The Atelier
Made by hand, for one woman.
Haute couture is slow on purpose. A Kosibah gown is drawn, cut, fitted and finished in the atelier, by the same hands, from the first sketch to the last stitch. This is how it happens.
- Photo · Yemi and a bride, sketchbook open
Stage 1. The conversation
Your date, your venue, the hour of the ceremony, the traditions your family keeps. Yemi listens, and starts to draw while you talk.
- Photo · The finished illustration, pen and wash
Stage 2. The sketch
A trained fashion illustrator, Yemi draws the gown in front of you in real time and in full detail, so you can see the dress before it exists. You leave the first appointment with it.
- Photo · Bolts of silk, lace and beaded appliqué
Stage 3. Fabric and embellishment
Silk faille, tulle, French lace, hand-beaded appliqué. Every fabric is chosen against the sketch and against your skin, in the atelier’s light.
- Photo · Calico toile on the stand, chalk marks
Stage 4. The toile
Before any silk is cut, the gown is made once in calico to your measurements. The toile is where the silhouette is decided, pinned and re-pinned on you.
- Photo · A fitting in the mirror, pins in hand
Stage 5. The fittings
A series of fittings in the atelier, or by arrangement where you are. Each one brings the gown closer to the body it was drawn for. The Kosibah hourglass is built here, in the corsetry.
Stage 6. Hand finishing
Appliqués are placed and sewn by hand along the seam lines. Beading, hems, linings and closures are finished the way they have been since 1991. Then the last fitting, and the gown is yours.
Practical questions
Before you book.
What does a gown cost?
[STARTING PRICES]
How long does it take?
Allow [LEAD TIME] before your wedding date for couture. Gowns from the Asheyori Eji collection can be made to measure in less. If your date is sooner, ask: the atelier will tell you what is possible.
How many fittings are there?
[HOW MANY FITTINGS, AND HOW FAR APART]
I live outside New York. How does it work?
[HOW A DISTANT BRIDE IS MEASURED, FITTED AND RECEIVES HER GOWN, AND WHETHER ANY TRAVEL IS NEEDED]
Do I get a sketch if we meet over Zoom?
[HOW THE SKETCH WORKS ON ZOOM, AND HOW IT REACHES YOU]
What happens after the first consultation?
[NEXT STEPS: QUOTE, DEPOSIT, TOILE, FITTINGS]
Consultations
Start with the conversation.
A private hour with Yemi in Harlem or over Zoom. Weekends and evenings available.
Book a consultation