couturier – Kosibah

Articles Tagged with: couturier

November 17, 2022

The creation of Mother of the Bride Elizabeth’s couture outfit for her daughter’s Traditional Engagement ceremony.

Elizabeth commissioned a couture gown for her daughter’s Traditional Yoruba Engagement ceremony which took place a few days before her white wedding. I decided to create an gown that fused Yoruba and Western style elements.

The gown comprised of an off the shoulders corset bodice with 3/4 length sleeves and a trumpet silhouette skirt with a puddle train. The heavily beaded burnt orange tulle fabric with 3D flower detailing was backed with a satin underlay. I harvested some of the flowers to be hand stitched strategically throughout the gown.

The outfit was completed with a traditional head tie called a gele and shawl worn over the left shoulder in a bespoke Nigerian fabric called Aso-Oke handwoven in silk threads and embellished with pearls and burnt orange beads.

Location: The Resort At Pelican Hill, Newport Beach, CA.

Please play the video to view the process.

Heavily beaded fabric that the 3D flowers were harvested from

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

October 27, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS -KOSIBAH BRIDE LIZ.

The creation of Kosibah Bride Liz’s couture bridal gown from Atelier to just about to walk down the aisle.

Liz wore a mermaid silhouette gown. The bodice was a base of skin tone illusion mesh with hand cut embellished lace appliques hand stitched unto it. It had a plunging neckline and deep V open back and spagetti shoulder straps embellished with a diamanté chain link.

The mermaid skirt had the upper section in Satin backed lace embellished with Swarovski diamanté crystals and the lower part layers of soft tulle with a dramatic cathedral train.

The ensemble was completed with a cathedral length tulle veil.

Wedding location – Leeds Castle

Please play the video to view the process.

Liz trying on her toile (prototype) to ensure a perfect fit

October 6, 2022

YEMI OSUNKOYA INTERVIEW ON THE LUXURY BUSINESS PODCAST.

I was privileged to be one of the few businesses in the luxury space , Founder of Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, maker of luxury wedding cakes, world renowned sugarcraft teacher, author and luxury expert Elizabeth Solaru chose to feature in her Luxury Business Podcast. Find below her introduction to the podcast episode and the episode itself.

INTERVIEW WITH YEMI OSUNKOYA OF KOSIBAH

I first met Yemi years ago at a luxury wedding show. I had heard of him prior to our meeting as he was the only black couturier in the UK wedding industry at the time. Although the show did not go as well as planned, I was struck by his professionalism, calm demeanour and his grace under fire.

After a few years, we became friends and did many projects together. A consummate professional, he is kind and a great listener. He has a passion for creating beautiful silhouettes and his many brides are very grateful for his ability to make them look and feel amazing.

This podcast revealed a few things about him that I did not know and I’m sure you will enjoy listening to it.

Please listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/luxury-business-podcast/id1607790782?i=1000562684594

I would love to hear from you if you have any comments about this episode.

September 29, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH BRIDE SANDRA.

The moment I found out that Sandra would be getting married in the Grade II listed Anglican church St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, I knew I had to create a gown befitting of the church’s spectacular location and interior.

Sandra’s gown in antique white silk Zibeline comprised of a strapless corseted bodice with a sweetheart neckline. The ballgown skirt, with an in-built petticoat of multiple layers of tulle had a sweeping cathedral train. It had a removable tulle chemise with capped sleeves and a bataeu neckline. Both the chemise and gown were embellished with hand stitched Lace appliques.

A Lace edged tulle cathedral veil completed the ensemble.

Location: London, UK.

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.

September 23, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH CLIENT JACKIE NWOBU.

The creation of Kosibah client Jackie Nwobu’s (Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Munaluchi Bridal magazine) couture evening gown and cape from sketch to reality.

The sheath gown in stretch sequinned fabric had a corseted bodice and off the shoulder neckline. The bodice features hand draped organza gathered into into a jewelled knot at the waistline and falling to the hemline. Centre slit in front and puddle train behind.

The look is completed by a removable organza cape with a chapel train.

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.

September 15, 2022

TRUST THE PROCESS – KOSIBAH COUTURE GOWN CALLIOPE.

The process of creating Kosibah couture gown Calliope from the Kosibah atelier till a styled shoot in the beautiful Chateau Challian. Strapless gown with ruched Tulle corseted bodice. Column skirt with puddle train. Hand stitched appliqués on the skirt. Tulle overskirt with cathedral train. Removable Tulle chemise with cap sleeves.

Styled shoot location: Chateau de Challian, Challian-la-Potherie, France.

Styled shoot images by Nek Vardikos.

Please play the video to view the process.

Pinning hand-cut appliques unto the skirt front

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

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.

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.