At Juno Marie, all we have to do to get the perfect wedding gown is dream it up. That’s right, Divya Lakshmi, the owner promises that she can translate any vision of yours into a taffeta reality — and what’s more, she has been at it for the past nine years. After the first shop that was started two years ago at Adyar, she has launched her second outlet at Kotturpuram around Christmas time last year. Spread across 900 sq ft, the latest one will be the primary outlet henceforth. Having been trained under Japanese designer Saori Y, Divya says that right from the sleeves to hemlines to the bodice, her creations are all about the details — with 70 designers working on the gowns in her factory in Japan. The Chennai-based designer boasts an impressive clientele that includes the likes of choreographer Lalitha Shobi and Sheeba Trueman, wife of music director Simon whose latest composition was for a Tamil film Sathya (2017).
In the making
With numerous sample dresses available at her shop, one can also mix and match elements from the various pieces. The 28-year-old agrees that Pinterest is a popular source for designs for many of her customers. However, the charm is that Divya manages to replicate those designs within the decided budgets. “December to January has been the peak season for us, I sold about 68 gowns,” she informs, adding that since some patrons do not want to wait for a customised dress that could take up to 20 days, she currently has 20 ready-to-wear designs in a range of sizes. “Ready-made ones take eight days to be delivered from China,” says Divya adding that from paperwork to the final detailing, customers are well informed about the status of their gown through pictures and updates.
What’s trending
Although her highlights are A type gowns that include empire and waistline cuts, ball gowns and mermaid gowns, she mentions three things that brides these days are looking for — Disney character inspired gowns, cold and off-shoulder styles and embellishments and petal work inspired by a themed colour. While satin and organza are the most commonly used fabric, white and pastel shades of pink dominate the palette.
In addition to bridal gowns, her target collection for the New Year will include outfits for the groom, bridesmaids and the whole family, all under one roof. With an existing outlet in Bengaluru, expect Juno Marie in Nagercoil or Kochi. `18,000 for party wear and `30,000 for wedding wear.
