 Romeo
Bastone Design Brief
ROMEO BASTONE COUTURE
is an innovative
business that
offers more than just beautiful gowns; they provide
co-ordinating
accessories for their range of gowns. Matching headpieces
with
handbags and jewellery sets are available. But their
specialty would
have to be hand beaded veils that are individualised to suit
each
gown. Encrusted with crystals, these veils provide the
perfect
expression of elegance.
At the recent Australian Bridal Industry
Academy Awards (ABIA)
in Victoria, Romeo Bastone Couture was awarded the 2010
Designer
Couture Gown Award. For Designer Josephine Bastone
this
outstanding result provides the highest esteem in the Bridal
Industry as it reinstates the value of customer relations
from the
initial consultation process to the final creation.
Meet Josephine as she discusses her recent
win, her
inspirations and her new directions.
The following interview was conducted by
Wedding Magazine.
Can
you tell us
a little about the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards
The
Australian
Bridal Industry Academy Awards (ABIA) is a national organisation
that allows newlyweds to rate the quality of product, quality of the
service, value for money and attitude of staff they received from
suppliers. The Awards covers 40 different wedding
categories. All votes received from
newlyweds are tallied by the ABIA and the results are announced in
each state at the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards. Romeo
Bastone Couture was awarded the 2010 Designer/Couture Gown Award with
an
overall Bridal Rating of 99.25%. In 2007, Romeo
Bastone Couture also
received a National Diamond Star Award in the category Designer
&
Couture Gown and for the 2009 ABIA Awards Romeo Bastone
Couture was
inducted into the Hall of Fame for continued excellence in
Bridal
Couture.
But
this isn't
the only award you have won; please tell us about your other
accolades.
Since the introduction of the ABIA to Victoria in 1998, Romeo
Bastone Couture has won sixteen awards; ten Designer/Couture Gown
Awards, three Bridesmaid Fashion Awards and one for Mother of the
Bride. Other Awards include; a National Diamond Star Award for
Designer/Couture Gown
and and the
ultimate Award in 2009 of being inducted into the ABIA Hall of Fame.
In 2001, Romeo Bastone Couture won three ABIA Awards, which marked an ABIA
record! Also, in the same year was also awarded the overall winner of the
Australian
Achiever
Awards.
It must give you a tremendous sense of satisfaction to
know that so many of your customers voted for you. Would
this be a
highlight of your career as a Couturier?
These Awards have been important to me as a Bespoke Couture Designer
as they
reinstate the value of utmost importance in customer
relations in all facets.
It certainly means that all the hard work of creating each
individual gown is worthy and customers are grateful.
Tell
us a
little about your business; how long have you been
established?
Established in 1991, my attraction to Bespoke
Bridal Couture commenced at an early age. Teresa Romeo, my mother,
taught Couture techniques in Italy - this is how I
discovered my passion for creating gowns. I was initially
taught the
foundations of patternmaking as they had been taught to my
mother
back in the early 50's. I then attended formal training at RMIT
completing my studies and attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree -
Fashion.
Describe
your
signature look.
Romeo Bastone Couture's signature look
is
classical, timeless elegance. I feel that there must be a
sense of
harmony between the gown and the body. Great care is taken
to ensure
that the gown is easy to wear. An impeccable cut provides
the basis
for a well-constructed gown. Even if there is a lack of
ornamentation, the attention paid to the harmony of line and
shape
provides a feeling of luxury and elegance.
Who are some of the great style icons women can look to
for inspiration when dressing for their wedding?
Without a doubt, two of the greatest style icons would have
to be
Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Both women had total
appreciation
for simplicity. Brides favour the thought of wearing a
timeless gown
- one that they will time and time again look back upon and
still
feel that they looked perfect on their wedding day. Audrey
Hepburn
and Grace Kelly will always be inspirational to any bride
simply
because of their notion of seeking out the simple
essence of
timeless elegance.
Tell
us about
your latest collection.
The latest collection features delicate French
laces. There are soft flowing gowns with sweeping trains
that are
overlaid with French laces. The princess A-line gowns are
also part
of the collection with ruching or draping to minimise and
enhance
the bride's figure. Gowns are ornamented with delicate swavroski
crystals or sometimes featured with silk handmade flowers and
ruffles. The store provides a vast selection of gowns, some of which
can be purchased off the rack. However, predominantly each gown is
Bespoke Couture corseted and constructed individually to personify each
bride's identity.
To
you, what
personifies the perfect gown?
As a Bespoke Couture Designer I feel the 'perfect
gown' rejects all unnecessary detail in favour of simple lines -
that is, pure form that makes the wearer feel luxurious and elegant.
What
Kind of
woman makes a Romeo Bastone bride?
A Romeo Bastone Couture bride is a
timeless
bride. She prefers a classical line with touches of
modernism.
