Wedding Gowns & Bridal Fashion

An ethereal bridal collection from Vera Wang for Fall 2009 evoked wood sprites and forest creatures for “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” wedding. Taking cues from Wang’s ready-to-wear collections – barely-there, painterly color palette, layered hand-cut tulle and asymmetrical draping – challenging the notion that bridal couture needs stick to a white duchess satin ball gown formula. “I like to think outside the box with these collections,” said Wang after the show.

One of the keys to Wang’s re-imaging of bridal is to take the traditional silhouette, but soften or update it for a more modern, fashion-conscious customer. The “ball gown” turns into a cloud of softly folded tulle with a bodice like whipped frosting, accented with a simple lavender grosgrain sash. A “mermaid” gown softly flares into oversized layers of watercolor-like, earthy chestnut organza, while sequined straps suspend a slip dress from bare shoulders for a look that is as seductive as vintage lingerie.

Here, the way Wang manipulates fabric takes a starring roll rather than the usual beaded embellishment. Instead of using beading or embroidery to detail her gowns, she will twist and pleat tulle into a dramatic train, or line a hem with hand-cut rosettes. Necklaces or bracelets of sequins and beads sewn to ribbon provided just enough sparkle.

The show had editors buzzing for its creativity and advanced take on the bridal gown, but one editor was overheard asking a buyer whether the colorful gowns would be on their lists. “As long as they come in white!” remarked the buyer. Still, the collection inspired a bohemian, return-to-mother-nature narrative that will likely appeal to brides looking to avoid the conspicuousness of bling in favor of something soft and romantic.

A wave of white fabric cascaded down the catwalk as celebrated Canadian designer Alfred Sung kicked off L’Oreal Fashion Week Monday with the unveiling of sweeping creations from his bridal collection under the towering tents at Nathan Phillips Square.

Sung launched the 16th edition of the semi-annual event with a showcase of new bridal gowns aptly titled “The White Collection.”

The legendary designer said he was inspired by the late film star and style icon Grace Kelly when designing his collection, an influence that translated both to the dresses and hairstyles.

The glamorous gowns ran the gamut from fluid to more form-fitting. Voluminous, full-bodied silk taffeta creations and elaborate lace and satin gowns shared the runway with softer, more slender, draped georgette dresses. Lush materials, including angel tulle, silk essence chiffon and organza, were also incorporated into the mix.

Shimmering beads and Swarovski crystals added eye-popping detailing, lending dazzle to bodices, buttons, necklines, waistlines and dress straps. Some of the gowns had the intricate accents incorporated on a larger scale, like an elaborate floral beaded pattern cascading along a dramatic lace overlay.

While the floor-length gowns largely featured cascading trains or flared hemlines, the upper halves of the gowns offered a wealth of variety to suit the diverse tastes of virtually any bride, ranging from classic sweetheart necklines to plunging off-the-shoulder V-neck styles, halter and racer-back to elaborate crisscross straps.

Models also exuded elegance with their updos, wearing hair swept back into chic chignons accessorized by a band of white satin ribbon, flowers or a jewelled hairband.

“I wanted them to look really feminine, glamorous, elegant, and a little bit sexy with the off-the-shoulder,” Sung said backstage following the show.

During their final runway walk, the models tossed their bouquets into the hands of lucky onlookers as the audience gave the designer and his creations a standing ovation.

Sung got his share of the love when he stepped out into the spotlight to take his bow, graciously accepting one of the bridal bouquets from a man in the front row.

Despite more than 30 years in the business, with fragrance, eyewear, jewelry and houseware product lines among those to his credit, this marked the first time the iconic designer presented a collection during Toronto’s Fashion Week.

Backstage, Sung said it was honour to be asked by organizers to launch Fashion Week festivities, adding that he was “very flattered” to open the show, and said he was also touched by the warm reception at the end, despite being a bit reluctant to face the audience.

“I just have to thank everyone, I mean, being so kind and supportive all through the years,” he said. “Actually, I wasn’t going to come out because I’m so shy. They have to push me out!” he added, laughing.

Sung, who has designed bridal wear for 15 years, said part of what sets the line apart from the countless others that comprise his brand is what manifests in the end result - helping brides feel beautiful.

“This is one product line that you just think of making women look absolutely drop-dead gorgeous on their special day because that’s how they want to be, because it’s fun.”

Sung’s philosophy on capturing the uniqueness and special aura surrounding the wedding day even filtered down to a key decision in how to present the collection.

Rather than having the models scramble to change into different dresses backstage, he opted to have each model walk down the runway in one gown - 32 in all.

Jeany Li is an urban planner’s dream. Actually, Li has a master’s degree in urban planning, so when she describes her life in one of Orenco Station’s live-work units as making her “feel like I’m living a dream right now,” her opinion carries some weight.

After three years in her home, Li came up with an idea for a business that would fit perfectly with the commercial space integrated into her home’s ground floor. And it would allow her to use another skill she’d practiced almost her entire life: clothing design and fine sewing.

The result is Jeany’s Bridal Couture, and Li is now spreading the word that brides have a source for one-of-a-kind, locally designed and crafted wedding dresses.

Li is working on expanding the sample gowns displayed in her downstairs shop. With four complete, she wants to add four more by January.

However, she emphasizes these dresses are just to give her clients ideas to draw on. When designing a gown, Li inquires about the future bride’s interests and asks, “What do you want to be on your special day? What would you like to feel?”

From this information, she starts the process of designing for that individual. Everything is handcrafted. Li even has a machine for making her own lace, so she’s not limited to what’s available in the retail trade.

All of this takes infinite patience. Li says she first learned to sew from her grandmother as a child in her home in Tianjin, China. Li was the only granddaughter in the family, and her grandmother wanted to pass her skills to a new generation. At age 5, Li was too young to use a machine, so her first lessons were all in hand sewing, including embroidery.

Li says her parents were surprised a child so young could sit still and do one step at a time. Her grandmother, though, had told her, “You have to love it, if you want to learn it well,” a message she took to heart.

Along with patience comes flexibility. Li says she will work with a bride to ensure she gets a couture gown that still fits her budget. She said the cost of a simple elegant wedding gown might be as low as $900, compared to the cost of an original by designer Vera Wang, which might cost as much as $15,000.

Li does not outsource, choosing instead to do every step herself. She even plans to offer brides souvenir photo packages, capturing the steps during creation of their gowns and documenting they are a one-of-a-kind original.

Jeany’s Bridal Couture is at 1460 Orenco Station Parkway. For more information or to make an appointment, call 503-848-8303. A Web site at orencobridal.com is under development.

Jenny Packham is a leading British designer, specializing in party dresses, evening gowns and bridal wear. Honored as Hollywood Style Designer of the Year 2006 and British Bridal Dress Designer of the Year 2007, Jenny Packham’s luxury design house has gained international renown.

Her celebrity clients include Keira Knightley, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

This week Packham presented her new eveningwear collection as part of the Russian Fashion Week “Autumn/Winter-2009″, the biggest fashion event of its kind in Russia. After the show, she gave an interview to RIA Novosti correspondent Narine Prazyan.

How do you feel when you see celebrities wearing dresses designed by you?
- To me it is what we call ‘the icing on the cake’. To me it’s very important to design a dress, and I think it’s good when somebody buys it, and buys lots of them. And I think if a celebrity chooses it then that seems better really.

Have you always wanted to be a designer?
- Yes, always. I mean I started when I was about eleven making my own clothes. I didn’t ever make a conscious decision, but I’ve always wanted to do eveningwear as well.

What inspires you when creating evening and wedding dresses?
- Well, it’s just so enjoyable really. I have a fantastic team of people now, and to make a collection is an opportunity to really show what they can do, with cutting, manufacturing… What inspires me is making more and more glamorous, beautiful evening dresses. And every time I try to do something better than I’ve ever done before.

Jenny Packham dresses have become must-haves among Russian celebrities. How do you explain that?
- I know it sounds slightly corny but I think with a wedding dress, and I have to say the same of an evening dress, I think that someone has to fall in love with a dress, they have to really want it. And when I design a dress I have to give it those qualities to make someone think: “Oh, I have to have this dress, I feel so fantastic in it!” Hopefully they felt like that. That they have to have one.

Do you have your own favorite dress? Could you describe it? Who is the designer?
- I know it’s very general but I have a beautiful Prada dress. I think for me Prada is something to really aspire to. The manufacturing, the beauty in the cutting… But generally I wear a lot of black, quite simple clothing.

Is there a celebrity you would particularly like to design an evening dress for?
- I would love to design a dress for Nicole Kidman or Kate Blanchett. I think for me they are kind of personified… sort of feminism, it is very appealing really, they are very contemporary.

In one of the interviews you said that your eveningwear is designed for contemporary women living in the city. What do you think of historical clothing? Would you like to create a collection for a historical movie, for example?
- Especially with bridal wear, I did a whole load of research on it. And I did a lot of work on the history of bridal wear. When I was at college I did a lot of history of fashion and I think the more you know about the history of things, for example, why women wear white dresses, the more you understand, the more depth there is to your designing. So I think it would be a challenge to do a film. And I think recreating an old garment is a great thing. If you know the Marie Antoinette film, she recreates the old garments in a really modern way. I think that would be interesting. To recreate old garment is interesting, if you can do something to it to liberate it. I think it would be great. 

It’s not the first time you’re taking part in Russian Fashion Week. Would you say a few words about it, about the Russian fashion market in general?
- I think there is such enthusiasm here to really create a fashion industry. You have two fashion weeks, it’s incredible. You know Milan, for example, has only one fashion week. I think there is so much here to get into. And you know we always have such a great time here, it’s always such a joy to do.

Source: RIA Novosti

A New unique African inspired style and Information book. Jumping the book in Style by Africa’s premier bridal fashion designer Thony C. Anyiam for couples looking for something different and exciting.

Renown Nigerian born fashion designer Thony C Anyiam’s long awaited, and much talked about new book titled “Jumping the broom in style; A collection of styles and information for the entire wedding party” published by Author House is now released! This unique full color book is available in paperback, and everywhere books are sold.This full color book has something for everyone regardless of race or nationality.

Jumping the broom in style is an African inspired style and information book for the entire wedding party. Besides African, and African American (Afrocentric) styles, there are styles for both the bride and groom inspired by Asia, (Afro-Asian), Caribbean, (Afro-Caribbean), Europe, (Afro-European), Arab / Middle East, (Afro-Middle Eastern), and Span/Latino, (Afro-Spanish/Latino)

In addition, a preview of his Avant-garde bridal line, you have to see to believe!

For the first, time in a bridal publication a comprehensive collection for men (groom, and the father of the bride/groom).
Important and useful information for couple planning their ethnic inspired wedding; Information on who wears what, and what to wear to your wedding, A step-by-step pictorial guide on how to tie the fancy African style head-wrap, money saving tips, and much more.

Designer Thony C. Anyiam is known in the bridal fashion industry for his trend setting, and innovative designs. He is consider the pioneer of modern Afrocentric bridal wear designs. He merges different ethnic influences to create unique one of a kind designs.

He is one of Africa’s most creative and influential fashion designer of our time, and one to watch in the industry.

Oscar de la Renta has designed a marvelous bridal collection for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 season.

Colors used in the Spring 2008 collection are on the white and ivory tone sides of the palette, matched with soft grays. Shiny crystals and sparkling stones which have embellished the top of the gowns are used to strengthen the richness. Elegantly refined, plain yet chic, Oscar de la Renta brides will fulfill their wedding days with their glamorous moments.

Ivory silk faille strapless gowns with detachable over-skirts, ivory silk faille strapless gowns with crystal embroidered belts, white tulle twist-front draped polka dot empire gowns, embroidered gowns with ribbon lattice work and organza florets and white chiffon off-the-shoulder twist front empire gowns are the collection’s and also the ad campaign’s highlights.

