June is around the corner and with all the hype of royal wedding dress copies, I thought it would a nice diversion to share some original ideas for gowns. In my opinion, wedding dresses have become boring. There is no passion in the design and construction and this is reflected in the finished product.
When I personally design for an event, I like to bring a history and story to the finished piece. In the early conception , I will choose a combination of new and/ or vintage fabrics, lace, and beads that will then be the inspiration for the gown . This can only be done by hand. My feeling is the dress reflects who the bride is.
I found a wonderful example in New Zealand of a dress with a history and personality. The dress shown below was designed for a bride who is Samoan and Australian. The fabric is tapa cloth which is completely hand made from the inner bark of two year mulberry trees. This is truly a dress for a princess. The bride explained that the tapa cloth gave her a strong connection with the earth. The bead work is comprised of sea shells and the trim is braided jute. If you would like to hear more about this dress, here is a link -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quKUnWCl6FU
Some other examples of tapa cloth dresses can be seen below. All of these tapa dresses, above and below are in museums.
Below are wedding dresses from India, Thailand, Africa, as well as Native American wedding regalia. (Click photos below to enlarge.)
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