tinaa_innovations

JANE CONGRATULATIONS

2011-08-19T22:34:00.001-07:00

"I've been meaning to email you to say thankyou for making such a beautiful wedding dress (it got lots of compliments from a lot of people!)".

Thank you for your kind words Jane. You look absolutely beautiful and radiant. Wish you the best.

CONGRATULATIONS SAL

2011-08-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

"Thank you again for making such a beautiful dress for my wedding. Everyone loved it including me."

I wish you the best Sal. Absolutely stunning

CONGRATULATIONS JENNA

2011-08-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

"Hi Kathy,
I just wanted to say thank you so so much for designing my AMAZING wedding dress."

Jenna, thank you for your kind words. Ab Fab!

SIMONE 19th MARCH 2011

2011-05-22T02:09:00.000-07:00

Simone, I thank you warmly for the email you sent me. May I add what a beautiful bride you were and what a handsome couple you make

Hi Cathy
Thought I'd send you some photos of your dress in action. It poured here in the mountains on our wedding day but thankfully held off for the ceremony and as I mentioned to you I ended up getting gumboots which were on all night. That's my tip to a bride facing rain. Get gumboots with thick socks... my feet were so comfy and warm all night.

All the photos are at our property and even my flowers were all picked from our place.

I got so much feedback about the dress. Nick (The Groom) thought it was stunning, a little different and perfect for me... exactly what I thought and why I chose it.
Your boutique really stood out to me; for someone that didn't know what style they wanted only what they didn't want the range of styles you have designed were a relief. I found most other stores I walked into full of dresses that all looked the same.

Thank you for existing in the world of bridal fashion… I will suggest Tinna Innovations to anyone looking for a special outfit.

Regards,

Simone

PRINCE WILLIAM and KATHERINE MIDDLETON

2011-05-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

On the 29th of April 2011, Kate (as no doubt she will be known) Middleton married her Prince.

A fairytale for many and a love story for the romantic at heart.

I tuned in as many did, but my main interest was the wedding dress.

The dress was exactly what I imagined for Kate. The only feature I had added in my mind's sketch leading up to the wedding was a tiny bit of sparkle possibly in the form of a brooch.

A very wise choice by Kate, as this dress won't date in photographs. It is a classic. A timeless design to be looked at similarly as is Princess Grace's wedding dress. As a matter of fact, just 2 days ago, a bride walked in with a picture of Princess Grace's wedding dress and asked me to make her the same dress using a lace that I had imported from France.

Kate Middleton stepped out of the car at Westminster Abbey looking nothing less than spectacular. Her dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, as a few keen eyed commentators had already predicted.

The details of her ensemble have now been released:

The design
The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. The lace design was hand-engineered (appliquéd) using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock. Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace has been used throughout the bodice and skirt, and has been used for the underskirt trim. With laces coming from different sources, much care was taken to ensure that each flower was the same colour. The whole process was overseen and put together by hand by Ms Burton and her team.

The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres 70 centimetres. The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.

The Fabrics
French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace to be hand-worked in the Irish Carrickmacross needlework tradition. All other fabrics used in the creation of the dress were sourced from and supplied by British companies. The choice of fabrics followed extensive research by Sarah Burton and her team.

Veil and Jewellery
The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework. The veil is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen. The ‘halo’ tiara was made by Cartier in 1936 and was purchased by the Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King. The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday.

The bride’s earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre. Inspiration for the design comes from the Middleton family’s new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. The earrings were made to echo the tiara and were a personal gift to the bride from her parents for her wedding day.

Wedding Shoes
The wedding shoes have made hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.

The Bride’s Bouquet
The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.
The flowers’ meanings in the bouquet are:
Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness
Sweet William – Gallantry
Hyacinth – Constancy of love
Ivy – Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection
Myrtle – the emblem of marriage; love.

The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in the Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947. The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.

MY VERY OWN CROCODILE HUNTER

2011-01-15T23:33:00.001-08:00

I thoroughly enjoy my job. Not only do I get to create and participate in a small way in my brides happy event of their wedding but I get to meet the most interesting ladies.

Just recently I had the pleasure of working with Jemeema, in creating her wedding gown.

'I live in Darwin' Jemeema starts, so is it possible to make me a gown considering that I cant fly down often for fittings?' 'Sure', I answer 'I have made for long distance brides before and with some planning it is definately possible.

Darwin! Interesting. 'What do you do Jemeema?'

'I work on a Crocodile farm and research centre.' Had to know more.

