What to Keep in Mind When Wedding Dress Shopping, According to Marchesa's Designers

Updated on 2/19/2017 at 2:30 PM

As soon I stepped into the Marchesa showroom, I wanted to live there (a slight exaggeration, but not far off). Gowns from the Fall 2017 collection (which just debuted at Fashion Week) were on full display, colorful mood boards dotted the walls, and the team seemed enveloped in tasks, working to bring Marchesa cofounders Georgina Champan and Keren Craig's next project to life.

The two ladies are the definition of power women. They first met as students when they were 17, and years later in 2004, Marchesa (named after 19-century aristocrat Marchesa Casati) was born. The following year, Georgina and Keren dressed their first-ever celebrity client, Renée Zellweger, and since then, their gowns have been worn by Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively, Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Wilde, and Selena Gomez (just to name a few).

Marchesa dresses have always been a red carpet favorite thanks to romantic details such as whimsical florals and cascading tulle trains. "We love red carpet dressing. It's how we started and what we do," Georgina said. This small tidbit makes Keren and Georgina's current project, creating an Oscars dress for Olivia Culpo, on-brand for the fashion house. The design is for Stella Artois's Buy a Lady a Drink Campaign and will incorporate glass beads from Stella chalices to highlight the global water crisis.

We spoke to both Keren and Georgina about their future red carpet look, which is bound to make a statement, at their showroom in NYC. We didn't hesitate to discuss Fashion Week, the bridal world, and politics, too — because when you only have seven minutes with Keren and Georgina, you make the most of it.

Marchesa's Fall '17 Collection Incorporated Asian Elements

Keren Craig: We were looking at Imperial China. We were watching a lot of movies like Crouching Tiger and Farewell My Concubine. A ton of different ones. We were looking at all different combinations of color and movement in color. A lot of draping ideas and a lot of florals.

The Golden Rules of Wedding Dress Shopping

GC: Keren and I feel like it [the dress] should be timeless. You're going to be looking at these photos for the rest of your life, so you need to wear something that you think is going to be relevant in the future.

KC: Maybe not too trend-led because then you'll be thinking, 'Oh, what was I thinking?' And last season, we launched our Notte bridal collection and that for us has been very exciting. We became a little more accessible to women who don't have such a large budget for the main line.

Brides Should Stay True to Their Unique Style

GC: I don't like to recommend [brides on what trends not to follow] because everyone has their own personality. I really think it's important to go with your personal style, even if it's not my style; it's important to embrace what you love.

KC: When they feel confident, you see it. I think when we're designing the bridal collection, we think about the bride who is getting married. You want to have the strapless [dress], you want to have the sleeve, you want to have the one-shoulder because every bride is different, as Georgina was saying.

As a Fashion Designer, It's Important to Stay Politically Active

GC: My husband and I have always been very politically active. I don't think it's something I've suddenly become. I campaigned very heavily for Hillary Clinton. I campaigned heavily for Barack Obama and held many fundraisers at my house. To me, we are privileged enough to be in a democracy where we have a voice, so therefore it is a big responsibility to use that power. As women, we can vote and in a lot of places you can't. Whatever your voice may be, you should participate in your world. You really should. And you should stay engaged. We have kids and I want to shape a future for my children. So yes, I am very politically active and I am proud to be so.

Olivia Culpo's Stella Artois Red Carpet Dress Is a Work of Art

Georgina Chapman: Keren and I were so excited when we were approached. We love red carpet dressing — it's how we started and what we do. It's the idea that we can actually create something for the red carpet that has a voice, can speak in such an incredible way, and that can bring about real change. They're actually smashing the [Stella Artois] chalices to create little beads for the dress.

KC: We've been working on it for eight weeks, so say we have another week. It all started with the mood board, then Georgina would do some sketches of the dress. We'll look at ideas for different fabrications and beading and we get swatches done in India. With the collaboration with Stella [Artois] and Olivia [Culpo], everyone's getting together to make decisions, so it's been a fun process.

The Sketch Is Lovely

G: We'll see [if this is the winning look] . . . things can change in an instant!

Choosing a Favorite Marchesa Red Carpet Moment Is Difficult

GC: I think every time someone wears one of our dresses, we're so honored and we find it exciting working with all different kinds of women. It's not all just celebrity; I think working one-on-one with our clients, Keren and I get so inspired by meeting different women from all areas of the world and seeing what they respond to, you know, it affects our design process going forward.