Source: Fashion Trendsetter

Hajra Hayat isn’t out there to create a bang or hoopla. She isn’t one of those to stick out a feather, expose a leg or come up with crazy colour combinations just to attract attention and establish herself as a fashion “visionary” simply because she’s also not a fortune teller — she is a designer who designs for the ‘now’.

Hajra Hayat is known to design outfits that are “wearable” as her outfits are always aesthetically pragmatic. Despite several innovations, in a show this Lahore-based designer held in Karachi recently, it was evident that she hasn’t deviated much from her design philosophy.

Rang De, the official title of the Hajra Hayat Winter 2008 bridal wear collection was shown, at the onset of the wedding season, in collaboration with Shehzad Roy’s Zindagi Trust. After speeches relating the objective and ideology of the Trust, including one by Roy himself, those present were treated to a performance by him to three songs, two of which were performed live with his guitarist Imran Akhund.

Of these, one was a cover of a Beegees classic re-made by an equally popular cover by Boyzone, Words. As much as this scribe appreciates Roy’s inherent love for the song, covering a classic and performing it is an intimidating feat in itself and unfortunately, Roy simply lacked the ‘soul’ needed to make his cover of it his own. He then performed his most popular song to date, Sali, disappointingly on DAT. Thankfully, it was the last song performed by him and the Hajra Hayat Rang De fashion show finally kicked off.

The opening segment showed a white, western-inspired collection. There was no over-the-top embroidery or embellishments; the line was simple, with elegantly cut shirts over straight-pants or capris. For a moment it seemed as though Hajra had dsc_1352.jpgtoned down for her showing in the city but not for long. The embroidery and bling increased as the show advanced. The predominant colours Hajra has played with in the collection are white, pink, red and blue. Most of the saris that were shown carried deep-cut blouses at the back with intricate embroidery done around the borders and across the back as well.

An interesting combination was a red and blue bridal outfit, a combination which has been a tad overdone but was manageable in this case. What stood out from the bridal section was a simple white, lightly embellished, long-skirted outfit worn by model Faiza Ansari with an equally simple dupatta over her head. The outfit was perfect for the more untraditional bride looking to separate herself from the norm. Another eye-catching outfit was a pink-bloused red ghaghra worn by Sunita Marshall with a pink border towards the hemline of the ghaghra with circular mirrored-disks bordering it.

At this point one has to mention that out of all the models Faiza Ansari seemed to be having fun. She swirled her pink sari when walking the ramp adding a little bit of extra oomph to it. On thdsc_1550.jpge other hand, despite having seen Nadya Hussain several times on the runway, and despite being tall and beautiful to look at, she unfortunately does not understand the importance of a good posture or timing when strutting down the ramp. She walks while leaning oddly backwards, resulting in her lower body leading the way with her upper body following. She also tends to walk painfully slow, disregarding the pace that the other models were keeping or even the overall beat of the song being played. Despite having been around for quite some time, Nadya is desperately in need of lessons on how to walk the ramp.

Another interesting thing to note was that most of the people attending were not from the local fashion fraternity, they were socialites and individuals from the corporate sector, people who are genuine buyers of designer-wear outfits.

Overall, the collection wasn’t over-the-top or a work of a creative genius. It was, however, creatively done with outfits which people could actually wear (as opposed to ‘just see’). The western-inspired line was a welcome addition and since it seemed to be fused with certain eastern cuts as well, one can be sure these would be ideally suited for the youth of today – the ‘Minglish’ speaking crowd. If simplicity in design is the hardest thing to carry, then Hajra Hayat carries it really well.

Source: http://bandbaji.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/the-understated-bride/
Photos by Fayyaz Ahmed

Designer previews exclusive Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection along with new bridal collection.

Manish Malhotra, India’s leading celebrity fashion designer and style icon, unveiled his Winter Couture 2007 collection yesterday (November 18, 2007) at the Manish Malhotra Store in Jumeirah, Dubai. The designer also previewed his Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection along with a new set of bridal creations and a line inspired from the 70’s retro look, which he created specifically for the recently released Bollywood film ‘Om Shanti Om’. The launch in Dubai follows Manish’s successful outing at the annual Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Spring/Summer 2008, which was held at the National Center of Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, India from October 13 to 17, 2007. Present at the launch were senior executives from the Saif Belhasa Group of Companies, celebrity guests and select customers.

In celebration of the theme, ‘La Belle Epoche’, Manish’s line features creations that incorporate both heavy prints and embroidery on exquisitely quilted full-length jackets and shararas with stiff, high collars. The collection draws inspiration from the Art Nouveau era, with designs incorporating French touches of the time dominating the fashion pieces. The famed designer has used luxurious zardozi and resham embroidery to richly colored jackets, coats, skirts, dresses, blouses and tunics, which are sketched to appeal to his customers’ fashion style preferences ranging from vintage, contemporary chic, minimalist and eccentric.

“Designing this collection has been an exciting experience for me, as the season allows me to experiment with various texture and color combinations for my clients who will do a lot of layering to keep comfortable and counter the winter chill. Taking inspiration from the beauty of Parisian art, which I have incorporated in my newest collection, my main focus is to transcend drab winter garments and provide wearable fashion that is both modern and luxurious. It has always been a tremendous pleasure to offer visitors a peek at my latest apparels here in Dubai, which I consider to be the home of my most sophisticated and fashion-forward clients,” said Manish Malhotra.

Manish Malhotra’s collection was featured as the finale at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week, the premier fashion event in India. In addition to his success on the ramp, the designer’s collections are also being showcased in popular Indian films currently showing at theaters in India and the Middle East. A-listed Bollywood celebrities such as Kareena Kapoor, who starred in ‘Jab We Met’; Deepika Padukone, who played the lead role in ‘Om Shanti Om’; and Madhuri Dixit, who is set to feature in the new film ‘Aaja Nach Le’, share a particular fondness for Manish Malhotra’s distinct designs. Garnering the appreciation of trendy actors in Bollywood, the famed fashion icon has decided to launch his newest collection in Dubai.

In addition to the Lakme Fashion Week Grand Finale collection, Manish also showcased his new bridal collection, which features avant-garde wedding dresses designed with rich embroidery and ornamentations but keeping the traditional flair that suits the taste of the contemporary bride. Manish had earlier participated at The Bride Show Dubai 2007, during which Bollywood stars Urmila Matondkar and Arjun Rampal led models on the ramp to showcase his collection. The launch of his new bridal collection is expected to create a stir within the fashion community, with the wedding season soon to hit the region.

Manish Malhotra has been dubbed the Badshah (King) of Bollywood Couture and has designed costumes for some of the biggest Bollywood movies, including most recently for ‘Om Shanti Om’, a film that many critics expect to be the mega-hit of 2008. The film features Manish’ creations, which cross from the intricately designed costumes based on the 70’s retro look and the modern and sleek apparels, which the characters of the present day wore. With the projected blockbuster success of the film, the massive exposure the movie has generated is expected to attract the attention of fashion conscious youth in Dubai.

“The name Manish Malhotra has been a brand that is tantamount to luxurious apparels incorporating the best of traditional Indian, Arabian and contemporary style. His seasonal collections have caught the attention of the fashion world, with his flair to combine ethnic chic, sensual elegance and relaxed glamour within all his signature pieces. Customers from across the UAE and other GCC countries has developed a fondness for his designs, making his boutique one of the most visited fashion houses in Dubai,” said Sarah Saif Belhasa, Vice Chairman, Saif Belhasa Group.

With over 16 years in the industry, Manish Malhotra has received 22 prestigious awards and has a clientele that includes leading stars in India and Hollywood such as Reese Witherspoon, who has worn Manish’s creations in the film Vanity Fair; Michael Jackson, Jean Claude Van Damme and Naomi Campbell. The Manish Malhotra Store is located in Jumeirah and was launched in 2006 by the designer and Saif Belhasa Group of Companies. Featuring luxurious garments and accessories for Indian, Arabic and Western clients, the upscale boutique also carries the trademark Manish Malhotra skirts, tunics, corsets, kurtas, sarees and dresses in bright colors and prints along with a range of designer shelas, abhayas and jalabiyas.

Source: Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, LA made its mark in the territory usually left to those you may find in the produce aisle at Wholefoods or wearing Birkenstock’s, but if you’ve been into a Wholefoods as of late, you will notice a new breed of organic junky including the fashionista and business person alike. Speaking of Wholefoods, they also just happened to be one of the sponsors for The Gallery LA’s Green Initiative Humanitarian fashion show on October 17th at Smashbox Studios for Fashion Week. Among the designers in the show, Rene Geneva Design stood out with unique textiles, innovative designs, and an approach to luxury fashion that both an eco-enthusiast and a fashion diva can equally appreciate. “I am absolutely honored and appreciative of the opportunity that The Gallery LA offered us and was really impressed with the production that they put together.” says Geneva.

Ms. Geneva took to the road after Fashion Week to speak with new accounts in Los Angeles, Sonoma County, Ca, and even Flagstaff, Az, which led to the sell-out of fall immediates and several color schemes in her Spring/Summer ‘08 line. “Fashion Week really helped us get noticed,” says an enthusiastic Geneva. “Before we would get compliments, where now we get accounts.” Don’t worry, however, Rene´Geneva Design still has room left in her Spring/Summer line to fill last minute orders of eco-chic eveningwear, flirty yet utilitarian sundresses and separates, and fine-crafted corsets.

Coming home, Geneva was ecstatic to find several write ups, including two in California Apparel News and a full page article about her experiences as a designer and as a woman who works with indigenous cultures and fair trade factories in Rare Magazine’s Fashion Issue, which states, “Geneva’s designs are chic and utilitarian, with the “Austin gal” very much in mind.” Finding a niche for her eco-friendly, sophisticated clothing designs has been exciting since few “green” designers can meet the expectations of the modern-contemporary, fashion-forward, and now, eco-aware woman. Green bridal remaining a specialty of Geneva, she has continued to allow herself time to give personal attention to each bridal order that comes through the door.

With the recent walk down the runway of the highly-regarded Fashion Week, Ms. Geneva has successfully entered a market eager to receive eco chic apparel. Their designs encompass women’s contemporary apparel, eveningwear, exotic corsets (under the Faernyn’s Grove brand name), and bridal made exclusively from organic and eco friendly materials and are offered to an international customer base. Each garment is either made in the USA or with Fair Trade Labor. Textiles this season include Sustainable Biodegradable Product™ rated hemp blends, Tencel, “peace” silk, SKAL certified organic cotton, and bamboo. More exclusive designs use rare fabrics made from tree bark, and hand woven silk. Most designs from this season carry a “carbon neutral” certification that offsets the carbon necessary to bring a garment to life through their “Fashionably Neutral Carbon Program™”, which is the first of its kind in the luxury apparel industry. Company efforts help higher causes, including the “Scraps for Schools” program, which recycles fabric scraps for children’s art projects, and the “Sun Power Project,” which will implement the installation of solar electricity into a needy community in Central America.

While Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has certainly helped spotlight Rene´Geneva Design, it won’t slow down their momentum working with fair trade causes or other environmental and social efforts. “If anything, it fuels our passion and validates our mission, and goes to prove that you can build a successful business while still maintaining your ideals.” says Geneva.

On Tuesday, November 20th, Rene´Geneva Design is hosting a Fashion Week Afterparty in Austin, Texas to celebrate all of the hard work and effort that she, her staff, and friends have endured through this past well-received year. It will be an Austin-style event with live music, models, video from the show, catering, and giveaways, with sponsors including Rare Magazine and EcoClean Drycleaners.

A one of a kind unique African inspired style and information wedding book for the entire wedding party by renowned Maryland-USA based, Nigerian born fashion designer Thony C Anyiam. Styles includes; Asia, Europe, Caribbean, Arab, and Latino and more.

Maryland, USA-based fame Nigerian born fashion designer Thony Chukwuemezie Anyiam’s long awaited new book titled “Jumping the broom in style” published by Author House went “live” on October 28 2007, and is now available everywhere books are sold!