'We work mainly with Saltwater Crocodiles from incubating eggs and hatching baby crocodiles, to catching and moving 4-5 m breeding crocodiles.

Jemeema booked her gown with me on a Saturday and had her first fitting on the Monday just before she caught her plane back to her beloved crocodiles.

We organised her fittings to coincide with her visit down to Sydney to organise her wedding. We sqeezed in at least 2 fittings during her 3 day stay.

Of course at every fitting I had to know more. Not every day you meet your very own crocodile hunter. As it turns out Jemeema works with her fiancee, now husband

'Matt and I spent 3 years living and working in the USA in South Florida doing research and working with the American crocodile, American Alligator and Burmese Python.' Wow.

What a romantic love story also, Jemeema and Matt went to high school together, were friends, starting dating by the end of year 12 and have been together
ever since.

The final fitting was made the week prior to the wedding when Jemeema flew down.
Not only did Jemeema work a fair distance away but she also was having the wedding in the Kangaroo valley. This meant that Jemeema had to hang around Sydney while the gown was being completed.

Everything worked out beautifully and according to Jemeema, 'an awesome time was had dancing the night away.'

Images have been kindly supplied by: Bianca Dopson Photography http://www.biancadopson.com.au/

2010-08-27T19:03:00.001-07:00

BRIDE JULIA RECOMMENDS

2010-05-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Julia was eager to pass on this site she discovered. As time is limited online shopping is a godsent.

Julia told me she had fun shopping for her man. Apparently they don't sell just ties and cuffs. They also have other fun goodies. My favourite is the 'budgie smuggler' underpant.

Use the picture above to redirect you for your convenience

MY BEAUTIFUL BRIDES

2010-02-26T23:13:00.000-08:00

Wow! We are nearly at the end of the second month of the year.
I have been so busy!
The best bridal season so far!

I am now seeing prospective brides who are looking for gowns for their end of year weddings.

I would like to thank the beautiful brides who have sent me photos of their weddings along with some kind messages.
Also for the texts and emails. It means a great deal that you have taken the time to do so.

I would like to say what a pleasure it has been to create and make for you.
Some of which I include here.

I want you to know how much I appreciate it.
So to Lisa M, Suzan, Leslie, Gabrielle S, Sam R, Nadia C, Sylwia K, Maria B, Laura S, Helen McM, Melanie A, Tass H, Tina N, Dee C,(there are so many I can't name you all), many, many thanks.

Hi Kathy,
Thank you so much once again for such an amazing job you did on Anna's dress.
You were most remembered on her special Day. You will be highly recommended!

Will forward more photos to you.
:)
Anna's Matron of Honour....Leslie

Hi Cathy,
I hope you are well and had a great Christmas/New Year?

I just wanted to touch base with you now I am back in the country, to send you some of my wedding photos - as promised! The dress was just amazing and everyone thought it was just stunning - so thank you again!
Gabrielle S

Hi Cathy
I will never forget you =) Ive been telling lots of people to come & see you for wedding dresses

Im going to put my wedding in a magazine one day once I get the CD & will put your details in it as well =P

I noticed you have Rebecca on your website she looks amazing & yes you can put lots of pics of my wedding on there as well

Thankyou again soo much you’re the best !!

Regards
Suzan

Hi Cathy,
I just wanted to drop an email to say a HUGE thank you for the wonderful job you did with my dress and the service you provide is impeccable. It was a pleasure to work with you and to have such piece of mind that the dress was going to be just perfect for me was priceless.

I am having it dry cleaned through your recommendation as we speak.

Thanks again and I look forward to being able to recommend you to family and friends in the future.

Kind regards

Sam

Thanks Cathy!! The dress was the star thanks to you x
Helen McM.

Dearest Cathy,

I would to take this opportunity to thank you for all your time, hardwork, patience and expertise that you have dedicated to my wedding dress.

The whole process has been one that I have enjoyed.

Thank you for everything

With love

Maria

Congratulations to Maria B's bridesmaid Monica M who got engaged over Xmas!

I know this because she has booked her gown with me for her January 2011 wedding and Maria is to be her bridesmaid. Roles reversed.

I so love my job! With all this joy around me, how can I not!

Cathyxx

HAUTE COUTURE - A life style for some

2009-10-23T22:41:00.000-07:00

I came across this article and found it interesting what our fashion sisters in the northern hemisphere, with a bit of money, are prepared to pay for a high end garment.

The Cult Of Couture
by Lauren Sherman from Forbes.Com
Haute couture. The French phrase, which literally means "high sewing", is tossed around casually these days, into fashion magazine headlines and onto the labels of irreverent knitwear brands.

