I think I tried on about .. 100 dresses. I went to every store, in different cities, different countries. I thought that feeling that everybody talks about when knowing that is the dress, was not real. Until I tried this one on! I didn't burst into tears or anything, but I just knew, it was a different feeling that came over me and there was no question about it. I found it, it found me!!
The way it felt and the way it adorned my body without any skin showing (except my back which I loved) the A form but not really it just grabs on to your body in the right places. The hand-woven lace is so delicate and it has a kind of white color. Just what I imagined the whole look. Classy but you could see the shape of my body. It has sleeves but I never felt warm because of the back. The tail and the openness of the dress at the end are GRAND!
The dress was bought, well made because it's custom-made, in 2019, completed in April. I had wonderful sessions with the designer which only made the process even more special. The designer is from the UK but was residing in NYC at the time, and her work was displayed in Spina Bride a lovely store run by amazing women in Chelsea.
The Isabella Dress is a fitted trumpet silhouette with three-quarter length sleeves and an open back. Ivory. Silk organza with full-length Alencon lace overlay. Hand cut and appliqued lace flowers.
Alterations: We decided on tweaking the original design of the dress. Sam was kind enough to open the back more by making it wider; I wanted my back to be displayed a bit more. We changed the length of the sleeves to about 3/4, not all the way down to my wrists. The neckline was brought up a little bit higher as well by applying more lace flowers. I wanted it to be very fitted in my waist area and then it opened a bit. The work and the lace are the most beautiful and delicate material you'll ever touch.
About the designer: British designer Sam Walls Beasley has been designing and creating bespoke wedding dresses for 15 years. Originally from London, Sam now lives in New York where she continues to mix traditionally English and classical feminine styling. Since establishing her studio in New York, Sam has drawn inspiration from her collaborations with leading designers in haute couture and high fashion. This includes tailoring for A-List celebrities for the MET ball (Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Kate Hudson, Stella McCartney), film premieres (Anne Hathaway at Love and other Drugs), New York fashion week (Victoria Beckham) and numerous fashion stories featured in American Vogue and W magazine. Other clients have included: Michelle Williams, Beyonce Knowles, Alex White, Tabitha Simmons, Grace Coddington, and Mrs. Obama.
