Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

The second and final day of this years Wedding Expo was marked by exhibitions by different companies who offer various services to those who are planning to tie the knot.

Among the companies represented were those from the financial sector, fashion outlets and legal service providers.

Standard Chartered Bank representative, Mr Dan Haoleba Dikgaka said they attended the Wedding Expo to promote their new and unique product, the Diva Club Account which they launched recently.

He said they felt that since preparations for weddings are often spearheaded by women the Expo provided a good opportunity for them to market their product.

Mr Dikgaka said the account was their own way of giving back to women and appreciating their role in the society in general.

Letshego, also a financial services provider, promoted the various loans that it offers, amongst which are the Executive loan, Letshego loan, Letshego vehicle finance and FlashCash.

Letshegos Sales and Marketing Consultant, Mr Dikeme Maponyane said they also offer legal services to the public at affordable prices.

These products, he said are meant to cushion customers against financial ruin brought about by legal expenses.

Some of the legal protection products they offer are Tshireletso Guard which covers labour, civil and criminal matters, Executive Legal Guard which covers legal expenses accidental death, disability and medical expenses and Badiri Guard covering work-place related matters.

Ms Monana Bogatsu, the Managing Director of Fabulous Functions, an events management and florist company said her company was doing well and that most of her clients were big companies such as Shell Oil Botswana, BP Botswana and Gaborone Sun.

Ms Bogatsu said she advertises in electronic boards and also does door-to-door advertising, pointing out that some of her clients are referrals. I do a pretty good job and what I do advocates for me.

A representative of Lemat Fashions, Ms Thapelo Matale said they attended the Expo to market their business, which specializes in designing outfits for various occasions.

She said business was often slow except during Christmas time when many people hold their weddings.

According to her, everyone can afford to buy from them because they have flexible payment methods and their products are reasonably-priced.

Ms Patricia Mashabane, the Director of Art Cultural Centre, another fashion-design company specializing in German print or leteisi said shortage of material, stiff competition, exorbitant rentals and lack of skilled personnel hamper the day-to-day operation of her company.

An Otse-based charitable organization, Motse wa Badiri Camphill also exhibited some candles and pottery from its candle and pottery workshops.

The organization sources some of the materials used in candle-making from other countries because they are not available locally. Moulds used for shaping the candles are bought in Australia whilst wax is from Malaysia.

According to its representative Ms Lefoko Blake ,the aim of the organization is to help the disabled by equipping them with life skills.

Show attendant, Ms Bosa Botlhokobotsile said she hoped to gain a lot of knowledge as she is preparing for her wedding to be held next year.

She expressed happiness that such an event gives people an opportunity to compare prices and to meet business people She however decried the size of the venue saying it was too small for such an important event.

Source: BOPA

Qatar Expo Events Management announced The International Wedding Exhibition & Fashion Show Doha (IWED) 2008, Qatar’s first major wedding event, to be held from 4th to 7th May 2008 in the New Qatar International Exhibition Center.

With more than 100 stands, IWED is open to both wedding professionals and the public. Visitors will discover a vast range of high quality wedding products and services from wedding planners, fashion designers, wedding gift suppliers, flower designers, honeymoon organizers, footwear designers, catering companies, jewelry designers, hair and beauty products & stylists and hotel groups.

Fernando De Guama, Qatar Expo’s Director of Exhibitions and Events commented: ‘IWED is set to become one of the Middle East wedding industry’s leading events. The Qatari wedding industry alone is now worth US$ 400 million each year. Wedding is part of the service industry that is set to grow to meet the growing number of population resulting from the countries development.’

‘IWED will feature the very best international wedding products here in Doha. While there will be a strong focus on European design, notably French and Italian, these will feature alongside the latest ideas from the Middle East. There will be so much going on at IWED you could literally plan your entire wedding in one day,’ stated De Guama.

IWED highlight will be the twice-daily Fashion Show featuring elegant wedding gowns, evening wear designs, brought to you by leading fashion designers from the regional and international markets.

In addition, IWED features seminars presenting the latest hair and make up styles by well known make up artists from Egypt, Lebanon and Qatar.

Source: CNN

Spring Fab Bridal Expo is the Cape’s biggest and most upmarket fashion, accessory, beauty and bridal event of the year. Now showcased twice annually due to demand.

