The Power of Understatement

Blog Press The Designer

The Power of Understatement

March 11, 2013

By Amsale Aberra

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Style

Every designer has their signature—a style that’s distinctly and recognizably their own. Mine is “understated, confident elegance.” What does that mean? I think it’s hitting the perfect balance of exquisite simplicity and luxurious restraint. One of the ways I do this with Amsale is by creating a pure, clean silhouette with just one design accent as a stunning focal point.

PowerOfUnderstatement_1

In my Fall 2013 collection you’ll see this in the Mercer dress. It has extremely streamlined and cosmopolitan lines, almost like a sculpture. When the bride turns around, the focal point is revealed—the wide sash tied in an origami-like bow at the back, beneath the beautifully simple lines of her shoulders and back. As she walks up the aisle, this focal point has an almost mesmerizing power.

This simplicity isn’t exactly “simple” to achieve, because a lot of design goes into creating this look! It’s actually much harder as a designer to take things away than to add lots of things in—the lines have to be completely perfect as you carve away everything unnecessary to reveal the beauty of shape and the fabric must be luxurious enough to carry the shape flawlessly. I think the effect of understatement is unforgettable: the bride makes an impression of absolute elegance, poise, confidence and chic. She is impeccable, and we really see the woman that she is, radiating outwards from within.

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