FashionBride Interview with Maria Lucia Hohan

They say “wear your heart on your sleeve”, I’d definitely do so if the sleeve would be one of a gorgeous gown made by Maria Lucia Hohan! Today I’m pleased to present you my latest interview with a beautiful designer (she’s a stunning girl and I don’t mean only because of her  work) and one of the most talented fashion artists in my country.

Yup, I’m going to spoil you with some stunning gowns and an inside story told by the Romanian designer that charmed Alix with her creations. Wanna know more? Read the interview and don’t forget to check her website – your wedding gown must be there!

1. When did you decided to become a designer and why did you find this domain interesting?

I actually started by studying Interior&Product design in Paris at Creapole-ESDI school, then I switched to Textile&fashion at LISAA – L’Institut des Arts Appliques. I think somehow my destiny was to work in fashion, as I didn’t plan it from the beginning but all the steps led me towards this field.

I love to create, I love the creative process, I love discovering fabrics and textures and I love to play with colours, shades, nuances. One day ill probably switch back to interior design, as it’s a domain so dear to me, as it includes also fabrics and textures, but used in a different space and volume.

Basically it’s not only about clothes and fashion, I love to create anything that requires selecting colours and materials and developing a concept, an idea. The clothes are just the final product that I chose at this moment in order to express my ideas and feelings.
2. Talk us trough the first years of you work. Maybe you could tell us what did change in time? Are your designs different from the very beginning?

In september 2003, at my very beginning, I was just a child. I was 23 years old and very ambitious and eager to have my own business and probably I benefited from beginner’s luck, as I started to have customers quite rapidly. My designs werent developed, my financial sources were scarce and limited so that influenced a lot the way the clothes looked like 7 years ago.

I was just discovering new sewing and cutting techniques and I was learning along my production team how the clothes are really made. Basically every day I learn something about the fabrics, about the fitting on real people, about what the girls really want to wear so I can create in a more commercial way etc.

I understand only now why every single designer will always say that his last collection is definitely the best, as we evolve and progress with each season that passes.

3. Why should a bride-to-be choose one of your designs?

I do design thinking about “love”, as the ultimate source of inspiration. When a man and a woman decide to join destinies forever, they want to celebrate this event in style – but the dress its after all, only an accessory of the bride, the LOVE between the partners is the subject of the wedding itself.

Therefore, I create dresses for a light-hearted, ultra-romantic, girlie and playful bride, that probably will celebrate her wedding by the seaside or in a beautiful garden, surrounded by flowers. She will wear crystal-embedded flats, not high heels and she will wear flowers in her hair. MLH bride dream to love and to be loved and she will also fall in love with the dress, as a symbol of her happy union with her partner.

4. Do tell us a bit more about your inspiration sources for your collection.

I do get most of my inspiration recently from the fashion&design blogs, I save images that I like and I pin them on my wall. A few months later the ideas will transform into a detail or a very piece of clothing. I also like make-up colours and packaging, dresses worn by movie characters, fashion editorials etc I gather everything into big panels and then I filter the information and I extract the colours from there and the textures I want to use.

5. Have you got any piece you’ve created and that has a very special meaning for you? Can you describe it or can show us a picture?

I would say that at this moment, it’s the wedding dress of Alix – the cherryblossomgirl. This dress made me realise that I want to create bridal gowns for many years from now to come and opened my eyes towards a whole new creative universe.

6. From your point of view, how should a perfect bride look like?

A perfect bride is the one with no doubts about her marriage, that loves with full heart and wears a large smile on her face.

7. And tell us what would you give her and, maybe, other brands can’t.

I design romantic, playful dresses with an innocent touch. I don’t like to use optic white, I like ivory – antique – off whites, vanilla light beige, creamy butter tones. And lots of lace details and bows. The bow will remain most probably my signature, even if it’s in leather, rhinestone or sheer mousseline.

I create wedding gowns for girls that are happy to be in love and to celebrate their feelings. Therefore, the girls will always want to play a little bit with their look and try not to take it so seriously – they will add bows, hearts, soft fabrics and glazed chiffon to their favourite dress and not try to overdress or look like fancy ladies.

8. Last but not least, do you have any advice for FashionBride readers?

Try to wear your dress with low heel shoes, in duchesse satin with a delicate rhinestone or satin bow as detail. Think about your comfort and remember that the happy smile on the bride’s face is the ultimate accessory for the look 🙂