You cannot have a worthy conversation about bridal fashion and not include the name Romona Keveza. Her name is synonymous with couture, elegance and refined luxury. We caught up with her recently and took a look at her Legends by Romona Keveza Fall 2017 collection, now available at Kleinfeld Canada at Hudson’s Bay.
TODAY’S BRIDE: Talk to us about the collection you’ve brought to Kleinfeld Hudson’s Bay.
ROMONA KEVEZA: The Legends collection was inspired by Grace Kelly. The great thing about this collection is that these dresses really allow the bride to create her own legendary style. It’s designed for the girl who wants to look like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jackie Kennedy on her wedding but modernized for today’s woman.
TB: Where do you get your inspiration?
RK: It just comes to me. It really does. I’ll be at a restaurant and sketch something or it can happen on a plane – it’s just very organic. Every season there’s that panic ‘What am I going to do?’ and it starts with the fabrics and then I’ll quickly sketch a look, and we take it from there.
When I see the finished product, I’m a bit awestruck. The only way to describe it is divine inspiration. And somewhere out there a girl is dreaming about that dress I’ve just created. I can’t tell you how many times brides have said to me ‘How did you know this is my dress? This is the dress I’ve been dreaming about.’
TB: Which bridal trends are you excited to see this year?
RK: I think more than anything brides have options today. It’s no longer a time where you have to wear strapless, you have to wear lace, or you have to wear satin, or you have to wear a ball gown. The beautiful thing about bridal fashion today is that there are many different styles as there are brides. That’s why a bride can really find something that’s unique to her and her own. The Legends bride is a bride that wants a timeless look, so she can look back on her wedding photos 40 years from now and still be in style.
TB: You’ve worked with a lot of big names, famous people during your career. Is there anyone past or present that you’d like to work with or design for?
RK: I’ve been very fortunate to work with some famous and influential women in the world, all from different walks of life. I’ve never sought them out – they’ve all approached me, which is very flattering. Whether it was Angelina Jolie, Tina Knowles, or Cheryl Hines they were all special in their own way and had a beautiful story to tell. That’s what makes it so special for me.
TB: How do you want a bride to feel on her wedding day in one of your dresses?
RK: I want that bride to feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. That’s what my objective is. When I see a bride and she’s beaming, and she feels like her best self then I know I’ve done my job.
TB: In all of your years as a bridal fashion designer, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
RK: Trust in the universe. I just feel very humbled in designing and sometimes these ideas will come from nowhere, but then I’ll meet a bride who was meant to wear one of my dresses and I just know that this is my purpose. I’m honoured to dress any bride. Famous, not famous – I’m honoured to dress them all because to me they’re all movie stars, they’re all royalty. Whoever the bride is, when I see them happy and beaming I know this is what I’m meant to do.