New Product: Swirly Burly Chokers and the word "Couture"

[Hexotica]

Swirling and twirling, the trapeze-burlesque artist swung from heights high above to land lithely before the stunned, slack-jawed, circus audience. She wore a candy-colored corset and multi-layered tutu with a cute choker at her neck, adorned with delicate filigree swirls...

The pink Swirly-Burly: featuring a striped pink ribbon rosette!

The purple Swirly Burly: featuring a sheer mesh rosette!

The silver Swirly Burly: featuring a metallic rosette and metallic filigree ribbon!

My favorite, the black and white, Lolita Swirly Burly: featuring black and white striped rosette!

And lastly, the cherry red Swirly Burly: featuring striped mesh rosette!

These little inexpensive numbers are listed in my Etsy store, with only the metallic one going up in Ebay soon. I think I've really got a thing for swirls--my newest wire-work necklace is a massive shoulder-wide, crystal 'couture' piece. I'll be listing it next Thursday, now my official New Product day.

Speaking of "couture", here is a link to a very talented Etsy designer who recently got flamed for describing her products as "couture". I have to admit, as a friend of several seriously skilled dressmakers who are adamant that the word should only be used by those in the proper houses of couture, I have balked at ever using the word "couture" to describe my top-end designs. Yet, this designer has made me think twice about the controversial topic with a very compelling argument that to use the word is not only both widely acceptable by the general, non-discerning public, it is a smart marketing practice. Read her reply post to her flamer and tell me what you think.

Should any designer use the word "couture" to describe their own top-end, one-off, blood-sweat-and-tears creations?