But in fashion speak, haute couture is something very specific: A garment that is completely custom-made, from impeccable lining to hand-stitched hem. Not only is the dress bespoke, the fabrics and embellishments are of the highest quality, and the tailors, seamstresses, embroiderers, lace makers and other craftspeople who spend hundreds of hours assembling these pieces are the most skilled in the world.

"The insides are as magnificent as the outside", says George Simonton, fashion designer and professor at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.

Couture is also a serious investment - like a work of art that is displayed on the body rather than a wall. Customers will pay anywhere from $25,000 upward for a couture gown; in extreme cases, the costs can reach into the millions. The Scott Henshall diamond-encrusted dress worn by Samantha Mumba to the 2004 premiere of Spiderman II was priced at approximately $9 million.

To the untrained eye, there's little difference between a $3,500 Derek Lam frock bought off the rack at Bergdorf Goodman and a $150,000 Christian Lacroix evening gown. At society fetes such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute Gala, you'll see wealthy women flaunting both styles. But, when a socialite wears couture it means she's really serious about fashion - and she has pockets deep enough to indulge her passion.

Houston socialite and couture collector Becca Cason Thrash has developed a reputation as a fashion connoisseur. Cason Thrash is considered a minor collector - she owns roughly a dozen pieces, which she has worn time and again. "You amortize couture", she says. "You buy a piece and you wear it in Houston, then you wear it again in New York, then London, then Paris...you put it away for a couple of years and when you pull it out, it looks all brand new again".

Cason Thrash stresses that the couture social circle is not an easy one to access. When she began collecting six or seven years back, she was lucky enough to be guided by Suzanne Saperstein, the woman Vanity Fair once called "probably the world's No. 1 consumer of haute couture".

"Couture is almost like a private club", says Cason Thrash, who favors American designer Ralph Rucci, as well as Europeans Christian Lacroix, Christian Dior and Jean-Paul Gaultier. With Saperstein in her corner, she was introduced to the right people. "Even though they need the business, it's not easy at first to get your invitations or to get to know the directresses of the houses. But once you navigate your way through that rocky beginning, every show is a lovely reunion with like-minded individuals".

Cason Thrash loves couture because it's "the pinnacle of fashion. You see the collective, creative juices in their finest moment going down the runway in Paris every January and July", when the haute couture shows are held. "For the girl who really, really does love fashion, it's the most exhilarating experience in the whole wide world", she says.

Versace Atelier, a couture brand that caters not only to the rich but to a host of glamorous celebrities (the house made the nude goddess gown Uma Thurman wore to this year's Oscars, as well as Jessica Alba's soft gold shirred bodice and lace skirt), decided in 2004 to leave the Paris shows and focus solely on personal appointments with clients.

When privileged customers are invited to the Versace's Fifth Avenue flagship, they are escorted to the sixth floor salon, a space graced by marble floors, walls of pale gray Venetian plaster, a glass elevator and an elegant roof terrace, all of which complement the opulence of the collection. This is a very different Versace than the brash yellows and reds of the brand's late 80s and early 90s aesthetic; the requisite Italian flash has been tempered with black leather sofas and high ceilings. It's more twinkle than glare.

Clients who place orders must understand that it may take up to four months to construct a dress. Take one in particular, a 1920s-inspired gown made of dove grey chiffon. Decorated with delicate metal decals and a beaded fringe, it carries more than 50,000 Swarovski crystal beads, and took more than 150 man hours to assemble. It's priced accordingly, at around $90,000.

(Versace, like most couture houses, is reluctant to give exact prices for gowns. A woman's shape and individual desires will factor heavily into final costs. More fabric or beading means more time required of the atelier's highly-skilled staff, which of course raises prices.)

Many customers choose to visit Versace's Milan flagship, Via Gesu, to peek into the archives, where they can pull dresses from all the way back to the 1970s for inspiration or even replication. Although new dresses are introduced twice a year, the designs are simply additions to the Atelier catalog, says Roberto Lorenzi, president of U.S. retail for Versace.

"These are evergreen pieces", he says. "Every season we come out with a collection, yes. But I wouldn't talk of seasons. The pieces will always be available to view at Via Gesu".

So, if you're looking to bring Elizabeth Hurley's infamous "safety pin dress" (the slinky black number she wore as Hugh Grant's date to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral) back from its early 90s grave, a visit to Versace's Atelier archives makes it entirely possible.

The enduring question is: why do women, from the U.S., Europe and - now more than ever - Asia, the Middle East and Russia, choose to invest their resources in such extravagant and delicate goods?

