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Is there such a thing as the "perfect" wedding dress?

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Hendrik Vermeulen, iconic South African fashion designer, renowned for his exquisite couture and corsetry began his career at the young age of 6. Under the supervision of his mother, a talented seamstress and dressmaker, Vermeulen went on to sell his first evening dress aged just 15-years-old. From there, Hendrik grew from strength to strength, attending as many fashion-related classes and workshops as he could, before enrolling at a private fashion institute in Pretoria.

It was here that Hendrik received his diploma in Haute Couture, along with the coveted “Student of the Year” award.

Hendrik’s obvious talent for design quickly landed him the opportunity to work for internationally renowned fashion designer, Gert van der Merwe, in Cape Town.

Whilst managing his atelier and international clientele, Vermeulen spent after-hours producing custom-made bridal wear and exclusive formal evening wear, under his own name.

Firm in his footing, the young prodigy began his own signature label in 2009, opening the doors to his new atelier on the outskirts of the Mother City.

The flagship boutique can now be found in the centre of the Cape Town CBD, in a historical building, nestled along the bustling Breë street – a hive of artisan activity.

The Hendrik Vermeulen flagship boutique offers a ready-to-wear label “Simply Vermeulen” – consisting of women’s and men’s wear - resort wear for him and her, as well as exclusive accessories.

The Hendrik Vermeulen Couture brand believes that perfection is in the craftsmanship, and not in an “ideal” woman. As the designer himself says: “I want my designs to change society’s view of the perfect woman”, staying true to the supreme definition of couture.

•    Is there such a thing as the “perfect” wedding dress?

Yes, for us the “perfect” wedding dress exists, it is the one that the future bride has participated in conceiving and that fits like a glove, the one that makes her feel and look at her best on her special day and in a most exclusive way.

•    Why purchase a couture wedding dress, instead of a ready-to-wear?

If the budget allows it, the future bride will have a wedding dress made to measure on her specifications in addition to a great experience and memories of a lifetime. The process of having a dress made for you, prepares you mentally for the big day compared to the “ready made” dress bought and left in a cupboard until a few hours before the celebration.

•    Every designer has a signature or unique style, what is yours?

We do not believe in imposing a style, never mind our own style… We would rather listen to our clients’ ideas and design something suiting their style, theme and adapted to their silhouette/body. Our style will then appear in the quality of the craftsmanship and perfect fit.

•    From your experience, how competitive is the South African Bridal industry?

There is a very strong competition for sure, the bridal industry is a very lucrative one; there is a lot of suppliers offering a large array of products. The future weds must be discerning and thorough in their search for the right suppliers. In our niche market, the competition is less hard since we are a destination offering a very specific product that doesn’t really compete with others.

•    Is there a specific designer you look to for inspiration, or aspire to emulate, whether in design or in profession?

Not anymore, I started my career by looking at inspirational designs by the greatest couturiers such as Balenciaga, Balmain, Dior, Saint Laurent, but for a few years now my inspiration comes from multiple areas and I prevent myself to look at other people’s work in order to avoid the copy-paste scenario.

•    Since expanding abroad, what are the differences between what South African brides desire from a wedding dress as opposed to European brides?

We do not have an extended knowledge of the European markets since we only started in Geneva in November last year, but the information we have gathered so far, shows that every future bride looks for the same results: a dress that fits their body perfectly and enhance it where needed, a dress that fits their budget, theme and mood.

We only wish that South African future brides would take advantage of the numerous talented bridal couturiers our country has as to realise that nothing beats the feeling of uniqueness that a custom wedding dress offers.

And that is perhaps the description of a “princess” dream dress.

All images: Supplied

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