THE DRESSES FOR
THE ROMANOFF
WEDDING
The first wedding of a Grand Duke of Russia to be held in
Russia after the Revolution, and the first Romanov wedding
to be held in Saint Isaac’s Cathedral after over 300 years,
required a few dresses, and Victoria Romanovna Bettarini
wanted to make sure that each of them paid homage to
Russian traditions as well as Italian fashion. An international
collaboration was therefore initiated, to create
unique looks for each event.
THE WEDDING CEREMONY
DRESS
Reem Acra, Elina Samarina for Sergio Marcone Moscow and Torzhok
embroideries.
The bride chose a design from the internationally renowned designer Reem Acra,
whose creations are a favourite red carpet choice
of Hollywood stars. The dress has impeccable
lines.
“Reem Acra has exquisite taste and her gowns are
designed holistically as if they were a masterwork
of architecture,” notes the bride. “I had only two
requirements: a refined and modern dress made
of Italian Silk Mikado, in the classic Italian wedding
gowns of the 1960s. To create lightness and
volume in a skirt made of such a rigid and heavy
material, it requires an expert touch and Mrs.
Acra was the right person to design such a
complex and sophisticated gown.”
The dress is a classic that is made to give a nod to
the purity of the symbolism of marriage. Made of
European fabric and designed in New York, and
worn in Russia it’s a combination of 3 worlds and
a tribute to our common roots.- REEM ACRA
The result is an elegant and classic, yet modern gown. It has long sleeves, a crew
neckline and a 6-meter long train with a paneled cape created by Russian born
designer Elina Samarina.
“It was important for me that the dress would pull together different cultural
motifs in a sort of cultural exchange."
Elina Samarina, founder of the
Sergio Marcone brand in
Moscow was essential in
creating something unique
which would showcase the best
of Russian artistry.
Elina masterfully reinterprets
Russian styles. That’s why she
immediately had ideas on how
to incorporate patterns of
Russian style and embroidery
into the ensemble of the
wedding dress.
There is a very long and rich
tradition of embroidery in
Russia, which continues to our
own day, with patterns and
designs that vary from region to region. They are small masterpieces!
It was an honour for me to take part in this project and I am proud as a Russian
that I get the chance to showcase our Russian style and craftsmanship to the world. ELINA SAMARINA
The embroidery of the veil is done
in the traditional Torzhok style
embroidered into the tulle veil,
instead of velvet, and which took
five weeks of intense work to
complete.
“The wedding gown has a lot of
symbolism,” according to the bride.
“It pays a joint tribute to the Italian and Russian culture. It showcases a blend of
Russian craftsmanship and Italian elegance. It connects with symbols and motifs
every Russian can identify with. It expresses continuity between the present and
the past, and it’s issued of a high skilled collaboration between our countries.”
“Although it was very difficult to work on this wedding dress during the pandemic,
I am extremely pleased with the results. I wanted this dress to be the perfect
synthesis of our cultures. The idea of having two companies involved in the process
on two different continents certainly created some logistical problems, but
everyone worked with
enthusiasm and professionalism to create this dress
as I had imagined it.”
THE GALA DINNER GOWN
Reem Acra and Elina Samarina for Sergio Marcone Moscow and
Torzhok embroideries.
The bride chose a hand-embroidered tulle gown made of the fabric that
Mrs. Acra describes “dreams are made of”.
Elina Samarina added a Russian touch by creating a white cape made of silk
Mikado, inspired by traditional designs and embroidered in a Torzhok style.
According to fashion designer Elina Samarina, “the Romanoffs have always
fascinated and inspired people's imaginations through their unique
interpretation of Russian traditions in fashion. They were ambassadors of
Russian culture, opulence, and traditions abroad, this is why for such a
special occasion I wanted to revive Russian unique manufacturing
traditions. It is a privilege for me to have been able to work on this
extraordinary project.
“It doesn't often happen to have clients asking me to do historical research on Russian
fashion. As a Russian, I am very happy that the bride decided to pay homage to
the traditions of our country “ Elina Samarina
THE CIVIL
WEDDING DRESS
The dress for the civil ceremony is embroidered with Kokhloma designs.
The dress for the Civil Ceremony was made by the designer Chiara
Boni in an ice-blue color, embroidered with gold thread inspired by
the traditional folkloric designs of Khokhloma. Ice-blue is also the
color of the Imperial Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called which is
the most important dynastic order of the Russian Imperial House. It
was founded by Peter the Great in 1698. The light blue ribbon of the
order of Saint Andrews served as an inspiration for the shade of the
dress of the civil marriage.
KOKHLOMA
FOLKLORIC PATTERNS
THE COCKTAIL EVENING DRESS
For the first event, the bride chose a black velvet and tulle gown embroidered with golden appliqué by Lebanese designer Gatti Nolli by Marwan. The dress is black and gold, the house colours of the Romanoff Dynasty, and combines a velvet bustier with a diaphanous tulle skirt.
ROMANOFF FLAG
