English Wedding Blog » Dresses

The Elite: Caroline Castigliano interview

Claire — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:20 +0000

Caroline Castigliano is one of the UK’s favourite wedding dress designers and I’m delighted to say she’s joined The Elite on English Wedding with an interview for you today.

With a history of impressively elegant, gracious and luxurious wedding dress collections, the Caroline Castigliano brand is soon to celebrate 21 years in the wedding industry. It’s a fabulous achievement and an inspiration to see such quality and style from a bridal designer at the very top of her game.

The Elite: Caroline Castigliano: an interview

Caroline, your gowns are so exquisitely made and with so much thought for movement and grace in the designs – to what extent are your dresses inspired by their wearers? When you design a new collection are you imagining the girls who’ll wear your gowns?

“Yes, I always consider the girl that will wear my gowns, I often pop into my Knightsbridge boutique so I am fortunate to be able to meet and see brides and really visualise exactly how I want them to look when I am designing a new collection.

“A Castigliano bride has a true sense of self – she knows who she is and wants her gown to express her personality and her style. Castigliano brides love the understated simplicity that we create but the beauty of the cut and luxury fabrics that we use create an incredible sense of power.”

Castigliano wedding dresses have that timeless elegance to them. Has the royal wedding influenced your styles for the coming season?

“Kate Middleton’s dress was beautiful and very much had the feel of a Castigliano gown – I haven’t designed anything differently in the sense of reflecting her dress, but a gown in the collection, ‘Mademoiselle’, has the slightly more contemporary feel of the Kate Middleton dress.”

Tell me about your typical bride – does she have a strong idea of what she wants from her wedding dress?

“Our typical bride knows she wants contemporary yet classic, understated style. She may already have a silhouette in mind but quite often that won’t be right for her and we will work with her on the overall impact and vision she wants to create so we know it will be perfection when she looks in the mirror. The balance and proportions of the gown with the structure and movement of the fabric will create her perfect dress.”

Who do you admire in the wedding industry? Do you work alongside other wedding suppliers: photographers, planners perhaps?

“From time to time we work with other wedding suppliers and of course wedding planners, and there are a lot of people in the industry I admire. Love & Lord have established a well-deserved reputation for planning divine weddings in Europe. We recently shot a new advertising campaign at The Dorchester on Park Lane and I think that the opulence of the hotel makes it an amazing venue for a London wedding. Jane Packer creates extremely beautiful floral displays and it was very sad to hear of her passing earlier this year.”

How do you see the Castigliano brand developing in the next 5 years?

“The next 5 years will be the most exciting and we will be 21 on the 10th January 2012! We have been developing the brand and selling around the world to independent retailers – we will continue this over the next few years and we also plan to branch off into a few other fields that are relevant to girls when they get married! I am afraid this is all a bit hush-hush so I can’t tell you exactly the plan but you’ll be seeing a lot of the Castigliano brand.”

Oooooh! I do love a cliffhanger! I’ll be watching Caroline Castigliano on facebook to uncover more of this intrigue!

You can meet Caroline Castigliano

Caroline will be travelling to her boutiques in Bath, Leeds and Edinburgh in January and February to meet brides and offer them her personal advice. This is a unique chance to meet Caroline and discuss your wedding gown and styling for your big day with the designer herself.

Caroline Castigliano Designer Days 2012:

Saturday 14th January — CC Bath (01225 789 900)
Saturday 28th January — CC Edinburgh (0131 558 3355)
Sunday 5th February — CC Leeds (0113 234 0990)

Please note that Caroline anticipates high demand for appointments on Designer Days, so do book early with the appropriate boutique to avoid disappointment. More information

Caroline looks forward to meeting you in 2012!

(Watch this great interview with Caroline from Brides magazine — what a lovely lady she is! — and hear Caroline’s thoughts on 2012 wedding dress trends, Kate Middleton’s dress and more!)

30% off the Coast bridal collection

Claire — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:58 +0000

‘Tis the season… for lots of lovely discounts off wedding dresses, it seems! Here’s another — save 30% off the Coast bridal collection from today until the 23rd of December.

The Bridal Collection from Coast

The Coast bridal collection embraces sensational and breathtaking designs that have been expertly crafted to make you take centre stage on your wedding day. Sophisticated and glamorous, the bridal styles combine soft feathers, feminine frills and dramatic draping for a truly romantic appeal. A style for every bride, choose from our deliciously opulent selection of gowns and make an unforgettable entrance on your wedding day…

To claim your discount simply quote ‘BRIDAL30’ at the checkout.

