I found pictures of dresses I loved in a magazine and followed them to the St. Pucchi website. It's a wild story, but here goes...
The closest vendor to me is Belles & Beaux in Georgia, so my mother and I decided to drive down to Georgia instead of flying to Dallas or Los Angeles to the St. Pucchi stores. I called the store in Georgia and asked if I could see about a dozen dresses and if they could plan a weekend for me to be there. They were very accomodating, but because of the number of dresses I was requesting, St. Pucchi said they could not send that many unless it was for a national trunk show. I was a bit upset, as I had been the one to request all the gowns, but mom & I planned to go a day early so I could spend some time with the dresses on my own...Not only did St. Pucchi send all the gowns I requested, but they sent several dozen more.
Their representative was there along with the ladies that work there regularly, and they let me try on gowns until I found the one that made me cry. I knew THAT was THE DRESS! The rep helped get me measured, then went above and beyond by asking me how I wanted to personalize my dress. We lengthened the train by three feet, the designer added my hand embroidered and beaded monogram to the bustle, they offered to specially make a hand embroidered and beaded mantilla-style veil to extend past the end of the gown. And when I asked if they could make my dad a cumberbund and bow-tie to match the beaded dragons on my dress, and make a matching garter for me the rep replied quickly "let me call and ask for you". Turns out the designer, Rani, has never done a garter, cumberbund or bow-tie and usually would not take those requests, but she made them all custom and just for me.
We cooresponded with both the St. Pucchi company and the gown store via email, fax and phone. I was faxed design sketches of my monogram layout and veil design. I ordered my gown the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2003, and THE DRESS arrived at the gown store in Georgia in June 2004. I drove down with my parents and sister in August 2004 to be fitted and took it home with me on the same trip.
It was a design that the company sold internationally, I'm sure, but with all the details catered to my needs and my whims - I was impressed and touched by all the hard work that went in to the design and manufacturing of my piece. It's surely an original - with matching garter and father-of-the-bride accessories.
I adore my St. Pucchi gown. It fit like a dream, and made me feel like European royalty at the most lavish ball ever thrown. Their designs are elaborate, detailed and exquisite, and I'd pick the same one again in a heartbeat.
