I originally bought this dress from Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC after looking at over 50 dresses!!!! As soon as I saw it I knew this was the one!
I wore this dress only for the ceremony and changed into another dress for the reception, so this dress was only worn for 2.5 hours!
If you are not sure about the dress and would like to see it first, we can use escrow.com that gives you 2 days with dress to decide!
This is an absolutely stunning couture wedding gown by Ulla-Maija. Different from most bridal dresses this one is actually hand-made using only the finest materials and workmanship. You will be wearing a true work of art.
The craftsmanship of this gown is exquisite. I have included information about Ulla-Maija and their process but I can tell you this is a couture gown. So many wedding dresses are made from a pattern or made in mass. This dress was made by master craftsmen with the utmost attention to every possible detail.
DRESS DESCRIPTION FROM DESIGNER WEBSITE:
Silver-thread and crystal embroidered bodice with an empire pleated taffeta ballgown.
I went into Gabriella to purchase a veil to go with a wedding dress I had already purchased and loved and I walked out with a veil and an order for this dress! I absolutely adore this dress but my intention was always only to wear it for my ceremony and a few photos and then to sell. I wore my reception dress for the majority of the evening.
I am happy to give you any details you need or would like about this dress. Please email me.
THE FIT:
This is a really great dress to purchase in this type of online selling environment because the style of the dress makes it relatively risk-free. Have your seamstress fit the top of the dress, (which would be necessary on ANY bridal gown), and the tummy, hips, etc. could easily accommodate a variety of figures.
ABOUT ULLA-MAIJA
Fashion is often divided into two distinct segments; Ready to Wear and Couture.
Ready to Wear is designed for a "type" of client and manufactured at varied levels of quality to standardized dimensions. Couture is designed to a specific designer's, or couturier's, design sensibility and manufactured for an "individual" client.
Anna Maier ~ Ulla-Maija is a couturier in the true sense of the word.
Draping is a technique that softly, and at times dramatically, expresses the line. We excel at it because we design to our vision and are not constricted by what our vision would require of production. We require that production satisfies the purest expression of the design. It is commonplace for us to hand drape and baste our designs more than once during the production process. This is a requirement of draping. This is the requirement of soft and dramatic lines. Beyond our fabrics and trims, this freedom to make what we imagine is our luxury.
When the line is more architectural, we utilize the seam lines of the gown to define the body. Here our make allows us to do this in both a crisp, as well as, a sensual way. For the latter, we use our bias construction. Here our seam lines define the structure of the gown and contour the body, while our fabrics drape the body. The true luxury of a bias gown is only realized when the actual weight of the fabric allows gravity to pull the gown down the body employing its natural bias elasticity. Our bias gowns are self lined, doubling the weight and smoothing the line thus ensuring that luxury. We use embroidery to either highlight the line or completely illuminate our client.
Anna Maier ~ Ulla-Maija gowns are cut one at a time to our client's pattern. Seams and darts are carefully placed. Fabrics from a single roll are chosen. Our gowns are built architecturally to support the design and ensure the client's comfort and elegance. Various types of boning and lining material are used as dictated by the design of the gown. They are built to caress the body rather than compress it. The gowns will enhance the lines of the client rather than alter them.
Each gown is hand made and finished. Every design and construction detail is inspected by several professionals prior to delivery to our salons and client. The final inspection is done by the designers who penned the gown's original sketch.