Last time, we stepped into a new chapter of Sára’s story: her engagement. This time, we enter Anita’s world – the place where inspiration takes shape as silhouettes, textures and, ultimately, an entire collection. It is a creative process Sára has always been familiar with, but now, as a bride herself, it takes on an entirely new meaning.
Sára is inspiring your new collection not only as a bride, but also as your muse. When did you first realise that you wanted to dedicate your next Daalarna collection to her?
Anita: Honestly? The thought came almost instantly. When Zsombor left our home after proposing, I sat down and suddenly realised: my daughter is a bride. For someone like me, who has been immersed in the world of weddings for twenty-five years, that immediately brought another question to mind: what kind of dress am I going to design for Sára?
Ever since then, the whole process has been a constant source of inspiration. Anyone who knows me knows that, as a designer, I always create from my emotions. My collections are never driven solely by trends or aesthetic decisions. They are shaped by life experiences, encounters and stories. I don’t think Daalarna could be created any other way. Over the years, there have been many mother-and-daughter pairs who have become particularly close to my heart during fittings.
I have always been fascinated by the connection between them, by the love and harmony they share, and I often wondered what it would feel like to experience that one day with my own daughter. Now, that moment has finally arrived.
Of course, I also had some doubts. I thought a lot about how personal it is to share this joy, and whether it was right to dedicate an entire collection to my daughter. Not because of me, but because this is first and foremost Sára and Zsombor’s story. It was very important to me to hear what they thought about it. Zsombor, for example, reacted so sweetly when I told him about the idea. He said that he, too, would happily shout from the rooftops how happy he is. That meant a lot to me. 🙂
And so the idea was born that we should not only live through this journey, but document it as well. On the one hand, it will be a beautiful memory for us; on the other, I hope that following this special year may inspire others, too. This collection, however, is not only about Sára. It is also a portrait of an entire generation.
Anita: Exactly. When I look at Sára and her generation, I feel that an entirely new generation of brides has arrived. There is often a lot of criticism directed at young people, but I have experienced the exact opposite. They are more open to the world. Many study or work abroad, they are comfortable living in different countries, travelling and drawing inspiration from different cultures.
I see a generation that is more confident in embracing who they are, far more emotionally aware, and unafraid to express what they feel.
I see this awareness in the way they choose their wedding dresses, too. Today, they no longer choose a dress simply because “that’s what’s fashionable”. They choose it because they feel like themselves in it. It matters to them that the dress is truly about them, that it reflects their personality, rather than requiring them to play a role. That is exactly what I love about Sára. She is both modern and romantic. She knows what she wants from life, yet she is never loud about it. She is confident, but also deeply sensitive and emotional. I want to capture that balance in the collection as well.
That is why I feel this collection will be more than just another season in Daalarna’s story. It will be a portrait of a generation.
A generation for whom a wedding is no longer about following traditions simply because they are expected to, but about creating a deeply personal celebration. Where luxury is not about excess, but about quality, detail and genuine emotion.
Of course, my own design world will be present, too, because that is inseparable from Daalarna. But this time, it is particularly exciting to bring together the perspective I have developed over twenty-five years with the way a new generation sees the world. I believe that is what will make this collection truly personal – and perhaps that is why it will be different from anything we have created before. Sára is not only the muse of this collection; she also represents the perspective of an entire generation.
What does it feel like to be present in this process both as a designer and as a mother?
Anita: This will probably be one of the most exciting challenges of all. As a designer, I tend to have very clear ideas. I know exactly what I want to express through a collection. But this time, I have to consciously remind myself that this is Sára’s wedding, her dress and her story. Of course, I have plenty of experience with this, because I design for brides every day. I always keep in mind that it is not my dress that is being created, but theirs. The goal is for them to look in the mirror and see the most beautiful version of themselves.
