Visionary Bridal Designers

Since you can only wear one dress as you walk down the aisle, you will choose the one that flatters your curves and accentuates the little things that make you unique. Maybe you will splurge on the kind of dress that you have dreamed of for many years; the one that reflects your culture, your spirit, and most importantly the lifetime of love that awaits you.

Behind that dress will be one designer; a visionary who can turn all-that-you-are into a three dimensional masterpiece. World Bride Magazine introduces you to three such designers. Their visions will inspire and their dresses will delight.

Yvonne Chu

Several years ago Yvonne Chu left behind her dream to become an architect for the world of fashion design. The Ivy League graduate enrolled in an intensive one-year design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, with the dream of fusing global styles together to create a very unique line of sportswear. In 1999, Yvonne opened her first Kimera boutique and introduced her collection to the trendsetters who shop Brooklyn’s own Fifth Avenue. From there it started with one dress.

After adding a silk shantung original to her collection, Kimera soon became one of Brooklyn’s best-kept bridal secrets. “I tell people I accidentally got into the bridal industry,” says Yvonne whose culturally blended designs are far from accidental. “Women fell in love with the silk shantung dress and started requesting it for their bridesmaids, too.”

Today, Yvonne has stepped away from designing sportswear, and now she exclusively designs bridal and special occasion dresses for her customers. Using bold colors and textured fabrics, Kimera offers brides an alternative to the traditional white dress. “I love Eastern cultures,” she says of her inspiration. “I look for coloring and styling, and I also like to keep up on what’s going on in the design industry.” Yvonne’s dresses are sold solely through her boutique and website. Prices range from $500 to $1,000.

Cassandra Bromfield

Cassandra Bromfield’s collection of ethnic wedding gowns is often referred to as a work of art. In fact, she recently donated a magnificent patchwork design to an exhibit for the Museum of the City of New York. Cassandra, a veteran of the fashion industry, ventured away from working as an assistant to other designers in search of job security and creative freedom. “Being outside of the industry means that I can design dresses when I feel inspired,” she says of her decision. “I can introduce a full line of dresses or just one dress at a time.”

Individuals who come to Cassandra’s Manhattan studio are often seeking to bring an artistic component into their special event. Her use of elaborate details and worldly fabrics are the features that make her special occasion designs standout. “Harriette Cole’s book, Jumping the Broom, sparked interest in people to add cultural elements to their garments,” she comments. “Several years ago I created a yellow wedding gown and I am amazed at how many people remember it.”

Cassandra, whose gowns have been commissioned for both the Oscars and the Tony Awards, says she provides all of her customers with the same personal service. “A wedding is a red carpet moment to all women,” she says. “Most women just don’t have that opportunity everyday.”

Colette Komm

In the era of skin-is-in style, modesty is making its comeback. Across the fashion industry waistlines are rising, as navels are taking cover. Changes are also occurring in the bridal industry, and 24-year-old Colette Komm is at the forefront of the movement. A 2004 Parsons School of Design graduate, Colette wasted little time before opening her bridal design studio in New York City. “People from my church were coming to me saying they couldn’t find anything to wear,” says the devout member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, which requests for brides to dress modestly at their weddings. Colette soon began designing alternatives to the many overly exposed dresses on the market.

“I love the construction of wedding dresses,” says Colette, who started sewing her custom-made designs promptly upon receiving her first Barbie. She works with each bride to turn their vision into a fabulous form-fitting gown. Colette brings her collection of bridal couture to the fashion industry at prices ranging from $5,000-$15,000. “The goal of the designer is to get the bride to say ‘that is exactly what I had in mind’ for the final product.” When asked what makes her self-titled line special, Colette says, “It’s all about the minute details.” And we agree!

~Schanina Winfield