Maison Martin Margiela and Alexis Mabille awarded haute couture status Luxury labels Maison Martin Margiela and Alexis Mabille can now officially call themselves haute couture houses. Fashion houses Maison Martin Margiela and Alexis Mabille have been awarded haute couture appellation by the Chambre Syndicale, French fashion's governing body, reports WWD. The change in status means that although both brands already show couture creations, they are now can now officially call themselves couture houses. Previously, Margiela showed couture as a 'correspondent member' and Mabille as a 'guest member'. READ: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy chooses French fashion label Alexis Mabille Both houses are still relatively new to the world of couture; Mabille showed its first couture offering in 2008, while Maison Martin Margiela debuted in July this year. Designer Alexies Mabille in his atelier. Photo: Paul Cooper To achieve official haute couture status a number of specifications must be met, including the number of looks shown per show, the size of the atelier, whether or not two collections are shown per year and the standard of the pieces produced. The labels join a small, select group of fashion houses with couture appellation, the most notable being the likes of Dior and Chanel as well as newer member Giambattista Valli. There are also five correspondent members, such as Armani and Alaïa, and 11 guest members, including Hervé Leroux.