Jumping the broom in style is an African inspired style and information book for the entire wedding party. Besides African, and African American (Afrocentric) styles, there are styles inspired by Asia, (Afro-Asian), Caribbean, (Afro-Caribbean), Europe, (Afro-European), Arab / Middle East, (Afro-Arabia/Middle Eastern, and Span/Latino, (Afro-Spanish/Latino)
In addition, a preview of his Avant-garde bridal line, you have to see to believe.

For the first time in a bridal publication a comprehensive collection for men (groom and the father of the bride/groom). Important and useful information for couple planning their ethnic inspired wedding; who wears what, what to wear to your wedding, step-by-step guide, money saving tips, and much more.

Designer Thony C. Anyiam is known in the bridal fashion industry for his trend setting, and innovative designs. He is consider the pioneer of modern Afrocentric bridal wear designs. He merges different ethnic influences to create unique one of a kind designs.

He is one of Africa’s most creative and influential fashion designer of our time, and one to watch in the industry. He is the designer and owner of Anyiams Creations International His fashion have been featured in prints and broadcast media world wide, and on his highly successful website.

Source: Newswire

When the bride walks down the aisle, most people focus on the bride–not the dress designer. But the designer’s the one who put in the hard work. In fact, the designer has the big responsibility of making dream dresses for real people. “The biggest compliment I can hear is ‘that’s flattering,’” says successful gown designer Judd Waddell. And the second-biggest is: “simple elegance.”

Despite the relative anonymity, Waddell knows he’s designing what’s probably the most watched dress of a woman’s life. Waddell grew up in Illinois, far from New York’s fashion center, where he now lives. Though his mother read many fashion magazines and was always interested in clothes, Waddell’s life of building fantasy really got started in a college library.

“I was an architecture student at Washington University in St. Louis, and I was often in the art, architecture, and design library,” since those subjects were lumped together, he says. “I’d be doing architecture projects and I’d start glancing at the design books.”

Waddell’s eyes couldn’t stay away from the section–”just a shelf, actually”–of fashion-design books. He kept coming back to that shelf, checking out those books and reading them, mesmerized.

He’s still mesmerized. He designed the gowns for the 20th Century Fox production of The Object of My Affection, and he’s appeared twice on Lifetime to discuss his designs. He believes a woman “should indulge the fantasy” when it comes to gowns, and he absolutely loves weddings.

“What’s not to love?” he says. “Most of the time, these people are really right for each other.”

Waddell is a real student of wedding gowns, a guy who thinks about fabric and shape and how they can help make fantasies come true. What’s exciting about wedding dresses” is the scale of them–they’re big dresses. I really like the architectural aspect of wedding dresses. They’re usually quite ‘built’ from the inside out.”

“It’s more about listening to the fabric,” he says, when asked what’s flattering. “You also listen to people and what they have to say about the dresses.”

Often, less is more, says Waddell. “I like to think the best designs are done with an eraser,” he says. “I try to take away as much as I can, so there’s a perfect balance of the elements.”

In any dress, “proportion of any kind is key,” he says. He tries to get women to try dresses they might not consider, just in case something surprising will look great.

“People need to try on dresses, and sometimes, the rules don’t apply. People should look at themselves, but they should also look past their pre-conceptions,” Waddell says. “Sometimes I say, ‘I have a look that might be good for you’” in order to get someone to be more open.

Still, there are general guidelines. “I think people need to be really careful about their arms, ” he says. “One of the most common mistakes is to have your arms covered. A lot of times it’s more flattering to have strapless or one thin strap.” Men often wear tight shirts to make their arms look bigger, and women also make their arms look bigger by covering them in tight fabric, he said.

And then there’s what most people should show off. “Very few people have unattractive shoulders or clavicles,” he says. It’s also important to think movement. Brides tend to be “really sensible about getting dresses they can dance wildly in,” he says.

But everyone’s interested in looking good. Often, that’s a matter of the right shape and style.

“Princess-line dresses are always the easiest to wear, because there’s no horizontal line,” he says. “However, there are some people who look great in a drop waist.”

“A lot of times brides say “I don’t want a full skirt because it will make my hips look big,” Waddell says. “Well, actually, the opposite is true.”

When pressed for more specifics, he said that “slim, A-line is for everyone, but sheaths are more limited.” Interestingly, “the sheath is exactly the dress that will show that you have big hips if you have hig hips. There’s no fooling.”

“Sheaths tend to be my least favorite kind of dress,” he says. “A woman has the whole rest of her life to wear a dress like that. When she gets married, she should indulge the fantasy.”

And Waddell is still reading, and still immersing himself in the fantasy of fashion. “Three years ago, I found the book from college again–”Inventive Paris Clothes, 1909-1939″, with Irving Penn photos. The photographs were beautiful, and the clothes are photographed in such a way that they speak for themselves.”

Sometimes, of course, clothes speak too much. As a wedding guest, Waddell often has to “resist the urge to go flip the train,” since usually, he’s the one who’s designed the dress.

“My best friend got married last September, and she actually made me the best man so I could do that,” he said, referring to last-minute train adjustments.

“Thank God, I love going to weddings. They’re so sentimental,” he says. “I’m crazy about them.”

Source: United Jewish Communities

Carolina Herrera & Vera Wang

Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2008 Bridal Collection was just what you would expect from the designer–elegant and feminine. Herrera’s gowns are for the classic bride who makes no apologies for wanting to look and feel like a princess on her wedding day. Ruffles, satin sashes, flowing fabrics, and trains that stopped traffic gave the collection an ethereal feel, while an element of suprise was found in black embellishments, which added an ironic touch to the white palette. Herrera paid homage to My Fair Lady with a strapless A-line gown with embroidered tulle layers and grosgrain details in black and beige. The intricate detail on a strapless floral embroidered organza ball gown with ruffles and ribbons was the perfect combination of sweetness and whimsy.

The Vera Wang Spring 2008 bridal collection was Vera at her finest, inspired by the genteel aesthetic of high society social register American debutantes of yesteryear, from Jackie Bouvier to Doris Duke. “It’s harking back to a time when women had their own definition of glamour, style, and chic,” said Wang. Gowns were super luxurious and refined, and the collection wasn’t limited to bridal white: dresses in jeweled tones of rich purple and iridescent pink walked alongside the pristine cream looks. An ivory silk organza gown with a lace and embroidered tulle overskirt and ivory faille bow sash at the waist was a standout. Satin cabbage rose embellishments in forest, amethyst, crimson, and magenta added a dash of color to simple, elegant silhouettes. Overall, the collection was the perfect blend of seductive beauty and old world elegance–with a hint of mystery. “Even the venue was meant to be fairly snotty,” said Wang of her show space–the Ukranian Institute on the Upper East Side.

Source: Fashion Week Daily

25 local designers will show off their work at Portland Fashion Week
With one week to go until showtime, Portland designer Elizabeth Dye hasn’t decided if she will be showing wedding dresses. In preparation for her Oct. 22 Portland Fashion Week collaborative fashion show, Dye has been editing her show and touching up finished pieces for the past six weeks.

As a ready-to-wear and custom designer, Dye designs for the best of both worlds, but her decision to include both is not yet decided.

“Haute couture is being made by fewer and fewer designers everyday,” Dye said.

Designing custom-made wedding dresses is Dye’s outlet for extravagant creativity.

She enjoys designing alternative wedding dresses because her customers feel free to indulge their fantasies they wouldn’t normally explore in other areas of their lives, Dye said. But whether a selection of these dresses will walk the runway is undecided as of now.

This should not worry the Elizabeth Dye tribe - she cuts it closer to showtime than most designers because she likes the intensity of pressure that short deadlines bring.

Portland Fashion Week, which runs Friday, Oct. 19 to Wednesday, Oct. 24 features 33 designers, 25 of whom are local.

Dye will show her designs on Monday’s collaborative show titled “The Collections” alongside designers A Broken Spoke, Dayna Pinkham, Emily Ryan, Holly Stalder and Kate Towers, among others.

“Putting together a show is all about discipline,” she said. The trick, Dye explained, is narrowing down ideas for a particular show.

“I will wake up in the middle of the night with an idea or inspiration that is appropriate for fall or spring or good for living on my inspiration board for three years,” she said.

So what will next Monday look like for Dye?

“My rule is I can’t sew on the day of the show,” she said. “It is like a wedding day. I have to make myself eat.”

Sustainable fashion in Portland has been a buzzword in town for several years. Some designers have taken sustainability and applied it to every aspect of their business, but not all Portland designers stick to a strict sustainable diet of minimally processed and dyed fabrics.

“I also consider sustainable fashion to be living and working in the community where you sell your clothes,” Dye said.

Because Dye sells clothes from her own shop on NW 23rd Avenue, she cuts the environmental degradation common in the fashion industry by eliminating transport cost while maintaining that local connection to the community.

Portland designers have the freedom to be flexible within the city’s young industry. What Portland lacks in century-old traditions of textiles and couture is made up for with the value the community places on local talent.

“Portland and Paris fashion week don’t have much in common,” she said, “but that is good thing.”

Source:

HE’S used to designing for royalty - both of the Windsor and Hollywood varieties - working with everyone from Princess Diana to Elizabeth Taylor. But, when it comes to demanding customers, David Emanuel says they are nothing compared to the forthright females he met at the Trafford Centre.

“They definitely tell you straight what they think,” he laughs. “Whereas my couture clients might be a little more, let’s say, tactful.”

The women he saw on his recent jaunt up north weren’t multi-millionaires, flashing a gold card and asking for extra sequins on their evening gowns.

In fact, the dressmaker to the stars was here to meet customers at bargain-hunters’ chain Bonmarché.

Yes, it’s possibly one of the last places in the fashion universe you’d expect to find the man behind Princess Diana’s wedding dress.

But it’s where he has chosen to launch his first high street range, lending his name to a new designer collection in 100 Bonmarché stores.

He’s certainly not the first designer to collaborate with the high street, following Stella McCartney for H&M and Giles Deacon at New Look. But why Bonmarché? Nobody would argue it’s at the fashion frontline.

Down-to-earth

“I’ve had other chains approach me but guarded my name fiercely. But the Bonmarché people were very professional and lovely to work with.

“I’d never been in any of the stores when they first asked me so I went round a couple and visited them. I could clearly see it needed something. It’s clear that the customer base was an older lady and there’s nothing wrong with that. These ladies want stylish things but they also want a good price.”

Deal done he started designing a stylish, yet mature, range to add a bit of class to the plain chain. However, despite decades of experience in the fashion industry, he still had a lot to learn about high street prices.

Not too pricey

“Let’s be brutally honest - people are only prepared to spend a certain amount nowadays,” he says. “If a lady wants a one-off piece they come to me and they have to spend a lot of money, that’s understood.

“But on the high street they want a bargain. I could design the most wonderful things but they won’t work if they aren’t the right price. We’ve been careful to keep it between £10 and £70 max.”

However, his new found love of the high street does know some bounds.

While he reckons high street ranges from trained designers are a bonus for fashion-savvy customers, he’s none too pleased about other famous faces, like Kate Moss at Topshop or Lily Allen at New Look, wading in.

“I’m a trained designer, as is Stella McCartney, and we design clothes. It’s the other people who muddy the waters, I don’t have time for that. I’m sorry but you would need to be a trained architect to design a building wouldn’t you?”

No fan of celeb ranges

Of course, he will always be remembered for Diana’s famous wedding dress of taffeta and antique lace, with its 25ft train, which he designed with then-wife Elizabeth.

But for now, he says, he’s happy to be working on something a little less grand.

“Undoubtedly, Diana’s wedding dress was the ultimate highlight. I never realised I would always be linked with it. But I like to move to on the next challenge.

