Tell us about your history as a designer, and why you decided to enter the bridal industry.

Banu Güven Bridal Design Studio was launched in Istanbul in 2013 upon its eponymous designer Banu Güven’s unique vision for bridal fashion and decade-long experience in haute couture. Banu Güven began her designer career in 2003 while studying at the esteemed Mimar Sinan Fine Arts Faculty in Istanbul. Until 2012, she designed avant-garde, demi, and haute couture collections, including gowns for international award-shows and red-carpet events, as well as bridal wear. She made her breakthrough when invited to present her own label collection at the Istanbul Wedding Expo where she broke the taboos, introducing colour to the traditionally achromatic, all-white bridal dress, and a distinguishing drapage technique enhancing fine fabric and its texture modality. The immense demand for her collection motivated her to produce more of the unique and exciting designs this new generation of brides wanted and she launched her own bridal design studio in 2013.

What is Banu Güven’s signature style?

Banu Güven’s signature style is defined by a modern, sophisticated, and glamourous interpretation of the romantic. She enhances the elegance of the silhouette design via her unique drapage and fabric texture reconstruction techniques in finalizing her compositions, customizing the gown further for the bride’s body and soul. Her own journey as a woman paves the way to the conceptualization of new collections, each presenting an honest reflection on how one interacts with nature and their own existence. Banu Güven’s modern interpretation of the romantic style, her unique composition techniques, and the organic concept ideation process in her collections all make her designs stand out from other bridal designers.

What is the brand’s biggest achievement?

The brand’s greatest achievement has been in the consistent permeation of a characteristic style in collections, unique to the point where viewers are able to identify the design to be of Banu Güven’s at first glance. The brand’s organic growth through word of mouth with nearly 0% spending on PR, has been another tremendous achievement. The brand’s secret to success has been in its designer’s avoidance of following trends, and rather focusing on an inwards exploration in sourcing her design concepts. Banu Güven’s wedding gowns have been worn by select brides in Austria, Bahrein, China, France, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, UAE and the UK, in addition to Turkey. Banu Güven’s dream is to have more brides experience the intimate, personalized wedding gown couture process and reach women globally.

Can you tell us some interesting facts about the brand?

1. The brand was founded by two sister entrepreneurs, and currently 90% of its core team members are women. 
2. The entire design studio, from the showroom to the atelier, is pet-friendly, with Banu Güven’s French bulldog Billy as the welcoming canine of the realm!
3. The outdoor gardens, terrace, and indoors of the design studio boast a vibrant biodiversity, with over three dozens of varying types of flowery and leafy plants, succulents, and trees.
4. Each new collection has its own Spotify playlist.
5. The brand has been able to reach brides from varying socio-economic status, from a ship-captain to a heart surgeon to a royal family member, with their common trait being well-rounded, self-reliant women.

What inspired the current collection?

Arachne (Greek: “Spider”) is the name of a heroine in Greek mythology, endowed with a spectacular talent for weaving and is well aware of her own faculties. Her self-confidence, often mistaken for pride, enables her to refuse the superiority of the gods and challenge Athena in a duel. Angered by Arachne’s ultimate victory, Athena turns her into a spider. Even then, Athena is unable to destroy Arachne’s talent for weaving. This collection takes its inspiration from Arachne’s magical designs that nature transforms into jewels with raindrops. And we dedicate it to Arachne and all principled, courageous women who are aware of their power. Underneath it all is the Fibonacci sequence that nature has integrated into the fundamental architecture of spider webs. They come in different forms and are used as the tying element in all designs, be it a bolero covering the bride’s shoulders or a headpiece crowning her head, or floating atop a pleated tulle in her dress.

What can we expect from the brand at White Gallery 2022?

Banu Güven Design Studio is looking forward to reaching buyers and showrooms who cater to the brides in the UK and beyond. You can expect a unique and refined collection with an underlying story that will resonate with all women.

How can retailers get in touch to order from your latest collection?

We can be reached by email at info@banuguven.com.tr, through our Instagram account @banuguvendesignstudio or by phone: +90 212 231 36 08.