Luly Yang is a Seattle based couture house specializing in both bridal attire and evening ensembles for women and men. We happen to know Luly Yang’s young, talented and charming Public Relations Coordinator, Andrew Hoge, who is also at Seattle University. Andrew has interned with Oscar Del la Renta in NYC and is currently doing a Public Relations Project with YLF as a credit requirement for school. He’s full of interesting ideas and quite the social networking dynamo. We’re lucky to have crossed paths.
Andrew suggested we stop by Luly Yang’s showroom last weekend. So Greg and I popped by hoping to take a peek at exquisite gowns, fab accessories, and perhaps snap the odd photo. When we got there, Andrew greeted us warmly, and gave us a quick tour of Luly’s smashing atelier. He also very unexpectedly said that I should try on a few Luly Yang gems. Well, ladies! Who was I to pass up an opportunity to play dress up in a couture show room.
As I begun to browse, the fascinator hats in a glass display cabinet were the first things to catch my eye. I have a small head and short hair so small fascinators are my best option. Luly’s fascinators were dainty, and I just loved them! Some you attached with a comb or clip, while others slipped on with a headband. I asked one of the Luly bridal professionals whether facinators were increasing with popularity, and she replied with a resounding “YES”. They are becoming more popular than veils, and wedding guests are wearing them more frequently too. I tried on a few that didn’t match my outfit, but how fun! I was transported back to another fashion era. My retro fashion streak is determined to wear a facinator at some point this year, even if it means that I have to host my own fascinator party.
After the fascinator fun, I perused the endless rails of couture and bridal gowns. Luly Yang’s collections are made of the the finest silks and the most luxurious fabrications. The embellishments are decadent and exquisite. The cut, design and drape of the garments is sublime. There was one particular orange gown adorned with peacock embroideries from head to toe. It was handmade and it took over 200 hours to stitch the embroideries. Couture garments cost thousands of dollars and I was very aware of this fact as I was trying them on. This was NOT the time to rush in the fitting room.
I looked at many glorious gowns, which spanned a spectrum of colours. Cream, white, blush pink, pastels, nudes, silver grey and metallic shades reigned supreme in both long and short lengths. Most of the designs were beautifully embellished, and it was a breath of fresh air to see couture life beyond the strapless gown. Thank you Luly, for also putting sleeves on some of your designs.
I like strong simple lines, so my eye was drawn to the simplest of Luly’s designs. I tried on all sorts of pastel shade dresses, which look lifeless against my complexion, just for the heck of it. The gold sheath I’m wearing in the picture above is not the best colour for my skin tone, but the architectural drape of the neckline and bodice pulled at my heart strings. Magical! The garments in the design studio only represent a couple of sizes, so if they don’t fit, the backs are clipped to make them fit. That way you get a better sense of how the silhouette would look when custom made for your body.
I soaked in the stunning workmanship of the many, many bridal gowns, one more lavish than the next. Bustles, bustiers, fishtails, ruffles, feathers, tulle, pleats, beading and boning. AMAZING. But I wore a very simple wedding gown almost 15 years ago and my preference for simple, clean cut wedding gowns is still strong today. I held up one wedding gown to Greg, the gown photographed here, and asked him whether he could see me walk down the aisle in this style. He said “absolutely”. And that was the gown I tried on. Good thing my fashion stylist was there to offer his opinion.
Andrew finished off the gown with a vintage floral and feather facinator. I loved that touch because I didn’t wear a veil to my own wedding. No pearls this time round either, and that was fine too. The fabric of this frock is as luxurious as can be. It almost made me cry. Oh, how fun it was to relive the joys of wearing a wedding dress of your dreams! I highly recommend the experience if you get the opportunity.
Thanks, Andrew! We thoroughly enjoyed our Luly Yang show room experience. Immersing myself in couture and dressy accessories for an hour on Sunday afternoon was a real treat.
You can follow Luly Yang on Twitter and learn more about Luly Yang Couture on Facebook.
