Fantasy couture, also sometimes called couture fantasy, is a type of

haute couture ''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...

. It represents a trend in fashion and design that emphasize fantastical appearance over practicality/functionality and has elements drawn from the fantasy genre of literature and of film, often presented in an extreme style of detail, complexity, and precision. The trend is characterized by individuals such as

Iris van Herpen Iris van Herpen (born June 5, 1984) is a Dutch fashion designer known for fusing technology with traditional haute couture craftsmanship. Van Herpen opened her own label ''Iris van Herpen'' in 2007. In 2011, the Dutch designer became a guest-mem ...

Eiko Ishioka was a Japanese art director, costume designer, and graphic designer known for her work in stage, screen, advertising, and print media. Noted for her advertising campaigns for the Japanese boutique chain Parco, she collaborated with sportswear ...

, Guo Pei,

Tim Yip Tim Yip Kam-tim (; born 1967) is a Hong Kong art director and designer for fiction films. He is best known for his work on the 2000 martial arts film '' Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'', for which he won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction ...

, Alexander McQueen,

Tex Saverio Tex Saverio (born 28 August 1984, in Jakarta) is an Indonesian fashion designer. In September 2005, Saverio won a national award in the Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Award, which qualified him to compete against other Southeast Asian designers the fo ...

, Stephen Jones,

Mary Sibande Mary Sibande (born 11 April 1982) is a South African artist based in Johannesburg. Her art consists of sculptures, paintings, photography, and design. Sibande uses these mediums and techniques to help depict the human form and explore the constru ...

, and Bobby Love, among many others. An example of this style is performed annually at the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball held in Hollywood, California, named for the 1986 film ''

Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth (, ) was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the ...

''.

References

Haute couture {{Fashion-stub