True haute couture is incredibly hard to come by. Even high-end designers like Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel or Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton rarely design pieces specifically to fit their client's bodies. Which is fine if you're lucky enough to meet the narrow specifications of a garment made for a 5'10" 115-pound woman. If you are like the majority of women, you've spent years wondering: What's wrong with my body?
Husband and wife design team Magid Mehrabadi and Michele Bernard of Magid Bernard believe that your body is fine; rather something is wrong with the clothing. "No two bodies are alike. Every woman has something about her shape that is special. It might be a stunning collarbone or a svelte waistline. I don't try to fit a woman into a mold; I let her unique physique inspire the design," says Magid.
Every measure-to-wear piece showcases their client's attributes in the most flattering way possible. It's amazing what happens when something fits perfectly. Women who believed they weren't capable of wearing excess fabric suddenly find themselves swaying their ruffled hips in ways they never imagined. When something is custom designed, perceptions about what one can and cannot wear no longer hold true.
Perfection extends to every aspect of the Magid Bernard experience. Each completed garment is meticulously packaged and sent with a handwritten note from the designers. After a client's celebrity event or special occasion, clients receive a personal phone call from Michele:
I'm often anxious to hear how my designs worked. While making a garment I usually know where my client will wear it and I live out the event in my head as I create. I dance at the party, shake hands with the president of the United States or walk down the red carpet in my mind. Sometimes I can't sleep the night of my clients' events because I'm anxious for them! I can't rest until I know they feel as beautiful as I imagine they do.
After spending an afternoon in the Magid Bernard atelier, one starts to understand the true magnificence of haute couture. Haute couture is about accepting your body, accentuating your finest aspects, and being confident with who you truly are. It is an unparalleled dressing experience, one that embraces what is uniquely beautiful about every woman and their shape.