Farah Angsana fuses fantasy and reality in breathtaking bridalwear and couture designs

A bridal look

Vera Wang, Reem Acra, Kenneth Pool, Anne Barge, Romona Keveza, Oscar de la Renta - names that loom large in bridalwear.

But some of today’s most elegant bridal frocks are being crafted by the talented hands of Farah Angsana, an unassuming yet immensely interesting fashion designer who entered the genre only a year ago.

Her aesthetic is informed by her many travels and places of residence, from her native land of Indonesia to years spent growing up in Singapore, London and Los Angeles.

Although as a girl she was unable to sketch concepts or drape fabric, she was inspired by fashion magazines to design clothes for her mother and sister. Then she would take her ideas to a local dressmaker and guide the professional through sketching, fabric selection and creation of garments with a strong emphasis on appearance, texture, drape and movement.

Bridal beauty

Thus began her desire to create apparel that combined fantasy and reality to make women look elegant and beautiful. Rich colors and luxurious embroideries are hallmarks or her eveningwear and special-occasion looks.

Angsana gained popularity first with cocktail eveningwear for women. She launched her readytowear in 1998, debuted in London in 1999 and moved to Paris the following year, adding daring, debonair menswear to her design repertoire.

In 1990, she began studying fashion design and haute couture technique at the Central School of Fashion in London, finishing in 1992. There she learned about the techniques of such legendary designers as Madame Gres, Valentino and his mentor, Jean Desses.

Angsana devotes her talent and energy to couture and high-end eveningwear and bridalwear, having abandoned sportswear and menswear lines that advisors lured her into for several years. She was the first Indonesian-born designer to show a collection in Paris, taking the Ritz hotel by storm at Paris Fashion Week and winning critical acclaim.

Designer Farah Angsana, gorgeous and gifted

She showed at New York Fashion Week in September 2008. While she divides her time among homes and ateliers in Paris, Zurich, and Como, Italy, some of today’s hottest celebrities are slipping into her lovely frocks. Among those recently photographed wearing her red carpet-ready designs - or modeling them in magazine editorial fashion spreads - are Alicia Silverstone, Marlee Matlin, Olivia Wilde, Teri Hatcher, Sanaa Lathan, Anna Getty, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige and Taraji Henson.

Learn more about Farah Angsana and view more of her designs at www.farahangsana.com.