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Behind the Seams:

The Making of Mariel’s Dress

 

Behind the Seams: The Making of Mariel’s Dress

No stranger to the craft of the wedding gown, Silvia Tcherassi has been entrusted by brides all over the world to make their dream dress on their special day. However, designing one for her daughter-in-law, Mariel Salazar, who recently married her son Mauricio in Mexico–well, that was a first.

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“I always say that working with brides is one of my favorite pursuits within my design realm. For starters, I love the rigorous attention to detail it demands, but also the opportunity for experimentation it presents. I am also a romantic at heart and to be tasked with something that represents a milestone in a woman's life is so humbling.” Mariel’s dress took approximately 6 months to create. During that finalfitting, I saw Mariel’s expression in the mirror and I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. My mother, Vera and my daughter, Sofia, had been part of the process as well— we were all so happy with the result.”

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“Since Mariel and Mauricio began dating, I have gotten acquainted with Mariel’s style and I wanted to make something that fit her personality. A delicate halter neckline with a low cut back would highlight her beautiful shoulders and I gravitated towards this silhouette because on the one hand, it has timeless appeal and on the other, it is completely age-appropriate. The skirt was one of my most beloved elements as it had a spectacular fall, while still being lightweight. It was very important to me that the skirt moved seamlessly with her, rather than being an impediment while she danced and walked around. I studied photographs of the venue and took note of the abundant nature and vegetation. The contrast of the dress in a natural setting was spectacular.” 

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“As all of the skilled artisans I work with will tell you, materials and textiles are absolutely everything to me. I designed this one with my longtime collaborators in Italy. It was a special lace with gold and beige threading, which was then layered with delicate floral appliqués that gave it that dimensionality and of course, that gorgeous texture that stands out so beautifully in all of the photographs. So much thought went into every single detail, but it is one of my favorite creations to date—I feel very fortunate for the whole experience.”

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