Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all of our past, present and future Brides & Clients and thank you for allowing us to be such a wonderful part of your very special day!  We hope this Holiday Season brings happiness and joy to all of our family and friends, many of whom we have known for years and others that are new additions.   Thank you to everyone that have made this year successful on both a personal level as well as professionally,  as we look to the New Year for exciting opportunities, the expansion of the Collection and growth of the Alina Pizzano label!
Cheers,
Alina & Jameel

Alice & Sean

Alice was referred to me by my dear friend Nana, whom I have known since high school. When Nana heard that her sister-in-law Alice was getting married, she immediately put her in contact with me (with only one and a half months away from her wedding date!)... time was obviously of the essence for us. Alice had an idea of what she wanted, since her wedding was to be at her home in Laguna with a Hawaiian theme. She didn't want something too flashy, but instead wanted to look elegant and sophisticated, light and airy. Alice wanted a gown that would fit her tropical setting, one that would make her feel as if she were in Hawaii.

As I heard this, I showed her a gown from my previous Spring Collection which was metallic twill with a gazaar overlay. When Alice saw this gown, she knew this was the effect and elegance she was looking for.  From that point forward, Alice had me laughing at her fittings time and time again.  Her personality carried over into her special day, as the setting was intimate with just the right amount of family and friends.  Even her brother Dave, Nana's husband, got into the action, as he stepped in behind the lens to capture all of the beauty and warmth of Alice's wedding from his own personal perspective. And , to top it off, I also designed my "niece" Natalie's flower girl dress!

Congratulations Alice & Sean!

Hilary & Andrew

My bride Hilary is a Pasadena native and was searching for a local salon, when she discovered me. During her first appointment, Hilary's mother was in attendance and assisted her with trying on various gowns from several of my Collections.  The gown that Hilary finally decided upon was actually one which she had shown her Father, and one that he said he could envision her in on her special day.  It was a gown that I fabricated with ivory alencon lace over champagne charmeuse from my Fall 2010 Collection.  Hilary and I always had a wonderful and fun time at her fittings, which usually included her niece that would always comment that Hilary looked just like a princess.  Her wedding and reception were held at the gorgeous Lincourt Vineyards in the Santa Barbara area, and as you can see from the photos she looked beautiful and glowed with happiness.  In fact, Hilary sent me a note thanking me for her dress saying that it was just amazing and surpassed anything that even her fiance, Andrew, could have dreamed of!
On a side note, Hilary was surprised to discover that an old friend of hers, Kelly, was also one of my brides, and that they were actually coming to fittings around the same time!  It just goes to show you how intimate and small the world truly is...
The beautiful images of the wedding and stunning location were captured by once like a spark photography.

 

Congratulations Hilary & Andrew!

The Process of Design: Part 1 (Raquel)

I was contacted via email by my bride Raquel who lives all the way over on the East Coast in Connecticut. She was searching for her perfect gown, which had to be as unique as her custom engagement ring that her fiance had specially designed for her.  Having little luck on her search, Raquel finally came across my website. She told me that when she landed on my site, she thought to herself, I want all of these dresses... And so, the process of designing Raquel's wedding gown began...
First, after confirming her appointment and blocking out the days on my calendar, Raquel booked her flight.  In order to make the most of her trip between Connecticut and Cali, we decided to meet on consecutive days.  On the first day, we needed  to work out her preferences, her vision for her gown, as I created a few sketches that incorporated what Raquel was looking for.  After many, many laughs and a great first day, I had a lot of information to go through to create the final sketch of her gown.

Day two, we met to finalize the dress design. This included the final sketch, which would now be used to create the pattern for her muslin dress. The muslin dress is a cotton mock up of what the final gown will be and is basically, the sketch come to life. It is what I use to fabricate my final patterns and to create the preliminary fit of the gown...this will come together during our next appointment. Next, since the design is now confirmed, Raquel picks out the fabric swatch and color from a selection that I have prepared which will be applied to the final gown. Finally, I take all of Raquel's measurements that I will need to start the fabrication process.
Now, next time Raquel and I meet, I will have her muslin dress ready for the first fitting...

