White Chocolate Label

“Wedding and Event planner to the stars” or “Design Aficionado” are commonly used as shorthand to describe Scott Corridan.  For more than fifteen years, Scott has designed events for people in the worlds of entertainment, fashion, finance, and politics.  Such respected companies as In Style, HGTV, Town and Country, The Knot, and Martha Stewart Weddings (to name a few) have asked for and published his advice on event planning. 

 

With this sort of resume, one would think that Scott exists in a pristine ivory tower far removed from humble pleasures.  On the contrary, Scott feels most at home working with his beloved horses in the cool ocean breezes of Santa Barbara.  It is only fitting that Scott’s design ambitions have led him to create The White Chocolate Label, a line of California couture bridal gowns.  The details of his debut collection are impeccable and reflect Scott’s equestrian, Southern California aesthetic.

 

White Chocolate Label’s basic collection is couture construction at a couture price point ranging from $9,000 to $16,000.  Though a more moderately-priced line will follow in spring 2009, this price point is justified being entirely made-to-measure in California.  When a White Chocolate Label gown is purchased, Scott personally flies out to the salon and meets with the bride to perform the fittings. 

 

The fabrication of the gowns also contributes to White Chocolate Label’s couture status.  Take his gown Bianca for example.  Not a thread of the typical bridal satin graces this gown.  Rather, Bianca is entirely constructed of silk and Italian cashmere creating an organic aesthetic.  Bianca is topped off with white gold fasteners resembling equestrian bits.  Scott prefers to pair Bianca with a Russian white mink bolero of his design.  To quell the PETA crowd, he explains that all the minks used in the bolero were fed organically.  What a sense of humor!

 

While Bianca is perfect for a celebrity ranch wedding in Jackson Hole, White Chocolate Label’s Jasmine is completely lux with its thirty yards of mushroom pleated Italian silk chiffon, yet as simple and heavenly as a cloud in its simple silhouette.  The thirty yards are deftly hand draped and tacked around the gown so that one isn’t overwhelmed but is wowed by the bride’s silhouette.  To tie in that White Chocolate Label equestrian touch, Scott has topped off the dress with a horse bit belt with hand braided Italian silk chiffon with equestrian o-ring drops as well as a Mexican blanket wrap to protect from the ocean breeze as the reception goes into the night.

 

For the bride who seeks a more traditional silhouette, Heather fits the bill.  Heather is the modern-traditional silhouette employed by everyone from Maggie Sottero to Monique L’huillier.  This is a highly sought after look, but it has been done a thousand times before.  The pick up skirt is also the traditional bridal fabric, duchess silk satin.  Scott has draped Italian silk tulle over the satin in order to dampen the sheen, making the gown completely non-traditional.  Scott designed this gown with a body-hugging Italian mohair equestrian work shirt including white gold cuff links.  There is a bit of California’s free spirit in the design of the gown and its sheer mohair top.

 

Scott Corridan’s White Chocolate Label is California ease meets couture perfection.  It isn’t everyday the designer flies to the salon to personally fit the bride.  These gowns are truly more indulgent than even their namesake implies.

White Chocolate Label is carried exclusively at Mariée in Scottsdale and Kleinfeld Manhattan.

Tags: Couture, Scott Corridan, Susan Lowmiller