When I came across this designer I fell in love with her elegant and soft romantic designs. Each piece is stunning, with not only a bridal line but also an evening line with dramatic gowns for special occasions.
So I decided to delve a little further and discover what is behind these bridal masterpieces.
Caroline Castigliano started out in America designing a sports line with the clever title of "Survival Kit" especially for women. However she has confessed to making clothes as early as aged 5! and moved onto buying Vogue (my bible!) at the tender age of 12.
However seeing a niche for wedding gowns in the UK and along with her passion for making dresses, she moved to the UK in 1990. Caroline set up her first wedding boutique in Surrey originally stocking other designers.
Her first collection was in association with Jasper Conran who designed her first 10 dresses within her own production. It was then a natural step for her to only stock Caroline Castigliano designs.
Over the last 20 years she has gone from strength to even mightier strength as she stands prestigious in the bridal world today.
Her dresses are about cut, structure and simplicity, with truly elegant lines enhancing the female form.
This is her signature and you can really tell by the cut of each piece that it is a Castigliano dress.
Each dress is hand made for the client after 20 measurements are taken from each bride! Each bride then has their very own pattern made and incorporate expert corsetry. The timeline for a Castigliano dress is 6 - 8 months, so this is no last minute, off the rail dress.
They are all hand made in the UK, if you want a truly couture piece you can take a signature dress and tailor it to your personal specification creating a one off piece.
This keeps each dress unique and adds an element of the elite as only so many dresses are made each year
This isn't just buying a dress its an experience, which is just how buying your wedding dress should be. From the moment you step into the boutique to the week before your wedding, the staff at Caroline Castigliano guide you through this once in a lifetime experience that you should remember for the rest of your life.
When you leave a wedding you may forget the minor details the bride has spent months agonising over, however everyone remembers what she wore. This is the key thing to remember when buying your wedding dress, it is the ultimate statement of your day, and is immortalised in your wedding photos for years to come. This means making sure you have the most perfect dress that says just who you are and includes the vision you want for your wedding.
Caroline describes her company as "a luxury brand" and really prides herself on timeless pieces you can look back on in ten years and still love. I know we have all looked at our parents wedding pictures and had thoughts of despair at how women could go down the aisle with sleeves the size of enlarged balloons!! Caroline believes " You should never compromise, go and be the best" and you really do get that feel from her collection and the process each bride goes through. Caroline, within each Castigliano piece, instills beauty and confidence with an individual style for each bride, and you can really see that in each gown.
Fabulous and perfection, are definitely the words to describe this incredible designer!
