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Discover Benelux | Special Theme | Weddings in the Benelux
Your personal desires spark the design process, taking you on a journey from fabric and detail selection through six fittings, to the dream moment of putting on your wedding dress.
“The body is our drawing paper” TEXT: BERTHE VAN DEN HURK | PHOTOS: HILLENIUS COUTURE
With the most delicate fabrics from the best fabric houses in Europe, Dutch atelier Hillenius Couture creates the perfect wedding and evening dresses. For fifty years they have “built” the dress around the person, pinned on co-owner Nicoline van Marlen’s motivation: “In this way we can design a dress with a level of perfection that is not reachable drawing on paper.” At Hillenius Couture the design starts with the desire of the individual. The shape of the body will be analysed and with that information a “sculpture” of fabric is created, which provides the first drawing of the dress. When the perfect shape is found, the second step is choosing the right kind of fabric, a process initiating a journey to find the lace, pearls, stones or sequins to create the distinctive desired design, unique and personal, all with the expert guidance of Hillenius Couture designers. The Hillenius Couture shop is an experience on its own. The whole dressmaking
process is visible to you, from choosing the perfect fabric that fits your body to seeing “the girls” – van Marlen’s seamstresses – sew your dress. “Each dress is hand-carved, modelled and built,” van Marlen explains. “I would be nothing without my girls. It’s like the relationship an architect has with his builders; they need each other to create something beautiful. Without them I will not be able to build the dream for our customer.”
model and will see the dress grow step by step. Thus, every dress is a unique creation. Step into the world of Hillenius Couture by visiting their website, and learn more about the journey of your one-of-akind dress. www.bruidscouture.nl
Because of her love for special and luxurious fabrics, van Marlen has specialised in bridal and evening dresses. “Besides our spectacular collection of fabrics, like silk and lace, we also design our own fabrics, accessories and jewellery,” she says. Because of this, Hillenius Couture offers the possibility to create new forms with classical and modern techniques and materials. In about six fittings the perfect dress will be created. The customer is the natural fitting
Issue 10 | October 2014 | 49