In the world of bridal fashion, your name is your trademark. From one-of-a-kind haute couture dresses to fresh ready-to-wear styles, these five up-and-coming designers represent the next class of high-style designer names to remember. Move over to Ms. Wang …
Fashion Island – Tamara Catz
Looking from the panoramic window of her oceanfront studio on the island of Maui, it’s easy for Tamara Catz to understand that a sweaty bride, wrapped in satin and tulle is not a great look for a beach wedding. Instead, imagine the kind of dress that can “make a girl want to walk barefoot in the sand with the man of her dreams: fluid, feminine, simple.” Catz, 36, modeled her line of romantic bohemian-style wedding dresses from her carefree sensibilities.
The Buenos Aires native spent seven years creating contemporary resort wear before feeling an artistic urge to venture into the world of bridal fashion in 2007. “A wedding dress is probably the most special garment a woman will ever wear. so I knew that my bridal designs could be a little more dreamy and unique than my everyday clothes, “says the 36-year-old. Hawaiian-inspired designs feature laid-back feminine shapes, simple cuts, and organic accents like shells. Rather than dominating the bride, Catz’s simple silhouettes and light, flowing fabrics “make a woman feel like herself,” something she believes “the traditional Cinderella-style wedding dress doesn’t always do.” Naturally, they feel more at home as alternative style beach wedding dresses, and many are versatile enough to wear after the wedding. However, the best part about that special day is that a Catz design can feel as refreshing as the sand between your toes.
The Custom Duo – Miosa Bride
“Miosa” combines two names: Michael and Sanea Sommerfield. Miosa Bride combines two visions: that of a husband and a wife to craft the highest quality haute couture in a surprising location. Based in Sacramento, California, Sanea, 42, brings her business experience and knowledge of the female psyche, while Michael, 46, draws on experience from sewing outerwear at the store. his father and in running a tailor shop in Sacramento. “Sewing is like breathing for him,” Sanea gushes. “I am still amazed most of the time by your understanding and knowledge.”
The decision to stay in Sacramento despite a zip code lacking an obvious couture culture was partly an effort to bring high style to the capital city, but it was also a personal effort. “We had four children and we did not want to move the family,” explains Sanea. “Family comes first, so we had to build a business that could work here.” Their exquisite fabrics and design techniques have earned them a local following, and now that the kids have grown up, the duo plan to start developing their brand nationally this year.
The consultation phase is an integral component in the process of creating your dresses. The team takes detailed measurements to draft an initial pattern that accurately mimics the bride’s body with respect to her comfort level. Then they gather information about her and her wedding so they can weave her personality into the dress, whether it’s soft fabrics for a romantic silhouette or daring for a sophisticated one. The dress pieces are then individually cut and sewn in-house, often using 100% silk fabrics imported from Europe. The result is a haute couture dress inspired by the natural aesthetics of the woman who wears it.
The Green Pioneer – Deborah Lindquist
Deborah Lindquist raised a few eyebrows when she launched a daywear line made exclusively from recycled fabrics in 1983, long before the terms “eco” and “green” were coined. Raised on a farm in Willmar Minnesota, surrounded by gardens, orchards and cornfields, Lindquist was 5 years old when her grandmother taught her to sew. “Life on the farm piqued my respect for the land, and I knew that if I was going to make an impact on the world of fashion, I would have to do it in a way that stayed true to my love for the environment,” says the 52 years.
Lindquist highlighted a 2005 fashion show in a wedding dress made from hemp that attracted national interest, from brides who read it on blogs to a USA Today article on aid agriculture that featured it. So in 2007, Deborah launched an eco-friendly wedding collection made entirely from recycled materials, hemp blends, and soy silks.
If the idea of wearing hemp conjures up thoughts of rough, ill-fitting clothing, brides can rest assured that these luxurious, highly stylized gowns are better suited for a walk on the red carpet than a stroll through Haight-Ashbury. Lindquist dresses have a romantic and feminine touch with a twist. Lace, beading and ribbon details adorn her creations with an air of elegance, while flirty bustiers and corsets add an avant-garde aesthetic. In an age where greening your wedding is so stylish, her designs allow you to use that environmental commitment and look good every step of the way.
The Beauty of the South – Suzanne Perron
A fashion designer rooted in a culture of debutantes, oversized weddings, and Mardi Gras queens seems somehow destined to create gorgeous white prom dresses infused with timeless elegance. For Suzanne Perron, a New Orleans native, that ambition took root when she received her first sewing machine from the Easter Bunny when she was 5 years old. “I dreamed of making beautiful romantic wedding dresses that reflected the traditional aesthetics of this beautiful historic city,” she recalls.
However, he first had to learn his trade by studying with Carolina Herrera, Ana Sui, and Vera Wang in New York City. Thirteen years later, Perron wistfully returned to New Orleans to set up his bridal boutique.
Suzanne’s designs are clearly inspired by the city’s distinctive culture and celebrated architecture. On her dresses, you’ll find paintings that mimic a ribbed column in a St. Charles mansion or beadwork inspired by the intricate filigree and plaster work that finishes off door frames and ceilings throughout the city.
She admits that she is “not looking to be fashionable” and instead describes her designs as “one-of-a-kind dresses in white and ivory,” despite the many stylists and editors who insist that color is in. It is a natural match for a designer who continues to make a name for herself in a city where traditions are preserved and celebrated.
The Adornment Artist – Mariana Leung
For Mariana Leung, it is the smallest detail in a wedding dress that provides the most self-expression. “I love that my imagination runs wild with embroidery, as I can tailor an ornament for a woman of any shape, size, taste and budget,” she explains, “no other aspect of a wedding dress gives so much freedom.” Leung has channeled that creative streak since childhood, when her father convinced her that she was talented enough to make her own clothes. “Every time I asked him for an outfit in a store window, he replied that I could make a better version myself,” she recalls.
Leung honed those skills by designing haute couture embroidery for the leading houses in the bridal industry: Monique Lhullier, Vera Wang, and Giorgio Armani. “Bridal was the perfect fit because it is the only outfit that is bought for excitement rather than practicality, which allows more room for creativity,” says the 34-year-old. Now, she’s drawing on that experience in her own dresses, conceptualized and built around an intricate embroidery pattern. Most of your brides bring a motif to incorporate, such as the details of a piece of heirloom jewelry or a pattern from a grandmother’s wedding dress. Others peruse Leung’s embroidery design lookbook for inspiration.
For such a personal and hands-on experience, Leung has a surprising number of out-of-town clients. For one project, a bride emailed a photo of flowers from her family’s backyard, and Mariana designed a bolero jacket with flower-inspired fabric appliques for the bride to wear over the very basic dress she had already purchased. . “The project showed that customization and luxury can be affordable,” he says, “you just need to get a little creative.”
