Happy Monday my friends!
We had a glorious weekend here in London and I’m really hoping this week continues to be as sunny and hot the past couple of days. I certainly made the most of it, by meeting friends and wedding suppliers in the open practically every day. Last week’s highlight was Thursday, when I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Delphine at the Crowne Plaza hotel, who gave me a tour of their wedding facilities and the sumptuous Taj suites of their sister hotel, 51 Buckingham Gate. It was the first day of sunshine, so we sat in their lovely courtyard, drinking tea and savoring scones, sandwiches and mouth-watering sweet treats… I love a spot of afternoon tea!
Anyway, today I’d like to introduce you to a bridal label I found a couple of months ago at the White Gallery – Kisui, run by fashion designer Kerstin Karges (if you’d like to know more about WG, the lovely Annabel has posted pictures and a detailed account of the day on Love My Dress).
I was immediately drawn by Kisui wedding gowns because of the minimalist, yet romantic shape. I’m a lover of clean lines and uncomplicated elegance, and I felt that Kisui had just the right balance. Kertsin’s collection is young, fresh, and perhaps, in a market dominated by vintage-inspired gowns, a bit brave too. And, if I’m terribly honest, Kisui is the one label that really impressed me at White Gallery. So I’ve asked Kerstin to share with us a few images of her latest collection and answer a few questions to get to know her and Kisui a bit better:
How did you begin your career as dress designer? I’ve learned sewing and pattern cutting from my grandmother when I was a child. She was a dressmaker and had an atelier that she’d taken over from her own mother. As you can imagine, I had really well dressed dolls! Bridal gowns have always been special to me. I grew up near a church and every time there was a wedding, I would wait outside the church to look at the bride. If I had the time, I would still do the same today!
What does the Kisui label stand for? Kisui stands for pure, refined and modern bridal gowns with lovely details made out of the best silk fabrics, laces and embellishments on the market.
How would you describe the typical Kisui bride? The typical Kisui bride is a confident, independent woman with a sophisticated romantic attitude.
We’d like to get to know you better, so please tell us something about the people behind kisui? In addition to myself and the markets’ agents, Kisui Berlin also includes Heike, my highly gifted Head of the sewing studio, and my husband Cecil, a product designer by profession, who acts as our art director. He brings in the male side of our brand.
Where did the inspiration for your latest collection come from? The 2013 collection is inspired by the ornaments of medieval armour and the lightness of ballet dresses. I like to work with “conflicting” themes to create something new out of the tension between them.
What advice would you give brides looking for their right dress? Listen to your heart. This is your day and you should really wear something that YOU love.
What mistakes would you tell them to avoid? Bringing more than two people for dress shopping – too many opinions can be confusing and can sometimes distract you from what you originally wanted.
Who would be your dream client? Emily Blunt. She combines a very beautiful and natural style with a charismatic appearance.
Which one is your favourite dress in this collection? This is a tough question as we put a lot of love in all of our dresses. For a classic wedding I love Aurora the most; for a fashionable one Abra, and for a beach wedding Mandisa.
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Thank you so much Kerstin for your time and for introducing us to Kisui.
Now, I love pretty much all of the Kisui dresses, so selecting just a few to feature turned out to be to difficult of a task. I therefore couldn’t resist but put together 5 slides with the dresses I love the most, and I’ve put a little ♥ next to those Linen & Silk (aka I) LOOOOVES (!) even more than just ‘love the most’- it basically means I’d do ANYTHING to have one of these dresses!
Go on then, tell us, what’s your favorite Kisui dress???
xoxo, Betta
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Information about Kisui: Kerstin Karges studied fashion design in Berlin and at University of the Arts, Central Saint Martins, in London. Subsequently she created design works for, among others, Alexander McQueen in London as well as Bernhard Wilhelm and Martine Sitbon in Paris, before starting her own design business and label, Kisui. Her first collection was launched in 2008. Her skill, knowledge and creativity in tailoring are a true family inheritance that can be traced back several generations. Her great-grandmother ran her own studio as a master tailor. Her grandmother was also a dressmaker and passed on her skill and expertise to her granddaughter at a very early age. Right from her first models, Kerstin Karges’ designs have caught the attention of the media both abroad and at home, and have been given awards including the “Schönstes Kleid der Hochzeitswelt” (most beautiful wedding gown), “Traumkleid 2009” (wedding dream dress 2009) and “Traumkleid 2011” (wedding dream dress 2011). In 2012 her designs will be dis-played for the first time at the exclusive bridal fashion trade fair in White Gallery London. With a portfolio of clients from various European countries, as well as New York, South Africa and even the Lebanon, she is planning to extend her business by collaborating with international dealers and partners. “I do not mind sending white boxes lovingly packaged with beautiful ribbons and silk wrapping paper inside all the way to America or Italy,” the designer admits “but it is so much more relaxing for a bride to try on different models near her home.”
Contact: Web Kisui-Bride.com, email contact@kisui.de, Facebook facebook.com/kisui.berlin
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