Designers Archives | Dimitra's Bridal Couture

Valentini Spose Spring 2019 Collection Debut

With a couture garment making tradition that began in 1966, Valentini Spose has been creating the dresses brides dream of for over 50 years. Lead designer Graziana Valentini continues the design house’s legacy of using the finest Italian fabrics to create impeccably constructed gowns with an eye on the trends that define each season.

Bridal fashion trends for 2019 include clean, modern silhouettes with body con placement of dimensional laces and embroideries like Valentini’s “Thelma” dress. We kind of love the high front slit, begging for an unforgettable pair of bridal heels! The styling of brassy gold accessories and shoes lends the feeling of a contemporary goddess look to the dress. Ultimately though, the versatility of this gown is what we love most about it…with a change in accessories you can just as easily imagine this wedding dress in a bohemian wedding, swapping out the gilded accessories with more organic accents such as a floral crown and a pair of lacey bridal booties like these by Gianvito Rossi!

The modesty of the high neckline on the “Abby” wedding dress feels modern with the deep V neckline beneath it. The cut of the halter neckline is incredibly flattering to the shoulders, keeping the overall look textured without being overwhelming.

3d flowers on chantilly lace make “Kate” ethereal and romantic and the soft A Line silhouette make her a timeless classic, and the side V cut outs are one of our favorite details.

Gali Karten Bridal Debuts to U.S. Brides!

When we first came across the Gali Karten bridal collection, something immediately made us stop and look further. This bridal collection had a unique balance of intricacy and simplicity. As we researched the designer, we began to understand the reason her dresses were so special. A young woman herself, Gali Karten is a graduate of Israel’s top design school – The Shenkar College of Design. Upon graduation, she travelled to Paris for her post graduate internship at none other than Christian Dior, where she focused on the world renowned label’s couture bridal collection. Once she returned home she opened her own atelier, and while working one on one with brides she used her creativity and skills to develop her one of a kind aesthetic. The results, as you will see below are magnificent – marrying clean, modern silhouettes with carefully edited three dimensional details. These are wedding gowns for the bride who has a preference for the ethereal, yet does not necessarily consider herself boho. The Gali Karten bride is sophisticated and has a secret love of embellishment – but only when it is subtle and intentional. We are thrilled to debut the collection to U.S. brides during our trunk show event January 19-21, 2018!!

Stephen Yearick and Ysa Makino Fall 2017 Bridal Collections – BTS at our New York Bridal Market Appointment!

Glamour and sophistication define the Fall 2017 bridal collection by Stephen Yearick! Designer Leigh Price reinterprets trends towards over the top romance, femininity and vintage style. The new collection is created for the bride who has a passion for couture creativity and a distinct vision for her wedding dress.

The first dress was captivating, featuring many of our favorite elements: head to toe sparkle with delicate beadwork. We love the illusion neckline, particularly because it gives the bride uber flattering details such as cap sleeves and a modified, plunging V. The removable overskirt features a matching belt and artwork that ties it in perfectly to the bridal sheath underneath!

The Fall 2017 collection had several vintage inspired wedding dresses with artistic draping and glamorous beading. To our delight each one was more unique than the last. The first was the fully beaded halter neckline below and was mesmerizing – a statement gown that commanded everyone’s gaze!

Vintage Gatsby styling could be seen in the updated flapper dresses below. We especially love the sparkling organza layers and cold shoulder cape sleeves of the first gown!

The geometric beadwork of the next dress made us think of sparkling quartz crystals. The trendy tassels are luminescent, reflecting light with every step the bride makes. This incredibly modern interpretation of a flapper dress left us speechless – this gown is for the bride with an elevated sense of fashion who wants a truly unique wedding dress…

The vintage bride who is looking for more modest design, is sure to love the next gown. Her high back and rounded neckline make her extremely unique and the artwork on this dress is absolutely breathtaking! Featuring figure enhancing vintage beadwork and lace that is finished with 3-d elements, this bridal sheath is perfectly draped for a soft sex appeal with vintage glamour.

The combination of unique and classic elements on the embroidered lace A-Line below makes it the epitome of the Stephen Yearick aesthetic. Close up pictures of the bride show off the rich details of a traditional bridal gown that is timeless and romantic, while views of the gown in its entirety reveal vintage pleated tulle elements that make the dress iconic and fabulous. An unforgettable moment during our market appointment was when the model spinned around in this gown – we could not help but think of Ginger Rogers as the skirt danced around her ankles!

Belle epoque romance and femininity also made a huge statement in the floral prints of the Fall 2017 bridal collection, with palettes from soft pink to ruby red. These incredibly special bridal gowns feature artwork across various layers of the gown, for a subtle, three dimensional effect. We cannot help but imagine these canvas worthy gowns in a garden wedding or an old Irish castle…

For brides that prefer a more traditional color palette, any of the print gowns can be done in tones of off white, cream and ivory. The dimensional artwork and embroideries still make them spectacular, without the bold statement of color. Softer tones allow for a dreamier interpretation, like the gown below with layers of chantilly lace and 3-d florals over a barely there blush lining.

