Ask Amsale Aberra

Growing up in Ethiopia, I never thought I would end up in fashion, let alone a couture bridal designer. But as I was planning my wedding in 1985, and every dress was an over-the-top ’80s creation, I found myself designing my own gown — something simple and elegant. I thought, there must be other women like me, women who want something sophisticated and “forever modern” to wear on their wedding day, something they could look back on 20 years from now and still love. And so I started designing gowns. Today, I am the designer behind the Amsale, Christos, and Kenneth Pool bridal collections, and I am fortunate to have a salon on Madison Avenue and for my gowns to be sold across the U.S. and throughout Europe and Asia.

It didn’t happen overnight, of course. But after years of hard work and many challenges, I’m one of the lucky few who can honestly say that every day, I wake up and I do what I love. To see a beaming bride walk down the aisle in one of my designs — it’s hard to describe this feeling. It’s my job to make a woman look her best on her wedding day, and I consider that an honor. These are photos that she’ll look back on forever, after all! Read More