Why shouldn’t shopping for a bridal gown be a blast for every body? Designer Katie Yeung – creator of the supremely sophisticated Hera Couture and fashion-forward Daisy brands – believes it’s a right for all women, and has developed two new Curve ranges to prove it.
Katie, you’ve always designed for all body types – why did you need to step it up a notch with Hera Curve and Daisy Curve? We’ve always been a proudly inclusive brand, but in the past year or so we’ve received feedback from brides saying they weren’t aware we cater for all shapes and sizes and were afraid of the wedding dress shopping experience, so we realised we had to talk specifically to the curvy bride. Hera Curve and Daisy Curve recognise that all women deserve to look beautiful on their big day and have a range of choices for their wedding gown.
How do these ranges differ from your main lines and each other? A curvy body isn’t necessarily taller, with broader shoulders or wider hips. There are lots of elements to consider, such as the proportions of the shoulder-to-waist, waist-to-hips, arms-to-waist and hips-to-floor ratios. Through my 10 years of experience in designing bridalwear, I know what flatters and hides different figures, and have used this knowledge to create gowns and separates that feature slightly higher backs to hide a bra, nipped-in waists to emphasise an hourglass shape, floaty sleeves, or floaty skirts to skim hips. Each collection has something for every body.
Hera Curve is modern and sophisticated. Hera wedding gowns are created with high- quality fabrics sourced worldwide, and selected styles feature intricate hand-beading to provide a luxurious statement look. My goal for Hera is to create gowns that look as timeless in 20 years time as they do today.
Daisy Curve is more trend-focused and relaxed. Daisy wedding gowns are perfect for going from a beach ceremony to a nightclub party, and are created to be incredibly flattering and amazingly comfortable, so a bride can be carefree and dance the night away.
What sort of a shift would you like to see in people’s attitudes towards how brides should look on their big day? Brides should wear whatever they want to wear on their wedding day. I mean, who said brides should wear a dress at all?
Also, should brides be restricted to wearing ivory or other ‘acceptable’ wedding colours? The answer is no! Wear whatever you want to wear – it’s your wedding and you want to feel 100 percent you. Curve celebrates women being true to themselves and not feeling like they have to change in order to submit to a preconceived ideal of what the perfect bride is. Be yourself, feel comfortable and have fun.
Weddings are hardly the exclusive domain of petite women – why is diversity still so under- represented in bridalwear? Economically speaking, the bridal business is an expensive business. There are so many financial elements associated with a brand – the showroom, stylists, imagery – not to mention the cost of making the dresses. The atelier, couturier, pattern-makers, machinists, quality-check team, fabric sourcing, labour, time and care necessary to craft a well-fitting wedding dress are not that easy or quick, and I think this is why so many boutiques simply can’t afford to stock every size in every style for every designer range.
However, we like to challenge industry norms. Right from the start, we made an executive decision to stock all sizes and styles across our two sister brands. Hera and Daisy invest heavily into this – we put 95 percent of the revenue back into the business in order to achieve this goal. It’s important for us to live up to our brand promise, and our belief in being a diverse company that loves all brides.
In your opinion, how can women help to change the conversation and our attitudes towards our own bodies? We have so many gorgeous-looking brides coming into our showroom, but they don’t feel gorgeous. Often this dissatisfaction stems from society’s ideals, so I think it’s important for women to understand that social media provides a very narrow and often skewed version of reality. Instead [of judging yourself against that], go and sit in a shopping mall and look at real people – that’s what normal is: tall, short, big boobs, boyish hips. Everyone has their own unique beauty – emphasise that and forget the rest. And remember: it isn’t up to our families, friends or society to change how we perceive beauty – we have to do that for ourselves.
Where is Curve available to order? The Curve collections are available at our Auckland showroom, and selected stockists in New Zealand and around the world. Check online to see where your closest Hera or Daisy stockist is and book a fitting, calling ahead to make sure they have the Curve collections in stock in the sizes and styles you love most.
What do you hope brides will gain from your Curve ranges? I hope to remove the anxiety that can accompany the wedding dress shopping experience and to make all brides feel like they’re worthy of a gorgeous gown. We’re committed to providing brides with a comprehensive selection of gowns and making all women look and feel beautiful and confident on their special day. We’re here for you.
Photography: Jesse and Jessie | Words: Phillipa Prentice
