Pictue Curtesy of Harpers Bazzar On-line Magazine
According to Wikipedia “Imagination is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses.”
Last year we have lost a true visionary, master of imagination, Alexander McQueen. I thought of writing this blog when I visited his work at the Met Museum. What is important about his work is the degree of his imagination. In my line of work we all have to have that “degree” and it is the most important key to our success.
There are a few key concepts that I’ve learned and love about design concept especially Alexander’s work and I always recommend them to my fellow planners and my brides and use it when I design a wedding:
Environmental Inspirations – I am a true believer in learning about and from your surroundings. Nature is your best source to learn about flowers, colors, combinations and it gives you many decorating inspirations. The other day I was walking in East Village with a good friend of mine. We saw this very old red door. The fact that in the middle of this very chic, hip and modern neighborhood, there was this very old stressed red door was fascinating. As strange as this may sound, they complimented each other and the combination was absolutely breathtaking.
Think of an antique or old wood country stressed and chipped table for your place cards with a couple of Swarovski crystal candle holders or antique cookie dish or an old tiara with a new modern veil. How about your grandmother’s antique brooch on your wedding dress or on your hair! Isn’t that the same concept?
Mix and Match of the cultures – Take what’s good from others and if you don’t want to use it in the same exact way, think of how you can incorporate it into yours. One of my favorite things to incorporate into my American weddings is to serve the tea “English Style” or instead of just serving coffee serve it “Gourmet style” like Italian’s do! I love to use “Feng shui ” to set up the ballroom and I love to be able to talk some of my brides into fashionable “English Hats”.
Image by Dan Kitwood/Getty
Ensemble – Overdress of panels from a nineteenth-century Japanese silk screen; underdress of oyster shells; neckpiece of silver and Tahiti pearls
Neckpiece by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen courtesy of Perles de Tahiti. Dress courtesy of Alexander McQueen
Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce
J’adore Couture - Armani Prive – Eastern influence
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) 2011 Getty Images
Take what’s important and embellish it – One of my favorite works of Alexander is the Pantsuit. It is low, very low in the back because he believed the tail bone is one of the sexiest parts of the body! If you think your smile is that special part than smile all night, if you think your legs are your special thing, then maybe you wear a slightly shorter wedding dress or consider those cocktail wedding dresses. If your arms are “it” considers halter-top wedding dress.
Face the good, the bad and the ugly – Nothing is always good, bad and necessarily ugly but you have to able to handle all aspects of your wedding. Things may go wrong, but you need to learn you can enjoy without ruining your night. If you can make that into a good or funny thing, more to you!! In one of my weddings during the FOB speech the microphone went out. Instead of panicking, the bride got up and said that this was the part that she did not want her groom to hear and that was when her father was saying “He really did not want to let her go” and she is “still a little girl”. Everybody laughed and by that time the microphone was already fixed! Alexander saw the dark and the ugly but instead he made a shoe, a hat and a dress from it and brought the attention into a different direction!
Emphasize on one thing and build around that – We all know this concept. Sometimes I buy a brooch and design my whole outfit around that or a scarf or shoe. It’s the same concept with your wedding? Sometimes one piece can be the center of attention and you can build around that. Maybe is your cake table, or like most of the weddings it’s your place card table or your bridal table. The same with your wedding dress, make up or hair. Maybe it’s this pair of earrings that will be “the” center and you can build the rest around it?
Make a statement – Last but not least, believe that what you are wearing, your dress, your make up, your ballroom decorations, the flowers you picked are all the best and show it. I often get asked what if there is another wedding in the venue and the main concern is “I don’t want to see another bride”. Well unfortunately sometimes venues have other ballrooms and they need to rent them. I always tell my bride, no matter how many other brides, you should know that this is your day, you look beautiful, walk tall and make a statement and show that to everyone.
When I meet with a bride I take them to the ballroom and I ask them to close their eyes and just listen, see if the ballroom is talking to you. Imagine yourself in it and tell me how you see yourself! I want them to imagine themselves in that ballroom, dancing, laughing and being happy.
Having an extraordinary event requires strong power of imagination, as a wedding designer, I can see things that others can’t see, think of things that others can’t think and make things possible that others can’t do.
Be surrealist, fearless and ultimately find your place of serenity and peace. Only on that stage you are able to think straight, make the right choices and pick the right options. Remember the time when Channel came up with the custom corset and tailored Jackets? Everybody thought she was crazy. That’s what I call the power of imagination. So start imagining!
With love,
