Oksana Kokhan : elegant, romantic and bucolic wedding dresses
Oksana Kokhan’s creations are effortlessly elegant and poetic. Simple but charming, the designs embody Oksana’s gentle universe, a combination of poetry and refinement.
Fascinated by beautiful materials and determined to create elegant, fluid and fine pieces, Oksana Kokhan stands out as an ambitious and passionate designer. After graduating from a design school in St. Petersburg and a Parisian school, Oksana worked for prestigious fashion labels. She later decides to set up her own business and build her own brand. Passionate about wedding dresses since she was a young girl, Oksana starts her bridal adventure in 2014.
Oksana Kokhan welcomed us into her showroom located near Saint-Lazare in Paris. Warm and cosy, we would have loved to stay there all day long. We asked her a few questions in order to better understand her journey and step into her magical universe.
What was the trigger that pushed you to work in the world of wedding dresses?
My mother was a wedding dress seamstress in Russia. She worked from home, so I grew up constantly surrounded by wedding dresses. I was allowed to try the dresses on and give my opinion and ideas. It was any girl’s childhood dream!
Tell us a bit about your background.
I graduated from the University of Design in St. Petersburg and then came to Paris to continue my studies. I went straight into my last year at the Atelier Chardon Savard, a fashion design and styling school in Paris.
And then you worked for luxury fashion houses ?
Yes, I worked for Balenciaga and Castelbajac as an assistant stylist.
Did you wait a while before starting your own business or was it more of an immediate impulse?
I knew I had always wanted to create wedding dresses. The very first dress I made was for my friend’s wedding. I really enjoyed it and felt the urge to continue. That's how it all started. In the very beginning, I posted a small ad online which brought me 2 or 3 of my first clients. Once I had made a few custom wedding dresses, I decided to design and launch my first collection.
What year did your officially launch your namesake label Oksana Kokhan?
I created my first collection of wedding dresses in 2014, and a year later officially launched my label in 2015.
Le Dressing Club team describes your creations as elegant, poetic and charming. How would you qualify your style and designs?
Elegance – This quality coincides well with my style because I like all things understated, simple and subtly elegant. Made from beautiful materials with a graceful drop to create fluid silhouettes. That's it! Simplicity and elegance, with beautiful necklines.
What inspires you when designing all your creations?
I create and imagine dresses as if I was the one wearing them, as if I was making dresses for myself.
What do you often look for in your creations?
I love low necklines, fluidity and the transparency of lace and other materials. And once again, elegance, finesse, and refined fine lace.
Which materials do you use the most?
I work exclusively with silk and Calais lace. Among the materials I use, there is a lot of chiffon and silk crepe. All the fabrics are fluid, hence designed to gracefully follow the body’s movement. I absolutely love ‘peach skin’ silk because it has a smooth and lightly silky look and feel. All the lace I use is Calais lace.
The laces mostly come from France and the fabrics are mainly sourced from Italy.
Do you have a message for our future brides?
Choose the dress in which you are confident you feel yourself and feel beautiful. You should not listen to anyone but your own opinion. Whether you choose a bold statement dress or a simple and timeless piece, you want your bridal look to represent your personality and who you are. You just have to choose the dress that makes you happy, and in which you know you can spend a beautiful and unique day.
It is important to choose the right people to bring along to wedding dress fittings. It is key to choose people who know you, your style and personality well. You ideally want someone who won’t force their opinion on you and will help select dresses and narrow it down to the one.
Have you already seen brides cry when trying on your creations?
It does happen often! Not every time, but it is very moving when future brides get emotional. Sometimes the bride herself, but often the mother of the bride!
A big thank you to Oksana Kokhan for her time, her positive energy and infectious smile.
If you have been seduced by Oksana Kokhan’s universe, you will find a selection of her pieces at Le Dressing Club London. We are delighted to offer new pieces from her 2021 and 2020 collections, alongside samples from her older collections at discounted prices.
For a more intimate appointment, you can also book directly with Oksana Kokhan in her Paris showroom.
DISCOVER HER DREAMY NEW COLLECTION HERE
An Oksana Kokhan bride story
Clementine, who wore an Oksana Kokhan gown on her wedding day, tells us about her experience.
Describe your wedding and why you chose an Oksana Kokhan dress?
I got married last Summer in the French countryside. It was an intimate ceremony set in a garden, under the most beautiful boho flower arch made from pampas and dried flowers.
I was immediately drawn to Oksana’s romantic style. Her designs seemed to perfectly align with how we imagined our wedding’s whimsical atmosphere.
Within a minute of trying on the Helga dress, I knew it was the one. I love the combination of the flowy skirt gathered by an embroidered tulle bodice. The delicate off-the-shoulder sleeves create a flattering neckline, the perfect balance between sexy and sophisticated. I think my favourite feature of the dress has to be the delicate floral embroidery on the top - The quality is outstanding and it fit so perfectly with our wedding’s garden setting.
What were the different steps to finding your wedding dress?
I booked a fitting at Le Dressing Club because I knew they had a wide variety of wedding dress styles and designers, including Oksana Kokhan. I tried on the Helga dress among several other bridal gowns and immediately fell in love. My mother’s eyes teared up and at that moment I just knew it was the one!
In the meantime I went to other bridal shops to make sure I wasn’t missing out on anything else. I didn’t come across or try on a single dress that compared in terms of design or quality.
I returned to Le Dressing Club to try the dress on again with my sister and best friend this time. It felt even more magical than the first fitting, I wish I had filmed their reactions when I stepped out of the changing room! I purchased the dress in December and Le Dressing Club contacted me 3 months before my wedding date for the alterations.
I went back to the showroom so the seamstress could take my measurements and fit the dress to my figure. The seamstress nailed the alterations the first time round so I took my dress home a few weeks later. And voilà, my dress was ready 2 months ahead of the wedding!
One piece of advice for a bride on the hunt for her wedding dress?
It's never too early to start wedding dress shopping! I initially thought I had gotten carried away with excitement and was starting way too early. Ticking 'wedding dress' off my to-do list 10 months before our wedding date was such a relief and meant I could move on to other elements - caterer, DJ, florist, photographer...
But also, don't start early thinking you have heaps of time or you'll never get it done.
And lastly, don't keep your options to broad. If you visit too many bridal shops and spend hours looking at every imaginable bridal designer, you'll really struggle to make a decision!
How would you describe your experience wearing an Oksana Kokhan dress?
My wedding dress experience was amazing from start to finish. Le Dressing Club carefully guided me into finding the perfect Oksana Kokhan gown to sublimate my figure. Oksana’s fairy-life fingers contributed to the success of this magical day !
It was perfect - I was comfortable in my dress and I loved wearing it. I had so many compliments on the shape, and the beautiful materials, altogether creating a "sumptuous" bridal look (according to my grandmother!). My close friends and relatives all said the dress suited me very well and that it was exactly my style. And most importantly, my husband thought I was beautiful and loved it as much as I did.
The only sad part was having to take the dress off at the end of the day… I considered sleeping in it!
Thank you Clementine for sharing your experience with Le Dressing Club, it was such a pleasure to be part of this magical journey with you!
Pictures taken by Pierre Atelier - read more about the wedding photographer here