“I’ve been very lucky in my career, it’s a thrill to dress Madonna and Elizabeth Taylor. But they have an open cheque book. Here the challenge is to get the clothes out looking stylish but at a price that’s affordable.”

Source: Manchester Evening News

White silk, lace, embroidery, petticoats… what does your dream wedding gown look like? Have you found the person who will make it for you?

When you ask around the first name that usually comes up is Vera Wang. This creative and talented artist often went with her mother to fashion shows in Paris. She got frustrated with the lack of fashion in bridal wear and decided to create her own shop. Today she is the hottest name in this industry, dressing such glamorous ladies for their nuptials as Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Williams and Sharon Stone.

Another name to watch out for in bridal fashion is Monique Lhuillier. This lady always wanted to be a fashion designer. She attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising but didn’t go into designing wedding gowns until after she designed her own wedding dress and then she decided to get into this business. Today she designs gowns for such celebrities as Britney Spears, Christine Baumgartner (wife of Kevin Costner), Natalie Imbruglia and Charlotte Ross.

Now, you may be saying to yourself that you can’t afford the price tag of these designers. You may be surprised. While it’s true that to ask these designers to make a gown specifically for you would be expensive, you can get their designs off the rack, so to speak in places like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nieman Marcus. You can also check out the online stores for wedding gowns made by these wonderful designers.

Quite a number of brides don’t wish to waste their gowns, sitting in their closets, just mouldering. That would be a shame. Their generosity, your find, an absolute treasure. Check out the bargains to be had from purchasing used wedding gowns created by these very same designers. They are absolutely beautiful and can make you feel absolutely glamorous on your wedding day without breaking your bank.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lesley-Ann_Graham

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

Born in Maine, USA on June 19, 1930, Jessica McClintock did not receive any formal training in design. She attended Boston University in 1950 but received her Bachelor of Arts degree in San Jose State University, California in 1963. She completed and was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters in the Academy of Arts College in San Francisco.

McClintock was first married to Al Staples in 1949; He passed away in 1964 and she got remarried to Fred McClintock, with whom she has a son, Scott. She started out teaching for a number of schools, including one in Massachusetts from 1966-1968, and another in New York and California from 1968-1969. At the peak of the hippie era , she invested in the Gunne Sax Company in San Francisco where she served as designer for their lace-trimmed dresses. That investment brought her to what is now known as Jessica McClintock, Inc., of which she is the founder, CEO and President. The company, which is estimated to be $140 million, remains to be one of the highest-ranking manufacturers of women’s wear, bridal gowns and accessories.

Starting out with “granny” dresses and lace-trimmed clothes, McClintock expanded her collection to prom dresses and wedding gowns by the 1970s, incorporating lace in all of her designs, her trademark. In 1979, she introduced the contemporary Jessica McClintock line, and Gunne Sax was turned into the little girl’s division that featured teens’ wear made of ribbons, ruffles, Victorian lace collars and ballerina skirts.

In 1980, she opened her first boutique in San Francisco where she sold accessories, cosmetics and high-end designs. She drew her inspiration for her 80’s collection from girls’ dresses in the 1920’s by combining intricate Victorian details with maternity-like silhouettes. She utilized man-made materials, which made her clothing affordable. Son Scott McClintock followed suit, creating moderately priced dresses and sportswear that bears the same McClintock romance, but is more defined and sophisticated.

In 1986, the company was renamed Jessica McClintock. A year later, she introduced her first signature fragrance, Jessica McClintock (which became an all-time bestseller), along with the Jessica McClintock collection, which showcased sundresses and can-can skirts. During the 80’s she designed about 2,500 outfits per year, most of which were aimed at women in their 20s and 30s and which bore her trademark: feminity with an alternative yet uniquely romantic edge.

She received numerous awards in the 80’s including the California Designers award in 1985, the American Printed Fabrics Council Tommy and the Press Appreciation awards both in 1986, the Dallas Fashion award in1988 and the Merit award in Design in1989.

By the 1990s, the company expanded their realm to that which is beyond apparel, starting with the Young at Heart bed and bath line and a kitchen accessories deal with Barth & Dreyfuss, both in 1996. In 2000 they licensed a 50-piece furniture collection and a year thereafter, introduced area rugs. By their 30th anniversary in 1999, they have a record of 27 shops and 2 more fragrances under their name, Jessica and Jess. At the turn of the 21st century, Jessica McClintock established itself as one of the leading makers of women’s apparel and accessories. It continues to create fashion that is laced with nostalgia and mystery for any age, and has encompassed much more than just women’s wear, gracing a variety of product collections, from rugs to upholsteries.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Philips

ANDRE KIM’S fashion show on a recent Saturday evening ended, as his shows always do, with wedding gowns and “Ave Maria.” The models then all lined up on the outdoor stage to summon Mr. Kim, who appeared on the runway, triumphantly, in his trademark all-white space suit.

It was another successful show for Mr. Kim, 72, still South Korea’s most famous and powerful fashion designer, some four decades after he made Western dress popular among Korean women. An instantly recognizable cultural icon because of the futuristic suit he has chosen to wear for 30 years, and a favorite of consumers and comedians alike, Mr. Kim threatened to overshadow his own collection.

The applause continued. After bowing several times, Mr. Kim stepped off the stage and shook hands with the Koreans and foreigners sitting in the front rows. But he was hardly done for the day. He and his entourage had left Seoul in the morning and arrived here in this former coal mining town, now a gambling resort with Las Vegas-style hotels, after a three-hour drive across the peninsula.

“Pardon me, pardon me, I must leave immediately,” Mr. Kim, famous for working seven days a week, said in English. “I have work in Seoul early tomorrow morning.”

With that, Mr. Kim began making his way through the crowds. His suit’s baggy pants made a rapid swishing sound. People grabbed their camera phones, some not fast enough. Mr. Kim, like some costumed superhero, had already disappeared in the late summer evening’s darkness.

SUCH is Mr. Kim’s power that everyone from the most sought-after actresses to the wives of ambassadors posted to South Korea have modeled in his shows. In recent years, he has lent the Andre Kim brand to cosmetics, sunglasses, golf equipment and interior design, as well as washing machines, refrigerators and other home appliances manufactured by Samsung.

But it is the clothes — usually baroque, in bright, bold colors, with Byzantine or Renaissance motifs — that have made Mr. Kim. They exude a Western sensibility, sometimes loudly, as with his collection of dresses featuring prints of paintings by Rubens, Ingres, Michelangelo and Raphael.

“Fashion should portray grace, intellectual and artistic beauty, youthful energy,” Mr. Kim said. “Not too classic. I don’t like ‘old.’ Even though I was born in 1935, I don’t feel my age. I feel like a teenager who is 10 or 15 or 20 years old — fairy tale, fantasy, young and brilliant.”

In the early 1960s, when Mr. Kim began designing, the country was still recovering from the Korean War, information from abroad was scarce and very few Korean women wore Western-style clothing.

Yang Sook-hi, a professor of textile and clothing design at Sookmyung Women’s University, said that while female fashion designers also took up Western fashion in the early 1960s, Mr. Kim popularized it through fashion shows and the mass media.

“Andre Kim contributed in a way that greatly appealed to the general public, and he was very proactive in this,” Ms. Yang said. “He became known to all South Koreans.”

Although Mr. Kim grew up in a farming village outside Seoul, his earliest memories revolve around clothes. During Japan’s colonial rule, he said, he remembers hearing of privileged Korean women, called modern women, coming back from Japan dressed in the Western fashion already popular there. When he was in kindergarten, he remembers, he was deeply impressed by the sight of a bride during a village wedding.

“Since an early age I was into art,” he said. “I started by painting landscapes, but then I started to draw Western dresses as if I were dressing women. But the reality at the time was that women were still wearing traditional Korean dresses.”

Before anyone else here did, Mr. Kim also grasped the importance of creating an image — in his case, one that dovetailed with a domestic longing for the West’s imagined luxury and sophistication. He started by jettisoning his first name, Bong-nam. At the suggestion of a friend in the French Embassy, he reinvented himself as Andre, which sounded “poetic” to him. He sprinkled English words — “elegance,” “romanticism,” “fantasy,” “intellectual” — into every other sentence.

“I love the Oxford accent — it is very dignified,” Mr. Kim said. “I love America very much, the citizens, the government, the politics, the culture. But I love the Oxford accent. I feel it’s more intellectual.”

Over time, an Andre Kim dress became part of the closet of many well-dressed women here. Mr. Kim was invited to design the dresses for the Miss Universe pageant. He received cultural awards in Europe.

“I grew tremendously,” Mr. Kim said, “in line with the South Korean society and economy.”

EVEN as his dresses changed with each new collection, though, Mr. Kim settled on the white space suit for himself.

“I used to wear regular tailored suits until 30 years ago,” Mr. Kim said. “But because I don’t exercise, there came a time when I could no longer wear tailored suits in a way that satisfied the style. The suit I designed is not only futuristic, but it covers the figure I lost by not exercising.”

He keeps more than 100 copies of the suit, changing two or three times a day. The white space suit has become a fixture of every important social event, where he invariably occupies the best seat or table. Only the ever thicker makeup on Mr. Kim’s face, and the thinning hair he covered by painting his head boldly in black, betrayed the passage of time.

Yet, as South Korea opened up in the 1980s, Andre Kim seemed, especially to the young, a vestige of a long-vanished country.

On top of that, a few years ago Mr. Kim was forced to reveal his real first name, Bong-nam, in a court appearance. Many howled that the man known as “Andre” actually had a name that sounded old-fashioned and country-like.

Mr. Kim was unfazed.

“When I watch television and see comedians mimicking me, I feel embarrassed,” he said. “But when I go out and meet the public, I’m popular. People ask for my autograph. They take photos of me or together with them. I see that as the public’s love for me.”

Source: New York Times

Designer Vera Wang unveiled her spring collection under the Fashion Week tents at Bryant Park on Friday, displaying metallic printed skirts and boldly colored dresses.

But for those who can’t afford $1,500 dresses - or higher-priced items from Wang’s runway line - the bridal-gown-guru-turned-top-ready-to-wear designer also has launched a more affordable option.

Simply Vera Vera Wang officially debuted last week at Kohl’s department stores.

The clothes, from $34 to $200, shuttle Wang into the ever-growing group of designers who have partnered with discount chains to sell luxury-style clothing to everyday people.

Experts are calling the trend “mass-tige” - prestige for the masses - and say those who capitalize on the idea, such as Isaac Mizrahi, Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart, are smart.

“Every designer, I think, dreams of what I would call ‘brand stretch,’” says Michael Stone, CEO of the Beanstalk Group, a brand licensing company. “The ability to service many different markets and demographics, with a variety of products at a variety of values and pricepoints. And very few actually are able to pull it off.”

Wang is one of those few.

After achieving celebrity status in the early 1990s with beautifully simple bridal gowns, Wang moved artfully into ready-to-wear, to great acclaim. Since then, she has put her signature style on fragrances, jewelry, shoes, stationery, dinnerware - and even a Serta mattress.

But aside from her slightly lower-priced Lavender label, which offers apparel from about $300 to $800, most shoppers without celebrity or socialite status could only dream of owning her award-winning clothes.

Simply Vera makes those dreams a reality.

Unlike some other low-end lines, such as Madonna’s at H&M or Sarah Jessica Parker’s at Steve & Barry’s, Wang stays true to a designer feel, despite the discounted prices.

The Kohl’s skirts and dresses have many of the feminine details Wang has become known for - such as bows, ribbons, lace and sheer layers - and the pieces boast the same architectural cuts of her ready-to-wear line.

She’s kept a familiar Vera Wang color palette, the coats are fabulous, and nearly all of the pieces look as if they cost at least twice as much as they actually do.

“It looks really fashion-forward,” says Samantha Bishopp Mollett, senior fashion market editor for Glamour magazine. “It’s pretty crazy how similar it is to her runway collections. There are so many signature kind of Vera details. Her rouching and beading and appliques, and the netting that she does in her runway as well as bridal collections, makes it look really high-end.”