Exhibitors
Top Fashion Designers
Co-ordinators
Companies specialising in:
Hair and Make-up
Accessories/Jewellers
Artists
unique bridal Haute Couture
Fashion Boutiques
Designers of invites
Reception Venues
Hiring Services
Flower Art Specialists
Function Designers
Video/Photographers
Magazines and Directories
Wedding Registries
Health/Beauty Services
Honeymoon Destinations
Caterers

Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre
Dates: 27th and 28th October 2007
Times: Saturday 27th : 09h00 - 17h30 Sunday 28th: 09h00 - 17h00
Entrance Fee: R50 Adults, Children under 12 Free
Contact: Carin Brynard
Tel: +27 21 981 4737

Ballerinas and bridal gowns. Canadian designer Justina McCaffrey regularly pairs the two for her New York runway shows.

McCaffrey, dubbed Canada’s Vera Wang, brought her unconventional fashion show to Edmonton for the first time Sunday for the Bridal Expo at the Shaw Conference Centre.

She says she prefers putting dancers instead of stick-thin models into her dresses because dancers are more healthy looking, more average looking.

“They’re also just better people, more earnest and eager to work for you,” says the designer who still takes the occasional class with the National Ballet.

Her dresses, exclusively available at The Bridal House Couture in Commerce Place, feature high busts and little waists made to flatter the female figure and make her look five pounds lighter, McCaffrey says.

Each style is made of 100 per cent white, ivory or greyish blue silk and features French lace made on 100-year-old looms, freshwater pearls and swarovski crystals.

Because each dress costs between $2,000 and $5,000, they are sometimes marketed as society wedding gowns, but McCaffrey says her desired bride is someone comfortable running through fields and who loves to laugh a lot.

Source: edmontonjournal.com

As the wedding season kickstarts this October, the pioneer in the bridal fair in India ”Bridal Asia” is all set to unveil the wedding extravaganza in its tenth edition.

The three-day wedding fair will begin from October 16 here. In a preview to celebrate the occasion, collections for the wedding season by some of the key participants were showcased at the Grand.

The fair will have the best of exclusive designer bridal wear, semi-formal and pret ensembles, sarees, accessories, jewellery and lifestyle products from the Asian sub-continent, all showcased under one roof.

The USP of the forthcoming show, Bridal Asia CEO Divya Gurwara said, would be the ”upbeat trousseau” presented by the designers, especially created for the ”young and chic brides”.

”Our designers have experimented a lot by mixing the concept of classic Indian bride with new trends,” she said.

Besides a flamboyant couture, the fair promises to provide the buyers with a varied range of exquisite jewellery, accessories and bridal gifts.

The preview got a sneak peek into the newest collection of Ara by designer Riddhima Kapoor, daughter of actors Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, and Devyani Bajoria.

Talking about her bridal range, Ms Kapoor said, ”This year we have kept our bridal trousseau very basic which makes the entire range wearable.” The colour pallette varies from brightest reds to pastel shades and black in sync with the free flowing fabrics like georgettes, lycra, chiffons among other fabrics.

The collection further emphasises on the revival of the traditional Indian embroidery with gota work, mukaesh and sequence designs taking the limelight.

The other designers who presented their collection were Bhairavi Jaikishan and Nalandda Bhandari.

Their collection reflected a perfect melange of modern silhouettes and old world charm with colour pallettes ranging from classic ivory, peach, saffron, sunset yellow to various shades of pink and red.

Calling her collection ”minimalist and simple yet beautiful,” Ms Bhandari caught the eye with her tunic tops and yellow evening dresses.

Balancing the minimalist look promoted by the designers, jewellery and accessory designer Malini Agarwalla’s Malaga conquered the preview with her stunning collection of precious stones studded belts and bags.

”Malaga specialises in handcrafted bags, belts, footwear and fashion jewellery with rich embellishments of jewelled pieces, embroidery, beadwork and zardozi,’’she said.

Source: NewKerala.com

Indian weddings have always been very special social occasions, a celebration of a lifetime, with preparations commencing months before the “D Day”.

However, with India going global, pre-wedding anxieties are now passe with the on one-stop solution for a perfect occasion.

Wedding today is an industry, thanks to the pan Asian wedding extravaganza “Bridal Asia”, which pioneered the concept of “all in one platform for wedding” in the late 90s, claims Divya Gurwara, CEO Bridal Asia.

From beautiful cards, regal Rajasthani mandaps, choicest designer wear with exquisite jewellery and accessories to gourmet cuisine ranging from Japanese Sushi and French wine to Kathiawadi dishes, everything is taken care of at “Bridal Asia”.

October, an auspicious month for Indian weddings and sales, has been chosen for the exhibition which is being held every year from 1999 onwards, she told media.

A jewellery designer who dabbled in custom-made pieces, Divya realised the vast potential of an Indian wedding wayback in 1990 when the very concept was novel.

“I felt a need of quality platform which caters to the elaborate preparations that go into an Indian wedding would not only be a boon to customers but also provide an opportunity to those in the industry, from fashion designers to confectioners to give their best,” she said.

