Made To Measure Bridal Gowns
Written by Lisa Merton
Continued
from page 1
3. Research Your Style
Before you choose your couturier and design your gown, it
is highly recommended that you take some time to look around
and try on different styles. Visit a number of bridal boutiques
and try on different skirt and bodice shapes to see which
ones suit your figure and emphasise your best assets. The
most flattering shapes will disguise your weaker points and
highlight your strongest, and it is wise to keep an open mind
and consider all options. It is also good to identify the
styles that suit you the least, so you are aware of what you
don’t like and can eliminate them from your list of
possibilities. Colour selection can also be aided by trying
on gowns in various colours to see which shades suit your
skin and hair colouring. Don’t be afraid to seek advice
from the salesperson, and bring a friend along to give you
an honest opinion. Collect pictures of gowns that you like
for one reason or another (sleeve, neckline, colour, fabric,
etc) and use these pictures to help describe what you are
after when you meet with your couturier.
4. Choose Your Couturier
Finding the right couturier requires a bit of research. Look
in bridal magazines, wedding service directories, visit bridal
exhibitions, and use the various internet wedding websites
such as www.weddingcentral.com.au.
There is also an independent organization called ABIA (Annual
Bridal Industry Awards) which lists popular suppliers voted
in by brides and grooms for excellence in service and quality.
Ask your friends and family
if they can recommend anyone – word of mouth is the
best advertisement a couturier can have! Each couturier will
have their own distinctive look and style, so find one that
appeals to you then visit them to see their work. You should
look at the quality of their workmanship in their sample gowns,
see photos of real-life brides, find out what styles they
do best, and enquire about their pricing. Check out their
fabric ranges and compare the quality and choice. Finding
a couturier that communicates well with you is essential …
you need to understand each other and develop a good working
relationship so that the process of creating your dream gown
will be fun, relaxing and stress-free. Write yourself a list
of questions that you can ask the couturiers, and take a friend
along for a second opinion.
5. Design Your Gown
Once you have chosen your couturier, the fun can begin! Designing
your gown together with your couturier should be very satisfying,
exciting and enjoyable. Be honest and tell your couturier
exactly what you want, and let them guide you with their knowledge
and experience. They should be able to tell you if the style
you want will suit your figure and colourings, and they may
suggest other alternatives to improve the look. With your
budget in mind, let them give you a few options or variations
on your style, and take a few days to think about it before
you decide … no need to rush into it! Your couturier
can sketch up different views of your dress (back, front,
side, etc) and make sure you discuss every detail of the dress
so nothing is left to chance. Do not be afraid to tell the
couturier if you disagree with any aspect of the design –
it is crucial that you both agree on the details of the gown
before work commences.
6. Select Your Fabrics
Whilst designing your gown, your couturier will explain to
you which fabrics are best suited to that particular style,
and will show you their range. Some couturiers will allow
you to bring along your own fabrics if desired, but normally
the couturier will supply all fabrics and trim. The cut of
the dress greatly affects the fabric selection, especially
with “bias cut” which needs a drapey fabric (not
stiff). The most popular fabrics in bridal couture are pure
silk duchess satin, silk crepes, failles, chiffons and drapey
silk satins. Laces and beaded chiffons are also widely used.
The best quality bridal fabrics come from Europe (French,
Italian, Swiss) however there are now many high quality fabrics
coming out of Asia that are less expensive but equally stunning.
Generally speaking, pure silk is superior to any other fibre
because it holds colour and lustre so well, and is a dream
to work with. Silk does crush, however, but there are ways
of working with silk that can prevent crushing, such as linings
and stiffenings used to support the outer layer of the gown.
If you are not sure which fabrics you want, ask your couturier
to show you examples of gowns in different fabrics and take
note of the drape, texture and sheen.
7. Confirm Your Contract
Once you have chosen your individual design and selected the
appropriate fabrics and trims, your couturier will give you
a final price. Make sure you receive the contract in writing,
so that you both agree on the details, fitting and completion
dates and all associated costs. Most couturiers require a
deposit before they commence work, which is usually around
30% of the total price. They will then require a number of
other payments, and the final payment will need to be made
in full before the dress is collected. Cancellations are generally
not accepted once work has begun, so make sure you are happy
before you hand over your deposit, as this is generally not
refundable.
8. Fittings
Achieving the perfect fit is of utmost importance, and to
achieve this your couturier will need to fit your gown on
you around 5 or 6 times during the construction process. Most
couturiers will firstly make up a calico “toile”,
which is a sample gown made of calico used to trial the pattern
before the bridal fabric is cut. The toile fitting is your
big chance to check all details such as necklines, hemlines,
sleeve lengths, and the general proportion and shape of the
gown. Look closely at the calico gown on your body, and tell
your couturier if there are any points you are not happy with,
or if anything is not clear to you. Wherever possible, make
sure you bring your shoes and lingerie to each fitting. If
you do not have your shoes at the early stages, substitute
them with a pair of similar height. The bra you wear will
affect the bustline of the dress, so select the appropriate
bra as early as you can and always have it with you at fittings.
Of course, many wedding gowns have built-in bras, so discuss
this option with your couturier during the design process.
Your final fitting should be as close to the wedding date
as possible, just in case you gain or lose weight or change
shape – your couture gown should fit you perfectly!
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Made To Measure Bridal Gowns
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For further information on Culture Shock
Bridal and Eveningwear please contact Lisa Merton.
This article has
been reproduced on Wedding Central Australia with permission.
© Lisa Merton 2003. All Rights Reserved.
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