If you don’t know the label Safiyaa, chances are you’ve seen its most famous dress: a blue cape-back gown worn by none other than Meghan Markle. Images of the Duchess on a royal visit to Fiji last year went viral almost instantly: This was the first gown she’d been photographed in since her wedding, as well as one of her first public appearances after announcing her pregnancy. But the dress itself left a lasting impression, too: the striking color (mirroring the Fijian flag); the elegant cape detail; the narrow, unfussy silhouette. A few decades ago, a royal tour would’ve mandated a ball gown and gloves, but this was a fresh, modern alternative. In fact, Markle looked comfortable.
That sort of easy-yet-elegant balance is the core of Safiyaa, according to its founder Daniela Karnuts. Before she launched the line in 2011, she was working as the commercial director for a major fashion media company in London and found it arduous to curate a “work wardrobe” that felt both sophisticated and practical. “I was always looking for clothes that were dignified, but still comfortable, and what I found was either very expensive or very seasonal and trend-driven,” she explains. “You might find a beautiful dress, but it becomes the dress of the season, and by next year, everyone knows exactly what it is. Or it’s beautiful, but it doesn’t work for every woman’s shape.”
Meghan Markle wearing Safiyaa in Fiji last October :
Still, the real differentiator is Karnuts’s manufacturing process. Every item is made to order in her Mayfair atelier. Whether it’s a pair of trousers or an embellished evening gown, so she doesn’t stock inventory. Londoners can schedule private appointments to have something made for them. Whether it’s a simple pair of trousers or a custom evening gown. Karnuts says her team “can do anything”. Many of her private clients are based outside of London. Once Karnuts has their measurements, they’ll simply place orders via WhatsApp. All of that personalization makes her price points impressive: She calls it “demi-couture at a ready-to-wear price point”. To wit, the gown Markle wore retails for just under $1,300 on Net-a-Porter.
That detail will be a key selling point for Karnut’s newest category: bridal. Karnuts is hoping to offer a modern, streamlined alternative to traditional wedding gowns—both in terms of the actual designs. The much shorter lead time. Six or nine months is the norm for a made-to-measure wedding dresses. Whereas Safiyaa’s ivory tuxedos and embellished columns can be done in just a fraction of that time. “Over the years, we had so many clients asking us to make their favorite dress in white. Net-a-Porter asked us to do a special capsule of white ready-to-wear pieces for their Bridal edit. I thought, why not build out a bridal collection of our best-selling classics? It’s a nice way to reinterpret our archives in white, but with new embroideries and embellishments.”
wedding dresses
The results include tuxedos, jumpsuits, and top-and-trouser combinations in Safiyaa’s usual crepe with new hints of sparkle. A sleek column with sculptural sleeves felt familiarwhereas other looks—a sparkling gown with a giant satin bow, or a long-sleeved dress in floaty chiffon—take the brand in a newer, softer direction. “I think a lot of women want to wear something like this down the aisle,” she says. “But even the bride who wants to wear a big gown for the actual wedding will need something [easier] for the rehearsal dinner or brunch.” Interested brides can shop the debut collection exclusively on Safiyaa’s website and on Moda Operandi.
source: vogue
