Clara and Lalique, two of my favorite gowns from my Art Nouveau collection. They really epitomize the inspiration from Clara Bow, the classic 1920′s icon, to the lyrical jewelry design of Lalique which inspired the embroidery for this piece.

Some of my absolute favorite brides have worn these gowns, and I think because the dresses have such distinct personalities, they attracted a fabulous selection of brides and made some breath-taking weddings.

Making the cover of WWD was a professional highlight for me. My husband was up late one evening, and just happened to visit WWD online. They post the following day’s issue after midnight, and up came that cover! Total surprise, and what an honor!

I really do feel a little sad saying goodbye to these two, but nice to know they made a lasting impression.

Juliet is from my very first bridal collection, and over the years has been one of our top selling gowns. Here’s a look back at just a few of our gorgeous brides and press as we say goodbye.

First, sweet and timeless love…Juliet was created with Shakespeare’s classic heroine in mind, although in my version, of course she and her Romeo live happily ever after!

Layers of blush silk, scalloped lace and delicate leaves and roses conspire to leave all of her admirers breathless.

Source: Real Bride, Polyvore

If Juliet is your dream gown, give our Flagship a call…there is a very limited amount of fabric left, so hurry before she takes her last breath!!!

Claire Pettibone Salon
310-360-6268

What is it about the end of the year, that inspires us to clean, edit, reflect? I find myself wanting to start the New Year with everything in its place, and so in addition to shopping for loved ones this month, I’m doing a major cleansing at home, and taking a moment to appreciate and enjoy all the lovely gifts I am so fortunate to have in my own life…and maybe make a little room for just one or two more!

We’re doing the same thing here at our office, and as I have just designed 20 new gowns for 2011, it’s time to discontinue some of our old favorites to make room for the new. I’ll be sharing some photos and memories over the next few weeks as we say goodbye.

For any brides-to-be that have been dreaming of one of our discontinued gowns, we will take orders on a first come first served basis, and once we run out of fabric, we won’t be able to produce any more!

So…drum-roll…here’s the list:

If your gown is on this list, don’t panic, take a breath, call us, and we’ll do everything in our power to make it happen for you! FYI our Flagship Salon in Beverly Hills is having a ONE DAY SAMPLE SALE THIS SATURDAY, so run, and you just might get a super great deal on a gorgeous gown!

236 South Robertson Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 360-6268

Photographer: Max Wagner // Dress: Larissa // Salon: Claire Pettibone Flagship

This month, we get to take a glimpse into Jeff and Elaine’s elegantly fun-filled wedding day. These photos make me giddy every time I look at them. ”Jeff and I got married at the Smog Shoppe, an eco-friendly and equally chic venue in Los Angeles. We wanted our wedding to reflect us – nothing too stuffy but with a bit of tradition and definitely some fun and whimsy.  The industrial accented green venue was decorated with blue and white China that were filled with clusters of ivory and cream bloom. There were also rustic elements in the decor which were incorporated in the paper goods. I designed the invitations and programs to include vintage skeleton key illustrations and whimsical hand-lettering as well as several other paper components through my design company Papermade Design.”, says Elaine as she describes the overall atmosphere of her special day. They have definitely crafted the perfect balance between tradition and fun.

In every photo Elaine is simply stunning as she frolics in her “Larissa” gown, further complimenting their already beautiful wedding. “You know the ‘ah-ha’ moment that people always say you’ll experience once you try on ‘THE dress’? Well, mine was more like an ‘ah-haaaaaa’ the word sort of lingered on my tongue as I fell in love with Claire’s ethereal creation. I long admired the Larissa gown from afar, and when I finally got to try it on at their flagship boutique it was everything I had hoped for and more.”

“Larissa” is an empire gown that features a strapless ivory French cotton voile with a tulle overlay and a large peach silk rose and ribbon. “I must admit I almost felt cheated to fall in love with my first choice as I loved so many of Claire’s dresses (and trust me, I quite literally tried on almost all of them). But alas, the Larissa was my dress. I had Claire personalize the dress by adding subtle hints of flowers scattered beneath the delicate layers of tulle. My favorite feature on the dress? Of course it would be the oversized pink bloom in the back – nothing could be sweeter than that!”

As the evening commenced, the fun and the romance really began to blossom. “Dinner was bite-sized delectable tray-passed so guests can mingle through the night and sip on our signature drink, “I Effen Love You” made of black cherry Effen Vodka served with retro striped straws. The night ended with mini cupcakes and a late night snack of cookies and milk. From the dreamy dress to the Kraft-covered matchbox favors, every detail of our wedding day was undeniably us. Jeff and I had the time of our lives as we tried to soak up every minute of it!”

Thank you Elaine for sharing your story and photos with us! We enjoyed discovering all the whimsical and creative decorations you put together at your wedding. Congratulations again and may your future together be joyous!

There is always beauty within the mist of chaos that ensues backstage. The art of make-up and hair flowing in unison with gorgeous models as they line up before the show. We invite you to take a glimpse at the first few moments before the magic is revealed…

(photos by Thomas Kletecka for Collective Edit)

Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors for helping us create the most enchanting evening yet. Janice Kinjo for her skilled make-up artistry, Tippi Shorter , celebrity hair stylist, for turning our models into fairies, Lucid for the evening spirits, Nine Cakes for their delicious cupcakes, the FIT interns for their helpful hands backstage,  Smashbox, Ole Henriksen, Ojon and Smartheat for their wonderful gifts, and of course a big thank you to our beautiful pixie hostesses and runway models for the show!

It is also a huge honor to introduce Enchanted Atelier for Claire Pettibone, the perfect jeweled head pieces shown with our Spring 2011 bridal gowns.

We’re currently working on getting runway photos up online, by next week the latest. In the meantime, please take a look at our friend Miha Matei’s blog for more backstage magic.