Chika lang sa title.. hehe..

Art & Malu
December 6, 2008
Sta. Ana Church
Legend Hotel
Motif: Vermilion Orange and Coffee Brown

We did the bride, groom, moms lady entourage attires

I just got the CD from Malu yesterday, and since I’m in the process of choosing pictures to print for our shop album, siningit ko na rin magpost sa blog. hehe..

For Malu’s wedding, we didn’t follow any particular theme. However, I consider Malu’s gown quite unique.

It has a mandarin collar - high neckline, but sleeveless.. walang kasing conservative sa harap.. but when you see the back, mega exposed! hehehe… kaya naman super love ko rin ang drama nito ni malu.

Top is made of embellished lace. Waist is accented with patterned beadwork. Skirt is Semi ball gown, minus the petticoat and further detailed with cover button at the back. Di ba, simple lang ang drama ni Malu. Simple conservative na may konting landi. lolz!

For the entourage, I played with pleats (kasi di talaga ako mahilig sa pleats.. echos!) and the brown color accent. I combined crumpled tafetta and Plain tafetta - both in 2 tone colors.

These are just some of the pix I got to choose yesterday, actually, there’s more, pero for now, eto na muna. =)

I hope i get to post my other December 6, wedding na.. hehe.. wala pa me pix

Today must be the happiest birthday of my life!

Here’s a sneak peak why I’m so elated!

I was so teary eyed all afternoon! *SNIFF*

Super thanks for Erron Ocampo & his team from Imagine Nation Beyond(words) for letting me harass him during the reception and actually giving me these wonderful teaser pics!! Thanks for making my first time working with you EXTRA MEMORABLE!

Best birthday gift ever! Of course, if it hadn’t been for Sheila and Paul’s trust, all these wouldn’t have been possible! Can you Pls. get married again?? LOL!!

More pics (and credits) to come! can’t wait!

When Dianne asked me if she could do an interview about bridal fashion and share some tips in choosing “The Wedding Gown” I happily obliged. Together with Veejay and Santi, we answer some of the few important questions a bride would usually ask about their wedding gown.

Here’s an excerpt of the released article, titled Designing Destinies.

Dianne May Torres explains why entrusting one’s wedding dress to your local seamstress is sacrilegious. Find out the latest designers who dishes out the hottest wedding dresses in town!

Fashion for ‘the big day’
For some reason, we love everything that has to do with weddings. We watch them in movies and television shows, and we even have several magazines specifically for the occasion. Highlighted in the wedding reportage are, of course, the outfits: the color motif, the style of the clothes, and, most importantly: who the bride wore.

Unlike before, it now seems sacrilegious to even think of entrusting one’s wedding dress to the designs of the friendly neighbourhood seamstress. click here to read the complete article

I recommend you read on. There are really some good points

I have never felt so provoked to write a blog with such a delicate topic. I receive a lot of inquiries and requests of quotation, but I have also never felt more guilt and concern as a wedding fashion designer and as a professional in the wedding industry. But I have to blog this, so we still know if what we’re doing is good or bad.

So to all my readers, pardon this post, as it might sound a little rude to most of you. But I must do what I have to do.

——

Occasionally, I get inquiries with attachments - pictures of sketches and actual gowns both worn by models, and sometimes by real brides themselves. I know that a lot of brides do this (and I was no exception to it as well) so that they help themselves (and their suppliers) into coming up with the perfect gown for their wedding.

It’s very natural to collate pictures of the gowns we like. Even we designers do this when we come up with collections for fashion shows or for clients. Seeing the design, colors, fabric treatments help us clearly visualize the design we want to come up with. And there’s definitely nothing wrong with that.

However, sometimes, a lot of us really don’t know what we want. Some of us are not capable of coming up with a unique design for a gown. So we tend to grab the first, second or third picture of the gown we’d want to wear and have a seamstress construct it for you. This is normal.. given the circumstance of the person. I’m not saying it’s 100% okay, especially if you’re having a designer (who can design a gown for you in case you forgot) to do it. But sometimes, designers like us are lenient.. because we want all our customers satisfied and happy, especially if our clients already know what they want.

but now, here’s the question…

Now, I will draw my LINE to this matter.

With all due respect to all brides and clients, please please please (and 100x more pleases) refrain from asking me to produce a gown based on another designer’s sketch or illustration. This is totally unethical for me and for any designer to do.

I do not expect other designers/seamstress to do the same, however, I am drawing the line here because I TOTALLY RESPECT and admire my fellow designers in both the fashion and wedding industry. I will only allow myself to produce such designs, if I was given the authority by the designer who sketched/illustrated it and have me produce his/her vision. I will have no objection to that. Other than that, I will most likely politely refuse to - even to provide a quotation for it.

It’s unethical for many reasons, but above all the little reasons why you shouldn’t do this.. is because you’re asking someone else to do this questionable deed of yours. And would you like by any chance be surprised to find out that the bride scheduled next to your wedding is wearing the same design of gown (same color, same number of pleats and beads and Swarovski crystals, even the same hair!) as yours? It’s exactly the same, except the people who made it. How would you feel? Would you still feel happy on your big day?

I don’t think I need to further explain the other reasons. I think we already know it.

I understand very well that there are no more ORIGINAL designs at this time and age. But I still still believe that there are no designs alike in anyway and there are still UNIQUE custom-made attires out there, especially if the designer specifically created it for you.