But now, as a mother, there are completely different emotions involved, too. Of course I want every detail to be perfect, but I also want the dress to truly be about Sára. We are very different personalities. I tend to think in a very distinctive visual language, while Sára is instinctively romantic. And that is exactly what will make working together so exciting: seeing how my vision as a designer meets her dreams.
It is important to me that the collection includes new ideas, fresher proportions and contemporary solutions that speak to today’s brides. At the same time, I also feel that now, as my own daughter is preparing to get married, the romantic in me is stronger than ever.
Perhaps I have never wanted a collection to be born so completely from emotion.
I want these dresses to feel both modern and timeless. When someone sees them, I want them to sense the freshness of the present, while also discovering the delicacy, femininity and romance that have always represented the soul of a wedding to me.
What kind of woman do you see in Sára today, and how does that inspire you as a designer?
Anita: A wedding dress is never important to me simply as a dress. I never want people to remember the dress itself; I want them to remember how beautiful the bride looked in it. That is why I always begin with the person.
What I love most about Sára is that she is incredibly sensitive, intelligent and natural all at once. She never tries to appear to be anything other than who she truly is. There is a quiet elegance about her that, to me, is far more timeless than any trend.
As a designer, my role is to amplify that with the dress. My goal is not for Daalarna to overpower her personality, but quite the opposite: for the dress to bring her personality to the forefront. If she feels confident, authentic and beautiful on her wedding day, then I will have achieved everything I could possibly wish for as a designer.
And, in a way, we are not just designing a dress. We are creating an entire world around it. From the venue and the atmosphere to every little detail, there will be twenty-five years of experience woven into it – everything we have learned through our work in the world of Daalarna weddings.
I am enjoying this process immensely. There is just one thing I am being very conscious of: not taking centre stage. As both a mother and a designer, I have countless ideas, but this wedding is not about me. It is about them.
Sára: I really don’t think you need to worry about that. Honestly, every day I feel grateful that I was born into this family. When it comes to the wedding, I actually feel completely relaxed because I know that together, we will choose the most beautiful option for everything.
Not because you impose your ideas on me, but because I trust you completely.
It has always been that way. Ever since I was little, I have seen how incredibly intuitive you are when it comes to understanding what suits someone. I am not nearly as confident about these things, so for me it is actually reassuring to let you take the lead.
And I never feel that you are too much. Quite the opposite. I feel that everything comes from love. I know you will listen to me throughout the process, hear what I want, and then bring out the very best in it.
And the best part is that we are not doing this alone – we are doing it together. This whole process has already become a shared memory, and I think that is what I will treasure most about the wedding.
What can you reveal about the mood of the upcoming collection?
Anita: Bridal fashion is perhaps more exciting than ever right now. There are so many trends existing side by side: from clean minimalism and striking sculptural silhouettes to romantic princess gowns, there is room for everything. That is precisely why I made a conscious decision not to build this collection around every direction at once.
Because of Sára’s personality, this collection will be much more romantic. I want to create a softer, more feminine and more emotional world. I am not interested in loud trends, but in dresses that feel timeless, delicate and capable of expressing genuine emotion.
I also feel that Sára’s generation has a great deal to teach me. As a designer, I am always paying attention to how brides’ needs are changing, but now that I am experiencing this period so personally, I have an even closer insight into the values that shape their decisions.
One of them is mindfulness. Today, a wedding becomes truly special when every decision has meaning behind it. Sustainability matters. So does avoiding unnecessary excess and waste, and making sure that we invest our energy and budget in the things that genuinely add to the experience.
I think this will also be one of the most exciting questions at the heart of this series:
how do we find the balance between our dreams and reality?
How can we create a truly extraordinary wedding while remaining true to ourselves, taking sustainability into consideration, and keeping practical, sensible choices in sight?
I would love for readers to follow this journey with us. Not because we want to show them how a wedding should be planned, but because we want to honestly share how we approach these decisions ourselves.
I believe that today, true luxury is no longer found in excess, but in giving every detail a story, a meaning and a place.
