Interview with a Paper Wedding Gown Designer

HOST: And a hearty hello from the wedding gown capital of the world, Paris, France, where we have the ultimate in delights today. Ladies, on you'll be pleased as punch to know that as our special guest on "Gown Talk" today is Mademoiselle De Blanc, creator and amazing designer of this year's crème de la crème, the paper wedding dress. Welcome, Mademoiselle and thank you for being here.

DE BLANC: The pleasure is all yours I'm sure, my dear. And where shall we begin, I wonder?

HOST: Well, may I suggest a bit a backstory? What inspired you to make gowns of Sweetness and Light?

DE BLANC: But of course. The gown fabric of years' past has sometimes been so heavy and unrevealing, you know? Sort of a bridal bed cover than a wrap of the individual bride's beauty and style. So I set up to capture the inner beauty and essence of bride with a texture that would showcase her body and her skin. Paper allows what is inside it to shine through. Keep it simple and light is my motto. My gowns weigh a tad two pounds plus compared to those silk and chiffon bolts of material that sometimes burden the bride like prison shackles. I want guests to first notice bride coming through the chapel doors as an angel floating in--light and fluttery--minus the over-sized wings, n'est pas?

HOST: Oh, yes. Oui. N'est pas. And please, pray tell, let us know what kind of paper does the best wedding gown make?

DE BLANC: Well, it is not as simple as going to the department store and buying a stack of copy paper, you know. First, I combine two kinds of papier. The top or outer layer of the gown, which is to be thin and tres transparent, is best served by a light-filter paper. The bottom layer, on the other hand, needs to be very strong to hold up to the challenges of the day. Tearing would just not do and would be a fashion faux paux, mais non? I use for this layer a strong envelope-like concoction that is virtually indestructable. I have had the material tested in advance with Australian Rules Rugby players to insure there would be no rips, tears, or splits. I am happy to say that these beasts of men could not even drum up so much as a crack in the paper material. And, to me, that indestructible feature not only insures a safe and happy wedding day, but also it symbolizes the commitment to unseparable eternal bond that bride and groom vow to honor on their wedding day. I get all teary-eyed just thinking about the many symbolic meanings. It's too perfect.

HOST: Amazing. And to what pains do you go to design and construct these masterpieces?

DE BLANC: The brides make an appointment with me at least a year in advance. I won't have it any other way since I need time to study the young lady, absorb her essence, and then determine the measuresments that she will have to conform to.

HOST: Conform to? How so?

DE BLANC: Well, a paper dress will not just fit anyone at anytime. I take the bride's measurements and then offer strong suggestions as to what I can work with and what has to be, how shall I put it,... altered. Once the bride agrees to the exercise and diet regime I suggest, I monitor her progress until she reaches her goal measurements. Then and only then will I start the designing process during which I sculpt the paper to her body like a doctor sculpts a cast.

HOST: That is truly amazing. And can a bride choose a color other than white?

DE BLANC: Of course, my dear. I mean, how boring would that be with just white paper everywhere you look, hmmm? The process to adapt to a color is very simple. I can dye the top light-filter layer to match any color scheme. Of course, this costs the bride extra, but I don't believe one should worry about money when one is creating a lasting memory. I mean, how much would you pay for a memory? Can you put a price on lifetime moment? If I was restricted by price I'm sure I would creatively implode like metal in a microwave. I create; therefore I am.

HOST: Well said, Mademoiselle. And what kind of bride do you feel best embodies your paper style?

DE BLANC: Without a doubt, the woman must be filled with inner style and sense-of-self. If she is burdened with indecisiveness, then this will radiate from the dress and the combination will be a failure. She must be someone with a strong personality who is unafraid of people pointing fingers at her and laughing. Undoubtedly this will happen when you are walking around town in a paper dress. It is important that she has the single-mindedness to scoff at her distracters and flaunt her uniqueness. The idea of a paper wedding dress is modern and young and uplifting. This a bold step and one must jump into it with a confidence and a mentality reserved for heroes. If Joan of Arc were living today, she would wear paper without hesitation.

HOST: Amazing. Truly Amazing. Well, I don't know where the time went, but somehow this segment of "Gown Talk" has come and gone. I want to thank the creative genius of Mademoiselle De Blanc for enlightening us with her nouveaux ideas on "lightening the load" of those bridal gown choices. Remember ladies, paper is not just for scribble notes any more. Good day and Good Gown Hunting!

 

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