By Liza Ilarde @ilardeliza on Instagram If designer brands have Fashion Week held in the fashion capitals of the world—New York, London, Milan, and Paris—the bridal industry also has its own fashion week held every year in Barcelona around April or May. The annual event is usually opened by Rosa Clará, Spain’s top bridal and formalwear label. And how lucky were we that the designer herself visited Manila a month before Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week (BBFW). An intimate press lunch was held at Blackbird restaurant, hosted by Valerie Zayco, the franchise holder of Rosa Clará in the Philippines, which opened in 2011 (they now have two branches). Also present were, of course, Señora Rosa Clará and her husband Josep Artigas, as well as an interpreter, and Rosa Clará’s first Filipina muse, It Girl and influencer Martine Cajucom, who is getting married in September and will be dressed in an original Rosa Clará. “I really look forward to working with Filipina brides, to get their tastes,” said Señora during the lunch through an interpreter. “With Martine, the design will be a collaboration. We will be sensitive to her needs. A perfect bride knows what she wants—her gown should not transform her, but make her feel confident because she is wearing something that she loves.” Martine’s wedding will be held in Bali. At the time of the press con, she was scheduled to attend BBFW with Señora Rosa Clará in April, as well as to finalize the design and have fittings. “I haven’t seen anything yet, but Señora has been giving me hints,” said Martine of her bridal gown. “She told me it will have a bohemian vibe—with some bling!” Following are some excerpts from our exclusive interview with Señora Rosa Clará. What do you love most about being a bridal designer? What I like the most is making dreams come true for thousands of women around the world. When you design a new collection, what is the process? We always start with an extensive search for fabrics and we collect a lot of information about what brides are demanding. The trends are studied, and patternmakers translate original designs into a prototype, which is modified until it is perfect. Then we look for the fabrics that will complement and adapt well to the style. Do you design with a certain type of bride in mind? My styles are made for women who value a high-quality dress. Our job is to adapt to their needs. To achieve that, we combine a good pattern, high-quality fabrics, a wonderful design, a wide range of silhouettes, and expert advice in all our boutiques. What do brides today look for in a gown? Brides look for a dress which reflects their personality and, at the same, their beauty. There is the traditional, understated bride who looks for fabric quality and volume. But there is also the one who prefers something different, a more comfortable and less structured dress. What are your favorite materials or embellishments to work with? I love working with natural and high-quality fabrics. In the 2018 collection, we feature a lot of French lace, as well as our signature fabrics such as Italian plumeti tulle, crepe, georgette, and hand-pleated muslin for skirts. That’s the result of months of searching for new fabrics to offer to brides. Let’s talk about your new collection. How would you describe it? What trends will we see here? The 2019 collection is inspired by the modern woman. It has a romantic theme where she is the star. We want to highlight her sensuality without losing the elegance that characterizes us, thanks to a huge range of styles: light gauze dresses, lace mermaid styles, or voluminous tulle skirts in princess silhouettes. Who are your bridal style icons? The wedding dress that marked a “before and after” for me was that of Carolyn Bessette, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife. Grace Kelly’s gown was also spectacular. Name one bride (or bride-to-be) that you would love to dress. I would like to design a wedding dress for Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancée.  Recently, I was very proud to dress Antonella Roccuzzo for her wedding to Leo Messi, the best football player in the world. This year, I’m very happy that Martine Cajucom has trusted me to design her wedding dress. What can we expect next from Rosa Clará? Our big challenge is still about going international and continuing the growth. We already have about 140 stores over the world and we are present in 3,500 points of sale in 80 countries. Aside from that, I am also very excited about my son’s decision: Daniel, age 26, will join the business that I started more than two decades ago. —additional reporting by Maggie F. Francisco   In the Philippines, Rosa Clará is located at The Residences at Greenbelt, Esperanza St., Ayala Center, Makati City, tel (2) 238-1310; and at S Maison, tel (2) 805-1782. Follow @rosaclaraph on Instagram