In the world of bridal fashion, your name is your trademark. From one-of-a-kind couture gowns to playful ready-to-wear styles, these five up-and-coming designers represent the next class of high-style designer names to remember. Move over Ms. Wang…
The fashionista island – Tamara Catz
Looking out the picture window of her seaside studio on the island of Maui, it’s easy for Tamara Catz to understand that a sweaty bride, covered in satin and tulle, is not a good look for a beach wedding. Instead, she envisions the kind of dress that she 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-inspired wedding dresses after her carefree sensibilities.
The Buenos Aires native spent seven years creating contemporary beachwear before feeling the artistic impulse to venture into the world of bridalwear in 2007. “A wedding dress is probably the most special piece of clothing a woman will wear, so I knew my bridal designs could be a little more dreamy and unique than my everyday clothes,” says the 36-year-old. Hawaiian-inspired designs feature relaxed feminine shapes, simple cuts, and organic details like shells. Rather than overwhelm the bride, Catz’s simple silhouettes and light, flowing fabrics “make a woman feel like herself,” something she believes, “the traditional Cinderella-like wedding dress doesn’t always do.” Naturally, they’re more at home as alternative-style dresses for beach weddings, and many are even versatile enough to wear after the wedding. However, the best part for that special day is that a Catz design can feel as refreshing as sand between your toes.
The Custom Duet – Miosa Bride
“Miosa” combines two names: Michael and Sanea Sommerfield. Miosa Bride combines two visions: that of a husband and wife to create couture of the highest quality in an amazing location. Based in Sacramento, California, Sanea, 42, brings her business experience and insight into the female psyche, while Michael, 46, draws on experience gained sewing outdoor clothing at his father’s shop and managing a tailor shop in Sacramento. “Sewing is like breathing for him,” Sanea jokes. “I’m still in awe most of the time by his 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 didn’t 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 are grown, the duo plans to start promoting 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 design an initial pattern that accurately mimics the bride’s body with respect to her comfort level. They then gather information about her and her wedding so they can weave her personality into her dress, whether it’s soft fabrics for a romantic or a daring silhouette for a sophisticated. The dress pieces are then individually cut and sewn in-house, often using 100 percent silk fabrics imported from Europe. The result is a couture gown 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 line of daywear 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 sparked my respect for the land, and I knew that if I wanted to make an impact in the fashion world, I would have to do it in a way that stayed true to my love for the environment,” says the 52-year-old.
Lindquist highlighted a 2005 fashion show featuring a wedding dress made from hemp that drew national interest, from brides reading about it on blogs to a USA Today article on aid farming that featured it. So, in 2007, Deborah launched an eco-friendly wedding collection made entirely from recycled materials, hemp blends, and soy silk.
If the thought of wearing hemp conjures up thoughts of scratchy, ill-fitting clothing, brides can be sure these highly-stylized, lavish gowns are more suited to a walk down the red carpet than a stroll through Haight-Ashbury. Lindquist’s dresses have a romantic, feminine edge with a bit of edge. Detailed lace, beading and ribbons embellish her creations with an air of elegance, while flirty bustiers and corsets add an edgy aesthetic. In an age where greening up your wedding is so chic, her designs let you wear that environmental commitment and look good every step of the way.
The Southern Belle – Suzanne Perron
A fashion designer rooted in a culture of debutantes, oversized weddings, and Mardi Gras queens seems somehow destined to create gorgeous white ball gowns imbued with timeless elegance. For New Orleans native Suzanne Perron, that ambition took root when she received her first sewing machine from the Easter Bunny when she was 5 years old. “She dreamed of making beautiful, romantic wedding dresses that would reflect the traditional aesthetic of this beautiful, historic city,” she recalls.
However, she first had to learn her trade by studying with Carolina Herrera, Ana Sui, and Vera Wang in New York City. Thirteen years later, a wistful Perron returned to New Orleans to set up her bridal boutique.
Suzanne’s designs are clearly inspired by the city’s distinctive culture and celebrated architecture. In her dresses, she’ll find ruching that mimics a fluted column in a St. Charles mansion or beadwork inspired by the intricate filigree and plaster work that finishes doorframes and ceilings throughout the city.
She admits she’s “not looking to be avant-garde,” instead describing her designs as “unique dresses in white and ivory,” despite many stylists and editors insisting the color is in. It’s a natural match for a designer who continues to make a name for herself in a city where traditions are preserved and celebrated.
The Beautification Artist – Mariana Leung
For Mariana Leung, it is the smallest detail of a wedding dress that provides the greatest personal expression. “I love letting my imagination run wild with embroidery, as I can tailor an embellishment for a woman of any shape, size, taste and budget,” she explains, “no other aspect of a wedding dress gives you so much freedom.” Leung has channeled that creative streak of hers since childhood when her father convinced her that she was talented enough to make her own clothes. “Every time she would ask for an outfit in a store window, she would tell me that I could make a better version myself,” she recalls.
Leung honed those skills designing couture embroidery for the bridal industry’s top houses: Monique Lhullier, Vera Wang and Giorgio Armani. “Bridal was the perfect fit because it’s the only outfit you buy for emotion rather than practicality, giving you more room for creativity,” says the 34-year-old. Now, she’s drawing on that experience in her own gowns, conceptualized and built around an intricate embroidery pattern. Most of her brides bring a pattern to incorporate, such as an heirloom jewelry detail or a pattern from a grandmother’s wedding dress. Others look to Leung’s “book of looks” of embroidery designs 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 appliqués for the bride to wear over the very basic dress she had already purchased. . “The project proved that customization and luxury can be affordable,” she says, “you just need to get a little creative.”
