FIVE TIPS FROM DESIGNER CLAIRE PETTIBONE

1. Take it easy…approach dress shopping with a sense of fun and adventure. If you walk into your appointment feeling stressed, it can take the joy out of what should be a highlight of the pre-wedding planning. You WILL find the gown…you found the groom, that’s the hard part!
2. Stay true, and go with what you love. Choose details that resonate with you, and it won’t really matter what’s “in”. Trends come and go, but if you truly love your dress, or a particular style or theme, then you will always look back on the day and your photos with that same joy.
3. Backstory…it’s hard to take our eyes off a beautiful bride, and your guests will be watching you from ceremony to dancing. The dress should look beautiful from every angle, and I love a sensuous back detail.
4. Incorporate some homemade touches, whether you do them yourself, or enlist the help of crafty or talented family and guests. Things made with love add another dimension that you will miss if the wedding is over-produced.
5. The one thing that absolutely EVERY bride needs is a one-of-a-kind groom who is madly in love with her.

Can’t wait to see you at the Flagship!

xoxo, Claire

Please contact Erica for an appointment: 310.360.6268 or email bridal@clairepettibone.com

Friday, June 14th, and Saturday, June 15th

Claire Pettibone Flagship Salon
236 South Robertson Bl.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Photographer: Elizabeth Messina
See more of the Claire Pettibone Flagship Store here and here.

Ohio brides, you have got to see the new Couture Studio at Bridal & Formal! In honor of their grand re-opening, they are showcasing the Claire Pettibone Collection from May 25^th through June 2^nd. Be sure to give them a call to schedule an appointment, as brides are lining up for the red carpet treatment! Bridal & Formal has been a wonderful Claire Pettibone retailer for many years, and we congratulate them on their elegant new look!

Bridal & Formal
300 West Benson
Cincinnati, Ohio 45215
(513) 821-6622
info@bridalandformalinc.com

Quoted from Huffington Post article. To read full article by Stephanie Hallett, click here.

Runway photos by photographer Nathan Gulick

Scholarship Benefit and Fashion Show from Otis College of Art and Design

Lace is one of my favorite fabrics. There are so many varieties and techniques used to create this intricate textile, but I prefer the old ways. Many of the mills that I work with are in their 4^th, 5^th, and in one case, 9^th generation of family owned businesses! Some of the lace patterns in my collection were designed and drafted in the 1760’s. I feel the history behind these gorgeous fabrics makes lace such a special choice for a wedding dress. That sense of the past, and artisan craftsmanship being handed down through the generations is rare in our disposable world, and it gives me hope that there are still people doing this work, and brides that appreciate it.

See the entire collection at Clairepettibone.com

I’ve never had the time to scrapbook or craft much, but I love looking at hand made decorative objects, and obviously, my creative energies all go into creating my own “crafting” of wedding dresses! This season, inspiration struck while looking at some Victorian decoupage. From the French word “to cut” this art of assembling and layering paper cutouts (often from floral greeting cards, wallpaper, and such) is still quite popular. As I was working with the layers of lace, appliques, vintage ribbons and hand-made flowers, I loved this idea of layering and almost creating a “collage” with my materials. My daughter saw me working on the Charlotte belt, and couldn’t resist helping out! Maybe I will have a future assistant!

See the entire collection at Clairepettibone.com