Designer Leigh Price has an incredible eye for detail in his designs. We love the choice of a plunging V neckline on the strapless sweetheart gown below, giving this sugar sweet confection the modern sex appeal brides covet today…

The next gown is guaranteed to take every wedding guest’s breath away! This embroidered, natural waist, ball gown, is the epitome of a modern day princess’ dream dress, with glamorous beaded short sleeves to frame the bride’s shoulders and collar bone and a train that is is begging to go down the grandest of aisles…

For the bride who loves the statement a princess worthy ball gown makes but doesn’t want to wear so much dress, the next bridal gown is absolute perfection! Head to toe detailed embroidery spills over a billowing skirt on a fit and flare silhouette that hugs the bride’s curves. The volume of the skirt has beautiful movement and can be made full enough to fulfill any princess fantasy the bride has! The low back is beautifully supported by a scalloped halter – a trending neckline which we saw across several collections at market for Fall 2017 brides…

The stunning beadwork and low illusion back make the next wedding dress a showstopper – she has all the signature glamour that has made the Stephen Yearick and Ysa Makino bridal collections favorites among brides the world over! When properly fitted to the bride, these sparkling beauties light up a room, making the bride the centerpiece of the wedding. Jus as with any dress in the collection, this gown can be made with a removable tulle train for a transitional look that is softer and more romantic as you go down the aisle!

The final two gowns are for the most regal of brides! First a beautifully encrusted sheer bodice is met at the natural waist by an ethereal asymmetrical skirt featuring layers of tulle and organza with beaded embroideries throughout. The illusion across the low v back and 3/4 sleeves make the dress modestly flirtatious and girly.

Second is a fully embroidered, satin trumpet wedding gown with beaded illusion sleeves, a fully embroidered illusion back and plunging V neckline. The matching removable satin train has silver floral and lattice artwork over the entire skirt which is like nothing we have ever seen before! This wedding gown epitomizes show stopping glamour and is sure to be the signature of the season!

Dimitra’s Bridal Couture is proud to be the largest exclusive retailer for the Stephen Yearick and Ysa Makino bridal collections in Chicago and the midwest. Our long standing relationship with designer Leigh Price allows us work closely with him to achieve our brides vision to the last detail, offering a level customization rarely available to brides!

The Fall 2017 Stephen Yearick bridal collection will debut to Chicago brides during our trunk show November 11-13, 2016.

The Fall 2017 Ysa Makino bridal collection will be featured during our trunk show December 2-4, 2016 with a designer appearance!

Trunk show events are by appointment only. These will be special events during which brides will have the rare opportunity to shop the Fall 2017 bridal collections long before they are available in stores. Special incentives and discounts will be extended by the designer exclusively on gowns purchased over the trunk show weekends.

Please, click the links above or call 312 787 0920 to reserve your spot.

All photographs were captured by Collin Pierson Photography…we cannot thank him enough for sharing his talent with us!

Lee Petra Grebenau Spotlight

We are very excited to announce our exclusive Lee Petra Grebenau shopping event December 16-18, 2016. This will be Chicago brides’, as well as brides of the midwest, first chance to shop the Fall 2017 collection! The signature of the collection is meticulous craftsmanship, tailoring and hand embroidered details. The design house uses exclusive laces and fabrics primarily from France, which are usually unique to the collection and hand finished with coveted details such as 3-d florals, feathers and subtle sparkle! This is a special one weekend event, and space is limited! Click the link at the bottom of the post to reserve your spot today!

Special incentives will be offered on gowns purchased during the weekend!

By appointment only, 312 787 0920.

Inbal Dror Fall 2017 Bridal Runway Carnegie Hall – New York Bridal Fashion Week

As the exclusive retailer of the Inbal Dror bridal collection in Chicago, we make it a priority to schedule an appointment with the designer right from the beginning of New York Bridal Fashion Week (we have to admit…it’s also because we adore her!) The Fall 2017 bridal collection exemplifies why Inbal is who she is in the bridal fashion world – every season she walks away from all of her previous successes, and boldly redefines bridal fashion with a new, unique perspective on what brides should be wearing for their 2017 weddings…

The Fall 2017 “Dreamers” collection is features wedding gowns that are both whimsical and regal. Our brides have been asking for tea length dresses more than ever, so we were thrilled when we saw Inbal’s creation using the silhouette – featuring a can can skirt and sequined bodice this tea length feels just as special and important as a full length wedding dress!

