the same function. It's little wonder that the vintage clothing market is continually on the rise for it represents a time when the couture houses dictated all style. What's on the cover of Vogue now is no longer de rigeur. 
