Bridal gowns
Designed from the beginning around the person who will wear it.
Handcrafted in Puglia, Italy · bespoke dressmaking
Bespoke bridal and occasionwear
Fine dressmaking · Haute Couture
Michela Lanzellotti designs each dress around the woman who will wear it.
Handcrafted lace in Giovinazzo, Puglia, Italy.
Your dress is ready one month before the wedding.
Why Michela
Designed for you. Made from scratch.
Michela is a pattern maker as well as a designer: your dress begins with a pattern drawn to your measurements, rather than a standard size to alter.
01
A Callegari graduate
Trained in bridal pattern making at Callegari in Treviso, with a fashion diploma from Istituto Archimede in Trani.
02
From fashion houses to your dress
She has worked as a designer for bridal brands in Rome, Bari and Castellana Grotte.
03
From the first stitch to the last
Every dress is handcrafted through a considered process: an initial sketch, the choice of fabric and the development of the design. Nothing is left to chance. Michela personally oversees each stage.
04
Lace worked by hand
Handcrafted in Puglia, with patterns inspired by the rose windows of its cathedrals.
Previous work with
- Gattinoni
- Radiosa
- Dalin
- Cotn Sposa
A dress for your occasion
What Michela creates
Occasionwear
Individually designed for wedding guests and mothers of the bride.
Bridesmaid dresses
Made for each bridesmaid, to complement the bride’s dress.
First Communion & children
Clothes made by hand.
Planning your dress
How it works, in four steps
-
01
Message on WhatsApp
Share your date and the dress you have in mind.
349 503 2435 -
02
Visit Giovinazzo
Michela takes your measurements and develops the silhouette around you.
Giovinazzo, Puglia, Italy, by appointment. The address is shared on WhatsApp. -
03
Return for your fitting
There are at least two appointments: measurements, then a fitting.
In between come the design, the fabrics and the handwork. -
04
Collect your dress a month before
Finished one month before your wedding.
Ways to create your dress
Many brides expect to try on lots of styles
That is understandable. Here, rather than adapting a ready-made collection, you choose a way of working towards a dress with the right qualities for you.
Bespoke
The dress that does not exist yet.
Starting from scratch, with a pattern drawn to your measurements.
Atelier
Your inspiration, made for you.
Bring an idea or a photograph, and Michela adapts the design to your body.
A story made in Puglia
A dress with roots in Puglia.
Handcrafted lace with patterns inspired by the rose windows of Puglia’s cathedrals.
You choose your approach together at the first appointment. How it works
For clients living abroad
From abroad, to the atelier
Your dress takes shape in Giovinazzo, Puglia, Italy. If you live in another country, start by contacting Michela and agreeing on the process before arranging your travel.
Before you travel
Share the occasion, your event date and location, where you live and when you could visit Puglia. You can include an idea or a reference photograph.
Fittings in Giovinazzo
The current process includes visits to the atelier: at least two, for measurements and a fitting. You will agree on the number, dates and length of appointments with Michela according to your project.
Allowing time for your dress
For a wedding dress, aim to contact Michela around five months ahead and collect it one month before the wedding. For occasionwear, bridesmaid and First Communion dresses, agree on a timeline for your event.
Agree on appointments and collection before booking your travel. The process described here requires visits to the atelier in person.
Tell Michela about your dressThe land and the light
Made in Puglia, from fabric to final stitch
Nothing comes from abroad. The fabrics are chosen here, the lace is worked here, the dress is made here.
Dry-stone walls, olive trees and trulli: this is where the dresses take shape.
Cathedral rose windows become lace
The patterns of rose windows have appeared in Puglia’s lace for centuries.
Michela brings them to a dress: along the hem, across the bodice and in buttons sewn one by one down the back.
The rose window lights up, then unfolds into the hem
About Michela
Michela Lanzellotti
Designer, pattern maker and dressmaker.
Knowing how to design a dress is not enough: my work calls for real expertise. I like to personally follow every stage of making a dress.
I have chosen to refine every stage of this work to achieve excellent results. Nothing is improvised: everything follows a carefully defined process.
- Previous work with
- Gattinoni and Radiosa in Rome · Dalin in Castellana Grotte · Cotn Sposa in Bari
Above all, my work is rooted in passion.
