I fell in love with this Gemma wedding gown from the moment I laid eyes on it at the Vera Wang Melrose store! Prior to trying this gorgeous dress on, I had tried on multiple dresses at Panache in Beverly Hills and Monique Lhuillier. Nothing "wowed" me until I tried on VW's "Gemma." This dress is so romantic and flowy yet structured so it is very flattering. This dress is in pristine condition as I only wore this dress for our ceremony and march-in for the reception. I then switched into another dress for the rest of the night since I didn't want to risk getting it dirty.
After my wedding, I called the Vera Wang boutique to ask for their recommendation for a reputable/trustworthy wedding gown cleaner. Although pricey, they highly recommended J.Scheer & Co. in NYC as the salesperson said that this company is very familiar with cleaning/preserving Vera Wang gowns and other higher end designer gowns. Knowing that my dress was being cleaned by experienced professionals, this gave me a piece of mind.
My dress has been preserved in a completely archival textile storage box made of the same material as those used by The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to store their collections of historic costume. J. Scheer & Co. offers a 50-year written warranty assuring you that no discoloration or weakening of the fabric or other components will occur as a result of their processes. Please visit their website at jscheer.com for more information. It was pricey ($745) but well worth it!
This is Vera Wang's description of "Gemma":
"There are so many beautiful aspects to the Gemma gown. Perhaps the most otherworldly element is the ethereal combination of French tulle and organza, something you wouldn’t expect in a gown with such a defined mermaid silhouette.
Still, this is a very soft mermaid: I didn’t want anything to be too rigid. We used bands of tulle, wrapping around the body like a swirling cyclone, and ending in bias-cut flanges, which are deconstructed, abstract blossoms in tissue organza: it’s the perfect storm. Inside these rosettes I’ve added what I call “blizzard beading”: hundreds of tiny little sequins scattered all around. Once the dress is in motion, you get the thrill of that subtle play between lights and darks, but in the form of rosy, feminine blooms.
Between the blossoms and the beading, there’s certainly a pageantry in the base of this gown. It’s an absolute celebration of volume that is meant to be very dramatic, with the fantasy of a ball gown and the sensuousness of a mermaid gown combined. If you desire even more drama, a bride might choose to add a sequined belt for just a little flicker of beading, to really highlight the waist. Combined with the shimmer of sequins in the cut blossoms of the skirt, it’s a very dynamic look from every angle.
Gemma is one of my more glamorous dresses, giving the bride something slender and sleek up top, and at the bottom the flash and splash of sequins and dynamic volume, for the ultimate wedding day spectacle."