We chat to Kavelle Couture’s founding team about how it stays at the forefront of bridal trends after 20 years in business and makes wedding-dress shopping an unforgettable experience.
From designing one-off dresses from home in 1991, Jaspal Landa’s ambition of owning a boutique was realised when Kavelle Couture opened its first store in Edinburgh’s west end in 1993. Thousands of delighted brides later, the company, now run by two generations of the family, relocated its flagship boutique to Brandon Terrace in Edinburgh in 2011.
The business has grown thanks to our ethos of putting brides first. Our reputation for excellence is the reason women travel from far and wide to get their wedding dress designed and handmade by Kavelle Couture. Industry insiders have described the shop as “a boutique with a soul”, designed to create a fairytale experience for each and every bride.
The Kavelle team, now run by two generations of the family, offer a bespoke service so brides can have their dream dress hand-crafted to their exact requirements. Our couture gowns demonstrate exquisite workmanship and exude modern glamour and elegance. Alongside our own designs, you’ll find gowns from some of the world’s leading bridal designers including Pronovias, La Sposa, Lusan Mandongus, Manuel Mota, Allure Bridals and Nicola Anne Couture. We’re also thrilled to be the only stockist in Scotland of red-carpet favourites Elie Saab and YSA Makino.
We have welcomed thousands of brides from all over the globe, so it’s tough to sum up the essence of a Kavelle Couture bride, but we think she has impeccable taste, lots of sophistication and is someone who appreciates quality and meticulous attention to detail.
From the moment you enter the store, the magic begins. There are around 100 dresses to choose from, and we have spacious fitting rooms. We work by appointment only, with a one-to-one service from our extremely knowledgeable team. Our brides can expect exquisite surroundings, world-class dresses and unmatched service.
Lace has always been a popular fabric for Kavelle Couture brides, but pure silks are the signature fabric of our Couture range.
Personal favourites are looks inspired by the 1920s and the 1960s – both very different but both equally stylish. We love sparkle, which has made a massive comeback in 2014-2015. If you can’t sparkle on your wedding day, when can you sparkle?
Kavelle’s top tips on what to avoid when shopping for a wedding dress
1 Don’t buy your wedding dress online – unless what you really want is a great horror story to tell everyone.
2 Do not restrict or limit yourself when it comes to the style of your dress. Just because you’ve had your heart set on a particular style since you were five years old doesn’t mean there won’t be something more flattering out there for you.
3 Don’t start the search too early – a year in advance is quite sufficient. Buying too early may mean you see others along the way and fall out of love with your chosen dress.
4 And don’t leave it too late: delivery can take up to seven months.
5 Don’t try on too many dresses (or you’ll get ‘dress drunk’, as one of our brides put it).
6 Don’t bring lots of people with you. Too many opinions can create confusion.
7 Most importantly, do not buy a dress to please anyone other than yourself!