Nevena Couture’s top 5 rules for evening dress code in London

London is a magnificently fast-paced city, which naturally combines business, fashion, the arts, and “time-out” culture. There is always a gala-dinner, exhibition opening, charity event, or evening ball. What differentiates London from other vibrant capital cities can be found in its strong English tradition, giving a special recognizable flair to British society.

Strict, detailed dress code for most evening events is ever present. Whether white tie or black tie for the evening, or cocktail versus smart casual for day parties, they all dictate the style of dress. Some day parties still expect ladies to wear a hat, even for a Sunday lunch. Having said that, the “spotless” dress policy in England requires awareness of small, but still meaningful rules, characterizing the society we live in.
Women are emotional beings and clothes play an important role in self-representation. Evening dresses are a particular signature item for women. They can be the most inspiring fashion item and give women the opportunity to express femininity and charm.
The desire to discover something both radiant and striking for the upcoming season inspired FinBuzz to present the Bulgarian Personal Couture London-based designer, Nevena Nikolova. A sophisticated young woman with a bright appearance, an intellectual mind, creative soul, entrepreneurial spirit and obvious charisma has shared with FinBuzz the concept behind the Haute Couture collection and the chronology of her creations in the arena of fashion.
FB: How long have you been in the industry and what has influenced you as a designer?
I founded the brand back in 2001 in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, my home country I left when I moved to London three years ago. I still have one boutique in Sofia and as you can see one here in London, in the renowned Belgravia neighbourhood
My fashion path was very natural, organic, as I have always been amazed by haute couture. Influenced by Dior and Audrey Hepburn, I fell in love with craftsmanship. It used to be my hobby, which I consciously developed into my primary business.
By profession, I am a linguist, with a major in Scandinavian languages. Being a successful student, I got a grant and went to work in Norway. Working as a translator, I was still looking for something special in terms of clothes, something which reflected a woman’s femininity and I was never attracted to mass-fashion or ready-to-wear garments. Also, working with different cultures, I learned how to transmit a message from one language to another. I worked with social phenomena and developed cross-cultural virtues. All of these invaluable experiences suggested that I should start “speaking” through dresses and couture. I believe I tell stories through my clothes to my customers.
So what is the story of the season? And how many collections per year do you have?
I never do seasonal stuff. There is one collection per year, which is constantly refreshed with new couture creations. For our clients, we usually organize small events, where we present my new masterpieces and talk to them. Each and every client represents an entire special universe for me. Dress creation for me is more than just creating a garment following modern trends. I always dress a mind, rather than a body. The body can be easily modified, while the mind usually grows or develops together with you. It is ‘experience’ which I put into my dresses.
How can you categorize your dresses and what is your favourite colour?
My favourite colour is one which suits my clients. I do a lot of black, which can be good for cocktail, sexy or statement dress. Because I work a lot with lace I never have plain black. It is all about structure and shades or shiny effects.
I touch my dresses and incorporate a lot of craftsmanship. It is a really up-scaled and unique technology, which is rarely seen nowadays.
What are your future plans as a designer in the Haute Couture industry? Do you plan to develop the business globally?
I have chosen London as the place to be, where fashion meets business. I am thinking about a Premium Couture line in the near future to be sold in boutiques or premium high-end stores. It is an organic development of my brand.
Nevena Couture collection includes a large variety of dresses, wearable for any evening event. There are cocktail dresses, ball gowns, evening garments as well as wedding dresses. A dress by Nevena is a piece of art, the work of hundreds of hours of hand-stitching, artisan craftsmanship and precious materials, including the finest of French lace and Italian silk.
From the numerous eveningwear trends of fall-winter 2016, Nevena personifies authentic baroque style. Together with evening garments it is recommended wearing any type of quirky accessories with a matching evening clutch bag. Shoes made from patent leather or silk or perhaps more ornate shoes encrusted in stones are preferable for the evening events. The important part of women’s obligation also is to contribute to the ‘mood’ and the sociability, because behind the style and glamour, there is always a woman.