This is a sponsored English Wedding blog post. (Click the link to see what this means.)

The Elite: David Fielden interview

Claire — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:00:07 +0000

David Fielden is a leading UK bridalwear designer, an inspiration to many, a creative force at the cutting edge of bridal fashion.

David’s catwalk shows never fail to create a buzz in the wedding industry, and his 2012 catwalk with its theme of urban decay — with the delicate subtext of love overcoming hardship — was no exception.

David Fielden: The Elite: an interview

I asked David to share a little insight into his collection, his inspiration and his designs.

David, your bridal catwalks always cause a stir: this year’s Urban Destruction theme was especially thought-provoking. Is there a philosophy behind the styling of your events?

“We live in an intransient time, with world affairs effecting our everyday decisions. So I wanted to capture that feeling and show that love will always win out.”

Your gowns have a very unique style. How is a David Fielden gown born… do you schedule time to sketch ideas, or does inspiration come when you least expect it to?

“My inspiration comes from everything around me. I have a great interest in all the arts. My background was in dance and theater. This is what affects my thoughts and ideas.”

What does it take to be a top UK bridal designer? Would you ever consider a different career?

“Total commitment to one’s vision. I studied dance and I choreographed and designed own ballets so if I was not a fashion designer that is what I would like to return to.”

Talk me through your latest collection / designs. Which is your favourite and why?

“My favorite part of the collection was the opening section of my Milan 2012 show where traditional fabrics were used to reinterpret silhouette and shape giving an edge to the collection.”

What should we expect from David Fielden for the rest of this decade… or do you aim to delight and surprise the wedding industry no matter what our expectations?

“I work in the business to create new and exciting ideas, both in the design of dresses and in the way I get my vision into the public domain. I certainly hope that this will always excite and create a buzz around my brand.”

David Fielden 2012 Sposa collection

I have one last David Fielden treat for you today. Your chance to get a designer wedding dress for less than £250 — with an exclusive discount code for English Wedding blog readers.

Find out more at www.DavidFielden.co.uk or on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Fielden/131634133546093?ref=ts

Caroline Castigliano 2012 bridal collection

Claire — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:00:44 +0000

Caroline Castigliano 2012 collection photography by Clive Arrowsmith

This little gem landed in my inbox this week, so as a parting note for the week I thought I’d share it with you.

Leading luxury designer Caroline Castigliano today unveiled stunning new photography of her 2012 Bridal collection.

Shot on location at The Dorchester on London’s Park Lane, the new images showcase a range of gowns from the ‘Oscar Collection’, in sumptuous surroundings befitting Caroline Castigliano’s luxurious and elegant designs.

Caroline Castigliano, who celebrates 20 years at the forefront of luxury bridal design this year, enlisted top fashion photographer Clive Arrowsmith to shoot the collection. Arrowsmith has photographed a wealth of celebrities and VIPs throughout his illustrious career.

Brazilian model Janini was styled to reflect a Castigliano bride – a woman with a definite sense of style, who is confident and sexy.

‘Madamoiselle’ can be seen in The Dorchester’s fabulous Crystal Suite. This design, featuring a French Chantilly lace boat neck bodice and circular silk organza skirt, will appeal to brides looking to emulate the understated elegance of Kate Middleton’s wedding gown.

‘One Fine Day’, a soft silk duchess satin draped gown with fishtail skirt, was shot against an ornate gold lacquer screen, and is the perfect example of Caroline Castigliano’s signature – a silhouette which is unquestionably feminine and effortlessly elegant.

Caroline Castigliano 2012 collection photography by Clive Arrowsmith

The ‘Oscar Collection’ is available now through Caroline Castigliano boutiques as well as a selection of exclusive boutiques nationwide. To find your nearest stockist and book an appointment visit www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk

The dresses are divine, the setting is just perfect, don’t you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the shoot!

Exclusive new Caroline Castigliano 2012 collection — next week!

Claire — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:00:28 +0000

EXCLUSIVE NEW CAROLINE CASTIGLIANO 2012 COLLECTION LANDS NEXT WEEK

An exclusive range of brand new designs from leading luxury bridal designer Caroline Castigliano will be available from the beginning of October.

A selection of gowns from the exquisite 2012 collection will be delivered into Caroline Castigliano boutiques next week, giving brides the chance to be the very first to wear exclusive Caroline Castigliano designs.