Read the film transcript in English
Before it becomes a dress, a creation is an idea. Then it becomes a line shaped around the body, a choice of fabrics, a detail sewn by hand, a series of fittings and adjustments. Often, the most precious part is what you cannot see: the time, the research and the care. I am Michela, and before creating a dress, I listen to the woman behind it.
I chose to call the lines of dresses I create “A story made in Puglia”, because I believe that every bride, every woman, carries a story of emotions, family, dreams and roots. Every dress also holds my story: who I am, my homeland, Puglia, with its colours, its light, its history and its traditions. That is what I love to tell.
A dress can be beautiful, but it becomes special only when it truly tells the story of the woman wearing it. My work is about bringing out that authenticity. For me, creating a dress means preserving a moment that will never come again. On your most important day, it is not only about wearing something special: it is about recognising yourself.
Made in Puglia. A dress, a woman, a story to tell.
In her own words
Michela talks about her work: her techniques, the uniqueness of a handmade dress and what Made in Puglia means to her.
Use the speaker button to turn on the original Italian audio. English subtitles are available.
Read the English transcript
I conceived my work with the idea of giving the people who wear my dresses something unique. The uniqueness of wearing something handcrafted that cannot be reproduced with exactly the same characteristics. That is the whole idea behind what I do. In my work, what matters above all is the use of dressmaking techniques…
The work
The creations
Four selections. Each piece is a dress made in Giovinazzo.
Three creations, seen up close
The rhythm of lace
In the long dress at the cloister doorway, scalloped patterns repeat from bodice to skirt. The texture and sheer areas follow the line of the body.
See the lace detailA clean silhouette
The short mikado dress on the terrace in Giovinazzo pairs a clean silhouette with a long sweep of fabric reaching the ground. The contrast comes from its proportions.
See the mikado dressThe bow at the back
An open back, a large bow and ribbons that fall to the ground: the back of the dress becomes the focus of the design.
See the bowBridal
Eight pieces
Occasionwear & bridesmaids
Four pieces
First Communion & children
Three piecesThe day itself
Dresses in motionIn the brides’ words
Twenty-five reviews, one story
4.9
out of 5
25 reviews on Matrimonio.com, where Michela has been listed since 2014. Recommended by 98% of couples. Source checked on .
Translated from the original Italian reviews.
In her I found not just a pattern maker, but an artist.
She designed and made my dress with meticulous attention to every detail, even the smallest.
She supported and advised me from beginning to end.
Read all 25 reviews
Opens Matrimonio.com, where the original Italian reviews were published.
Your wedding dress timeline
Is there still time?
Enter your wedding date to see a suggested timeline for your dress.
This is a timing guide, not confirmation of availability. If you live abroad, also agree on your visits to the atelier.
- TodayTime to get in touch
- Appointmentsat least twoMeasurements, then a fitting. Dates are agreed with Michela.
- CollectionOne month before your wedding
- The weddingYour day
Before you get in touch
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dress cost?
The price depends on the design, fabrics and hours of handwork. To discuss your dress with Michela, send a WhatsApp message with the type of dress and your event date. You can include a reference photograph and your budget. You will agree on the design, fabrics and details together before the dress is made.
How far in advance should I get in touch?
Around five months before the event. Your wedding dress will be ready one month before the wedding.
Where is the atelier?
The atelier is in Giovinazzo, near Bari in Puglia, Italy, and visits are by appointment. Contact Michela on WhatsApp to arrange your first meeting and receive the address. You can bring photographs or ideas as a starting point.
Does Michela also make occasionwear, bridesmaid and First Communion dresses?
Yes. Michela creates bespoke dresses for wedding guests, mothers of the bride and bridesmaids, as well as First Communion and children’s clothing. Send a message with the occasion and date: you will choose the design and fabrics together, and agree on timing and fittings for your project.
Can I bring a photograph or an idea?
Yes. Many dresses begin with an image, a memory or a detail seen on someone else.
The first step
Tell Michela about your occasion
Message on WhatsApp with your event date, location and the dress you have in mind.
Prefer email? Prepare your enquiry
+39 349 503 2435 · Giovinazzo, Puglia, Italy · by appointment