Some may say a little too high-end. Convincing customers to spend $200 at Kohl’s for just about anything might be a tough sell, even if the label does say Vera Wang.

But on a recent trip to the Kohl’s in Ellicott City, a saleswoman said the line was selling quickly - especially the dresses - even though the store began displaying the line, without fanfare, before the actual launch last week.

And shoppers seemed impressed - at least by the aesthetics of the line.

“It’s cool. It seems very stylish,” says Jenny Roman, 36, an Ellicott City stay-at-home mother. “It’s something different.”

Roman wasn’t surprised to see such fashionable clothing at Kohl’s. She says she often wears Kohl’s apparel when going out in the evenings and usually garners compliments.

But she wasn’t sure she would buy any of the Simply Vera line.

“I’m not a waif,” Roman says, “So it’s hard.”

Designer clothes are often cut for a more narrow frame, but Roman might want to give Simply Vera a try in the dressing room.

After all, the collection carries sizes up to 16, and some of the clothes appear a little oversized. One short-sleeved textured coat, for example, was big enough to layer over one of Wang’s sweaters, a silk-blend tee and a jacquard skirt.

But that may be purposefully done. Among the style-savvy, Wang is known for her elegantly casual layering. Those fashionistas who follow her work, experts say, will recognize, and most likely love, the lower-end interpretation of such details.

“There are girls here in the office who are so excited about this,” says Nicole Phelps, executive editor of Style.com, which is based in Manhattan. “And given that the prices are so affordable, I think it will appeal to younger women, possibly college age and even high schoolers.”

Experts believe Wang’s foray into the middle-class will be very successful.

One reason is that bargain shoppers have become used to this high-low approach to fashion.

“I remember when Halston went into JC Penney and [critics] said it was the end of Halston,” says Stone. “I think people are more accepting now of a brand having an ‘upstairs’ place and a ‘downstairs’ place, much more than they were.”

And - unlike some pop music stars or celebrity spouses who have ventured into clothing design recently - Vera Wang has taken time to cultivate her “upstairs place” in fashion, making hers a name people associate with quality.

“I think that this kind of collection works for someone like Vera who really does have strong design identity,” Phelps says. “When you look at something of Vera’s you really know that it’s hers.”

Source: Baltimore Sun

Award-winning Argentinean fashion designer Maria Pryor will present her latest collection of inspired creations at Couture Fashion Week in New York City.

The highly anticipated fashion show will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2007 in the Garden Atrium of the elegant Westin Times Square Hotel.

Maria Pryor’s passion for fashion developed during her childhood when she would often accompany her father to Buenos Aires’s famous Colón Theater, where he frequently sang.

She went on to study fine arts and fashion design at the famed Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Italy. Her unique signature style blends romanticism with a fairy world in a magical union of fantasy and mystery, the ancient and the modern.

Ms. Pryor has received numerous awards for her work including Best Fashion Show at Miami Fashion Week (2001) presented by E! Entertainment Channel, Silver Scissors Awards for Best Original Design (2001) and for Best Pre-Couture Collection (2000), Moet & Chandon Award for Best Designer (1999) and the Modex Award for cutting edge design (1998).

She has shown her designs at numerous fashion shows including Buenos Aires and Miami Fashion Weeks, and is well-established as a major designer in the Argentine capital where she is a favorite of many celebrities and socialites including Natalia Oreiro and Florencia Peña who asked Ms. Pryor to design her wedding gown. Her designs have been featured in top magazines including Vanidades, Collezioni andLive Miami.

Fashion designer J.J. Valaya, known for his rich, embellished couture lines, has now joined hands with wedding planner fernsnpetals (FNP) to design services for signature luxury wedding concepts.

He has launched a special design cell called Valaya Luxury Weddings that will create luxury concepts and details for special spaces, which shall then be executed by FNP.

‘Luxury is a relative term, but for me something unique and very special means luxury. And the entire experience of doing up a luxury space is completely different,’ J.J. Valaya told IANS after officially announcing the joint venture late Friday at his grand farmhouse in Gurgaon.

‘In India’s burgeoning wedding industry, there has been a constant demand for unique signature concepts that addresses all aspects of the ceremonies from decor to detail. This unique concept promises exclusivity, grandeur and elegance at its luxurious best,’ said Ritu Chopra, spokesperson of FNP Events and Wedding Pvt Ltd.

Decorated with floral balls and chandeliers, the luxury space created exclusively for the event at Valaya’s farmhouse saw the likes of Rathi Vinay Jha, head of Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), designers Ritu Kumar, Manish Arora, model-turned-actor Jas Arora, VJ Ishita Arun and producer Bobby Bedi.

‘Couture is very niche and grand, so the showcase must be in a grand manner as well,’ said Valaya.

Valaya also unveiled his fall winter 2007-08 collection called ‘The Taj Blueprints’ - a continuation of what he showcased at the last edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW).

With Mughal architectural imprints as the backdrop of the stage, 40 top models sashayed down the ramp to showcase 70 signature pieces.

The collection revolves around a fictional world of US architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who derived inspiration from India’s Taj Mahal in his works.

The women’s range included kurtas of varied lengths teamed with churidars and dupattas, fitted pants, skirts of varied lengths and styles clubbed with cholis (blouses) and dresses in women’s wear.

The men’s wear had ankle-length sherwanis teamed with stoles, churidar kurtas, shirts and fitted pants, suits, angrakha style coats and jackets.

The colour palette veered from rich ivories to turquoise and finally to jewel reds. The collection was marked by the use of silk threads, metal threads, swarovski crystals and beads on fabrics like tulle, jacquards, lycra-based rich blends and velvet.

Source: IANS

Arefeh Mansouri, an established International fashion designer, recently moved to the United States and is introducing her new, extraordinary collection of evening and wedding gowns to boutiques and fashion savvy consumers across the country. Recently married, Arefeh created a stunning, gorgeous, one-of-a-kind wedding dress for her special day. It took her two months to make, and the results were unbelievable.

“I have my own style that I would describe as classy, sexy, unique, edgy, and chic,” said Arefeh. “I wanted a beautiful wedding dress that captured my style, and this dress definitely did that. I worked hard on it, and that hard work resulted in a dress that I’m very proud of.”

Arefeh was originally slated to be a doctor, but made the decision to follow her passion, and attend college for fashion design. She started her own clothing line immediately afterward, and began designing a classy casual line and sportswear for women. She just recently started a collection of evening gowns. This talented fashion designer has an amazing ability to use things found in her everyday life for inspiration for her designs.

“I get inspiration for my designs from anything,” Arefeh explains. “I can see a certain type of fabric, shape, color, or even things found in nature, and create something based on those things. I’m very creative.”

Arefeh’s transition into designing gowns was natural for her because it was something she has always wanted to do, and she felt she would be more successful with a dress collection in the United States than in Canada, where she moved to the United States from. Arefeh is unveiling a new collection of evening gowns that will be available in several stores across the country, and custom bridal gowns are also available to anyone that wants to look and feel incredible on their wedding day.

Arefeh prides herself on designing gowns that are sexy and comfortable. “The way my gowns fit is very important to me,” explains Arefeh. “No one is perfect, so I try to make dresses that everyone can wear and feel great in.”

Amsale’s elegant designs have made her the number one couture wedding gown designer in the United States, and won her the reputation as the creator of the modern wedding dress. Though most recognized for her exquisite bridal wear, Amsale has also gained a strong celebrity following for her eveningwear, as seen at the Academy Awards and other high profile events on stars such as Kim Basinger, Salma Hayek, Julianna Marguiles, and Vanessa Williams.

Frustrated by her search for a simple, yet sophisticated gown for her 1985 nuptials to film executive Neil Brown, Amsale designed her own wedding dress. Realizing that many women shared her difficulty finding the “right dress”, Amsale launched her business in 1986 as a designer of fine bridal wear for a select clientele. Her designs gained in popularity as more brides began seeking classic dresses with a modern point-of-view. Today she is known for creating timeless and fashionable gowns that combine luxurious fabrics with fine hand-crafted beading, laces, silk flowers and tailored bows to create a strong, yet feminine look. AMSALE brides radiate style and confidence.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ms. Aberra’s New York-based wedding- and evening-dress house, claims annual sales of about $30 million. The Amsale label is in the same league as Vera Wang, another high-end wedding-gown brand.

Her designs are favorites of Kim Basinger, Salma Hayek, Julianna Marguiles, and Vanessa Williams. For those within the tri-state area, the AMSALE Flagship Salon is located on the east side of Madison Avenue between 58th and 59th streets on the 2nd floor at 625 Madison Avenue.

Amsale recently launched a line of couture eveningwear. The AMSALE Evening Collection is a natural progression from the classic, yet modern styles of her bridal line and has been featured on the fashion and party pages of Instyle, Harper’s Bazaar, Hello!, Vogue, WWD and W. Amsale’s bridal and evening collections are available at the finest boutiques and specialty retailers nationwide, in Canada and the U.K., and at her Madison Avenue boutique.

Source: Ajeeb

Her story just keeps getting better. And now super-star bridal gown designer, Monique Lhuillier, who burst onto the scene in 2003, is opening her first flagship store. Naturally, it will be on star studded melrose place in L.A.

The store will feature her bridal couture, ready to wear clothing as well as a new handbag capsule collection. the collection will feature 10 styles and according to fashionweekdaily.com, has lots of buzz surrounding it. The store will officially open october 10th.

Accomplished fashion designer and Albanian native Katerina Bocci will present her latest collection at Couture Fashion Week (DFW) in New York City.

The highly anticipated fashion show will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2007 in the Roof Ballroom of the world-famous St. Regis Hotel.

After graduating from the renowned SITAM Institute of Design in Padova, Italy, Ms. Bocci opened her own fashion atelier in Albania.

In 2001 she moved to the United States - what she calls “My Promised Land” - and quickly became known in the Detroit area for her impeccable fashion designs, selling to a discerning private clientele as well as to boutiques such as Alessandra Bridal, Janet Verner and Impulse.

Her designs have been featured in Detroit Hour, Style and Inside Weddings magazines, and she is a favorite designer of TV news anchors Lila Lazuras and Rhonda Walker.

Ms. Bocci has worked with a number of charities, including the Rhonda Walker Foundation and the North American International Auto Show’s Charity Preview.

At the latter’s recent event, the Detroit News named as Best Dressed “WDIV-TV Channel 4’s Rhonda Walker’s glam and sexy cranberry gown custom made by Shelby Township’s Katerina Bocci.”

She also designed the evening gown for a photo shoot by Fadil Berisha Studio in New York with Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera and Miss Albania Sadina Alla in the 2007 Miss Universe pageant.

At another recent photo shoot, singerFergie admired Ms. Bocci’s work, so the designer presented the pop star with a beautiful gown to wear at an upcoming Hollywood event.

“I design to make a woman feel feminine, to feel a silky touch on her skin, and show off her curves,” says Katerina Bocci.

In 2007 Ms. Bocci opened the largest fashion design studio in Michigan. The 3,200 square foot facility caters to savvy fashion clients with the best in custom couture bridal gowns, cocktail dresses, evening gowns, fine suits and coats made from luxurious fabrics, imported laces and silks.

All clothes are hand sewn and tailored to the client’s specifications, made to flatter the wearer and bring out her best.

“Katerina is an artist with a contagious energy for creative design and life itself,” notes Couture Fashion Week producer Andres Aquino.

“Her participation in this upscale fashion event will surely bring more recognition to this talented designer as she continues to develop and succeed in her field - one for which she has such great passion.”

Couture Fashion Week and Bridal Fashion Week are multi-day events showcasing luxury couture and fine fashion including eveningwear, elegant fashion, couture bridal as well as accessories.

