Weddings are a time for brides to indulge their innermost childlike fantasies, so it’s fitting that Mark Ingram is celebrating his 25th anniversary with a doll.
But this one is no toy. Standing 15 inches tall, the resin plaster bust made in collaboration with Vero Studio replicates his signature “Wave” gown. And after being unveiled Wednesday during NYBFW, Ingram said it will live at his Madison Avenue salon on a bronze pedestal “as a work of art.”
Originally part of Ingram’s fall 2024 collection, the “Wave” has become one of his most popular silhouettes, defined by a crumb-catcher bodice with Mikado ruffles undulating into a full ball skirt. Ingram chose it because the effect has “incredible depth and we knew that would translate into a statue beautifully,” he said.
Aside from being part of the salon decor, the sculpture’s purpose, Ingram explained, is to introduce Vero’s service to his clientele. “We are constantly striving to bring in new ideas, partners, and products as a way to enhance their experience.” So if it piques a bride’s interest on her way in for a fitting, he’ll happily make the introduction.
Launched earlier this year by Stanford engineering graduate and former venture capitalist Madilyn Ontiveros Plumlee, Vero Studio specializes in the niche art form of bridal miniatures.
According to Plumlee, it’s a more effective way of preserving what many women consider the most important dress they will ever own. “And yet, it’s worn for eight hours, then spends decades in a box,” she joked, adding that her intention with Vero is to “shift preservation from storage to display, from obsolescence to art, so the gown stops being something you wore once and becomes something you enjoy each day.”
Commissions start with an advanced image capture, ensuring the intricacies of each design — be it lace patterns, princess seams or beading — are replicated at scale. The image is then precision-fabricated into a 3D model that’s finished by hand — all for $2,200, about the national average of an actual wedding gown.
Interestingly, dolls and fashion are having a moment in New York with the FIT Museum’s “Doll Dressing” exhibit that opened last month. During her visit, Plumlee said she found herself studying how the miniatures differed from their real-life counterparts. “At Vero, our process lets us preserve the kind of details that would usually be lost.”
