The Wedding and the Dress

Weddings are heinously overrated. The basis of marriage is supposedly the love between the two parties but sometimes, the whole white saga and all its frills (the dream wedding, the fairy-tale come true, etc.) does overlook that simple fact.

Marriage has never ceased to be a hot topic; because of the big white ceremony in all its grandeur, fuss and months of preparation; because of a general loss of faith in the institution and the meaning of marriage thanks to the Hollywood A-listers and rampant globalisation; because of cultural differences and what happens after you say 'I do', and so on. Cranking the can of worms open, from the legalisation of same-sex marriage to a red wedding gown (gasp) for the fairy-tale bridal march, the mindmap of 'marriage' just keeps growing. So I stop now and turn to the formalisation of the contract of matrimony: the wedding ceremony.  

The centerpiece of the overhyped wedding ceremony is the dress, whether we admit it or not, it does matter. The fit, whether it makes the bride look slim (or skinny), the fabric, the train, the embellishments, the lace (or french lace), the designer, the style, the price... the list goes on. Wedding gowns can get boring after a while but somehow the Cinderella silhouette never gets old. There is something magical and breathtaking about the yards of white tulle or satin wrapped intricately across those womanly curves that still sees those beautiful creations taking the runways season after season. Trawling through some bridal shows, here are some of the more unconventional bridal looks. For the unconventional bride. 

Wear the pants in the relationship.

Oscar de la Renta

Carolina Herrera

The grecian dress for the Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Temperley

Claire Pettibone

Amanda Wakeley

Colour your wedding.

Oscar de la Renta

Vera Wang

More Vera Wang

Romona Keveza

Cut the long story short and get down the aisle in these short beauties.

Rafael Cennamo

Reem Acra

Oscar de la Renta inspired by Swan Lake (the feathered headpiece) 

Go over the top.

Decked in embellishments; Monique Lhuillier

Romona Keveza

Claire Pettibone

Oscar de la Renta

And encore, Oscar de la Renta.

Perhaps, in the most demented train of thought, the woman sort of diminishes upon entering into marriage so it is necessary she is the centre of attention at the ceremony. Think about it, some women just disappear into the household chores, some get so wrapped up with the children (their school work and extracurricular activities), some remain hidden in the husband's shadow (although this is changing) and some are too busy juggling a career and a family. 

So, the bride must take advantage of the situation to multiply the narcissistic pleasure of looking good because this feel-good sensation will last well after the honeymoon. She must be the most beautiful not only to her husband but to all friends, frenemies and family who are present. She must show herself off to the world before she rightfully belongs to someone else and can no longer command or demand the same sort of looks of lust or jealousy bestowed upon her before the marriage.

For the ladies who live to get married, yes, the ceremony had better be perfect. For the lucky ones who have met their soulmates, the ceremony is icing on the cake. For the shotgunners, it's all about timing. Aside from being the perfect distraction for the brides-to-be, the wedding ceremony is the spectacle for the ideal of love and the gown is the showcase of the bride. Every wedding is different, especially across cultures, but the symbols remain the same for those who choose the typical western style sort of ceremony - the rings, the cake, the champagne, the flowers, the aisle, the bachelor party and more importantly, that 'perfect' dress.

♥,
 Fir

J'adore J'Aton

I was watching Australia's Next Top Model on Starworld and that's where I got to really see what the hype was behind the couture label, J'Aton. I was blown away by the details on their gowns featured during the programme.

"We dress women the way men want to see women dressed"

Founders and designers Jacob Luppino and Anthony Pittorino launched the label in 1995 and they started small, making just enough to buy materials they needed like sewing machines and other equipment. Slowly, the label began to gain a reputation for attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship and today, J'Aton has become synonymous with gorgeous bespoke evening and bridal wear. Both designers come from Italian families and their uncanny ability to understand each other has allowed this dynamic partnership to bear fruit.

Their contemporary couture, gorgeous draping and breathtaking detailing has won them awards such as the 2009 Prix de Marie Claire Awards for Best Eveningwear Designers and several other Australian Gown of the Year acknowledgements. A favourite among Australia's society and the elite, J'Aton's celebrity clients include Dita von Teese, Charlize Theron, Lily Cole, Delta Goodrem, Kylie and Danni Minogue and Rebecca Twigley.

Andrej Pejic for J'Aton Couture

J'Aton opened first in Ascot Vale in Melbourne then moved to Prahran five years later so the designers could expand their client base. Being so incredibly successful, the label has made plans to move to New York but the much anticipate move was, sadly, delayed because of the losses incurred as a result of a fire at the label's showroom at Greville Street. Enter the J'Aton bridal salon and you'll find it unique from other ateliers. There is no showroom overflowing with sample gowns, instead customers can expect a small selection of intricate couture gowns that represent the feel, style, craftsmanship and fit that J'Aton has become known for. 

Inspired by classic designers like Christian Dior and Charles James. They like to keep femininity in their gowns whilst also incorporating elements that their clients want. The advantage then, is that the designers are involved right down to the last detail. The designers' hands-on approach has led to their popularity among their elite clientele, resulting in word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat clients.

It comes as no surprise then, that the designers work through appointments only for both consultations and fittings. Luppino and Pittorino meet with each prospective client to see if they get along before another appointment is set up for sketching and discussion of other details. Every client speaks directly with either designer and each gown is carefully sewn in small teams. Each gown is therefore a collaboration of both the designers' aesthetic and the client's vision. Most gowns take about six months to create and brides-to-be are asked to commit to at least four fittings. The duo are open to alternatives if for example, the bride hates lace and beading. However, both designers feel that the clients' minds can be changed especially since "its usually because of how they've seen other people design with it" that causes a definite adverse reaction to certain design elements. 

J'Aton is located at 185 Greville Street, Prahran.

♥,
Fir