Attendees include upscale consumers, invited VIPs, the press and selected high-end store buyers. The events also include exhibits of luxury brands as well as entertainment and networking cocktail and after-parties, and are held in top venues in New York City, Palm Beach, Naples, Florida and other selected cities.

In addition to its ongoing offering of uniquebranding opportunities for luxury products and services, Couture Fashion Week works in conjunction with lifestyle industry leaders around the world in offering attendance at the fashion shows as part of lavish travel and shopping experiences for those with exquisite tastes.

Source: USA International Fashion Shows

In the fashion circuit, she shares the crown with the high priestesses of style and design. Leading ladies scoot to her for their wardrobe overhauls and other nip and tucks. Her famous mojris and potlis roll down the fashion weeks at Durban and Rome. We hear Big Brother’s new-found sister Shilpa Shetty rushes to her all the time. Oh, and how can we miss her ‘hand’ in the Abhi-Aish wedding? “I did the clothes for the wedding and the mehndi, that’s all I can tell,” Neeta Lulla gracefully evades (perhaps) the only question journos were really excited to know more about. Actually, everyone at the Inter National Institute of Fashion and Design (INIFD) Sector 8, where Neeta held a workshop with the students and filled them with some creative, and wise, inputs.

After a round of designs on board and quick look through the portfolios, Neeta, who is still teaching at a Mumbai University, feels that “the creative level in Indian is way beyond expectations. The only problem, though, is that students get disillusioned with the fact that they’ll all be fashion designers someday. Here’s the fact - the industry cannot sustain so many designers, and this is where the students get disheartened. There are other allied fields that require technical help to support the industry for it to grow to a qualitative level like Paris and Milan, and this is something we fail to take note of.”

On with some more valuable inputs, Neeta, who won the award for Lamhe, and is currently working on Jodha-Akbar, says that fashion has become this huge industry where the costume designer is no longer invisible. “We have gradually transitioned into complete styling, where we help build up more drama and lend more character to the actor.” Dressing up the ladies is like having lunch, sometimes a quick snack too for deadlines can create quite a mayhem. But the challenge lies in the fact that celebs know they are trendsetters. “And so they want to look the best. They are equally careful about what they show on the screen for they are well aware of the level of glamourisation and characterisation they have to achieve. Bollywood, in India and abroad, is a platform for fashion. It is the trendsetter.”

While the Russians came to India looking for sarees and the person behind Devdas’s elaborate whole nine yards, (it was Neeta, of course) Durban and Rome opened doors to the opulence, the colour and fabric India, courtesy Neeta, had to offer. “Our forte lies in cuts and styles, in hand embroideries and a multitude of fabric, but we have to perfect our production capabilities like them,” feels Lulla, who brings back with her, “the warmth, quality and friendship of Durban, and the richness, culture, colours and beauty of Rome.” Let’s see what Paris has to offer. Till then.

Source: Chandigarh Newsline

Designer Neeta Lulla may have just got back from a successful showing at the Alta Roma Fashion Week but that’s not to say that she is taking it easy. If anything, her schedule is more packed than ever. She’s set to hold a bridal workshop today at the World Trade Centre as part of the Mega Wedding show.

Says an excited Neeta, “I always look forward to such workshops. This one is totally an interactive session. So it’s not just me who is going to do all the talking; I’ll be mainly answering queries.” Neeta is planning to focus on how one can get the entire bridal look right, from selecting the right sari to the accessories.

Now one can’t help but bring in the Ash connection – given the fact Neeta did design one of the famed actor’s wedding outfits. So do people ask her about how one can get the ‘Ash’ look? “As a matter of fact, they do. But then again, it isn’t a surprise — Ash is nothing short of an icon and many want to emulate her.”

Where her future projects are concerned, Neeta has her hands full with ‘Jodha Akbar’ and one Priyadarshan film. “It’s still too early to speak about either of them,” she smiles. However, she does have a lot to say about Rome Fashion week. “It was a great experience; we received a very good response,” she enthuses.

And how different is the European market from the Indian one? “To be honest, the two markets are not strikingly different – there is greater awareness today about fashion and that too, at the global level. But we continue to reign where embroideries are concerned and the West does it well with flat basic colours.”

Source: DNA

Maria Guzman, a Rutherford couturier specializing in bridal gowns, spared no effort when her daughter Beatriz made plans to walk down the aisle.

“My mom gave me the wedding gown of my dreams,” Beatriz Vautin recalled. The antique-white gown had a tulle skirt, lace appliques and 5,000 beads hand-sewn onto the dress, train and veil.

“She began hand-sewing the appliques on the material the day I announced my wedding,” said Vautin, of Melrose, Mass.

Ms. Guzman, who operated her studio, Maria Guzman Designs, from her home, died Monday. She was 59.

The cause was lung cancer, Ms. Guzman’s family said, emphasizing that she was a non-smoker.

Ms. Guzman, a native of Cuba, graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and had a bridal shop in Passaic before opening her studio in 1984. She was founding president of the Professional Association of Custom Clothiers’ New Jersey chapter.

Well before her cancer diagnosis last year, Ms. Guzman became active with More Than Friends, a group of Latino, Caribbean and African-American women whose focus is raising funds for cancer victims and survivors.

Elise Bourne-Busby, a founder of the support group, said Ms. Guzman always provided the bushels of apples that served as centerpieces at the annual dinner-dance and last year organized a fashion show for the More Than Friends’ inaugural tea.

“Maria was a vivacious, funny and talented woman who had a solution for any problem,” said Bourne-Busby, principal of Teaneck’s Whittier Elementary School.

Bourne-Busby said this year’s dinner-dance — Nov. 10 at Michele’s Restaurant in Garfield — will be dedicated to her friend’s memory.

Ms. Guzman could not do much sewing in her final months but managed one labor of love for her daughter: converting the train of Vautin’s wedding dress into future christening outfits, one for a girl and one for a boy.

In addition to Vautin, Ms. Guzman is survived by her husband, Philip Weisbecker; two daughters, Bernadette DiPasquale of Sparta and Jennifer Weisbecker of Wood-Ridge; her mother, Loida R. Guzman; a sister, Amarilis Kielbasinski, and two grandchildren.

The funeral Mass, under the direction of Macagna-Diffily Funeral Home in Rutherford, is today at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, East Rutherford. Interment will be private.

Source: NorthJersey.com

Nina Duong, bridal and fashion industry leader was interviewed in her Yorkville bridal salon by TheRingBearer.ca, an online wedding magazine. Nina Duong will be the first Canadian wedding gown designer featured on TheRingBearer.ca.

TheRingBearer.ca, launching August 2007, will offer assistance and solutions to the many frustrations that a bride and groom go through.

“We are all about giving Canadian bridal consumers options that are locally driven and ethnically diverse, part of that is showcasing Canada’s wedding industry and highlighting some of our up and coming stars like Nina Duong,” said Richard Ross, co-creator of the site.

“Seeing the brides leaving truly satisfied with their dress is what keeps me going,” said the designer during the interview. “If the bride is not happy, I’m not happy”.

Nina Duong Haute Couture is a bridal and fashion industry leader with the newest and hottest styles of wedding and special occasions apparel. It was founded in 2001 in Toronto, Ontario by Nina Duong.

Nina Duong Haute Couture has quickly established an outstanding reputation in Canada and the US. The Nina Duong Haute Couture gowns are sawn using the most exquisite fabrics from around the world, while specializing in pure silks. The garments are enhanced through the use of fine quality lace, Swarovski crystals, pearls and other notions.

Nina Duong Haute Couture is able to perfectly fulfill any demands i.e. unique, extravagant, traditional, modern or ethnic.

Source: BharatTextile.com

Toronto, Ontario– Fashion-forward designer, Nina Duong, is now also considered technology-forward with the Topaz wedding gown collection featured on You Tube website (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiYUZwREmDo).
“I want my clients to have the best technology can offer,” said Nina Duong, designer, before the launch. “You Tube will enable the brides getting married to view the gowns from a different angle,” she added. You Tube features all eight beautifully crafted wedding gowns in 1 minute and 29 second slide show.

YouTube is a popular video sharing website where users can upload, view, and share video clips. In 2007, a Dutch vocalist and songwriter named Esmée Denters (esmeedenters) was signed to a recording contract by Billy Mann based on her YouTube appearances. A number of figures have grown to prominence and become Internet phenomena on the basis of their appearance in YouTube videos, sometimes referred to as “YouTube celebrities.

Other technological advancements of Nina Duong include her recently launched ND Fashion Blog, which can be viewed at www.ninaduong.com

About Nina Duong Haute Couture
Nina Duong Haute Couture (www.ninaduong.com ) is a bridal and fashion industry leader with the newest and hottest styles of wedding and special occasions apparel. It was founded in 2001 in Toronto, Ontario by Nina Duong. By being able to perfectly fulfill any demands (i.e. unique, extravagant, traditional, modern or ethnic), Nina Duong Haute Couture has quickly established an outstanding reputation in Canada and the US. The Nina Duong Haute Couture gowns are sawn using the most exquisite fabrics from around the world, while specializing in pure silks. The garments are enhanced through the use of fine quality lace, Swarovski crystals, pearls and other notions.

Source: PressMediaWire.com

Walking into the Leigh Hetherington Bridal shop in an Edwardian apartment in Newcastle’s Old Eldon Square is a breathtaking experience for any bride-to-be.

Satin, silk and lace dresses fill the rails in beautiful coffee, ivory, dusky pink and white shades.
Twinkling tiaras and necklaces glisten in a display cabinet and magazine pages illustrating the dresses are framed on the walls.

Sadly I’m not here to choose a fabulous dress for my big day (I’ve already done that and once is it for me!) but to speak to Leigh, who is quickly making waves with her fabulous bespoke dresses, and to Katy Melling, a photographer who is making waves with her beautifully-shot natural wedding pictures.

Both have entered a traditional business and both are determined to bring a freshness back into women’s big days. Leigh describes her enjoyment of creating the fabulous designs, which are stocked by exclusive bridal boutiques from Ireland to London.

“It’s fabulous,” she says: “I’m being creative, making wonderful dresses and working with the most amazing materials. “Beautiful lace, satins, silks, chiffons – I couldn’t wish for a better job.”

Leigh is emphatic the region’s dress designers are among some of the best in the country. “What is also so wonderful is that we have the designers now to make fabulous dresses up here.”
Her work speaks for itself. Leigh began working from home and now runs her two-storey shop in Old Eldon Square, where she employs four people.

Leigh’s inspiration for the dresses comes from a host of sources – film, theatre, art, current and past fashion trends.

Source: icNewcastle

Bridal dress designer Monique Lhuillier leapt into the wedding business on a whim. Having had a difficult time finding her own gown, Lhuillier, a 23-year-old newlywed at the time, decided to begin sketching her own line of dresses. Her husband figured it was little more than a hobby, one that she would tire of soon enough. “He thought I had the wedding blues and eventually I’d get over it,” she says, chuckling warmly.

That was a decade ago, and Lhuillier (Lo-lee-ay) is still not over it. In fact, she’s now regarded as one of the premier designers in the bridal industry, and her “hobby” has become a thriving enterprise that grossed more than $20 million last year. Her wedding gowns, ranging in price from $2,000 to $25,000, have been worn by the likes of Christine Baumgartner (wife of Kevin Costner) and the rock star Pink. After sporting jeans and a tacky midriff-baring top for her first walk down the aisle — an embarrassing quickie in Vegas — Britney Spears chose a lace Lhuillier creation for her second marriage, to Kevin Federline.

“I took 30 of my gowns to a secret location, because I didn’t want Britney to miss out on the experience of shopping for the dress,” the designer recalls one recent afternoon in her Los Angeles office. “She was so excited. She tried on two dresses, and she knew.”

In 2002, Lhuillier launched a line of evening wear (red-carpet numbers) as well as ready-to-wear clothes that are perfect for power lunches and charity events. Both have been big with boldface names like Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson. “I look at what void I have in my closet and try and fill that,” says Lhuillier, whose designs are available in high-end stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. “Usually, if it strikes a chord with me, it strikes a chord with the customer.”

