Costarellos

If you are dressing for a wedding or a milestone evening, a Costarellos piece tends to justify its price. Founder Christos Costarellos has run the label since 1998, and his neo-romantic gowns are built to read as occasion-defining rather than disposable. For something you will be photographed in and likely keep, the craftsmanship and silhouette do the heavy lifting.

Yes. Costarellos is a Greek house centered on bridal and eveningwear, led by Athens-based designer Christos Costarellos, who holds a master's in theatre costume design from the London College of Fashion. That costume-trained eye shows in the construction and the way a gown moves, which is much of what people are paying for.

Both sit in the romantic, red-carpet-and-bridal corner of luxury, so the choice is mostly about temperament. Costarellos leans Mediterranean and architectural, shaped by Christos Costarellos's Greek atelier and his theatre-costume background, where a brand like Marchesa leans more overtly ornamental. Try the silhouette that flatters you; the romance is a given on either side.

Start with whatever the occasion demands. For a wedding, the bridal gowns are the heart of the house; for a gala or black-tie dinner, the eveningwear is the natural entry point. Because these are statement pieces rather than basics, let the event lead and pick the silhouette that suits your frame.

Costarellos sells through its own channel and a roster of luxury retailers, and pre-owned styles surface regularly on consignment. If budget is a concern for a single wear, the resale route can be sensible, though shopping current collections gives you the full range of fits and finishes.

Christos Costarellos is the Athens-based Greek designer behind the label. He was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, to parents in the trade, his mother a seamstress and his father a tailor, then studied at the Dimitrelis School of Fashion in Greece before completing a master's in theatre costume design at the London College of Fashion.

Christos Costarellos started his own label, Costarellos, in 1998. It has grown from there into a house known internationally for bridal and eveningwear, though its design home remains in Athens.

Costarellos became widely known for the dress Carrie Symonds wore for her May 2021 wedding to British prime minister Boris Johnson. Rather than buying, she rented the gown, which normally retails around £2,830, for £45 from MyWardrobe HQ, a detail that put both the label and the idea of renting couture in the headlines.