Fermata Designs: Beauty with Heart

I was determined to have some purple in my wedding dress, but I couldn’t find a bridal shop that would sell me anything but plain white! At my friend Antonia’s wedding, as the bride sat in her stunning custom-made gown, I got talking with her dressmaker, Jocelyn, about what style dress I should wear for my wedding day. Jocelyn suggested a long, floaty gown with an high waistline and long layers of silk. When she offered to make it for me I felt so lucky to know someone who could make a bespoke dress for me. Designs were emailed back and forth and I was able to contribute to the designing process to get exactly what I wanted. The purple was matched to the colour I had envisioned, and samples of screen printed silk were sent for me to look at so we could get the pattern right too. It was difficult arranging fittings as I live in England, but luckily I was able to visit Carla in London to have a mock up of the dress fitted. The dress was perfect on the day. Everyone commented on it’s uniqueness. It was wonderful to wear such a beautiful and well made dress that I had helped to design and that was individual to me..

Little did I know as I tried on some Fermata originals in Jocelyn’s apartment, just to see what they were like, that my husband to be was planning to propose the next day! I have always had the greatest respect for Jocelyn’s talent as a designer and maker, and so it was natural to ask her to make my wedding dress. This project presented a challenge to the company as I live in England so there was not an opportunity for a normal fitting process. However, I was constantly updated on the progress of my dress and nothing was too much trouble. I chose a 1950s style tea length dress with a boat neck and three quarter length sleeves – I knew I would need to keep warm for an English spring wedding! Jocelyn and Carla’s fabric choices came in a range to suit my budget – I was so pleased to have picked such a delightful quality silk and feel even better knowing it was ethically manufactured. I knew I wanted a simple yet individual look and this was achieved with the silver screen printing that patterned one side of the dress. Jocelyn and Carla’s care of my dress right up until the day gave me peace of mind and I really felt the best that I ever had on my wedding day..

After becoming engaged, I did what every bride-to-be does and I made an appointment at a wedding dress shop. Each dress they brought out was bigger and lacier than the last and it scared me to death. None of them felt right, fit right or in any way reflected my taste. When I met with Carla at Fermata Designs the process was completely different. She was able to customize the dress to my less-than-ideal body, selecting styles that fit me correctly and emphasized my strengths. She incorporated buttons and lace from my mother’s dress into the design and built the dress out of peace silk, incorporating both sustainable and sentimental materials. I walked down the aisle in a dress that looked beautiful and felt completely comfortable and unique.