That was certainly the case several years ago, when Lhuillier decided that she wanted to bring a splash of color to her wedding gowns. Sashes in hues like celadon and copper, rose and periwinkle quickly followed. “It became hugely popular, and that became her signature,” says “Modern Bride’s” Antonia van der Meer. “It’s a beautiful touch and allows for personalization. You can have a traditional dress, but the sash adds a little kick.”

Lhuillier is as much a businesswoman as she is an artist. Her father, a French mogul, introduced her to the idea of entrepreneurship. Born and raised in the Philippines, she says much of her fashion sense comes from her Filipino mom, a former model, who dressed her four children in matching outfits. After attending boarding school in Switzerland, Lhuillier studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A. She met her future husband, Tom Bugbee, while she was a senior; he was an accountant. Once his wife’s hobby began to take off, he left his job to become her partner professionally, too.

The business grew quickly. The first year, she was showing at West Coast bridal stores; a few years later, she was in Saks. “Her gowns were taking a modern classic, like lace, and making it young and fresh,” van der Meer says. “It really caught on. She is always one step ahead.”

The Lhuillier brand keeps evolving. The designer will team with Royal Doulton in October to launch a fine china and stemware collection. In September, she’ll open a new bridal boutique, a sprawling space on bustling Melrose Place.

And yet, it’s a business collaboration from a few years ago that still makes her giddy. Mattel invited Lhuillier to design her very own Monique Lhuillier Bridal Dress Barbie, and she was given full creative license. For the designer who spent many an afternoon in Barbie-land, “it was really a dream come true,” she says. One of her dolls now sits prettily in a glass case in her office. “Looking at her,” says Lhuillier, smiling, “I feel like I’ve really come a long way.”

Lhuillier’s tips for wedding gown shopping

1. Go in with an open mind. You may think you know what you’re looking for and what works for you, but you have to try on several different dresses.

2. Don’t shop with too many people. You’ll just get confused, because everyone has an opinion. Listen to the little voice inside of you.

3. Fit is key. Be as comfortable as you can in your wedding gown. The better it fits, the happier you will be on the big day.

Source: USA Weekend Magazine

Award-winning fashion designer Vo Viet Chung is very busy these days with a collection for the upcoming Charming Vietnam in Singapore and unprecedented 9-flap ao dai to register for Guinness.

But these are only two of many other things he has in hand at the moment.

Vo Viet Chung, who received an UNESCO badge of merit last year for his efforts to preserve the rare traditional Lanh My A fabric, is also designing ao dai for overseas singer Khanh Ha to wear in her first live shows after many years in Vietnam as well as negotiating with a Hollywood film producer to let him be the designer for an upcoming movie about Chinese opera theatre starring Ziyi Zhang.

He has to compete with a Chinese and Japanese designer for this project, however. But Vo Viet Chung said he was confident. “What I’ve done makes me believe in myself. They approached me, a young designer in a small and rudimentary fashion industry, and this shows I have made some impressions,” said the young designer.

If he wins, Vo Viet Chung will be the first Vietnamese to be the main designer for a heavily-invested Hollywood project that has nothing to do with traditional Vietnamese fashion.

And even if he loses, designer Chung has already been first many times: the first designer to organise a live fashion show, the first designer to receive a UNESCO award.

Chung attributes his success to good luck and all the passion, time, money and efforts he has put into fashion. Chung said he was so devoted to it that overwork had given him many “serious stomachaches”.

Vo Viet Chung’s office looks very much like that of a fashion designer. Cloth is all over the place. And on the wall are hung dozens of certificates and commendation documents alongside two large-size photos of singer Y Lan and artist Bach Tuyet in his designs.

In her photo, Bach Tuyet writes, “For a talented young friend”. And under his desk stands a big parcel of Vo Viet Chung chemises, whose price tags read over half a million dong each. At present, the designer owns several fashion shops including one for wedding clothes and one for ao dais.

Chung said Vietnamese people were richer and wore better clothes now. “This is a good sign for fashion designers and businesspeople,” added he. Rich and modest-income customers alike are searching for Vo Viet Chung products these days.

Asked what his key to success was, the young designer said, “I used to think that designers should persuade customers to follow designers’ own tastes. But after learning for sometime in Italy and Denmark, I changed my way of thinking.

“My first question now is: Who do I design for? I design for customers so I have to understand them and their tastes. I have to understand and meet the market’s demands. Doing fashion business has more to do with business than with fashion and art.”

And what is his dream now? “My present goal is to promote Vo Viet Chung wedding clothes in order to compete with foreign brand names. And I’m very confident,” said he.

As for ao dai, he has already established his reputation. “Our people may carry Louis Vuitton bags and wear Louis Vuitton clothes. But when it comes to ao dai, they will prefer Vo Viet Chung.”

In addition, according to Vo Viet Chung, Asia is the new inspiration of Western fashion now. And thus, Asian designers like him need not be afraid when competing with foreign names.

Source: LD

If you think of the fashion designer Andre Kim as just a flamboyant figure of fun, think again. Kim is a shrewd businessman whose company makes W100 billion (US$1=W928) in sales from products using his name as a brand, and a hard worker who stages over 20 fashion shows per year, at home and abroad. There are 17 trademarks registered at the Korea Industrial Property Office under the name Andre Kim. Among them, a dozen or so are available under design license contracts and those include apartments, air conditioners, credit cards, bedclothes, lingerie and children’s clothes.

Kim is staging yet another fashion show to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations, a major part of a three-day Korean Wave festival, which started Wednesday. The show’s finale featured K-pop star Ivy.

Kim, then, is a crossover figure between pop culture, fashion and a star marketing. His slow, self-taught English and very marked Seoul accent are so unique that comedians love to mimic them. Once accused of contaminating the Korean language with his frequent use of English words such as “elegance”, “fantastic” and “beautiful”, he takes pride in speaking the Queen’s English.

You hold a lot of design licenses from apartments to refrigerator to air conditioner to children’s clothes. You must make good money.
“I’m very thankful. It seems many Koreans are disappointed that I only make haute couture. I want to make prêt-a-porter in the future, but that’s still just a plan. So I found a way to get closer to everyone through popular items like lingerie.”

Do you design all your products yourself?
“I bring my unique style and ideas to every item. Designers design items based on my ideas, and I make the final decision.”

For many decades, there have been rumors and gossip about him. Long Korea’s only male fashion designer and famous for wearing makeup, he has adopted and raised a son but never married. His proclivity to use beautiful male models has also raised some eyebrows.

You are famous for the love of your son.
“Yes, ever since I had my son, I’ve been truly happy. Now I know how all mothers and parents feel.”

In 1982, Kim adopted a five-month-old baby boy. Kim told him he was adopted when the child was five. Kim junior studied French literature at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and married one of the designers in Andre Kim’s atelier when he was 22. The couple had twins two years ago.

Why did you become a fashion designer?
I liked clothes even when I was a boy. When I saw a bride wearing a jok-du-ri (or bridal tiara), hwal-ot (traditional wedding outfit), and traditional wedding makeup, it was so beautiful. As I remember it, Korea was very beautiful and clean in the past. During the Japanese colonization and right after the Korean War, my village in the countryside was very poor. Yet a new bride wore new clothes for a year. Though it was economically difficult, people were always clean, neat and beautiful. The kitchen was gleaming, and my mother always wiped the floor clean. When I see today’s well-off people with their dirty houses, I get really annoyed. Even when we were poor, our food, clothes, and houses were clean and aesthetic. We are people with a high taste for culture.

You lived all your life surrounded by beautiful men and women but you aren’t married.
I enjoyed my work and I had affection for everyone around me. After some time passed, I lived for my son. If I had married, I would have been a very good husband. A loyal, faithful and true husband.”

During the two-hour interview, he uses the words “honesty” and “diligence” more than 20 times.

Why couldn’t you have fallen in love?
“I love my work too much. Even now I work on weekends since time is precious. On holiday, I continued my work overseas.

Do you like men more than women?
“No. I have more girl friends. No matter how much our world has changed and opened, I still like women with virtue, knowledge and intellect who take care of people around them and with a balanced character.

Who do you live with now?
“Before my son got married and moved out three years ago, I lived with him. Now I live with a housekeeper in the same apartment building as my son.

Do you do your own makeup?
“Of course. I apply basic cream, foundation and powder. I do the eye makeup as well. I dye my hair every day since I wash my face every day.

Transforming himself from a designer of fantasy into an entrepreneur, Kim may be a kind of barometer to gauge the diversity and openness of Korean society.

Source: Chosun.com

Austin wedding dress designer makes her mark with custom pieces.

After polite small talk, there’s one thing you really have to know when you’re in the company of bridal designer Analea De La Fuente.

How many brides are really bridezillas?

It’s a question referencing the cable show “Bridezillas,” in which perfectionistic and unpleasant brides freak out and vent on everyone, including their future husbands. (It’s popcorn TV, but so worth the mindless calories.)

Much to my excited dismay, De La Fuente doesn’t take the bait. In a soft-spoken voice she says, “We almost eliminate the possibility for a bride to be unhappy. Nothing is super concrete until we start sewing.”

In her process, brides go through a series of fittings and basically they see the dress evolve into their dream gown. On average, she says, her brides are planning weddings six months in advance, and then there are the ones who plan three months out or a year away.

Most of her gowns sell for $7,000 to $8,000. One of the most expensive De La Fuente designs went for $12,000 and involved hand sewing, embroidery or beading, and almost couture-quality construction.

“I love what I do and I hope that comes across,” De La Fuente, 26, says, as we sit in Victorian-style chairs in the studio at 4410 Burnet Road that she opened three months ago. De La Fuente’s family lives in San Antonio, and growing up in different parts of Texas, she discovered her passion. De La Fuente was drawn to fashion, dressing up dolls as a child. At one point, she dabbled in architecture, but it’s fabrics she loves. It was a dress of hers – a taffeta one that made a rustling sound – that had her falling for fashion design and construction. “It was luxurious,” she says. “I grew out of it, unfortunately.”

But the truth is: Fashion can be a hit-or-miss business until a client base is established and cash flow comes rolling in. De La Fuente was told to find a stable job and skip her fashion dreams.

“I got over that, and I dove right into fashion,” she tells me.

At the University of Texas, De La Fuente studied fashion design. Little did she know the annual UT fashion show would lead to her first client, a Houston woman who was on the hunt for a wedding dress. “From there, it was word-of-mouth,” says De La Fuente, who has lived in Austin for eight years.

De La Fuente had a job opportunity in New York after college but decided to stay in Austin. For now, she is building a list of clients including brides from Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. She prefers making custom gowns instead of mass producing her goods. In the beginning she did all of the sewing herself.

These days she works with a team in New York, which she often visits if she’s not working on new sketches or off visiting her boyfriend in Durango, Colo. “I kind of changed all of my plans to move here,” she says. “I get the best of both worlds.”

Creating custom pieces has allowed her to be exclusive and to establish a brand known for individuality. Best of all, it allows De La Fuente to be creative as she guides brides from fittings to the final moments before wedded bliss. Another goal of hers is to make dresses that are timeless, unlike, say, the puffy-sleeve dresses that are reminders of weddings from the 1980s.

“Not everybody will understand or love it,” she says. “But some will, and it’s those people you’re trying to reach.”

One more try: But really no bridezillas?

Nope. De La Fuente says if a bride is trying to lose weight, for example, she’ll work with her client to make sure they get the right fit. Her ultimate goal is not to have the fabric altered after the final fitting and she doesn’t want to put any stress on the gown. “I shudder at the thought of altering something.”

De La Fuente says she also works with Rae Cosmetics to give some brides a chance to see how they’ll truly appear on their wedding day.

Instead of bridezillas, she gets invitations from her brides to weddings, such as an upcoming one in Italy. In many cases, she attends them.

