THE DESIGNER IN CHIEF
Danielle Frankel’s ‘historical and significant' moment
In 2017, after working for designer Vera Wang for three years, Danielle Frankel debuted her own atelier line of wedding apparel, with a focus on hand-sewn garments and a discerning eye for draping and intricate details. She quickly became a sought-after label, dressing celebrities such as Zoë Kravitz, Julia Garner and Alexandra Daddario for their weddings. Most recently, she designed the outfit that Naomi Biden, US President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, wore on Nov 18 to her wedding rehearsal and dinner that followed. Naomi Biden married Peter Neal the next day on the South Lawn of the White House.
“This is a national wedding that most Americans will see an element of on their televisions or their phones,” Frankel said. “How the White House does this wedding is going to be a global conversation. I don’t know if there will be another in my lifetime. To know I was part of that feels historical and significant.”
Over the past five years, Frankel, 33, has released six collections, established an e-commerce component, created pajamas and a line of jewelry, and collaborated on a shoe collection with Manolo Blahnik. She also expanded her studio in New York City’s garment district, taking over an entire floor.
We spoke to Frankel from her atelier about working with Naomi Biden, the process of creating her pre-wedding look and her love for handmade garments.
Naomi Biden’s rehearsal outfit has four distinct parts. Why make different pieces?
We wanted a transitional look since the rehearsal part is on the White House lawn and then she’s going to dinner. There is a top bustier; a tailored jacket and trouser, which are made from the same fabric; and a pleated tulle cape covered in lace flowers.
The bustier is a cotton base with staggered boning and tulle draping overlay. The cape is made of a honeycomb fabric called Malfroy, which is a French tulle that has a drapey, soft and fluid movement to it — almost like water if water was a fabric. Each flower is made using three types of lace hand appliquéd onto the tulle and then pleated so that the flower motif is caught in the pleat. The pant and jacket are made from Italian silk wool. The wonderful thing about this fabric is that it has two faces so we can use both the matte side, which reads as wool, and the shiny side that looks like silk.
It took six months to transition from sketches to Biden’s final in studio fitting on Oct 28. Can you walk us through the process?
WE STILL BELIEVE IN THE ART, TECHNIQUE, QUALITY
Once we had finalised sketches, we built out Naomi’s measurements and body on a mannequin, which is part of our custom, handmade process. We’re basically re-creating that person’s figure. Then we built the foundation and the inside of the garment, incorporating boning, cups and wire. Over that we placed fabric, which was moulded onto the mannequin, cut and patterned.
During the next few months, a team of people made the final garments, which included in-person fittings and adjustments. Last steps were small, but important designs elements, like covered buttons on the back of the bustier, or an added petite veil so she could practice having her future husband unveil her. I did the draping myself because I’m very specific about pleating and not making it look too perfect.
How many people from your studio worked on the outfit?
Seven: the studio and operations manager; the pattern maker, who is responsible for the proper fit; the cutter; the sewing team, which consisted of a lace appliquéing specialist and a tacking specialist; and myself.
How is a first look, like that at a rehearsal dinner, different from the rest of the outfits a bride will wear?
The first look sets a visual tone for the wedding. And it’s the look that’s going to spark the wedding events. It’s also an introduction to the person wearing the outfit and reflects who she is. It’s an elevated moment to have fun with because you’re not doing the actual ceremony; rather it’s a rehearsal. You can play with trends more and there’s a sense of ease and comfort because you’re not sitting in your wedding dress.
As a designer, how are your aesthetics different from others?
We are ethereal but tailored. It’s the marriage of both of those qualities. I’m very silhouette driven so that means my designs are sculptural. I’m inspired by architecture, pottery, and 3D art. I’m also a very tactile designer, so I like textures — fuzzy, pokey, prickly.
You’re happy when you touch something foreign and visually pleasing. That causes an emotion in people, and I like to stimulate that. When you’re looking at what we did for Naomi it’s very visual. I want guests to feel like they want to touch what we’ve created. That’s part of the tactile experience. I’m not creating just for the bride but for the guests as well.
Handmade garments are considered a dying art. Why do you still specialise in them?
We still believe in the art, technique, quality, and the visual fit an artisanal brand like ours creates. It’s the handcrafted, tactile details that make these kinds of garments spectacular. Offering a mix of handmade, hand-sewn, and machine-sewn garments creates a more elevated product. If not, the garment tends to have a flatness.