Designer Interview ...

"When you are designing a wedding gown, everything has to be the most spectacular," says designer Justina McCaffrey of Justina McCaffrey Haute Couture. "It’s the be-all and the end-all. So all the little trends and novelty items that could be used for ready-to-wear cannot be used in a wedding gown."

It’s also a dress usually made in white, "which is the most difficult color to design with. As we’ve seen over and over, designers from the ready-to-wear sector who try to take a design that works well in another color, find that they cannot simply translate it into white.? As much as she enjoys overcoming these design challenges, Justina’s greatest thrill is working with the bride and seeing her transformation. "I’ve always believed that when a bride wears her dress it creates an almost magical effect. She is as beautiful as she can be. "I’ve had a few of my girlfriends try on my dresses, and they are often completely amazed by how they look. If they are wearing a strapless dress, they say they didn’t realize how beautiful their shoulders were, or how long their necks were. To me, there is nothing better than showing a woman how beautiful she can be." Choosing Your Gown To make the best choice for yourself, Justina suggests "trying on everything, from other designers as well. A lot of times the consultant in the store will say, ‘You can’t wear a strapless.’ But maybe a strapless from a different designer will work. "See which dress designer fits you best, then go forward from there.

Justina McCaffrey (press photo)

"I’ve always said that choosing a wedding dress is about who you are — and who you want to become," says Justina.

"If you think of who you want to become, follow that instinct and decide which dress would fit your personality. It has to come from you.

"I also tell brides to remember that some guests will not have seen them since they were five years old, so they have to think of what they silently want to say to people."

Justina also encourages you to always focus on your venue, the time of your wedding, and the number of people when choosing your gown.

"I was at a wedding where the bride had eight flower girls and the bridesmaids wore very large dresses — so the space for the bride at the ceremony was very small. The amount of decorative fabric overpowered everything.

"Of course, the time of day is important, too. You don’t do evening makeup for an afternoon wedding."

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Justina McCaffrey Haute Couture
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110 West 20th Street, NYC
212.352.2180
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