Bridal Asia’s forte, says Divya ‘is targeted at the middle class, upper middle class and the high-end. The budgets are made to suit all these categories’, she says.

Striving to provide quality and variety, the three-day exposition being held at Delhi from October 16 this time will not only have the who’s who of Indian fashion such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Anita Dongre but also fresh talent like Kamaali & Shruti, Pallavi Singhee and Hemant Lalwani.

Bridal Asia which “has always acted as a creative bridge between Pakistan and India”, will also have Pakistani designers like Sahar Atif and Honey Waqar with their brands “Karma” and “Bareeze” and popular Bangladeshi designer Maheen Khan, said Divya.

“International brands are looking at the Indian wedding market which is becoming more and more stylish and the example is Jimmy Choo (footwear), Gucci (bags) and La Perla (Lingerie) being brought by Murjani group at Bridal Asia, this time”, she said.

Reflecting on the wedding trends, Divya says the whole wedding paraphernalia has undergone a “major transformation”.

Fashion Guru Prasad Bidapa feels “the wedding kaleidoscope has absorbed all the modern waves”. In the 90s, though wedding decor was not opulent, the embellishments were heavy. “It was flayer ed heavily embroidered lehengas and ornate sarees in silk in hues of brown, red and orange which were popular with the full-bodied brides”, he said.

The demure bride of yesteryears has been replaced by a modern woman ready to take on a man in all spheres, says Manoviraj Khosla, a designer known for his stylish work.

“Experimentation and uniqueness is the name of the game today,” he said.

While lehengas are “structured and fitted to the body with the bride ready to show her svelte figure, the sarees are transparent adorned with svarovski crystals, coloured pearls and even shells”, says Bangalore’s own Namrata G.

In jewellery, it was ethnic Kundan and gold jewellery and delicate diamond pieces made marks. Accessories (bags and footwear) were almost an after thought. The embellishments today, feels Rocky S are “minimalistic yet fashionable and make a statement”.

Ritu Kumar, Czarina of Indian bridal fashion says in jewelleries “a lot of white gold, chunky diamonds and big coloured gem stones, precious and semi precious which are getting picked up”. Even beautiful artificial jewellery ” a total taboo in the 90s is making mark as long as it is unique and exquisite”, she says.

Ritu Beri, who has made a name in the global fashion arena feels “accessories have a strong presence today. It is a blend of tradition and modern. From a traditional brocaded batua or a clutch bag with swarovski crystals or animal print, what is important is making a style statement.

In decor, it is “understated opulence which is in. White drapes, crystals, white roses, pearls and mandaps in golds, reds and even block vegetable-dye prints are favoured”.

Source: The Economic Times

Bridal Asia, the annual wedding fashion exhibition, is now targeting Dubai, London and South East Asia.

Held in New Delhi every year, Bridal Asia features bridal clothes, jewellery, accessories for men and women, along with silver ware and home décor furnishings.

According to Divya Gurwara, CEO, Bridal Asia, the company is now looking to take the event international, covering Dubai, London and South East Asia as they have a huge NRI population. Year 2003 saw a Bridal Asia fashion show held in Pakistan.

The 2007 Bridal Asia exhibition-cum-sale will be hosted in Delhi from October 16-18, and will feature 80 participants, who include prominent apparel designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Malini Ramani and Gaurav Gupta; jewellery designers like Tanya Kohli. Also part of the event would be fashion houses, jewellers, home furnishing companies and accessory designers from the country. additionally, four designers from Pakistan will also showcase their products.

International fashion brands such as Jimmy Choo, Gucci and Etam will also feature in the event. Around 75 per cent of the products featured are in the apparel segment (lehengas, sarees, kurtas etc) and in jewellery.

Doesn’t Vera Wang ever get tired? Her cheap-for-chic line launches next week at Kohl’s. Her name is stamped everywhere, from plates and stationery to mattresses and frothy bridal gowns. But she’s always maintained it’s her signature ready-to-wear collection that’s her true baby.

After last season’s dark, moody Russian revolution collection, Wang has brightened up (the show kicked off with “Here Comes the Sun” blaring overhead). Her spring collection is inspired by ancient Rome, as evidenced by scores of loose-fitting frocks and draped toga dresses. Like a lot of the designers we’ve seen this week, she’s embracing earthy tones _ shades of brown, beige, green and gold _ and intricate details such as bold jeweled and leaf necklines are a standout.

While another reporter griped to me that her pretty aesthetic never changes and there are never any surprises, I have to say that Wang does what she does best. And it’s freakin’ gorgeous.

Source: The Dallas Morning News

Couture Fashion Week (CFW), the distinguished fashion event that showcases fine international luxury and couture fashion and accessories collections, will be presenting fashion shows this coming season in several new locations, in addition to its home base of New York City.

