Ideas and Inspirations – Page 2

Category: Ideas and Inspirations

August 25, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH BRIDE IFE.

The creation of Kosibah Bride Ife’s couture bridal gown from Atelier to First dance.

Ife wore a strapless mermaid couture gown. The bodice, with a sweetheart neckline, is in French lace with a duchesse satin underlay and has an internal corset. The mermaid skirt in ruffled layers of tulle and lace has a cathedral length train. The ensemble is completed with a tulle chemise with a high neckline and long fitted sleeves with hand stitched French lace appliques.

The cathedral tulle veil also features hand stitched French lace appliques.

Wedding location: Birmingham, UK.

Please play the video to view the process.

Cutting the applique patterns from the lace fabric piece

What are your thoughts or questions about the process involved in the creation of this gown? Please leave your comments below.

August 18, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH BRIDE MORIYIKE.

The creation of Kosibah Bride Moriyike’s couture reception gown from sketch to dancing into the reception Hall.

Moriyike wanted a gown she would change into to dance into her wedding Reception. Since her first dress would be white, she wanted some colour in the dress. I designed a gown with a removable overskirt that had enough drama for the occasion, which could then be removed for the more relaxed part at the latter part of the evening and could be worn again for another occasion.

The appliqués on the gown were cut out from a piece of lace fabric and hand sewn in place on the gown.

Please play the video to view the process.

What are your thoughts or questions about the process involved in the creation of this gown? Please leave your comments below.

August 11, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH BRIDE CLARA OLATUNJI.

The creation of Kosibah Bride Clara’s couture bridal gown from sketch to walking down the aisle.

Clara’s custom gown features a puddle length trumpet silhouette inner skirt, over which is a modified A line silhouette overlay with hand-sewn 3D lace appliqués, horsehair trim along the hemline and cathedral length train. The corseted bodice, with cap sleeves has a bateau neckline and V back detailing.

Wedding location – Malta.

A bespoke cathedral length veil edged with horsehair trim and embellished with the same 3D lace appliqués completes the look.

Official wedding Images by T. Phillips Photography (tphillips.com)

Please play the video to view the process.

Here is the Google review left by Kosibah Bride Clara.

The floral pattern from the tulle lace fabric about to be cut into an applique

What are your thoughts or questions about the process involved in the creation of this gown? Please leave your comments below.

August 4, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH BRIDE MORGAN ELIAS.

Behind the scenes clips of the creation of Kosibah Bride Morgan’s couture bridal gown from toile (prototype of the gown in muslin) to her walking down the aisle.

Morgan wore a ballgown silhouette gown in sequinned organza fabric with a silk duchesse satin underlay and embellished with hand-sewn bespoke beaded appliqués. The corseted bodice has a sweetheart neckline, off the shoulder cap sleeves, and tie up fastening detail behind. The ballgown skirt has a cathedral length detachable train. The ensemble is finished with a cathedral length veil trimmed with the same bespoke beaded appliqués.

Morgan’s wedding reception took place at the MGM National Habor Hotel, Oxon Hill, MD.

Please play the video to view the process.

Here is the Google review left by Kosibah Bride Morgan.

Fitting the toile (prototype) of the gown

What are your thoughts or questions about the process involved in the creation of this gown? Please leave your comments below.

July 27, 2022

Trust the process….Kosibah couture bridal gown Erato.

From sketch to runway. Years of experience with couture techniques and figure enhancing elements in pattern drafting result in the Kosibah signature hourglass silhouette and fit.

Erato is a trumpet silhouette gown featuring 3/4 length sleeves, silver grey illusion tulle bodice with a bateau neckline and plunging V back. The skirt has an above the knee slit in the centre front and a chapel length train. Hand sewn Lace appliqués embellish the gown on the bodice, sleeves and hemline of the gown.

The couture gown is perfect for a bride with minimalist, contemporary tastes getting married in a modern setting, as a Reception or Second gown or with a shorter train for a stylish Mother of the Bride or Groom.

Because Erato is a custom made gown all fabric, colour and embellishment options are endless.

Erato - The Turner Collection — Erato – The Turner Collection

What are your thoughts or questions about the process involved in the creation of this gown? Please leave your comments below.

April 24, 2017

A London Couture Designer in New York

After 25 years of running my couture bridal and evening wear brand Kosibah in London, I moved myself and my business to New York in September 2016.

I expected a bit of an adjustment and prepared myself for it, but the reality of the move was more profound than I could have imagined.

I have always believed you should never rest on your laurels or believe you have ‘made it’ because change is constant and you must keep up with it.

What I came to realise it is that despite my flagging up the possibility of my move from London to NY, it didn’t register with a lot of people and so I’ve had to step up my marketing and brand presence strategies to rectify this.

The move is a very positive step for the Kosibah brand because aside from my UK clients (I still retain my London studio and visit every 8 weeks for client consultations and fittings) the Kosibah brand is now easily available to clients all over the US.

I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Garment District of NYC and especially love the fact all you needas a designer (fabrics, trimmings, equipment, sample makers etc) can be found within 7th to 9th Avenues and 37th to 40th street.

Here are some beautiful fabrics I’ve come across and look forward to using to create my couture gowns.

l am now planning to visit a few cities in the US to hold one to one Bridal Consultations with potential clients. To get them to see and possibly try on Kosibah Sample couture gowns and then have a gown designed especially for them.
Which city and state do you think I should add to my list? The more the demand the more likely I’ll visit that city.

December 23, 2016

Top 5 Kosibah Destination Brides for 2016.

Hi there, thanks for checking out this blog post. As the end of 2016 draws in, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to look back at Kosibah Real Brides who got married in a different country from which they usually live.

This is more pertinent to me as a bridal designer who has recently relocated to New York from London after successfully running my business there for 25 years.

It’s a huge leap of faith to have a destination wedding because even if you have the most efficient and well connected wedding planner, you are still physically removed from where your dream day will take place.

I’ve had the great privilege this year to work with some amazing brides to create couture gowns for their destination weddings. I’m pleased that at least getting their couture gown made is one thing they can be part of from start to completion.

Here is the list. Please let me know which is your favourite Kosibah Bride or wedding destination.

1.Kosibah Real Bride Louise. Destination: Cape Town, South Africa.

Louise wore a couture full skirted bridal gown with a beaded, corseted bodice and a tulle skirt bustled behind with multi length layers, stiffed at the hemline with horsehair crinoline.

2. Kosibah Real Bride Funmilayo. Destination: Venice, Italy.

Funmilayo wore a couture fishtail gown. It had a removable chemise with 3/4 length sleeves which she removed for the informal part of the wedding reception.

3. Kosibah Real Bride Amina. Destination: Chateneauf-de-Grass (near Nice), France.

Amina wore a silver gray French Lace and Duchesse Satin couture gown styled to reflect her Nigerian heritage. The corseted gown had a fitted skirt with a detachable tulle overskirt.

4. Kosibah Real Bride Julianna. Destination: Santorini, Greece.

Julianna wore a couture bridal gown featuring an illusion tulle bodice embellished with Lace appliqués and a modified fishtail skirt in soft tulle with a cathedral train.

5. Kosibah Real Bride Layal. Destination: Lake Como, Italy.

Layal wore a couture bridal gown with a fitted beaded Lace bodice with an intergral corset and delicate covered buttons over the dress zipper and dropped shoulder strap sleeves. The fishtail skirt was made up of over 50 meters of Tulle gathered into rose swirls and ruffles on the surface fabric of Duchesse Satin. A matching cathedral veil with hand stitched Lace edging completed the ensemble. Photos by Jide Alakija.

I look forward to reading your comments. Thank you.