When Hannah came to me, she had been shopping for a while and had tried on so many dresses. None of them fit her properly. She was lost. She hadn’t seen anything that came even close to what she imagined. She wanted a dress that was elegant yet made a bold statement: something very classic with a little edge. She wanted a true evening gown that would be graceful, stylish, and glamorous.
I was truly inspired by her personality and accepted the challenge. After our first meeting we knew we wanted to create a corseted top with a low back and cap sleeves and an over-the-top, very extravagant flared skirt with some kind of crystals, feathers, or beading texture to really make a statement. Our visions came together after a trip to the garment district where we found the perfect crystal appliqué for the back of the dress: -- an element that looked like birds flying away. The fabric inspired both of us. After that the rest of design came together seamlessly.
When I created the first drape the design somehow felt too heavy, -- too many things were going on. It was beautiful but somehow it wasn’t yet perfect. Hannah had mentioned that she wanted to be comfortable and dance the night away. I thought we could make the dress with a hi-low hemline. When I saw the smile on her face I knew it had worked… it made the dress lift up in the air and flow. It was magical. The crystals on the back sparkled as she moved.
This dress was probably the most challenging one for me so far. I had never taken on a shape so big and so heavy to make. The silhouette required the bodice to have metal boning and the skirt to be made of five layers of silk, heavy tulle, and organza, as well as a petticoat, in order to sustain the weight of the crystals. Many hours of embroidery and what had seemed like a thousand yards of ruched tulle later the final product was ready. After the wedding Hannah told me she felt like a princess.
Photos by: Meir Pliskin Photography