BBDL Spring/Summer 2010 : Page 27
Fromleft: GregoryNato and Stephen Spampinato. Below: The designing duo’s adorable Jenny dress. Guests enjoy a bit of pre-weddingmingling atMilestone Culinary Arts Center. Femme Fêtes! On e s To Wa t c h Fancy This! in an early act of frock- stardom, gregory Nato, 40, crafted a shirtmade entirely out of paper. okay, so he was 6 at the time. But fast-forward to today and he and brother Stephen Spampinato, 37, are still at it, keeping brides beautiful thanks to their fl irty line Fancy. in honor of the label’s one-year anniversary, the duo keeps us in stitches with what’s been happening behind the seams. We hear you have a family history in the garment industry. Our mother studied fashion in the ’60s and later worked for a swimwear company. Growing up, the entire ground fl oor of the house was our mom’s sewing room! Describe the bride who wears Fancy. We imagine our clients’ weddings being held at alternative, more romantic locations. With the advent of Mad Men, there’s this nostalgic style that people are embracing. Most of our dresses have underpinnings and you have to wear a crinoline [a petticoat worn under a full skirt to keep it belled out]. Got any hot fashion tips for brides headed down the aisle? People are stepping out of the box. Skip the veil—there’s nothing cuter than a straw hat! And jewelry used to be a big part of the wedding. If something has sentimental value, you should show it off . Have a great set of shoes? Go tea-length! You two are brothers. Any sibling drama? T ere used to be, but since we’ve started this, we’ve actually be come more united.We’re adults now! 201 E. 21st St., 6M, New York, NY, 212.473.3124 or dressmefancy. com –MargaretMathis From pamper sessions to decadent drives, girl bonding before the big day is a defi nite must-do! At Hotel ZaZa’s ZaSpa (hotelzazadallas.com), spa manager Virginia Acosta works with brides- to-be, attendants and the mothers on any number of services. A bride might receive anything from the XXX Facial to the Golden Dragon full-body treatment before meeting up with her friends. Guests depart with gifts ranging from bamboo slippers to loofah massage bars. Two miles to the north sits the Milestone Culinary Arts Center (milestoneculinary.com), ideal for staging a Julie & Julia-inspired gathering. Partygoers gather for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, then the group moves into the teaching kitchen for an interactive cooking class.Guests get to dine on whatever they’ve just created. For a high-octane experience, consider the Drive Five Exotic Car Tour by Platinum Motorcars (platinummotorcars.net). Partiers can test-drive a Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini,Maserati and Bentley. Driving Specialist Steve Fordham leads the group on a 150- mile excursion where drivers switch vehicles at designated checkpoints so each woman can experience the thrill of a new ride. –LisaMartin Aisle File HOTEL HAPPENINGS: T e W Dalls Victory is swinging open its doors for the ultimate in post-nuptial entertaining; the 12,000-square-foot W Loft (whotels.com/dallas) gives guests ample room to get into the wedding groove. IN A SNAPSHOT: Tanya Carpenter is no stranger to dolling-up brides—the 20- year vet has now opened Tru Salon (trusalondallas.com), which has an all- inclusive hair, makeup, dressing and photo-opspacefor thewholebridalparty. AND THIS: Big D’s original mobile fl ipbook studio Pic Flips (ilovefl ipbooks.com) will set up shop wherever the party is. Play for a short vid clip that in less than 90 seconds will be transformed into a bound fl ipbook à la the original silver screen in the 1800s. –L.N. Fromtop: WLoft, Tru Salon, Pic Flips’mini fl ip books. S p r i N g / S U M M e r 2 0 1 0 25
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