Spring 2012 Photo Shoot

This past weekend the Spring 2012 Collection was photographed by the wonderful Abi Q. Abi previously shot my Fall 2010 Collection and has such a great eye for details along with a true understanding of what I envision for my gowns, that I just had to ask her to do it again. Our beautiful model, Julia LaCour, looked stunning in all of the gowns and her make-up, by Michelle 'Piper' Rosabal, and hair, by Ashleigh Clesceri, just added to her gorgeous look. Thank you to all the ladies for an exciting and successful day, including the newest addition to the Alina Pizzano family, my intern Kylie!

Even our baby boy Wookie took part...

Final edited images and Spring 2012 Look Book coming soon...

Spring 2012 Collection

So, I thought I would post a peek at a few of the new gowns from my Spring 2012 Collection. The official look book will be coming within the next few weeks and is being photographed by the wonderful Abi Q, but meanwhile, here is a glimpse...
For this Collection, I thought...destination wedding, and was inspired by beautiful Miami Beach...the ocean, the sand, the sky, as they play and blend with one another.
I wanted the gowns to convey the essence and flow of the water, the hip chic of South Beach style...
I will post some more photos over the next week or please feel free to pay a visit to the Salon and come see them in person! Enjoy...
Alina

Rena & Ajay

A purple colored reception gown!  That is exactly what my Bride Rena wanted to work perfectly with the wonderfully vibrant colors of her Wedding.  As it was, she was getting married in a traditional Indian wedding garment, a lengha, and having a traditional Indian ceremony.  But, for the reception, Rena wanted something very special...a gown that would be stunning, comfortable, and memorable for her, her husband and all of her guests.  So, once the actual shade of purple was selected, I set about dyeing all the elements of her gown to match. Rena's final dress was a duchess satin and feathered organza ball gown with a jewel beading to highlight the neckline.   The dramatic texture and color of her gown were important to Rena, as she wanted a grand dress for her grand wedding...

The wedding, reception and stunning details were captured by Photographer Dina Douglass of andrena photography. The gorgeous floral design was created by Bloom Box Designs and the decor and coordination were put together by Exquisite Events.

Congratulations Rena & Ajay!

Joanna & Johnny

My bride Joanna and I go way, way back...we were actually childhood friends! I hadn't spoken to her in such a long, long time, as I was living in New York and travelling, when one day out of the blue, Joanna contacted me via email to congratulate me on the opening of my new Salon here in Pasadena. Little did I know, that she would soon ask me to design her wedding gown only a few months later. It was such a pleasure seeing her after so many years and, being asked to take part in her very special occasion was very touching and special for me! When she finally came in for her first consultation, Joanna found two gowns from my past Collections that launched the process to create her own gown. She was open to so many possibilites and completely trusted in what I would design for her.

The final gown that I created was a wondefully fitted side gather gazaar trumpet halter gown with a metallic twill underlay. The side drape carried up into the neckline creating a beautiful floral detail.
She looked amazing! Not only was I honored to design Joanna's gown, but I was also fortunate enough to work with her mother, MaryAnne, on her dress as well.

The beautiful setting and wonderful details were captured by photographer Michelle Johnson.
Congratulations Joanna & Johnny!

Spring 2012 Collection Release Party

Please join us for a wonderful evening of cocktails, company and fashion on Saturday, October 22nd, as we launch our Spring 2012 Collection with a Release Party! Inspired by the beautiful beaches, art deco architecture, and hip style of Miami Beach, this Collection has a very distinctive flavor that is sexy, chic, and fashion forward. Cocktail reception to continue through the evening. This invitation is open to all Fans, Brides, and Vendors, but RSVP is required and you must be 21 and over. Thank you & see you at the Salon...
Alina

Spring 2012 Collection Sneak Peek

With the coming release of the Spring 2012 Collection, I thought I would post some sneak peek images of some of the gowns. As you can see, there are shimmering silks that remind me of the reflecting sun on the beautiful waters of Miami Beach, hints of lace that can be found in gorgeous crocheted bikinis, pops of a gentle blue that reflect the spectacular sea...
Stay tuned for more as October is just around the corner!