Simplicity to her means completeness - no more, no less. She
is a
confident woman who stands alone with understated timeless elegance.
Behind The
Seams
When choosing your wedding gown, will
you choose the couture experience, ready-to-wear, or something in
between? To help make your decision, Stevie Newbegin from Wedding &
Bride Magazine, speaks to the
expert to find out what really goes on behind the seams.
Romeo Bastone Couture/Jerry Ghionis
Photographer
If you’re like most brides-to-be, the
most exciting part of planning your wedding day will be choosing
your gown. But before you run off and start the search, it’s
important to research the different types of gowns available and
become familiar with the bridal gown ‘lingo’ you will face along the
way. This way, you can make an informed decision about which type of
gown is best for you, and rest assured you will be happy and
comfortable, and most of all, look stunning on your special day.
During your search you will be faced
with a range of gowns from numerous designers and retailers who will
offer you gowns of varying quality, price and design flexibility.
You will hear the terms ‘bespoke couture’, ‘made-to-measure’,
‘made-to-order’ and ‘ready-to-wear’, and you may find that these
terms differ between different people and businesses within the
industry. While the definitions may vary, even to what we have
labelled them as, the most important thing is that there are four
distinct types of bridal gown experiences that you can choose from,
which we have looked at here.
BESPOKE COUTURE
‘Couture’ is the French word for ‘sewing’ and in the bridal industry
it is used to describe gowns that are fitted and sewn specifically
for a bride-to-be. A bespoke couture wedding gown therefore
describes a gown which is one-of-a-kind, with a custom-fit.
Bespoke Couturiers are the
professionals that design, source the fabric, make the pattern, cut
and sew a gown to your exact measurements, incorporating all of the
requirements you need, including style, colour, fabrics and
trimmings. Each Bespoke Couturier will specialise in their own
signature style and technique.
“Bespoke Couture, within my techniques, involves moulding and
sculpting a gown to the body shape of my client to create the
perfect fit. It is reliant on the layering of the bodice and the
underlay materials used to create the perfect shape,” explains
Josephine Bastone, the Bespoke Couturier behind Romeo
Bastone Couture.
“The true attributes of being titled a Bespoke Couturier lay in
formulating the design where a sense of harmony between the gown and
the body is established, and an impeccable cut provides the basis
for a well-constructed gown.”
Bastone has been in the industry for
21 years and believes there is no substitution or comparison to
having a Bespoke Couture gown created.
“The justification of even paying
slightly more for the experience and quality of a Bespoke Couture
gown over any other method of purchasing a bridal gown is ultimately
far more rewarding,” explains Bastone.
So what’s all the fuss about? Well,
it’s all about the perfect fit. Each and every woman in this world
is different, and no two brides are exactly the same size.
A Bespoke Couture gown offers you the
perfect fit no matter what shape or size you are, where your dress
will, literally, fit like a glove.
As well as the perfect fit, you are
getting a one-off gown made uniquely for you. As every aspect of the
design is done in consultation with you, the bride, every detail is
approved by you and if you want to change any details you can.
Another benefit to choosing a Bespoke
Couture gown is the quality of the materials. Only the finest
fabrics, laces and embellishments are used, and any lace or bead
work is all done by hand, boasting the highest quality workmanship.
In order to create a "Couture Work of
Art", you will need to work one on one with your Couturier and this
will require multiple fittings and appointments.
“A strong client relationship is of
the utmost importance when creating a Bespoke Couture gown. Each
bride is individual and wants an individual experience,” says Bastone.
“For my Couture process I follow the
stages of shape, design and colour. I allow for two initial
consultations to establish the exact shape, design and colour of the
gown. A further four to five fittings are then scheduled from
initial foundation to shape, then onto the design stage,
reconfirming fit and onto final finishing of the gown to ensure the
final product meets exact requirements.”
For those who want a spontaneous
wedding or are short of time, this may be a Couturier’s only
hindrance.
“The time taken to create a gown
depends on the design and requirements – they can take several
months to create. As quite a number of my fabrics and laces are
purchased directly from suppliers overseas, the period factor weighs
greatly on the time taken for the materials or embellishments to
arrive,” says Bastone.
With all of the appointments, the time
required to make each gown, the personal service, top quality
materials and handiwork involved, it’s not hard to see why many
people would assume the costs are high. But, according to Bastone,
it is a fallacy that the cost will be exorbitant when purchasing a
Bespoke Couture gown.
“The fact is that a customer is
purchasing total value for money because one is purchasing directly
from the person creating the total gown. You’re not paying for any
middle cost of shipping, wholesaling, agency fees, alteration costs,
percentage profit at retail sales point or any other associated
expenses involved,” says Bastone.
“The cost of each gown depends on the
construction requirements and the materials and embellishments used,
and can start at $3000 onwards.”
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