Sometimes you find one of those special dresses, the ones that you try on just to see if you look good in white, to feel the tulle skirt and the smoothness of the silk on your body, to imagine for a moment that you're a bride, the kind of bride who's anything but ordinary. In her Gràcia shop/studio, Carolina
Otaduy invites you to carry out your bridal gown fantasy. Her creations, which have women's names, are made with exquisite fabrics and are born of an indie imagination. The first dress from this self-educated designer was for a rocker friend, and she had to combine it, somehow, with a guitar. Next came a small collection, True Love, with models like Valentina, inspired by Sofia Coppola's 'The Virgin Suicides'. Otaduy gets her ideas not only from film but also from photography, pop culture and music (the second collection is named for Swedish band Summer Heart). She wants to strip away the extra glitz and glamour and celebrate real, genuine love. Love dresses itself in filet lace for romantic, rustic weddings, and in light fabrics and low backs for the city.
Your dream continues at
Zazo&Brull, where they know that, for brides, the celebration starts here, with the dresses. When they design for brides they work with off-white colours - though they also have pieces in black, red and blue - and aside from little modifications on request, the brand's style is bold as ever: shapes with a little hint of 'police harness', a daring, sexy choice; or short dresses that combine architectural shapes with fairy-tale sleeves; a mixture of styles, above all silk and cotton for a precious matte dress, thanks to the leather details or Swiss embroidery. You'll need to get used to the brand's philosophy of daring to be a little punk and finding the right piece for you, but it's tough to say no to that dress with metres and metres of flowing silk.
Ailanto is next in your bridal fantasy, because who wouldn't want to start the festivities with one of their vintage pieces? A client from the United States asked them to transform a cocktail dress into a wedding dress last season, and the Muñoz brothers made sure that a chic, romantic spirit was visible in every seam, without abandoning the elegance, refinement and simplicity that they're known for.
