The “ Queen of Bling ” on TLC ’ s Say Yes to the Dress may be known internationally for dressing brides and celebrities the world over in crystals from head-to-toe , but as her 2018 LOVE collection suggests , her sights are set on pleasing a wider audience with an array of budget-friendly gowns . Here , we go beyond the bling to discuss shopping advice , the people that inspire her and what ’ s to come in the future .
For your 2018 LOVE collection , you let the love that surrounds you each day guide you in the design process . What type of fabrics , motifs and shapes inspired it ? Tell us about the goal of this collection .
My LOVE by Pnina Tornai Collection is my way of giving love to all of my brides who have shown me so much support and kindness over the years . I truly wanted this collection to have a gown for every kind of bride : the red carpet bride , the classic bride , the princess bride , the sexy bride , and the fashionista bride . I took the most popular silhouettes from my couture collections over the years and used them as the inspiration for my 2018 collection . This collection features micro-sequin fabrics that give a bright shimmer , illusion details , the crystal embroidery that I ’ m known for ( they do call me the Queen of Bling ), and unique laces that I searched the world for . This collection is for all of the brides who always dreamed of being a Pnina Bride , but felt restricted because of their budget . I ’ m so happy that I can make more dreams come true .
In the past you ’ ve used the desert , the skyline of New York and the grounds of a mansion as the setting for your campaign . Tell us about the setting you chose for your 2018 LOVE collection . What made you choose it ?
I chose to shoot this collection on the beach in Israel because it is a place that gives me so much peace and happiness and it is a place where I spend time with the ones that I love . We decided that the concept of the shoot would be a behind-the-scenes look of a model in the middle of a beach photo shoot . I believe that all of my brides are celebrities and should feel like the star of the show when they wear one of my gowns . Your wedding day is one of the only times that you will have that much attention placed on you and you should feel your best the entire day .
You meet hundreds of brides each year . What advice do you usually give them when it comes to shopping and customizing their gown ? What question do they ask you the most ?
I always tell my brides that the process should be fun ! To keep the appointment stress free , I always recommend bringing a small group of people who you trust . More people often means more opinions , and your gown shopping process can become overwhelming . Another top tip I have is to keep an open mind . So many of my brides have a vision of what they thought they were going to wear , and then they end up wearing the exact opposite ! As long as you feel amazing in your gown , that is all that matters . As for a question I get asked the most , I would say that many brides ask my opinion on what silhouette they should purchase . Since I ’ ve been designing and dressing brides for over 25 years , they trust me to tell them if a gown is flattering or if they should try a different silhouette .
We know you ’ ve been asked this a million times , but just for our record , when did you discover designing was your passion ?
As a child , I would draw Victorian ball gowns on the walls of my house and cut up my mother ’ s tablecloths to make clothes , but it wasn ’ t until much later in life that I realized that designing was my calling . In fact , I always wanted to be an actress , which is something I still do and enjoy very much ! During a difficult time in my life during my 20s , I had a dream that wedding gowns were falling from the sky . I could see all of the details so vividly and when I woke up , I knew this is what I was supposed to do . The rest is history !
You ’ ve said that many of your designs come to you while you dream . Have you ever dreamed a design that you didn ’ t get the chance to create ? If so , what was it like ?
I am happily able to say that I have created all of the gowns that I ’ ve dreamed about . They don ’ t always come to fruition right away , but this is the reason why I don ’ t work in collections only . I am known for sending dresses at random to my boutique manager at the Pnina Tornai Boutique at Kleinfeld Bridal . If I see it in my dreams , I need to create it ! I will say , however , that not all of the designs I create for my collection for New York Bridal Fashion Week make it to the runway . My show would be hours ! It ’ s so hard to choose which gowns to cut from the show , but they still make it onto the sales floor .
Your gowns are carried all over the world , including Canada . Have you had the chance to visit Kleinfeld Hudson ’ s Bay in Toronto ? If so , what was your most memorable visit ?
Yes ! I usually have a few trunk shows a year at Kleinfeld Hudson ’ s Bay . I would have to say my most memorable visit was the first one . I was and still am so amazed by how beautiful the store is and how kind the staff is . And during my off time , I have way too much fun shopping !
Over the last 10 years at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York , you ’ ve earned your spot as the top seller along with the store ’ s only designer shop-in-shop where you offer shoes , headpieces , jewellery and a perfume designed by you . What would you say is the next step you hope to take in the bridal fashion world ?
I am happy to say that I did launch the Pnina Tornai Evening Couture line , which can be purchased for mother of the bride , mother of the groom , or bridesmaids . Other than that , I can ’ t give away any secrets , but stay tuned ! I always show my followers what I ’ m up to on my Instagram , @ pninatornai .
Last but not least , tell us about the dress you are the most proud of .
It ’ s so difficult to choose because all of my gowns are like my children . But if I had to pick one gown , I would have to say style 4019 . It isn ’ t my most overthe-top gown , but it has made so many brides happy over the years . I have eight-year-old girls tell me that this is the gown they want to get married in in 20 years , and then I have 30-year-old brides tell me that they saw this gown ten years ago and they are so happy to finally try it on and walk down the aisle wearing it . When people hear the name “ Pnina Tornai ” this is the dress that always comes to mind .
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