Veni Infantino seems to start every new design with such a deep understanding of the women who will eventually choose it. She knows that person already, without having met her; knows the hopes, aspirations, dreams and, maybe, fears, that will all come together on that day, because she designs for real women of flesh and blood, people like you and me.

Because of that, her objective is to be affordable and practical but without compromise to cut, style and fit. Veni understands her customers, she knows that the basic choice will be for either the full, sparkling embellishment of a dress that celebrates the day; or a more simple style, perhaps capturing the sophistication of a woman who wants to say, “I’m joining you, but I will always be me”.

Veni says that designing is easy. When she feels a new fabric for the first time she can almost see the dress that it will become; but that does not do her skills justice. She knows that today’s mother of the bride is likely to be a size 14 or 16 but perhaps wanting to be a 10 or a 12, so she starts designing from the inside out, ruching and gathering, often on the diagonal, to give the most flattering background to the embellishment of front and back.