Photo: Matt Jones/Trish South for BRIDES
Emerging designer Marcelo Giacobbe is known for light-as-air fabrics and romantic details, which are the cornerstone of his Argentinian fashion line, GIACOBBE. We sat down with Giacobbe to talk about designing for brides, using Buenos Aires as inspiration, and seeing his jacket on the cover of our new issue starring Olivia Palermo!
Brides: How does it feel to have your jacket on the cover?
Marcelo Giacobbe: "It feels amazing, it was such a big surprise! I'm still over the moon. When I saw the photo for the first time, I felt such a rush of happiness, and it's a feeling that I'll treasure forever. Olivia is so fresh, beautiful, and edgy — dressing her is a designer's dream!"
Brides: Tell us about your favorite moments designing for brides.
Giacobbe: "For my private bridal clients, there are two moments that I cherish during the design process: One is when we try on the toile of the dress for the first time during the early fittings. You can see the spark in her eyes and the big smile when she realizes that she is about to become a bride — she can see herself in the dress walking down the aisle. The second moment is when we finally finish the dress. I'll always remember a recent final fitting for a client: I noticed that the bride's sister started to cry. I was so nervous that perhaps she didn't like her sister's dress, but when the bride asked her what was wrong, she just said, 'You are the most beautiful bride in the world!' That's what it's all about for me — to be there for these women in this special moment in their lives."
Brides: How did you start designing bridal?
Giacobbe: "My first bridal dress was designed for my sister, which gave me the chance to see firsthand what the beautiful adventure of getting married is all about. From then on, it became so important to me to design for engaged women. To me, the most important process of designing bridal dresses is connecting with the bride, to really understand what she loves, and creating that for her. My goal is to make the bride forget about the dress during the wedding, so that the bride and the dress become one."
Photo: Courtesy of Marcelo Giacobbe
Brides: What inspired your latest collection?
Giacobbe: "For me, every collection is a journey. I live in Buenos Aires, and I try to connect with all my feelings and visions that I have when I'm in the city. This season, I was inspired by a centuries-old fountain in the center of the city called 'Nereidas' — a classical, yet radical sculpture representing the female form. The fountain is about the birth of Venus, so I asked myself what might happen if she had a broken heart. I began to work with organza to simulate the water that emerges from the fountain, and paired the fabric with glass embroidery on tulle to represent her range of emotions."
Brides: Our cover girl Olivia is often called a fashion muse — who are your style icons?
Giacobbe: "Oh, there are some classics of course. I love the simplicity of Audrey Hepburn and rebellious spirit of P.J. Harvey, but what inspires me most are the kind of women you can spot crossing the street. You can immediately tell that she follows her heart and has her own unique style. I love recognizing a spirit that dares to love!"
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Brides: Tell us about your background. When did you launch your collection?
Giacobbe: "I completed my Fashion Design degree from FADU (University of Architecture, Design and Urbanism of Buenos Aires) in 2009, after winning a scholarship to study abroad at the SAGA Fur Design Center in Copenhaguen, Denmark. Here, I studied alongside other young designers from the fashion capitals of New York, London, Milan, and Paris, and it was an incredibly eye-opening time in my life. I thought it was crucial for me to learn all the skills of tailoring and pattern-making, as the architectural aspect of clothes is something that fascinates me. GIACOBBE launched in January 2012, and it felt like the next natural step. I found myself thinking, 'There are some things that only I can do, so I better start doing them!' I debuted my first collection for GIACOBBE at a runway show two months later."
See More: First Look: Check Out Our New Cover Starring Olivia Palermo!
Brides: Where do you produce the collection?
Giacobbe: "GIACOBBE is produced entirely in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My focus is on quality, which is why we always work with silk, the purest cottons, and the best leathers. Clothes should always be beautiful, because they allow us to feel, to be protected, and to show sides of ourselves that words can't communicate."
Pick up the June/July issue of Brides (on newsstands now) to see Olivia wearing Giacobbe's stunning design!