The fashion shows in New York will take place September 8-10, and then be followed by a special appearance in Atlanta, a day of shows in Palm Beach in late November, and in Naples, Florida in early December.

Plans are also underway for fashion shows on the Caribbean island of Curacao, as well as in Cannes, France to coincide with the world famous film festival in 2008.

The event producers will also stage bridal fashion shows in New York City in October 2007, showcasing couture and fine bridal fashions and accessories.

Along with the exquisite fashion shows, guests at the Couture Fashion Week events enjoy world-class entertainment and chic after parties. Attendees include high-end consumers, boutique and specialty store buyers, international press, VIPs, socialites and dignitaries.

The event creates unique branding opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors looking to reach the luxury market. Media partners include Book Moda (Italy) and Fashion Syndicate Press (USA).

Exciting new developments:
CFW to Bring Luxury Designs to Atlanta:
Following the fashion shows in New York, Couture Fashion Week will partner with Haute.Lanta Fashion Week in kicking off the latter event in September 19.

Source: fibre2fashion

The Bridal Africa 2007 Young Designer Awards ceremony took place on 25 May 2007 at Gallagher Estate. The Awards were part of the Bridal Africa 2007 exhibition, a weekend-long extravaganza to display all things bridal.

The competition for the awards was strong but, of course, there could only be one winner. NichePro, in association with Fashion Group SA, is delighted to congratulate the 2007 winner, Louis Rohrs, for his cutting-edge multicultural bridal design in the Bridal Africa 2007 Young Designer Awards competition.

The competition was open to young people studying fashion design at colleges, universities and technikons as well as to independent fashion designers. Each young designer was required to create a garment and headdress to illustrate and enhance the theme of a multicultural fantasy bride. These designs showcased the individual participants’ talents, creativity and imagination using various inspired materials.

“The Bridal Africa positioning of ‘Multicultural Bridal Fantasy’ aims to incorporate and grow the broad expanse of many individual and fusion of cultures that Africa has to offer any young bridal couple wishing to show some unique style on their big day”, says Dee Reuvers, managing director of NichePro (Pty) Ltd.

The panel of judges consisted of key individuals from the world of fashion. It included the couturier Julian, Fred Eboka from Eboka Design Studio, Max Bloch from Bridal Wholesalers and board members from Fashion Group SA.

All the finalists displayed spectacular creations in a fashion show extravaganza, which culminated in the announcement of the winner of the Bridal Africa 2007 Young Designer of the year – Louis Rohrs from LISOF. Rhonddi le Roux, also from LISOF, took second place while Caroline Potgieter from the North West School of Design secured third place.

Rohrs is currently in the second year of a three-year fashion design course at LISOF. The course is highly practical and his studies place emphasis on conceptualisation and innovation. Additional focus is given to the application of fashion. “Studying fashion trends, sketching designs of clothing, selecting colours and fabrics, and overseeing the final production were a dream come true. It is a continuous learning curve and an amazing experience that will inspire me for years to come,” says Rohrs. The design process for the Bridal Africa Young Designer Awards – from initial design inception to final production – took Rohrs only a few weeks to complete, and landed him the honour of becoming this year’s top young designer.

As the winner of this year’s competition, NichePro will continue to provide a platform for Rohrs to work from. They will include Rohrs’ designs in the fashion show for the 2008 Young Designer Awards and, in addition, will allow him to participate in the exhibition to showcase his design capability.

Wendy Sing a well known South African fashion designer had this to say: “It is always exciting to see how the Young Designers interpret the ‘multicultural fantasy bride’ wedding theme. The judges have a wonderful & daunting task in choosing a winner because all of them are amazing. Bridal Africa offers them the most wonderful springboard into the intriguing world of fashion. The fashion show produced by Eleanor Ford must leave the young designers in tears of pride. Bravo to all of them.”

The Bridal Africa Young Designer Awards aim to assist, promote and develop talented young designers. They are a creative forum that enables NichePro, in association with Fashion Group SA, to continue with their ongoing endeavour to uncover new, promising fashion talent in Africa.

“Bridal Africa is the only national platform that successfully hosts the Bridal Africa Young Designer Awards (in association with the non profit organisation – Fashion Group SA) - developing the skills of small business and thus contributing towards the growth of the fashion industry. The social responsibility contribution that Bridal Africa makes to young designers in launching their careers is hugely satisfying”, says Reuvers.

NichePro, in association with Fashion Group SA, invites and encourages all young fashion designers to participate in the forthcoming Bridal Africa 2008 Young Designer Awards competition. For more information, visit www.bridalafrica.co.za.