Zari Hassan got married to her beau Shakib Lutaaya, which we got to see play out on the most recent season of Young Famous and African. While her nuptials have everyone buzzing, the crystal adorned gown she wore left a mark. It was nothing short of the opulence we would expect from the boss lady. Naturally, we needed to know everything about her stunning gown, made by Ugandan couturier Dyna Vence.
Eight months before the actual wedding (which was held on 3rd October, 2023) Zari reached out to Dyna with tons of pictures of inspirations for what she wanted for her big day. The designer went on to sift through the ideas, drawing sketches and sharing with the bride. When they agreed on the look they wanted, the big work begun. “There is a specific kind of organza I had to go and source from Dubai. Korean organza is not easy to find, in fact there is only one source in Dubai that stocks it,” Dyna shared. “That fabric was chosen because it holds the right kind of structure we wanted without being heavy.” The crystals as well, needed to be perfect. “Zari emphasized how much she wanted crystals to be prominent in her perfect look, so I went to find the ones that catch the light a particular way.” These aren’t your regular rhinestones… it was a work of art that was built piece by piece.
The creation was a sheath dress with a detachable skirt, giving it a princess silhouette. This was important to Zari, as she needed her gown to be able to have that 2-in-1 aspect to it. The strong shoulder detail is such a ‘Zari look’, so it was nice seeing it paid homage in her gown, but the way the crystals cascaded to a drip around her wrists was divine. The base of the organza detachable skirt featured individually appliqued lace detail at the hem, with a similar cascading effect as it faded the closer it got to the top. Dyna Vence pulled this look off with her team, with about 8 people handling different tasks for this moment. “I had many sleepless nights over this gown, it had to be perfect,” Dyna explained.
The process took a while, including endless days of hand beading, and updates were relegated to videos that were sent back and forth, altering whatever elements needed altering without needing to have Zari inside the atelier. It also helps that Dyna had Zari’s measurements from having made her some gorgeous looks in the past. This virtual creation method worked well, and Dyna remembers the moment they got the gown exactly right, “When I sent her that last video, she was ecstatic.” Zari was ready to get hitched, and they coordinated dates for the wedding.
The beautiful nuptials took place in South Africa, with a guest list that included the cast of the reality show, as well as all Zari’s children. When asked about seeing her creation in that light, Dyna was emphatic, “I was beaming with pride, seeing her walk down the aisle,” she declared, “It’s something I absolutely adore about dressing brides, and it never gets old for me. I always travel to my brides and witness them walk out the aisle. This was one for the books!”
While it was anticipated that Zari would go for some international designer (of whom many were in her inbox asking to dress her for free) she decided to work with a Ugandan designer, and pay them in full. That was a beautiful moment for Ugandan designers, including Larry Casual, who dressed Shakib as well.
atwiine@satisfashionug.com