This is just a simple request from everyone. And I believe that this is not too much to ask. Let’s respect our designers and other brides. I know copying is a form of flattery, but we should occasionally ask ourselves (and hopefully, your answer is still yes) …

ARE WE STILL DOING THE RIGHT THING?

Today is our last day in my mini office in Sta. Ana. We’ve worked here for 3 years, and now it’s time to move to a new location.

Although John and I’s original plan is to expand here in the same location, God’s plan turned out to be different and much better. =)

Next week, we will be transferring to San Marcelino, almost corner of Remedios, near Quirino Taft in Malate, Manila. I will post the new map after I finished the sketch, but I won’t be able to meet clients from June 8 to 13 since we still need to reorganize and make ourselves feel at home in our new studio.

Meetings with clients will resume on June 15, however, you may reach us in our new number starting June 8, 2009. That’s 524.4870.

I will surely miss the quiet and peaceful old office. but now, it’s time to face a new and better tomorrow. =)

Looking forward to a brighter and happier experience in our new shop.

We hope to see you there!

April 19, 2009
Shrine of Jesus
1Esplanade

Entourage gowns (except flower girls, Moms and 1 Ninang by Jean Avellanosa-Dee
Bridal Gown by Cecilio Abad
Photos by Smart Shot Studio, Lito Genilo

This is another bride referred by Cecilio. Super funny si Tessa, and I guess those who know her would agree with me na medyo favorite past time niya ata is to worry.. hehe… well, kasi very concerned talaga siya sa lahat ng bagay. What I like about Tessa  is she knows how to genuinely express her concern over a lot of things, even thinking more about the well being of others more than her own (and she bakes yummy pastries as well! hehe..)

At first, very challenging for Tessa to decide on which color motif to use. I guess most brides have this trouble, especially after seeing a lot of color motifs they find very attractive. But eventually, after a lot of choices, she finally decided on having the colors Yellow Green and Pink as her main color motif - reminiscent of the flowers in the garden.

We used taffy silk materials for all the gowns, except for the Ninang where we used Dope dyed chiffon and Satin. The main accent used were the fabric rosettes.

And sabi nga.. birds with the same feather, flock together… so kung gaano kakwela si Tessa, ganun din kakwela ang friendships nya… and pati si Francis and even his family. Kaya naman for me, very memorable ang mga chaotic fitting ng kanyang ento…  coz kung gaano sila kakulit, eh ganun din sila kasaya kasama. hehehe..

March 14, 2009
San Agustin Church
Puerta Real Garden, Intramuros

Entourage Gowns by Jean Avellanosa-Dee
Bridal Gown by Cecilio Abad
Photos by Redefine Weddings - Jayson and Joan Arquiza

What can I say about Gidgette? Well, isa sya sa mga brides na pinilit sa kin ni Cecilio.. lolz… and I know why.. coz she’s super excited sa wedding details, maya’t maya nageemail sa kin (and sa lahat ng suppliers nya rin ata?). LOLZ! Well, super concern lang talaga sya, coz she and Chester is based on Dubai and she did all her preps there. And the most convenient way to communicate is via chat and email.

And winner ang wedding ni Gidgette, coz on the day itself, super daming tao… at bonggang bongga sya, dahil halos lahat ata ng supplier niya eh nominated sa W@W supplier of the year! (ako lang ata hinde! echos!) Tinalo pa ang mga celebrity weddings.

For her entourage gowns.. simple lang ang gusto ni Gidgette - mala PRONOVIAS ang dating, chiffon and satin, rusching/pleats at mahilig sya sa beads. hehe… simple lang right?

And syempre, color motif ay Peach pink and deep pink… which according to her friends/entourage, is very GIDGETTE.

I have 2 good news today!

We’re finally moving to a new location! YIPPEE! YIPPEE!

Super thanks to God for making this possible and super thanks to all those who helped me - my ever supportive loving husband john, my family especially my dad and uncle joey, and of course my friends who gave me their sound advice and moral support!

And of course, I wouldn’t forget my Mom-in-law, for welcoming me in their home about 3 years ago, and allowing me to stay in one of their rooms to use it as my shop. I will be forever grateful for your hospitality and support even before I became your daughter-in-law, you already welcomed me like a daughter!

We already have an address, but I won’t reveal it at the moment, cause our new shop is currently under renovation (and some brides might go there and pay a visit and they won’t find me and might think I’m a hoax supplier! LOLZ).

So I shall reveal our new location in due time. But we will be transferring very soon.. like how soon? JUNE 2009. That soon!

I’m super excited!

And I also got another exciting news from wedding library this afternoon.. hehe.. I won some neat prize from their previous fair! Thank you so much to the owners and organizers of Wedding Library! I’m really super grateful!

WEEEHH!! so happy!

We finally had a blog face lift! weeh! Thanks to robbie for finally uploading the new design.

Definitely there will be some minor tweaks along the way.. we’re still doing some improvements

But I hope you like the face lift as much as I do
Will be posting some backlog entries soon!

Just want to share this awesome news..

A couple of my friends back in college are holding their Fashion week designs on SALE!

The items being sold are from their SPRING SUMMER COLLECTION ‘09, shown last October 2008 during fashion week.

Everyone is most welcome to visit their sites and order their fabulous designs!

Designs by Santi Obcena  rates on the same page.

Designs by Jona Ballaran

announcement link. PM Jona to inquire about the rates. =)

spread the word!