We can all dream of owning a piece of haute couture one day, but it will likely be just that — a dream for most of us. One of the many features that make couture special is how the garment is constructed and the time involved to make each garment. It is the best of the best because it uses all of the techniques — the best fabrics, multiple fittings to ensure the best possible fit, and the best construction in every aspect of the garment.
There are no shortcuts to save time on labor or on fabric. There are ways ready-to-wear brands like Senza Tempo can incorporate couture techniques into their designs. American designer Claire McCardell pioneered this strategy using couture finishes on everyday fabrics like denim.
Look at the inside of many of your garments and see how the items are finished? Do you see the raw edge of the fabric, loose threads? Not seeing raw edges is a hallmark of every Senza Tempo garment. The only time you will see a stitch line on our garments is if it is part of the design. Otherwise, the hems are blind and finished by hand.
Tee shirts and other items like our Carole pants feature added cuffs or double folded strips of fabric to bind the hem like on our tee shirts. It's a simple extra step that elevates a simple silk tee shirt into something far more polished and chic.
A seam, hem, or facing can be finished with a binding to encase the raw edges. These are touches that, like lingerie, many don't see other than the wearer, but are hallmarks of superior construction. In couture, this work is typically done by hand, but in a ready-to-wear garment, they are sewn by a machine. But it still takes a highly skilled hand to operate the machine. Though certain aspects of our construction are finished by hand, like our blind hems.
The Senza Tempo factory is priced by the number of hours it takes to make something. There are no discounts for large orders, which is how most overseas factories work. Why? That is how you ensure that quality always comes first.