What Makes a Gown Couture?
Written By Danielle Naer
What is “couture,” exactly? The French word simply translates to “sewing,” though its true meaning stretches far beyond the simple pull of a needle through thread. Today, couture refers to garments crafted with the highest level of artistry, often by hand and to the precise measurements of a specific client. At Galia Lahav, such qualities are customary: every gown is made to measure and handcrafted in our Tel Aviv atelier. Our couture collections, therefore, must go another step further.
The difference? The countless hours behind each garment—the repeated refinements, the patient handwork, and the finishing touches that transform a spool of fabric and some beads into something so intricate, so exquisitely realized, it belongs in a category of its own. When asked exactly how many hours go into a single gown, Head Designer, Sharon Sever explains: “a couture gown is not timed—it’s pursued.” Translation: as many as it takes to arrive at the garment’s final form. Sometimes, that’s hundreds of hours—”and many hands. But more importantly, the right hands,” Sever adds.
For all couture collections, the process begins with “a vision that is slightly irrational,” Sever confirms. “If it makes too much sense, it’s not couture.” First comes the sketch, where proportion, attitude, and silhouette are established instinctively, always with an eye toward how the gown will move and the effect it will create on the body. From there, the atelier grounds the vision in reality, from the inside out: corsetry, internal structure, balance, and weight are all developed before a first prototype is created, allowing the team to refine volume, drape, and fit.
Once the foundation is perfected, the handwork begins. Lace placement, embroidery, and crystal embellishment are applied by hand. Then come the fittings—multiple rounds of adjustments, refinements, and millimeter-level changes that ensure the gown feels effortless on the bride. By the final stage, every seam, layer, and embellishment has been considered, refined, and reworked until the finished piece achieves what couture does best: the appearance of total ease. “By the end, the dress looks effortless—which is usually a sign we’ve suffered enough,” says Sever, laughingly.
For the bride, this is ultimately what she is investing in. As Sever puts it, “you’re not paying for a dress… you’re paying for decisions—thousands of them,” all made lovingly by the atelier with each bride top of mind. Every proportion is adjusted to the individual body, every corset built not for a body, but for hers. It’s this level of craftsmanship and discernment that underpins the couture difference at Galia Lahav.
In Keepsake, that craftsmanship takes on an especially emotional dimension. “Keepsake lives in precision disguised as nostalgia,” Sever shares of the Fall/Winter 2026 couture collection. Sculpted corsetry—“very controlled, very intentional”—is paired with fabrics chosen to evoke Gilded Age opulence: silk taffetas, layered lace, and delicate embroideries that feel almost heirloom in nature. Beneath the romance lies what Sever describes as “a lot of invisible work”: internal structuring that allows the gown to hold its shape without ever appearing rigid, and hand-applied elements positioned not merely for decoration, but for movement and light.
It is perhaps the clearest expression of what couture means at Galia Lahav: craftsmanship in service of transformation, where every detail is considered not only for how it looks, but for how it makes the bride feel.