Joan DeJean, author of The Essence of Style, which chronicles the influence of 17th century France on today's attitudes toward fashion and luxury, believes it is not only exclusivity that the client desires, but the title of "trend setter." It's a thrill to own a dress that will spawn a thousand copies.

Not much has changed in the past 400 years, DeJean claims.

"You're dealing with a very small market on both occasions", she says, pointing out that some say there are 100 couture buyers today, perhaps not many more than in the 17th century. "Couture is the perfect example of something that is always the central issue in any kind of luxury goods economy - that is to have something that is virtually unique, and not quite unique. You don't want to have someone looking like you at the Oscars, but you do want to know that you'll have the best style of the season".

Says Lorenzi, "When you spend from $60,000 to over $100,000 (for a gown), you really want the perfect dress for you". And perfection never goes out of style.

LOSE CMS OF YOUR WAIST AND HIPS IN SECONDS

2009-06-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

Much has been said recently about these miracle body shapers that reduce your body size by at least one dress size.

Well the trend is catching on as three of my brides this year have opted to wear such a garment under their wedding gown. After shopping around one has informed me that she found the best deals online. (I have included the link on the far right of this page Tara has given me to share.- 'Austalian Slimwear Boutique')

One of them only wanted to reduce her waist measurement, so she chose to wear a waist shaper. This mainly consists of a wide elasticized band worn under the bust to high hip. It most definitely reduced her waist and gave her that firm toned look which she was wanting to achieve.

As her gown was a fitted dress with no boning, all I could do was make it fit her body size as it was. With the band in place it smoothed out the area and held her firm. The only problem was that I had already started the calico fitting before she bought the under garment and found I had to refit her a second time to reduce the sizing.

One thing you have to keep in mind when purchasing one of these garments is whether the stitching or garment edge borders can be seen through your wedding gown. In particular you have to be careful if you want to wear one under a sleek bias gown.

This happened to my second bride.

She came to her second fitting with a sliming garment that was to be worn from under the bust to mid thigh. The banding ridge at the edge of the legging was clearly visible when she walked!

As she felt comfortable wearing it and I must admit she did look trim, taut and terrific, I modified it for her by cutting off the band and replacing it with clear elastic stiched from the reverse of the garment.

It worked!

This process however needs to be performed by a professional as you can ruin the shaper for the fabric has the potential of laddering.

My third bride was wearing a corseted dress with a 4 layer flowing silk georgette skirt with lining. She too wore the body shaper. Her gown was more suited to a dress style shaper worn from under the bust to high thigh. I did have concerns that it would ride up but she assured me it didn't and felt more sexy wearing it. She also pointed out that she wouldn't hesitate to wear it again after the wedding if she needed to for that special occassion.

So there you have it. If you feel you want to wear one, a) let your dressmaker know before hand so that she can do your fittings accordingly. b) Choose wisely.

Cathyxx

BRIDAL EXPO

2009-06-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

On the 23rd and 24th of May I exhibited at the ABS Bridal Expo held at Rosehill Gardens.

This was my 7th expo with the Australian Bridal Service team.

I got the chance to meet some of you and thank you for your favourable comments.

I hope you enjoyed the parades, I know I certainly did.

With Elvis (Steve King - Legend of Elvis) and Figaro providing musical entertainment and the talent of all the designers on show, the 'brides to be' were definitely given a spectacular showcase.

I displayed 11 dresses in total with 8 on the runway and 3 at my display stand.

Showcasing a range of silhouettes, from the elegant, sexy slinky to the regal ball gown with one particular bride making a trip over to the stand to compliment my 'striking red gown', as she described it. Thank you Marisa, as it always feels good when a gown you have slaved over to create is noticed.

Public interest was divided between the large silk organza ball gown with Chantilly lace applique and my 'A' line silk and leaver lace gown on my stand. The ball gown silhouette appealing to the fairy tale theme where as the lace gown has more of a vintage feel.

Brides today are choosing gowns that suit their figure type and their overall wedding day themes rather than what may be in fashion at the moment.

I personally feel that the silhouette is personal and not a trend where on the other hand how you embellish a gown can be according to trend if you so wish.

After a weekend of 6 parades and being on the stand at the expo for a total of 16 hours it was time to pack up and return to my shop.

I hope to see you again soon. Remember that if you are having a gown made please allow about 8 months from time of booking and pick up. Also allow a bit more if your wedding is around Christmas time as this time can be a bit busy for all and fittings have to be scheduled around holidays.

Cathyxxx