Made with the refined bride in mind, designer Valentine Avoh’s wedding gowns are effortlessly feminine. Brides have fallen in love with her unique details, custom designs and affordable prices. Although she’s fairly new to the bridal world, Avoh is already making a name for herself.
How It All Began
Valentine Avoh was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium. At a young age, she developed a love for art and photography which eventually evolved into a passion for fashion. At 19, she went to study fashion design at the London College of Fashion.
Right after graduation, she landed a job at Alexander McQueen and spent the next ten years working for a number of prestigious fashion designers including Samantha Shaw, Alexis Mabille and San Andres Milano.
Getting Into the Bridal Industry
After learning from some impressive fashion houses, Avoh was ready to say “I do” to the bridal world. In 2009, she completed her first wedding dress and continued making dresses for family and friends. By 2015, she was ready to launch her very own brand and opened her Brussels atelier in 2017.
All of Avoh’s designs are handmade and embody the spirit of haute couture. She combines timeless cuts with surprising details including quality European fabrics like tulle and silk, unique embroideries and fun accents like feathers and sequins. Her dresses are light and playful for the refined, modern bride and allow brides to feel intimate luxury without compromising ease.
Courtesy: facebook.com, lofficiel.be
The Empire Today
When you walk into Avoh’s atelier, you’re in for a special one-on-one experience. Brides spend about an hour talking with Avoh about their vision for their wedding day, followed by an appointment to try on different styles and silhouettes. Once you determine your dream style, Avoh will help you custom-design one of her collection gowns or decide on a completely unique design. It’s truly a hands-on appointment and allows every bride to customize her gown to fit her unique taste and personality.
When creating these one-of-a-kind gowns, Avoh uses her love of film and music as inspiration—specifically the early 30s to late 50s eras. Many of her gowns embody the glamour of Rita Hayworth, the sensuality of Marlene Dietrich and the charm of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. You’ll also notice many of her gowns are named after these inspirational and iconic people. Avoh uses her own brides for inspiration as well. She says listening to their comments and feedback help create and improve her future designs.
Our Fave Valentine Avoh Looks
Courtesy: valentineavoh.com
We are completely obsessed with Avon’s latest bridal collection Sunset Boulevard. The Hollywood-inspired collection is super chic and playful. Just imagine dancing the night away in that gorgeous organza-pleated georgette skirt or walking down the aisle in the stunning low-back, silk crepe and lace gown.
The real winner from this collection is Ginger—featuring embroidered tulle full of sequins and beads, not to mention hand-sewn feathers. Avoh says if she had to choose a gown for a glam red-carpet wedding, Ginger is her movie star. All she needs is a classic car to drive off into the sunset.
Courtesy: facebook.com, instagram.com
We are currently on pins and needles, patiently awaiting Avoh’s 2022 bridal collection titled “Midnight Train”. Avoh has dropped a few sneak peeks via Facebook and Instagram, but we are ready for it! The collection will feature some of her traditional styles: beautiful embroidery, hand beading, gorgeous silk, lace and organza but also some “unusual textures”. We can’t wait to see the final collection—expected to drop sometime this month!
