FROM BEIJING WITH LOVE . . . .

                                                                 Wu Xuekai Collection


Today you'll find me over on the One Wed Blog talking all about Beijing Fashion Week.  Starting March 27 designers sent their finest down the catwalks  mixing  up the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 uber chic in Land of the Silk. Since 1997 China is becoming a major fashion capitiol. . . . .  READ MORE . . .

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD . . . .

Photography: Stephanie Williams

Event designer and Paper Details: Sugar and Fluff

Florals: Bunch Studio

Cakes: Sweet and Saucy

Makeup/Hair: KC Witkamp

Vintage Rentals: Ribbons and Rust

Location: Kimberly Crest
Horse Rentals: Giddy Up Ranch

Did you know Ruche now has a line of just launched bridal wear called, 'To Have and to Hold'?  You'll find vintage-inspired dresses and accessories for the bride and maids at incredible prices.  There's more!  Besides a comprehensive line of accessories look for kid stuff and swim wear. And PS, their look books with the dreamy photography by Stephanie Williams are pure inspiration. . . .

OUTSIDE THE BOX

 Perusing Vogue Espana I found these lovely gems worth checking out if you're inclined to be stepping outside the bridal template on your wedding day.  Above is an Angel Blanco a la seventies with long fringe .  .

 Who else but Oscar de la Renta could do this gala grand entrance maker with satin bows? 

Who says outside the box can't be romantic?  Vera Wang has worked some magic here making a scrumptious, walking bouquet out of silk organza.

SALUTE TO THE BOLERO

Bonzie

Everywhere you look from BHLDN to the indie designers on Etsy, the bolero seems to be the ultimate piece in covering up for your wedding day.  Something like a vest with long sleeves or shorter jacket that crops above the waistline, this peice is perfect for jazzing up and changing around your bridal look. 

Raw Hemline

Top Row: Ruche Bottom Row: BHLDN

Alisa Benay

 Bonzie

TOPPING IT OFF

Here's some tres chic head wear from indie designers for those of you who want to add some real drama.  Above: Pull it all together with some Callas by Eve Anders.One of a kind calla lily flower hat. It was created using mixed technique of nuno, wet and needle felting, combining hand dyeing and wool painting with merino wool, silk fibers and chiffon silk.

Silk organza fascinator with ivory petals interspersed with layers of ivory tulle by One Little Dove


 
Beaded Chantilly lace cloche with a scalloped edge, with a highly detailed handmade pressed edge silk organza flower & buds at the side by Erica Elizabeth Design.

Flower headband. Handmade flowers in ivory satin with  organza leaves and ivory lace by Lena

WOULD YOU WEAR WOOL ON YOUR WEDDING DAY?

Over on One Wed Blog we've been looking over a few 2012 trends the past few Fridays.  Here's one for you.  Have you noticed any designers using wool for wedding dresses?   Last year I created above out of wool crepe. With the low back, cowled front and silk flowers it says spring all over.   When we conjure up images of wool dresses plaids and winter wardrobes usually come to mind. Yet lighter weight wool crepes and jerseys are fantastic through spring and summer as long as the styles go draped and loose . . . . . READ MORE . . . .

INSPIRATION THURSDAY

Karlie Kloss by Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia

You find the gosh darnedest and most inspiring stuff on Pinterest.  This I find poemworthy enough to christen with these words from William Wordsworth:

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

~William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," 1804



EXTRAORDINARY FABRICS FOR BRIDES . . . .

As a bridal designer you can't imagine how jazzed I was to get engaged some twenty odd years back.  The first thing I did of course was mentally design my dress.  My then fiancee now hubby had one request: Ed wanted to wear full Scottish regalia including kilt, jacket, sporn, tartan, the works.  It didn't take long for the dress above to evolve in my head.  Once it did I made a beeline to Britex Fabrics in San Francisco,so stoked was I to get on with the creative process of fashioning myself as a bride.   What Toys R Us would be to a kid, Britex Fabrics is to the designer: An emporium chock full of extraordinary fabrics sourced from all over the world. Back to my dress, the lace was imported from Paris and most of the silk florals you see were found in the bridal notions department; the rest were hand-rolled silk dupioni.  Not bad for one day's shopping . . . .

Last Thusday Britex Fabrics kicked off celebrating their 60th year with it's Designer Spotlight Series. I'm so honored to have been one of six bridal and evening wear designers featured at the opening.  Others included were, Karen Tierney, Meslissa Bolin, Monique Zhang, Helena Chenn and Hester Michael--all incredibly talented.  If you're local to the San Francisco Bay Area, this series continues in May with Wardrobe Essentials, to Costumes & Corsetry in July and Menswear & Shirtmaking in September.

Dina and Geana, the awesome coordinators of this event . . .

Me and my gorg model Laura wearing the VALERIE dress

 Above: The work of designer Karen Tierney

Believe it or not these are pieces of crepe and Duchess satin simply draped and pinned on the dress forms to show off the incredible hand of the fabric . . . .

 Evening wear designer Hester Michael

 Hats by Melissa Brolin

Designers Monique Zhang and Victor Tung

Photos 3, 4, 5 and 7 courtesy of Styrous