Well lovely readers, have I got an October treat for you! I’m just so thrilled to introduce you to a collection of wedding dresses that are beyond fabulous. Created by one of South Africa’s most well-known and influential high fashion designers, Anna Georgina by Kobus Dippenaar are gowns for self-possessed, confident women and if that’s not perfect for us, I don’t know what is.
Kobus Dippenaar launched the Anna Georgina bridal range back in 2012 when Kobus, a super established fashion designer with over 30 years design experience under his belt, decided to try something new. Until this point, he was best known for his couture evening gowns – and then Anna Georgina arrived.
I have to say that I love Kobus already for taking haute couture and making it much more accessible. So many of those mind-blowing designs just aren’t wearable and that’s what Kobus sought to change. Fashion, including bridal fashion, should be so much more attainable and Kobus has achieved that with Anne Georgina. He’s teamed the very best of his runway designs with a unique garment construction that makes each gown fit perfectly and that combination is an absolute winner.
“The Anna Georgina collections are a tribute to my mother. I unwittingly launched myself into the world of fashion when I began designing high school dance dresses for classmates who couldn’t afford to buy them off the rack and my mother sewed the dresses I designed!”
“One of the hallmarks of my dresses is the relationship – the play – between masculinity and femininity, between structure and fluidity. You’ll notice that full skirts contrast against the structure of boning and corsetry, for example.”
“But I would say that even more “signature” than these juxtapositions is my belief that every woman has a beauty that is her own. I really believe that essence deserves to be emphasised. That’s why my clients come to me. They trust me to see their best features and then highlight those with the dresses I make for them.”
Kobus is absolutely right. The collection is powerfully feminine and undeniably sensual. There are deep necklines and even deeper backs that plunge into bias-cut satin skirts. Corseted bodices trail pearl buttons into layered skirts of lace, tulle and jewelled satins. The designs themselves draw on the linear textures of silk dupion, the old-world magic of lace, the almost-sexy beauty of silk charmeuse and the lightness of tulle.
“I am not the kind of designer who will sit down and start out with page after page of sketches. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like this for me; I am very hands-on. I’ll feel the weight of a fabric, and how that fabric and weight convey a particular mood. And then I’ll drape that fabric, noticing how it falls, what it does. It’s in this play that my ideas begin to develop. For example, tulle – it’s ethereal; silk charmeuse is so glamorous; and heavy satin is perfect for draping on a woman’s body.”
I also adore the colours that include blush, pale pinks, ivory and gold and the gowns that feature illusion lace sleeves and wonderful lace tattoo elements. You’ll also find sparkling crystal pieces, hand embroidery, waist-defining tiny belts and silk petals that accent and soften bold lines.
Kobus designs every gown in the Anna Georgina collection with two things in mind – that haute couture design should be accessible to everyone and that each and every woman has a beauty that’s uniquely her own. I just love that. I love that we’re all able to express ourselves and feel our best on a day that calls for confidence and happiness in equal measure. Kobus has famously said that he’s “not looking for the perfect body because I hate discrimination” and his innate ability to accentuate a client’s best features makes this a very special collection indeed.
“When you’re choosing your gown, know yourself, know what works for your body type – and choose a dress that accentuates your best features. Don’t choose a dress just because it looked good on someone else. So this might mean you’ll need to try on several different styles to get a feel for the right one; don’t let anyone talk you into wearing a gown you don’t feel like an absolute princess in!”
To find out more about Anna Georgina by Kobus Dippenaar, do take a look at the website. Anna Georgina gowns are made to measure and are available from selected boutiques around the world.
Love,
Tamryn x
Tamryn Settle View all Tamryn's articles
Self-confessed wedding addict Tamryn spends her days in her Berkshire studio writing about all things beautiful and romantic with her black Labrador for company.
