10 Questions for Isabell & Martin Kristensen of Isabell Kristensen Couture
Designer Isabell Kristensen
1) What is the concept behind Isabell Kristensen?
Martin:
In 2016 I bought Isabell Jo Ellison’s renowned book 'VOGUE: The Gown'. Isabell’s designs were featured among a list of designers in the ‘Fantasy’ section with pieces shot by Nick Knight. I felt Nick’s shots perfectly captured the essence of the brand, encapsulated in that fairy-tale haze, almost as if one’s not sure if one is awake or still dreaming. Isabell has always pursued her dreams with tireless determination, my grandmother told me she used to laugh when Isabell as a little girl in Denmark would talk of her dreams of designing for Princesses & the Stars of the silver screen. Isabell’s designs have now been worn by the likes of Katy Perry, Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton and HSH Princess Charlene. Barring a few notable designers, like Holger Blom, & Erik Mortensen, there weren’t many Danish couturiers, especially overseas, so Isabell had to dream, to be bold, that instinct has fed into the core of the house.
This love affair with dreams as a source of empowerment & inspiration is palpable, liberating & infectious, all our clients are drawn to it. In Monaco our clients have even nicknamed us ‘les marchands de reves'.
So as a concept, limitless aspiration, delivered by design and embodied by exquisite craftsmanship. There are few privileges greater than bringing needle and thread to bear, weaving dreams into reality. I never understood 'dreamer' as a pejorative, quite the opposite. We empower & embolden women to share their dreams, not shy away from them.
2) Is this a family business? What are the benefits of working Mother & Son?
Isabell:
Family has a unique quality of being able to be simultaneously very much alike oneself and yet very different, which allows the brand to retain a distinct identity whilst evolving without a monotonous continuity. Perfect example is the new dedicated bridal line Marty developed for the house, it carries red thread of heritage cuts and our signature corsetry, some inspired by my earlier couture collections in the 90s. Moreover, we have two flagship boutiques in two different countries, every year has two fashion seasons, and now two bridal, this year we’ve held shows across two continents and we have so much more we want to do! Divide & conquer method helps!
In terms of benefits, these could not exist without hard work much the same as with any member of the team, but it helps to know you share an aptitude for hard graft! I was clear with Marty when I asked him to head up London it would be hard work as we had been focussing on the continent for many years, but he felt there was potential to pivot and reinvest in the UK & Bridal. To develop a whole new line requires immense trust, family makes that easier as you know what it means to them.
Covid presented new challenges as the UK fell under more severe lockdowns & tier restrictions, but benefits of a fellow dreamer with a big vision for the brand are palpable. In Oct 2022 Marty was able to launch the new bridal line in the UK, with our first trade event at the White gallery in March 2023. Marty then designed bespoke creations for Oscar Nominees and singers at the 2023 Academy Awards and BAFTA that were featured in VOGUE's best dressed. British VOGUE editorial then featured two of Martin's new bridal designs for their 2023 Pride edition.
3) What is the scope of the designs you offer?
MarTIN:
We are devoted to inspiring our brides, bringing their dreams to life stitch by stitch, encouraging visions of fairy-tale weddings. Our background in couture enables our team to wield their expertise from extravagant red carpet looks to create pieces worthy of our brides. I am working on designs inspired by the likes of Roberto Capucci whose work is so colorful and whose forms are so striking. It is so interesting to interpret these through the more muted palette of bridal. Commercially, I am somewhat bound to respect an 80:20 principle that sometimes feels limiting but Isabell is always happy for me to push that limit! That is why we offer bespoke for our most discerning brides.
Every bride deserves to have her dream wedding. With our emphasis on tailoring and made-to-measure background, body-positivity is a given for us, we value self-confidence & aspiration above all else, no bride should feel limited in their ambitions for their special day especially not for a fear of imperfect fit. Our special order service is dedicated to supporting brides of all body-types.
We are proud to have a British as well as international bridal clientele, serving a range of religious and traditional requirements. All modesty adaptations to the designs are supported with design consultations available to ensure any gown chosen is appropriate for the sacred customs of the ceremony. As a Family run brand, we take extra pride in being able to contribute to your special day and the share once-in-a-lifetime experience. Whether it's your first wedding, or you've gone down the aisle before, an Isabell Kristensen gown will be the most beautiful thing our brides wear on their special day - second only to their smile.
4) Who was your first customer?
Isabell:
My mother and I always loved Dame Shirley, and after I saw her live the first time I promised my mother I would design a dress for Shirley one day. She did not believe me and said I was dreaming! It was definitely a dream but one that I had to make come true! Six years later I saw Shirley at a party in London and I could not contain my excitement, I had prepared a gold design for her as part of a project for design college and I had kept it ever since so when I saw her I could not resist the chance to tell her about my design and how much I would love to dress her. I made such a scene telling her how much I admired her music it must have been so embarrassing for her! She promised she would visit my Boutique on Beauchamp place, for days I waited but after a week I began to think that she was just being polite and that of course she was too busy to waste time coming to my little shop. I called my mother to tell her I was wrong, and that Shirley would not be coming, but the next day Shirley came and bought 32 pieces! She was so happy and begun to sing during her fittings! We have been friends ever since!
5) Where are you based?
Isabell:
We are based in London & Monaco. We’ll soon be celebrating 25 years as the first Couturier to establish a Maison in the Principality. I recall meeting HSH Prince Albert II and asking why there weren’t any Couture houses in Monaco, he said “You should open one” so I did! As we had been mostly manufacturing in the south of France since 2000, Marty moved back to the UK to launch the new London atelier in 2017 to focus on the House’s first London fashion week collection in over 20 years in Feb 2018, and first ever Paris Fashion week collection SS2019, with a dream to develop a dedicated Bridal line for the House in 2020, delayed to Oct 2022 due to Covid. All gowns ordered by our retailers are proudly made in Great Britain.