“We become friends,” she says. “They leave here being pretty happy. They feel close to me. If I can make it, I almost always do.”

Source: Statesman.com

At one time, the name Vera Wang was synonymous with fashionable brides and bridesmaids rescued from having to don garish gowns. These days Wang’s moniker represents a license empire offering everything from mattresses to a resort suite in Hawaii.

In 1990, after 16 years as senior design editor of Vogue magazine and a shorter stint as design director at Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang ventured out on her own to an almost instant chorus of praise for her modern interpretation of luxury bridal gowns sold out of Wang’s salon in New York’s Carlyle Hotel.

Shortly before her 40th birthday, after marrying and trying to have kids while still at Ralph Lauren, Wang decided (with the prodding of her businessman father, who owned a chemical company) to put her creativity and taste to work in her own venture. The designer’s tenure at Vogue brought her into the world of the fashion elite: Top designers became her friends and mentors, reportedly strengthening her knowledge of the business side of couture.

The fashion stars intersected. Not only were Vera Wang gowns a success, she almost single-handedly transformed the bridal fashion industry from rather frumpy no-name designer commodities to ready-to-wear luxury that was still more affordable than an original Valentino couture gown. Some fashionistas have even declared, “There was no fashion in bridal until Vera Wang.” Her US$ 300 million business is perhaps proof in the pudding—or the multi-tiered cake. The irony is that she describes herself as “not a dress girl.”

After success in evening wear, fueled by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Charlize Theron donning her creations, Wang—like most high-end designers—turned her needle and thread toward ready-to-wear women’s clothes, finally achieving success after a couple of attempts.

Licensing the Vera Wang name is big business, even beyond the bridal accounts that reportedly resulted in $200 million in retail sales last year. At the turn of the century, Wang moved from fabric to fragrance. In 2000, Unilever Cosmetics International, which also produces Calvin Klein and Elizabeth Arden cosmetics and fragrances (the multinational conglomerate also holds licenses with Valentino and Karl Lagerfeld), announced a licensing agreement with Wang to develop perfumes under her name. The initial products were designed for blushing brides on their big day, but since then, several more fragrances have been developed, including Vera Wang Princess and Vera Wang for Men.

First comes love, they say, then comes marriage. At Vera Wang, next comes lifestyle. The same woman who first approached Wang’s then business partner to produce a fragrance for Unilever is now the head of licensing at Wang’s company. Under Laura Lee Miller, the name synonymous with weddings is now parlayed to eyewear, lingerie, Wedgwood china, crystal, silver, jewelry, stationery, flowers from FTD.com, mattresses by Serta, and an exclusive one-bedroom suite at the Halekulani Resort in Waikiki including a movie library inspired by “Vera’s favorites.” (Only $5,500 a night.)

Not every Vera Wang product is ungodly expensive. The company and Kohl’s department stores have formed a partnership to provide Very Vera by Vera Wang, a line that will include everything from fashion to home goods. And for those who simply dream of Wang dresses, there is also the Vera Wang on Weddings book.

Always looking for new horizons, Vera Wang and business partner Eight Wonder bid on a proposed Singapore casino project to create a wedding-themed resort under her brand at the end of last year.

In between designing, shooting ads for HP and gracing the cover of Newsweek and Fortune magazines, she remains chairman, CEO, and owner of her company—proof that branding and fashion can be a marriage made in heaven.

Source: Brandchannel

Fashion designer Alya Milusheva has told a fantastic bridal fairy-tale with her new VIP collection presented in Lozenetz residence on the last day of May.

The new collection „Confession in white“ interprets a legend about love and the magic of the wedding dress. Every taken shot of a dress was matching to the look of model who had worn it. The wicked seductiveness of Magi, the charm of Aksinia, the subduing innocence of Dilyana, the graceful sex-appeal of Yulia and the tempting charm of Desi were revealed and confessed in the bridal beauty and brilliance.

All models within the collection of Alya Milusheva bring the spirit of an aristocratic past in a perfect combination with the impressive modernism. Colors are airy like silk – pastel nuances of ecru, peach and pink mixtured together with the light blue opal and golden. Elegant silk materials fall down the body shapes sculpturing the silhouettes of ancient goddesses who had saved their souls for centuries. The symbol of this is built of contradictions and excluding each others elements as only a woman could express them. Spanish motives and a classical aristocratism are bound in one of the models and it is done the same way as the hot nature and cold tenacity are interlaced in the mentality of a strong woman.

All wedding dresses are ornate arranged with lace, crystals, embroideries and Svarovski gems. That’s why they will do every bride shining and feeling herself the most special woman in the world exactly on her own most memorable day – the wedding day! One more thing contributes the above namely a plenty of flowery elements – many small airy flowers which look like engraved into material, some of them delicate another ones vivid. Collection was made of different materials as French lace, organza, Italian materials under the brands of Valentinо, Ungaro, Sophie Hallette and Lusi Ricamificio specially requested by Alya. For each dress are used about 15-20 meters of fabric.

Source: Fashion.bg

When a friend asked Reem Acra to design her wedding gown several years ago, she complied and as they say, the rest is history. What began as a luxury bridal company has turned into a burgeoning evening wear business and Ms. Acra has begun to expand the collection to include daywear as well. She has not only garnered an enviable list of loyal fans and clients around the world (including stars and celebrities like Marcia Cross and Angelina Jolie), but her designs are sold in the best and most exclusive stores around the world. In fact, Reem has described her style as: “multi-cultural European mixed with a New York modern approach..very couture”.

It is truly an international business, which is why her recent move from a showroom in the east 30’s to her spectacular space in the landmark Crown building (at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th street - truly the crossroads of the world), with its roster of international tenants, could not be more symbolic or more fitting.

But more than that, the new building and the new location has proved highly inspirational and the results of which were apparent in her 27 piece resort collection unveiled Thursday morning. The formal presentation took place in her fabulously appointed second floor showroom (which had been the Kennedy Gallery and was completely gutted and quickly redesigned by herself and her brother).

According to Ms. Acra’s program notes, “the color palette was inspired by my cab ride to the new showroom from my home in Chelsea. I was taken with the wonderful pop-of-color the flowers on the boulevard of Park Avenue created. I especially loved the effect the marigolds, geraniums and grass greens had against the sleek, sophisticated taupes, bronzed golds and blacks of the building’s facades. All prints reflect my new view of Central Park and its evolving landscape.”

The well edited and flawlessly conceived lineup of cocktail dresses, blouses and skirts, and evening gowns (with nary a pant in sight) hit all the right notes and offered variety in terms of silhouette, shape, length, color. Point/Counterpoint. There was volume and there was narrow; there was tailored and there was draping; there was bold color and there was black and white; there were solids and there were prints.

Fabrics used were very couture like silk taffeta, silk gazar, silk satin, silk chiffon, double face wool crepe, tulle, and jersey and while some dresses were unadorned, others boasted her trademark (lavish yet restrained) embroidery, including her signature embroidered ‘necklaces’. With those pieces, the jewelry is already built in to the clothes so you don’t need to add anything else. Just think, you don’t have to fumble around your jewelry box to get the perfect accessory. Talk about modern, e asy, and quick. One- step dressing!

Source: DFR

For those of you who are planning to get married in a Mid Summer Night’s Dream style, Maki Nishiyama, and CamCan model, has unveiled her bridal dresses for her Bon Visage Collection. She modelled her own red wedding gown during the launch of the event, March this year and looked stunningly beautiful according to people who were present there.

The picture above is her in one of her wedding dress designs. Her motives are very fairy tale like, who doesn’t want a fairy tale wedding really. Check out Bon Visage website for more of her wedding dresses and design.

Source: <3Yen

China’s top fashion brand NE-TIGER recently held a marvel wedding attire show during the 2007 Millionaire Fair held in China’s fashion capital Shanghai.

A model wears NE-TIGER’s Chinese-red wedding attire at a fashion show during the 2007 Millionaire Fair in Shanghai in this recent photo. [Photo: CRI Online]

With a theme to demonstrate its Chinese-style wedding attire, NE-TIGER laid on hand-made modern fashion with Chinese red. All works are made of Nanjing Yunjin silk brocade, a renowned silk fabric.

The Millionaire Fair was held from June 1 to 3 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. It rounded up international brands such as Rolls-Royce, Dior and Cartier.

The fair was originally a Dutch luxury lifestyle event founded by the Gijrath Media Group. It’s now celebrated as the world’s leading lifestyle fair in Amsterdam, Kortrijk, Cannes, Moscow and Shanghai.

Source: CCTV International

You need to pay just a little more for a designer dress by this wedding planner.

From the minute you’re engaged to the moment you say “I do”, any bride-to-be will face the daunting task of planning for that big day.

Needless to say, you’ll want the wedding to be perfect and, most importantly, you’ll also want to look beautiful on this special day.

Fortunately, a wedding planner can be enlisted to help you in making a success of your big day.

Looking gorgeous on your wedding day starts with choosing the most appropriate (or affordable) bridal gown that flatters your body and personality. A wedding gown can be rented or bought off the rack from bridal shops, but nothing is more pleasurable than having the most important dress in your life specially custom-made by a fashion designer.

Admittedly, it’ll pile on a little on your wedding budget but you will soon find out that it’s worth spending that extra ringgit for the undivided attention and splendid results that this entails.

There’s a handful of local fashion designers to choose from, but one top designer who has excelled in bridal wear for many years is Eric Choong.

A graduate of the Hong Kong Institute of Fashion Design, this boyish designer has been at it for 18 years, developing a reputation for a romantic and understated elegance in his work.

His trademark use of luxurious fabric, intricate detailing and modern interpretation of classic designs with an exquisite cut have garnered much praise from the fashion elite and celebrity customers like Paula Malai, Sheila Majid, former Miss Malaysia Tan Su Wei and Hong Kong actress Foong Po Po.

Focusing on structure and fit, Choong’s wedding gowns are feminine and boast everything luxurious from intricate French lace appliqué on pure silk fabrics and elegant beading.

Here’s an insight into the makings of a couture wedding gown from Eric Choong Brides – one of five shops of Eric Choong Kuala Lumpur.

First appointment
You meet with the sales manager to discuss your personal thoughts about your wedding gown, your special needs, the wedding date and, of course, the budget.

A portfolio of the designer’s creations will be available for your perusal at this stage. A good selection of sample pieces is also available for you to get a feel of how an Choong creation looks on you.

Try on a few silhouettes to find the ones that suit you best and in which you feel most comfortable. This will, in turn, help you to decide on the right silhouette and style or even inspire you with more ideas of how you want your wedding gown to look like.

It will also provide a clearer indication of the different costs of each style of gown and its impact on your budget.

A proper quotation on the cost of the gown and a timing schedule (based on your wedding date) will be provided shortly after you make clear your requirements.

Confirmation
Upon confirmation of your order and appointment for Choong to design and make your wedding gown, the first face-to-face meeting with the designer himself will be scheduled. This will normally happen within the week.

Based on feedback from your first meeting with the sales manager, only two sketches of the gown are proposed with the recommended fabric, colour and samples of the embellishments.

“Today, wedding gowns are no longer just pure white, but ivory, off white and pearl white. It’s so much more gentler on our skin tone as compared to the starkness of pure white,” pointed out Choong.

Choose from an extensive range of quality silks, French lace, hand embroidery and elegant beading.

of the wedding gown is discussed with you such as finding the right chiffon that is light enough to drape beautifully, but can support the intricacy of the lacework and the Swarovski crystals.

If necessary, try on the sample gown again to make sure you are comfortable with the design’s silhouette and seek advice from Choong as you look into the finer details carefully before making the final decision. Ultimately, it’s not how you look in the gown, it’s more of how you feel.

Once all is agreed, a proper measurement of your body shape is carried out and the wedding gown is ready to be cut and tailored for a first fitting.

Source: NSTonline