“We’re definitely optimistic about the future! We hope to see the industry bouncing back quickly with the rush of couples rescheduling their weddings.” Kobus Dippenaar, the designer behind Anna Georgina Bridal on how lockdown has impacted business
Celebrated for his high fashion couture and show-stopping creations, South African designer Kobus Dippenaar launched the Anna Georgina bridal collection in 2012 in London to an international audience. Taking to the runway were designs that took Kobus Dippenaar’s signature flair for couture and garment construction (that made every dress fit like a glove) and turned them into a wearable creation brides’ across the globe would become infatuated by. “Sensual and cosmopolitan, Anna Georgina wedding gowns are designed for the self-possessed, confident woman” explains the designer, and BOY will you fall hard for this designer’s aisle-worthy silhouettes, playful approach to fabrics and sumptuous choice of colour palette.
“Dress powerfully, be powerful, and don’t underestimate the power of the feminine.” Kobus Dippenaar
I caught up with Kobus (digitally, of course) to talk all things lockdown, and how 2020 has had an impact on business and the wedding industry.
#1 Provide us with three words that sum-up how you were feeling about lockdown when it first started, and then three words about how you feel now:
Before: “Elated, flabbergasted, numb.”
After: “Fresh, hopeful, myself.”
#2 What time do you get up? Did this change in lockdown? Was life a little slower?
“My daily routine stayed mostly the same in lockdown. However, for the first three weeks I felt cocooned and extremely elated. I love silence and it was as if the universe created this silence for me. After the first three weeks though, I started reaching out again. I felt more focused and had a renewed sense of energy.”
#3 How did lockdown impact your business, and how can people (brides/the wedding industry) support you now?
“As many weddings were cancelled due to the pandemic, people forget that it’s not just the bride and groom who were impacted. The wedding dress industry definitely suffered as more and more weddings were postponed. However, we’re definitely optimistic about the future! We hope to see the industry bouncing back quickly with the rush of couples rescheduling their weddings.”
#4 Name three local businesses/small Instagram businesses you are supporting or would like to support more…
“There are so many businesses we should all be supporting right now to keep them going! My favourites are Fresch Online for deliveries of dry food and new recipe ideas, Food Forward SA who are providing food to the vulnerable communities here, and any local restaurants I love!”
#5 What is/what was your favourite isolation snack?
“I couldn’t live without freshly baked bread with figs and cheese.”
#6 Before lockdown eased slightly, what was your most recommended quarantine pick-me-up when you were feeling down?
“I loved being in complete silence and reading a good book.”
#7 What’s the item you could NEVER find in the supermarket (and consequently dreamt continuously about) during lockdown…
“Whole green figs preserve, I didn’t stock up enough and ran out after the first month!”
#8 What’s the strangest thing that’s happened during your lockdown period…
“For me, it was the people who believed absolutely anything dished out by the media without investigating it for themselves. This human behaviour was very strange.”
#9 Favourite app for keeping in touch digitally with friends and family?
“WhatsApp.”
#10 The person(s) you will hug first when social distancing is no longer in place?
“Definitely my mum and dad.”
#11 An act of kindness towards you that you’ve really appreciated during lockdown?
“The alcohol trade being banned in South Africa meant I was gifted a few good bottles of red wine!”
#12 Talk to us about what’s new at your brand?
“To help with the pandemic we are producing a range of reusable face masks in fabrics ranging from bold and colourful to elegant and subtle.”
#13 Name three things the lockdown has made you grateful for:
“Life, health, and my friends and family.”
#14 Which restaurant will you dine at first once restrictions are lifted?
“Unfortunately there’s been so many that have closed down, but the first one I will be dining at will be the Duchess of Wisbeach in Cape Town.”
#15 What series have you now completed on Netflix? Any recommendations?
“I wouldn’t know, I don’t own a television!”
#16 For a little Instagram-escapism, what three accounts would you recommend?
No.1 “Catherine Drowley (@cat_drowley) to see the beauty South Africa has to offer.”
No.2 “Wedding Concepts (@weddingconceptssa) to scroll through some stunning wedding locations.”
No.3 “Melissa and Isabel (@thereaderandthechef) to discover new books to read.”
#17 Name three things you bought online during lockdown.
“Sadly, we couldn’t buy anything for the first four weeks of lockdown!”
#18 What was your ‘lockdown’ outfit most days?
“It was still summer here for the first three weeks, so lots of shorts and sneakers.”
#19 And, finally, your quarantine cocktail/tipple of choice?
“Champagne and a good red wine.”
Discover the incredible bridal designs from Anna Georgina Bridal here.
Read more WFH diary entries from your favourite bridal brands, designers and boutiques on Bridal Editor here.
