Photo: Courtesy of Sophia Kokosalaki
Greek-born, London-based designer Sophia Kokosalaki debuted her first collection of wedding dresses last January, infusing the line of 18 gowns with the same modern twist on classical drapery that has become her ready-to-wear signature. Now, with 2013 already on the horizon, we caught up with Kokosalaki to talk about her sophomore bridal collection (featuring nearly twice as many looks), the celebs she dreams of dressing, and how designing costumes for the 2004 Athens Olympics affected her Greek-centric style.
Being an established ready-to-wear name now crossing over into wedding attire, what should brides know about what you offer?
We are often approached by women who are looking for something alternative to the traditional wedding dress but with the same amount of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and impact. Most of them are not getting married in a church, and they are also looking for a dress that they could potentially wear again to a special event.
After your collaborations with Topshop and Asos in the past, how did Net-a-porter become the launch pad for your bridal collection?
Founder Natalie Massenet and buying director Holly Rogers suggested I create a bridal collection exclusively for them. Net-a-porter is more appropriate for the launch of such a high end product because they offer a fantastic service and global reach to the right customers.
Photos: Courtesy of Sophia Kokosalaki
How much attention are you paying to what a trend-conscious bride wants to wear—like peplums and color for the Spring 2013 season?
My approach is more that a wedding dress should be timeless and classically elegant so that when one looks back a few years down the line, the dress still looks modern and beautiful, not dated. Although of-the-moment trends are best to be avoided, it is still important for me that the dress has a contemporary feel and doesn't look like a vintage copy. This is achieved through the use of the materials, the cut, or the finishing.
Did directing the costumes for the Opening Ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympics—which represented important eras in Greek history—impact your aesthetic as a designer?
My aesthetic hasn't changed much since then, but maybe my capacity for hard work and my capabilities increased. The principles that we applied then—attention to detail, balance, beauty, measure and strive for individuality—are still the same I always try to apply to my work. I wasn't just overseeing though, I worked a lot with my hands too, as all the costumes were made from scratch!
Photo: Courtesy of Sophia Kokosalaki
How do you assign your wedding dresses their classical Greek names?
It is actually an elaborate and tricky process, as most of the ancient greek figures in myths were either adulterous, vengeful, or murderous!
Helen is a particularly striking name for a dress (above), since Helen of Troy was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Why is this what you imagine her wearing?
We felt the dress is a bit like Helen—classically beautiful with a hint of drama.
Which modern woman would you most like to dress?
I like Rachel Weisz, Marion Cotillard, and Cate Blancett very much. Jessica Chastain is also very interesting from the new stars.
Photo: Courtesy of Sophia Kokosalaki
How would you dress Pippa Middleton if she were getting married?
She has a very classic taste so I would adhere to that but I would try to add a small twist that gives the dress modernity.
And lastly, because we have to know, what is your favorite wedding flower?
Lily of the valley.
Browse more Sophia Kokosalaki wedding dresses.
—Phillip B. Crook
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