One of our favorites in the new collection (and there are many) was the high low dress below. The 3d flowers, sparkling mesh, and billowing layers of chantilly lace and organza made us think of a modern queen – one who was the leader of an army rather than the type that whiled away the hours in a high tower waiting for a prince to show up.

The high neck is beautifully balanced with the open back and high skirt and the placement of the 3-d flowers on the long sheer sleeves give the neckline an off the shoulder appearance.

Another favorite was the ballerina inspired princess A line below featuring a delicate organza skirt detailed with chantilly lace applique. The plunging V illusion bodice features a high neck and cap sleeves, for a softer sexy that can almost be called modest.

One of our favortie backs of New York Bridal Fashion Week can be found on this dress, and immediately reminded us of a ballerina’s pointe shoe, with a thick satin ribbon that criss crosses from the waist and ties into a beautiful draping bow at the neck. She is simply put – dreamy.

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Reem Acra Fall 2017 Bridal Collection – New York Bridal Fashion Week

Reem Acra is not just a bridal designer, she is not just a couture and RTW designer. She is one of the truly innovative and authentically creative forces in fashion that has lasted decades as others have come and gone. An iconic designer who is equally important in bridal as she is in evening wear – something rarely achieved. She is an artist in the truest meaning of the word – her choices are unapologetically bold, setting trends as opposed to following them. Her persona is that of a lioness – fierce with gentle eyes, giving you the sense upon meeting her that she will truly be nothing more or less than who she is – good or bad – which makes her instantly inspiring and trustworthy.

The Reem Acra bridal runway presentation at New York Bridal Fashion Week was a series of gowns that had us on the edge of our seats. The setting was a pristine, white room with high ceilings and windows everywhere, and thankfully the sun was happy to cooperate with the Fall 2017 presentation! One gown after another floated down the runway and as each one left us thinking she was the most lovely of all, another appeared to take the title! The inspiration for the 2017 bridal collection was a “secret garden”, carried over from the designer’s ready to wear collections. Most of the gowns were ethereal and light, and a totally unique reinterpretation of the romantic wedding dress. Re-embroidered lace, silk crepe, silk organza, and brocade – all of the finest bridal fabrics you could ever dream of – were expertly draped into wedding gowns that are totally unique yet completely timeless.

The models wore their hair in loosely braided halos, woven with flowers and the makeup was fresh and rosy cheeked – as one would expect in a secret garden! The accessories included 3-d butterfly tattoos, beautiful lace wrist cuffs with three dimensional organza petals (our new favorite for the season!), and the occasional matching veil or tulle cape.

Signature details in the Fall 2017 collection included tiny grosgrain ribbon bows and 3-d organza petals, placed as finishing touches on several of the gowns, veils and tulle capes. Silhouettes ranged from soft A Lines to sheaths, sprinkled with a few ball gowns for good measure! We noticed that as the skirts became fuller, the details became more subtle, so that every dress felt equally special and part of the same collection.

One of our favorite gowns from New York bridal market is the beautifully sculpted mikado ball gown below. The curved strapless neckline, expertly draped bodice and subtle dip in the back all come together for an incredibly modern yet feminine wedding gown that epitomizes classic American style – think updated Jackie O or Audrey Hepburn…

As always, Reem Acra brings the most fashionable of ready to wear trends to the design table, reinterpreting them with subtle finesse into her bridal collection. Dramatic sleeves were no exception, and we saw the perfect version of each – from 70’s chic bell sleeves, to peasant sleeves, to bloussant beauties that transported us to an era of vintage romance!

Modest off the shoulder necklines were also featured and continue to be a trend for Fall 2017, highlighting the shoulders and collar bone of the bride rather than her décolleté.

The back details on several of the gowns were so beautiful, they were like canvases of embroidery and lace on the bride’s back. Sweetheart necklines were scalloped – trimmed along the shape of the lace for an organic shape that felt natural to each wedding dress and like artwork at the front of each gown.

Another ready to wear trend Reem Acra carried over into her bridal collection beautifully is cut outs. Sure to become a signature gown in the collection, the “Carla” gown below features a demure, high neckline in direct contrast with two large cut outs of alençon lace along the skirt! The draped cap sleeves and open triangle back (finished with a bow) all come together for a bridal sheath that is sure to be a favorite among the most fashion conscious of Fall 2017 brides!

Secret gardens aren’t only filled with whimsical fairies…they also have their confident princesses! Peplums are the statement of the season, giving skirts dimension and movement with every step the bride takes. These are followed by ballerina inspired wedding dresses that are light and billowy and in one word – dreamy.

Be among the first brides in the country to shop the Reem Acra Fall 2017 bridal collection, straight off the runways of New York Bridal Fashion Week during our trunk show November 18-20, 2016! By appointment, 312 787 0920 or via email.

Several of the images featured in our blog were generously provided by Collin Pierson Photography…