Brautmode Livia

Brautmode Livia is a bridal boutique at Langgasse 58 in St. Gallen, which the site places "einige hundert Meter östlich des bekannten Olma Areals", a few hundred meters east of the well-known Olma grounds. It is run by Lea Landgraf, whose trademark is the exclusive fitting: "Keine weiteren Kunden zur selben Zeit, ausser Ihnen", no other customers at the same time. The shop carries wedding dresses from Spanish, Danish and Polish labels, including Rosa Clará and AIRE Barcelona, a small maternity range, and the jewelry, underwear and boleros to go with them. Alterations are handled with partner tailoring workshops.

Lea Landgraf and her team

In the "Wir stellen uns vor" section, Lea Landgraf, the managing director, writes that she advises openly, honestly and competently, with "über zehn Jahren Erfahrung sowie einer Fachausbildung in der Branche", more than ten years of experience and professional training in the trade. She is supported by a team of three ("Unser 3köpfiges Team"). Her aim, she says, is that choosing the dress, together with the bride's companions, should be no stress and no disappointment but a happy, satisfying experience. The shop's motto appears across the page: "herzlich, persönlich, kompetent".

The collection

The collection is put together by the team at international trade fairs, the site says, with fit, trend and quality as the main criteria, and a photo caption shows the team at two international bridal fairs. The labels presented on the home page are:

• Rosa Clará, from the Spanish "Design Schmiede", described as "Sinnlichkeit. Eleganz. Raffinesse. Exklusivität". A "Big News!" notice announces that Livia is now part of the Rosa Clará "Family", with more dresses to offer.
• AIRE Barcelona, "Sinnlichkeit und Eleganz raffiniert vereint", sensuality and elegance refined together.
• Lilly, from Denmark, "sinnlich. romantisch. verspielt." and "Made in Europe!"
• Elizabeth Passion and Agnes Bridal, from Poland, presented under "Individualität und Nachhaltigkeit", individuality and sustainability.

The styles run from classic romantic to playful, elegant or light and airy. A style gallery names Meerjungfrau (mermaid), A-Linie, Princess and Vintage, and separate panels invite brides who want a boho look, or who want to "Feel like a Princess" in "Tüll, Spitze, Sinnlichkeit, Eleganz, Funkeln & Strahlen". The site shows only a sample of the stock online and says more dresses and accessories wait in the shop.

Maternity dresses

Under the heading "Hochzeit zu dritt", a wedding for three, the shop offers "eine kleine aber feine Auswahl für die zukünftige Braut & werdende Mutter", a small but fine selection for the bride who is expecting. For a pregnant bride, being able to try maternity bridal dresses in person is a real advantage.

How a fitting works

The "Beratung & Service" section is specific. A consultation is always exclusive to the bride, with no other customers if at all possible, and lasts two to three hours so the team can concentrate fully on her. From experience, the shop recommends coming with one to four companions. The advice covers everything "vom Kleid über Unterwäsche, bis hin zum passenden Schmuckstück", from the dress to underwear to the right piece of jewelry, and is described as "Herzlich, humorvoll, professionell".

On timing, the site states that wedding dresses have a delivery time of four to five months, so it recommends booking early for the widest choice, while noting that a spontaneous bride will also find a large selection in the shop.

Alterations are done "in sorgfältig ausgesuchter Partnerschaft mit führenden Schneiderateliers", in partnership with leading tailoring workshops. A pinning appointment takes place three to five weeks before the wedding, and one to three weeks before the wedding the dress is ready for collection.

The service section adds practical touches: customer parking spaces at the shop, coffee and more during the visit, and a toast and a souvenir photo when the dress is chosen.

What past brides say

The page carries a long run of testimonials from brides in St. Gallen, Winterthur, Rorschach, Herisau, Wil and elsewhere. One describes "eine sehr gemütliche und persönliche Atmosphäre", a very cozy and personal atmosphere. Another says that from a single photo sent in advance, Frau Landgraf prepared a dress that turned out to be the one. A third mentions being welcomed with drinks and chocolate, and admits she ended up in a tulle dress although she had been sure she did not want one. A mother writes of "sehr kompetente, liebevolle Beratung", very competent, caring advice.

The page also quotes Colbie Caillat's song "You Got Me", with a Swiss German version of the lyrics, and the line that a woman falls in love at least twice: once with the man of her dreams and later with her dress. A short list of wedding tips follows in the same spirit: celebrate the love and not only the party, stay open to surprises, and remember that "inspirieren ist meist besser als kopieren", being inspired is usually better than copying. Past customers are invited to leave a recommendation on Zankyou, Google or Facebook.

Hours, contact and booking

Opening hours:

• Monday closed
• Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00
• Saturday 09:00 to 16:00

Appointments outside these hours are possible by arrangement, and booking is preferred; the site warns that a consultation cannot always be guaranteed for a spontaneous visit. The phone number is +41 71 244 36 22 and the e-mail address welcome@brautmodelivia.ch, and there is a request form on the site. If no reply arrives within two or three days, the site asks people to check their spam folder. A notice announces a holiday closure from 20 June to 4 July, without a year.

What the site leaves open

The site is in German, with some Swiss German, and does not say whether consultations can be held in English. It publishes no prices for dresses, alterations or accessories, and no size range. It does not say whether alterations are included in the price.

Who it suits

Brautmode Livia suits a bride who wants a long, private fitting with the owner, a choice of Spanish and European labels, and clear timings to plan around. With a four-to-five-month delivery time and alterations three to five weeks before the wedding, a bride from abroad can plan two main trips: one to choose, one to fit. The caveats are the unpublished prices and a German-only website, so language should be settled when booking.