Confetti gets up-close and personal in this exclusive interview with UK designer, Caroline Castigliano, who talks about what inspired her latest bridal collection and asks how every bride can achieve effortless feminine glamour when choosing their wedding dress.
Images courtesy of Caroline Castigliano
I’ve always had a passion for design because… I get enormous pleasure from being involved in the creation of a wedding dress that will embody everything about a girl’s dream. It will be the essence of her whole wedding day and the dress will make a statement about the bride, her style and her personality, and tell everyone who she is as a woman. It is an honour to create something that says so much about a person.
My signature style is… Understated effortless feminine glamour.
The inspiration behind my latest collection? The 2010 collection is an expression of ‘relaxed feminine glamour’. The pieces are super chic and effortlessly luxurious with a lot of soft tulle and lace gowns and, of course, our signature organza pieces.
The hottest dress around right now is… I absolutely love ‘Heaven,’ it is a wonderfully dramatic gown and it creates a breath-taking silhouette.
The perfect wedding gown is… An ivory gown in medium weight silk duchess satin. The fabric moulds beautifully, it has a wonderful sheen to it and a lovely texture. I think it is one of the most luxurious fabrics in the world. A wedding gown should be white or ivory, because you can wear colour any time in your life. For this important day, tradition should stand. The silhouette entirely depends on the woman. I love a truly striking fishtail if you have the figure, or a modified fishtail where the flare kicks out from the top of the leg, if you want a softer look. We have a gown in the collection called ‘Misty’, a sensational piece – a modified fishtail with a structured corset in soft Chantilly lace with a layer of the finest silk organza over the top and the most beautifully beaded belt at the waist.
The key to picking the perfect dress is… Firstly, work with an expert who really understands styling people and will be honest with you. Secondly, understand the overall look you want to create, ie. contemporary, classic, glamorous, traditional. When you understand the image you want to create for the day a good stylist should be able to find the perfect dress.
My best client was… because.. I have had so many fabulous clients it would be totally impossible to pick just one. Brides come to see us from all over the world. I have been fortunate enough to dress many internationally renowned women, I consider all our clients to be the best and treat them all as VIPs.
You heard it here first: 2010-11 bridal-wear predictions are… Red carpet glamour! We will be seeing lots of structured fishtails as well as slinky bias cut dresses. Everything will be very feminine, showing off womanly curves.
Keep this in mind when choosing your dress… It should suit your personality and body shape, and most importantly, be timeless. An exquisitely cut, understated gown that beautifully balances your figure and moves with your body will ensure you never look back and think it dates you.
Dream bride to style…Kate Middleton – she would be a dream to design for. Oleg Cassini started designing for Jackie Kennedy at a similar age and I would love the opportunity to dress Kate. I know my style would be outstanding on her.
How I’d style them for winter or spring 2011… Carefully chosen accessories are crucial to an outfit and vital to creating the overall look. The choice of accessories can determine whether the look is one of pure red carpet glamour, or more of a paired down and understated look. For the winter bride I would recommend long velvet capes, whilst the spring bride should consider short delicate shrugs. Your head piece and jewellery will make a big difference to the overall impact, I love really impactful headpieces.
The best thing about bridal design is… Making a bride look more beautiful and feel more confident than she ever has before!
You’ll find lots of inspiration on Confetti’s fashion pages!
