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Saying, “I Do” to Fabulous Fashion
An Encore exclusive interview with designer Angelo Lambrou
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Cinderella poof and glitzy princess gowns are so 2009. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with couture wedding and evening gown designer Angelo Lambrou at his charming boutique in the East Village to talk about himself, as well as his new Spring 2010 Collection.
Immediately when you walk in, you feel like you have stepped out of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. His boutique embodies the vision of his South African heritage with the twist of Manhattan refinement. Spectacular dresses grace the hangers as they dangle from a large bamboo branch. Laura, the store manager greets you with warm hospitality and a beautiful smile upon entering the store. Oh no, this is not a typical bridal boutique with people fawning over the bride to be. Lambrou personally works with each bride in getting to know her entire personality before even attempting to show her dresses she may like. “I want women to be themselves in my dress and most importantly, I want to make sure they can dance!” says an excited Lambrou. Brides, worry not, Lambrou’s gowns are virtually weightless which makes dancing one less worry throughout the evening.
As he finishes up a final fitting for a bride, Lambrou is able to take some time to chat with me.
Tell me, what brought you to New York?
Before moving to New York, the “Concrete Jungle” as I call it, I lived on the Savannah bush of Botswana. I started a small business there [in Botswana], which opened up the door for Angelo Lambrou designs. Then I began to think, I am doing fashion in the middle of nowhere and I am the one who is introducing fashion here! I need to challenge myself. However, don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of great opportunities there. I had the honor and privilege of dressing the first lady of Botswana, Mrs Barbara Mogae as well as 1999 Miss Botswana, who then became Miss Universe. I received a tremendous amount of publicity from that and decided to get my visa and come to New York, the international platform for exposure, culture and influence. There is a great Frank Sinatra song that inspired me to move, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere” and here I am, trying to make my mark in New York!
What do you miss the most about home?
I miss the simplicity of everything. I miss home cooked meals, family gatherings, sitting around the round table for dinner. It is really stressful here in New York, always having to reinvent your ways. In Botswana, there are wide open spaces, nature, green for as far as you can see and most of all, no worries.
What is the main inspiration behind your designs?
I always try to use natural elements in all my designs. They are easy, they flow and there is never any force. Most of all, the grace and elegance of a woman helps me come up with my beautiful masterpieces. “I always wanted to create avant garde style pieces, but these gowns are to be worn as well as admired, so they need to feel natural.
You recently landed the April cover of Brides Magazine, how was that?
I was ecstatic! Someone finally recognized me! My hard work is finally paying off! I was featured in the March issue of Brides, but it’s really thrilling to make the cover. Unspeakable joy, I am almost speechless. It features the Ame Dress, which means Rain in Japanese.
Who is a designer you look up to?
Without a doubt, Valentino, Valentino and yes, Valentino! He has successfully managed to make women beautiful and elegant year after year after year. He creates a timeless element that is amazing to me. I also admire the work of John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and of course the great Alexander McQueen. They were filled with imagination, fantasy and were never afraid to be daring with their designs.
Describe to me your own personal style
Comfort is huge. I enjoy earthy colors, browns, and charcoals, with little bursts of color. You will never catch me wearing anything stiff.
Tell me about the craziest Bridezilla you have encountered.
Every now and then, there are the crazy requests that I must attend to. I always keep my signature but am willing to custom design any gown. One bride that stands out in my mind was an artist with some extraordinary requests. She wanted to mix salmon color with red-orange and blush with red flowers. I am thinking, “This is a wedding gown, I don’t want her to look like she came out of the Cirque de Soleil cast!” I worked with her continually, incorporating her ideas with my signature and eventually created the wedding dress of her dreams. Phew!
What is your signature?
My signature consists of draping, wraps and seam placement. Sure, anyone can just throw material over each other and call it draping, but I find innovative and creative ways to keep my signature alive. Folds, wraps and raw edges all create the feel of multiple textures that all give way to a simple unexpected detail, a splash of color, a hidden seam, that just screams of a Lambrou design.
After speaking with Lambrou and spending time in his charming little boutique, I felt a huge desire to own a wedding gown, you know, to store in the closet for those days you really want to just dress up! Unfortunately, with no wedding in my near future, he suggested I try on a beautiful tea length gown for the Boomer Esiason Foundation black tie gala I needed to attend that weekend. As I tried on the gown, Lambrou swiftly gathered up little details of the gown, altering it to fit my body shape and size. As I stared at myself in the mirror, I thought, “I truly feel like a princess!” I’d say, it was one of my best afternoons spent in the Village. Move over Vera Wang, you’ve got competition.
For more information about Angelo Lambrou and his haute couture gowns, please visit www.angelolambrou.com or call 212.460.9870