A number of independent bridal boutiques in areas across the UK, including Cheshire, Hampshire and Staffordshire, will also stock a selection of the new designs. This is the first time ever that the highly coveted designer has been available outside of her own boutiques, giving more brides the exciting opportunity to wear a dream Castigliano gown.

The new designs all reflect Caroline Castigliano’s signature of a silhouette, which is unquestionably feminine and effortlessly elegant. All of the gowns are silk and are meticulously handcrafted in the UK for a flawless result.

The internationally renowned designer, who has dressed some of the world’s most stylish women for their weddings and red carpet events, says of the new collection:

‘We have used a lot of lace, georgette organza and duchess satin, all very soft, feminine fabrics. We have created structured foundations to ensure great silhouettes and then draped the softest of fabrics to create the allure of understated feminine glamour.’

In anticipation of the new designs, Caroline Castigliano boutiques are experiencing high demand for appointments, so contact your nearest store today to ensure that you don’t miss out.

To find your nearest boutique and book an appointment go to:

www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk/boutiques

Another treat for Charlotte Balbier brides out there!

Claire — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:00:21 +0000

I love Charlotte Balbier. She’s one of the most exciting wedding dress designers in the UK right now, and wherever I turn I see brilliant reviews and a real buzz about her 2012 wedding dress collection.

Speaking of which…
When I blogged the launch of Charlotte’s 2012 Candy Kisses wedding dress collection last month, it was thanks to lovely Manchester wedding photographer Jonny Draper that we got to see so many gorgeous sneak previews of the dresses. Remember — this was a trade launch, so officially (shhhhh…) no one else has seen them yet!

… and guess which lovely wedding photographer, in his own words* whisked a few of the models away for an exciting secret photoshoot while Charlotte wasn’t looking! Jonny — you’re ace!

*not exactly his own words. I read between the lines…

Charlotte Balbier is about to launch a new website for 2012 which promises to showcase the 2012 Candy Kisses Collection. Charlotte’s designer wedding dresses are stocked in high end bridal boutiques across the country.

If you’re a Balbier bride — and tell me if you are, I’d love to say hello! — the best place for updates is Charlotte Balbier’s facebook page. All the latest news about the website and new collection is on there and updated regularly.

And if you’re looking for a wedding photographer do have a look at Jonny Draper’s website www.jonnydraper.co.uk and wedding photography blog. Jonny is most definitely an expert on Charlotte Balbier gowns, and he’s a lovely, friendly and dedicated wedding photographer. You’ll love him!

Jonny told me, “It was really exciting & an absolute privilege to be the first person to shoot Charlotte’s Candy Kisses Collection at the launch afternoon. The fashion show was the main focus of what I was shooting but I wanted to also use the amazing location of Great John Street to shoot some very cool images of the new collection to really inspire brides to be as to what these fabulous gowns looked like in and around a wedding venue.

“I’m a massive Charlotte Balbier fan & am always very excited when we work together as I know that Charlotte really commits to the creative side of things & really wants to push the boundaries of what is achievable (remember the shot of the girl in the rafters of Styal Lodge?!)

And as a bonus she’s brilliant fun to be around and work with!”

Have a gorgeous weekend everyone.

Claire xx

A real treat for 2012 brides on English Wedding today!

Claire — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:00:17 +0000

I don’t squeal. I’m calm, collected and simply love being a wedding blogger. No hysterics. So when top UK wedding dress designer Charlotte Balbier herself emailed me I didn’t squeal*. At all.

*I jumped four foot in the air and did a quick lap of the ceiling in my excitement.

Last month Charlotte Balbier did a sneaky peek preview day for her boutique owners of the new 2012 ‘Candy Kisses’ collection at www.greatjohnstreet.co.uk. The event was to give the boutiques a preview into the new 2012 collection and also to have a time to meet fellow boutique owners, relax, chat, network and be spoilt with champagne, yummy canapés and afternoon tea.

Who’d have liked to be a fly on the wall for the event, hey ladies? Tell you what, who’d like to play along RIGHT NOW and pretend we have front row seats for the exclusive wedding industry only event? Hmm?**

**I’m on the edge of my seat, hand in the air shouting ‘Meeeeeeeeee!’

Join me. Grab a canape and some pink fizz, and get a first look at Charlotte Balbier’s 2012 Candy Kisses collection. It’s so exciting… Charlotte and her team saw it first, then the boutique owners… and now we get a peek for ourselves. Yay!***

***Just fell right off the edge of my seat. So exciting.