Wedding Fashion Files » Designer Profile

A Fantasy Bride

Tia — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Rivendell Bridal is the place to go for gorgeous medieval and fantasy bridal gowns. Emily Jane, Rivendell Bridal’s talented designer, hand works each dress so that it is perfectly fitted to the client. Working from her UK design studio and shop, Emily Jane welcomes brides from all over the world who are hoping to create the perfect “castle in the sky” wedding.

Emily Jane is a master dress designer and dress maker. To ensure that each of her creations drapes perfectly, looks great on, and fits like a glove she uses modern couture design techniques for each gown.

Your entire experience at Rivendell Bridal will be like stepping back in time. You will receive expert, personalized service from Emily Jane and her team. Your dress will be made especially for you. Emily Jane will even give brides hair and makeup tips for their big day.

The dresses at Rivendell Bridal evoke the Britain and Ireland of long ago, as well as the grace and beauty of the Elves. With names like Guinevere, Avani, Bespoke, and Celtic Star you will feel like a true princess in a Rivendell gown.

The Guinevere gown is very popular with young brides. This gown is made using cream silk and is elegant in its simplicity. The gown has a fitted bodice outlined in silver and black embroidery, long bell sleeves, and a flowing skirt that sweeps the floor.

Another popular dress is the Titania. This lovely dress has a flouncy skirt built from layers and layers of silk taffeta. The layers are randomly gathered by small bows giving the skirt a flattering bell shape.

Emily Jane also offers other medieval and fantasy style items at Rivendell Bridal. To complement her creations she carries a line of capes, shoes, handbags, bouquets, and tiaras.

One bride accurately described Emily Jane and her experience with Rivendell Bridal as nothing short of a miracle. According to Lisa Randall, “This woman is a miracle worker – from the moment I first spoke to her she just understood what I wanted I can truly say that my dress was perfect even more than I could have ever imagined. Everyone commented on how pretty it was and my new husband loved it! I am so grateful to you, I found the whole dress shop process really painful and dealing with you was a total pleasure.”

www.rivendellbridal.com

Elegant and timeless: Caroline Castigliano

Editor — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Elegant and timeless are words that have been used describe the designs of Caroline Castigliano. This season the words classic, chic, and contemporary can be added to her repertoire as Castigliano adds a touch of whimsy to her stunning designs.

Fitted bodices with flowing skirts in tone on tone white and ivory have always been a Castigliano signature. Added to this classic silhouette for spring are modern details every bride will love. Castigliano has chosen to play with fabric textures and layering to create a truly romantic collection. Unusual bits of contrast such as a slim ribbon of black at the waist or a soft metallic rose on the bodice add a stylish contemporary touch.

When asked how she conceives her designs Castigliano has been quoted as saying, “I imagine a ‘muse’: she may be an actress or celebrity or even a student that I see on the street and I will be inspired by her image – I then start creating gowns that would be amazing specifically for her. Generally the gowns develop from there until in the end they have a personality of their own.”

What makes a Castigliano bridal gown exceptional? They not only look good, they feel good, too! When designing each gown Castigliano considers the form of the dress and the shape of the body. Corsetry is constructed to make the gown fit and fall correctly. Brides will find that each Castigliano boutique works from the inside out when personally fitting gowns. If the corsetry is not correct the dress will not feel or look right.

Castigliano is well known for this exacting fit. Her early career in America as a sportswear designer has given her a unique understanding of the need for comfort and construction. ‘Survival Fit’, an upscale active wear line designed by Castigliano in Miami, Florida was sold in such luminous stores as Saks and Macy’s.

In 1990 Castigliano realized her dream of designing bridal gowns. Returning to the UK she took her knowledge of fit and form and opened her first bridal store in Surrey. Her designs became instantly popular and led to the opening of more stores, now totaling nine.

View her latest designs here.

Jim Hjelm featured at Blissful Vows blog

Editor — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:39:00 +0000

The writer over at Blissful Vows is a blogger after my own heart. They have just featured a look behind the scenes of one of my favourite bridal designers, Jim Hjelm. Although he may not be a household name, he is certainly a darling of the couture and celebrity world, and for good reason. Hjelm designs are always so tasteful and flattering, with a depth of detail that is not often seen in modern day fashions.

My personal favourite from their 2009 range is this low backed sheath design which reflects the current taste for vintage nicely, with a champagne colour and plenty of lace.

Blissful Vows promise to be featuring more from other designers in the near future, so I highly recommend following me over there for a look.

Maria La Fuente

Editor — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Maria La Fuente is the designer behind this gorgeous and exuberant gown. Overflowing with celebrity style, her gowns show her commitment and passion for design, creating unusual gowns that test the boundaries of the wedding dress genre.

Her designs are exquisitely feminine, so it’s no suprise that her latest collection ‘Mantis’ is inspired by the ‘color combinations, symmetry and fragile texture’ of butterfly wings. La Fuente says that she wanted to create a look of ‘risky silhouettes and organic shapes.’

Just one of many European designers who are the fashion secrets of the stars, she has been featured in hundreds of glossy fashion magazines, including several appearances in Vogue. Celebrity fans include Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie), Marla Sokolov (The Practice) and Debra Messing (Will and Grace).

Visit her website or check back with us in February to see her new collection from the Madrid Fashion Week 2009.

Celtic Wedding Dresses

Editor — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:12:00 +0000

Medieval style weddings have seen a huge rise in popularit over the past two decades, with more and more couples choosing renaissance, celtic or fairytale inspired wedding themes for their ceremony. The main feature of these types of wedding is the style of clothing. By choosing a Celtic wedding dress, brides can abandon the structure of a conventional white wedding gown and opt for a more personal expression of their personality, and beliefs.

Celtic wedding gowns offer a variety of natural, romantic styles with dashes of colour, embroidery and symbolism not seen in most mainstream bridal stores. Corsets and bodices flatter any shape while flowing fabrics forgive problem areas that you may feel self-concious of in the modern trends of strapless, sleeveless wedding gowns.

Consider that most Celtic wedding gowns are custom made to your own specifications, heritage and measurements, and you will be sure to walk down the aisle in a one of a kind creation that perfectly suits you.

Maggie Sottero

Editor — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:07:00 +0000

What I love about Maggie Sottero is that they offer such a wide range of styles, to fit any budget. While other designers focus on the luxury market (that wonderful combo of rich and thin), Maggie gowns offer couture style to brides of all shapes, sizes and means.

The Maggie Sottero collection gowns are undeniably glamorous, with plenty of diamante embellishment, embroidery and ruched fabric. Or, if you are looking for something simpler, the Destinations collection is made up of slinky, streamlined designs ideal for a wedding by the pool, or on the beach. In the Sottero & Midgley collection, the brand has teamed up with designer Kelly Midgley to create a line of dresses that explore exquisite and contemporary fabrics.

The collections also offer more colour choices than most, with dresses available in champagne, ivory, gold, as well as subtle shades such as ‘blush’ and a silvery ‘oyster’.

Maggie Sottero is available at bridal stores throughout the world, and there is a handy store locator on their website.

More Resources:

View all the dresses at MaggieSottero.com