Future Principality brides and grooms: where to find your outfit?

We selected a dress shop and a tailor in Monaco.

You don’t have to travel very far to find a rare gem. Monaco has everything you need in terms of what to wear on your big day, for both men and women. Ladies, let’s head to the Organza store on rue Grimaldi, where Béatrice Castelain will welcome you with her trademark graciousness.

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Organza: a unique dress in one hour

Thanks to her thirteen years of experience, she is able to give you perfect advice according to your shape and size. What’s more, to make sure that the dress of your dreams is the one that’s best suited to your figure and your tastes, the wedding dress specialist offers customers the possibility of creating their entire outfit, choosing the sleeves, buttons, skirt (or trousers) and top from a range of modules.

The bride-to-be can create her own dress in just one hour. “It’s often an enjoyable experience, because everyone in the bridal party can get involved, friends, family, and the result is unique and adjustable, even after the wedding,” says the manager, who continues to train in haute-couture techniques with professionals from major Parisian fashion houses.

In addition to the wedding dress, there is a whole host of accessories in the shop: veils, hats and even shoes, as well as evening dresses for guests – © Monaco Tribune

Tailor-made solutions are also available for those who come with a very specific idea in mind. “One client came in with a photo and a sketch, and we can make the dress in about six months.” Given the wide range of options, prices are still quite affordable, starting at €1,500.

“There’s no age limit either,” says Béatrice Castelain. “One of my most recent clients was 79 years old. She was exceptionally elegant and had travelled from London to Monaco to create her dream dress.” Many celebrities have frequented the welcoming shop, as well as some members of the Princely Family.

Crisoni : a Monegasque suit brand

Swiss-born and with a very Italian style, Andreas Allenbach has worked in fashion since the age of 17. “I have always felt close to this country,” smiles the businessman behind the two Crisoni shops in the La Condamine neighbourhood. There is a strong demand for outfits for weddings and ceremonies in Monaco, particularly tuxedos, because of the number of big events and social functions. Such was his success that Andreas Allenbach opened a second shop so the first one on rue Princesse Caroline could specialise in ready-to-wear, and the second one on nearby rue Grimaldi, in made-to-measure.

“The workshop is located in the store and is visible to the customers. We can create a suit in two or three months, with a few exceptions. Last year, a client came to see us on a Friday night at 6.30 pm and told us he was getting married at the town hall at 10 am the next day. We went for a ready-to-wear option, of course, but since we have our own workshop, we were able to carry out the alterations overnight and he got changed in the shop the following morning. I dressed him myself,” recalls the Monegasque resident who recognises the convenience of having a workshop at his disposal, especially given that “many men lose weight in the weeks leading up to the wedding.”

At Crisoni, everything can be customised. For example, customers can choose from a multitude of fabrics, such as those by Loro Piana – © Monaco Tribune

Like Organza, Crisoni has a wide range of accessories: belts, shoes, cufflinks, ties, etc. Andreas Allenbach only works with small family-run businesses, often based in Italy, and the average budget for a suit is €1,200, an affordable price tag for many.

“The locals like to wear a Monegasque brand, as do the tourists, who are happy to go home with a souvenir from Monte Carlo in their suitcase. But overall, 90% of our customers are local,” he says. In terms of trends, electrical blue is still number 1 according to the proprietor, but colour is increasingly in demand. “Men are now daring to wear pink or green, and in particular fancy jacket linings. We also offer to personalise the suit, perhaps embroidering initials or the wedding date. There are no limits with made-to-measure, we can create completely unique pieces, and every detail is thought out.”

This store too has been patronised by many Monegasque figures, and the owner is delighted to be able to work with a number of the Principality’s institutions and non-profit organisations. Andreas Allenbach remembers with great pride the time when he dressed the Monegasque delegation, including the Sovereign, at the Tokyo Olympic Games.