I recently received these beautiful gown images from California wedding publicist, Leila Khalil, the guru of Inspired By This who happens to have great taste and the inside scoop on all things wedding. I am happy to share the romantic new gown designs of Alisa Benay, along with a fairy tale story board of her inspiration for the collection. Vintage, soft and very feminine—love at first sight!
Get ready to channel your inner geisha girl with Claire Pettibone's delicate bridal collection for 2010—the airy fabrics and feather-light details are perfect for a destination wedding. Here is Claire's release:
Taking the
exalted Japanese flower, Cherry Blossom, as her muse, designer Claire Pettibone recently unveiled her
2010 couture bridal collection on the runway at Buddakan NYC. In a soft and effervescent palette of snow white, metallic
silver and gold with accents of pale pink and Empire Red, “Cherry Blossom 2010”
is a luminous vision of purity and exotic innocence.
I love the ultra-feminine details and flirty accents. This collection
is inventive and refreshingly unique! And I think the China girl bangs
have inspired me to cut my hair. xo —robyn
(images via style.com)
I adore books, particularly books with stunning photography, and Alexandra Black's The Party Dress (Rizzoli New York, 2007) summons me back time and again with its pages of alluring gowns. The image above is one of my absolute favorites—an amazing mix of textures and fine details—I love the bold necklace, fabulous cashmere shawl, the antique clutch and petalled chiffon dress.
Clockwise from upper left: one-shouldered dress with turban by Bill Blass, 1965; dress by Carlo Pignatelli, photograph by Mauro Balletti; Dress by Collette Dinnigan; courtesy of Lisa Gowing, photograph by Ian Barry. There are so many more evocative photos in this book, it is one treasure you should definitely consider for your personal library. xo~robyn
(Cover image courtesy of Cecil Beaton Studio Archive, Southeby's)
The spring 2009 couture runway provided ample inspiration for brides seeking a one-of-a-kind wedding gown, and the Valentino collection took my breath away. If money were no object, the Valentino label would most certainly be a serious consideration for an exquisite and timeless couture bridal gown. Which of these designs whispers your name!?
Destination wedding gowns have become an important part of designer collections in the last few years, and we love to share our favorite bridal styles which most recently includes the fabulous Kelima K. Brides are attracted to her small NYC boutique with ethereal dresses detailed in soft feather trims, silk butterflies and exquisite French lace. We featured one of Kelima's gowns in the latest issue of Pacific Weddings®, and here are a few more breathtaking styles for your review. I would have a difficult time selecting just one, wouldn't you? Forced to choose, I would go with the romantic v-neck pictured below. Don't you adore the delicate lace and beautiful layering of this dress?! xo ~robyn
(photos courtesy of Kelima K)
Last year Lanvin introduced their first bridal line, Collection Blanche, and the looks for 2009 are just as chic. I admit, I have a complete crush on Alber Elbaz, the brilliant designer at the helm of the famous fashion house, Lanvin. It could be his humble demeanor or adorable glasses, or perhaps it is the fact that he prefers natural wrinkles ("smile lines") over botox. Whatever the case, I am delightfully researching his life and designs and have fallen madly in love with his collections.
If you want to get to know the soft spoken designer a little better, take a look at this NYT video. Be forewarned, there is something undeniably charming about a guy (with an accent!) who so obviously loves making women happy. In his words, “I don’t have to give you a Tylenol to feel good. I’ll give you, maybe, a red dress, and you’ll feel marvelous.” In this case, let's make it white. xo ~robyn
Last summer we wrote about the launch of Marchesa's first bridal collection, and what bride wouldn't feel like a goddess an exquisite Marchesa gown? Your wedding presents the perfect opportunity to float on a cloud in one of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig's frothy creations. We decided to share looks from the Resort '10 Collection as well as our favorites from Spring '09. The sensuous fabrics and exquisite details are a delight to behold, perhaps in part due to Chapman's study of costume design before launching Marchesa. Her foremost style inspiration is Marchesa Luisa Casati, the Italian aristocrat known for walking the streets of Venice with her pair of pet cheetahs on diamond leashes. The Marchesa gowns named after Casati bear the same sense of high drama and dazzling details of fine gold embroidery to fanciful feathers. I love the short strapless pictured above with the divine gold beading at the bodice and creamy chiffon ruffles. Which of these elegant frocks would you choose for your wedding day?
(photos courtesy of Marchesa)
The summer/fall issue of Pacific Weddings will be on newsstands in a few days, and although I have said this many times before, I think this edition may be one of our best! This issue is filled with creative ideas and inspiration to plan a fabulous wedding. One of my favorite features is our amazing fashion shoot. We flew in gowns straight off the NYC runways just days after bridal market, and the designs this season are seriously breathtaking! I was entranced by Vera Wang's smoky pink layers and Oscar's stunning raw silk masterpiece. Makeup artist Jessica Waite worked her magic to create an avant garde look and Dan Sanchez styled our models' hair with a nod to Marie Antoinette. The Visionari team of photographers was there in full force to capture it all. I can't wait to share more images, but for now here is a brief behind-the-scenes look.
(Above) On location in Upcountry, Maui, Shaunna decides which gowns are perfect for each model.
A little playful gossip among the models
A Vera Wang gown with fabulous detailing at the bodice... stay tuned for the rest of the story.
Once again Carolina Herrera takes my breath away with her fabulous Spring 2010 Bridal Collection. She refers to these extraordinary designs as “an homage to artists who have featured fashion prominently in their work.” The extravagant details of master painters the likes of Matisse and Van Gogh come to life in Herrera’s splendid wedding gowns. We have selected a few of our picks to share with you. Which of these divine dresses would you choose?
Matisse...
Manet...
Boticelli...
Or Van Gogh...
