Dress decision help

ewenner

Hello ladies!  So I have sort of chosen a dress, but I need some input before I order it.  There are actually two dresses that I have tried on at different stores, and my sister (who was with me at both stores) and I were both convinced that it was the same dress, but at one shop they told us it was a Casablanca, and at the other store, they told us it was a DaVinci. 

So after poking around the internet for awhile, I have tracked down the dress on both Casablanca (Style 1831) and DaVinci's (Style 8252) websites - I still think it's the same dress, but maybe I am crazy.  Are Casablanca and DaVinci part of the same company?  Could it be the same dress?  If they are different dresses, can anybody out there comment on the quality of dresses by one manufacturer or the other?  I have inserted links (hopefully they will work - I've never inserted links before) to pictures of each dress below so you can see for yourselves.  TIA!

http://www.casablancabridal.com/collections/view/5/88

http://www.davincibridal.com/pop_up2.php?style=http://www.davincibridal.com/thumb.php?img=images/largethumb/8252FM.jpg&MAX_WIDTH=301&MAX_HEIGHT=418

ewenner

Hello ladies!  So I have sort of chosen a dress, but I need some input before I order it.  There are actually two dresses that I have tried on at different stores, and my sister (who was with me at both stores) and I were both convinced that it was the same dress, but at one shop they told us it was a Casablanca, and at the other store, they told us it was a DaVinci. 

So after poking around the internet for awhile, I have tracked down the dress on both Casablanca (Style 1831) and DaVinci's (Style 8252) websites - I still think it's the same dress, but maybe I am crazy.  Are Casablanca and DaVinci part of the same company?  Could it be the same dress?  If they are different dresses, can anybody out there comment on the quality of dresses by one manufacturer or the other?  I have inserted links (hopefully they will work - I've never inserted links before) to pictures of each dress below so you can see for yourselves.  TIA!

http://www.casablancabridal.com/collections/view/5/88

http://www.davincibridal.com/pop_up2.php?style=http://www.davincibridal.com/thumb.php?img=images/largethumb/8252FM.jpg&MAX_WIDTH=301&MAX_HEIGHT=418

kthame

WOW. I can certainly understand the pickle! Personally, I think the Casa Blanca dress is classier...but I think I'm basing that on the color? I also think the dress is better lit on the Casa Blanca site, where the other one looks like it's washed out (white).

I'm not sure of the beneifts of one designer over the other. It wouldn't surprise me if this was the same exact dress; my bridal assistant told me that the designers all pretty much make similar dresses but change it up with different fabric. For example, the dress I bought, I initially found a similar dress while I was living in Australia, but they didn't have it at the shop I went to; I showed her a picture, and she said "Oh, we have that, but it's in silk vs. satin and there are just a few minor differences". She was right.

Good Luck!

olli27

Casa Blanka... but it's hard to judge by the picture.   I bought a dress and it really looks good on me, but on the pictures provided online it looks just "okey"...  My mom help me with the purchase of the dress and when I showed her the picture I got online of the same dress, she said it looks very different.  I think background, light, a model herself make a dress look different... So, whatever looks better on you, whatever has a better material, needs less alterations and is cheaper.  Good luck!

jessNlane52804

Hands down the Casablanca. I'm expecting my Casablanca dress any day now (so maybe I'm biased ) and the quality of their dresses is very nice for the price range. That dress is very stunning and elegant.

I don't have personal experience with DaVInci dresses, but if you look at their ads in wedding magazines, they always put a note next to the dress saying "compare to David's Bridal style # X". My impression has always been that they are advertising to be cheaper than or comparable to David's bridal.

morgie44

I would also go with the casablanca.  Like pp, the DaVinci ads have always seemed a little shady to me...  I am guessing they maybe copied the dress?

LexiMS

At least from the pictures I think the casablanca color and cut on the top looks a bit better!  But if you think they look the same in person, then go for whichever one looks better made/better price?

Da0419

The dresses are similar, but there are slight differences in the DaVinci dress.  They're subtle because straight copying is a big no no in the fashion industry (used to work in the bridal industry).  The cut of the Casablanca gown is a lot more flattering, and even though the fabric looks similar, the Casablanca looks richer.  I do have to say that with most taffetas, white looks very very white, so it's hard to compare the dresses since one is ivory and one is white.  DaVinci is a company that copies other designer gowns, so that's probably why you think they look similar (it's because they are!)  I would definitely go with the Casablanca gown over the DaVinci!!

jenniferandstephen

I'm a big fan of Casablanca. Since they own their own factory changes in neckline, fabric, straps, etc. are all reasonably priced. The Casablanca 1831 was one of my top choices and several bridal consultants encouraged me to change the back spaghetti straps to mimic the front, a change that runs about $70 or adding a corset for about $90. If you like a more luxurious fabric, you can always add that too.

There are also lots of pics of the 1831 on real brides (yay for google images) so that can help you get a good idea of how your dress would look on you or with any changes.

Good luck!

shakken

One thing I'm noticing about the Davinci is that top (the cups of the bust and also where it's cut under the armpits) doesn't look like it would fit quite right. At least, it doesn't fit the model quite right. It seems like the cut would be too high under the arm for most women. But, if you're petite, that might actually work better for you.

GL!

ewenner

Thank you all for your responses.  I did not know that DaVinci makes a habit of copying other designers' dresses - that definitely would explain why they look like the same dress!  It's so hard to say which fit me better, because the samples I tried on were so big on me (like 6 sizes too big).  They both looked good after the sales-ladies clipped and pinned them in 7 million places!  But i guess that's their job. 

I think I will try to go to a shop or two with my mother when I'm visiting the family out east for Christmas.  She is an experienced seamstress, and she should be able to tell me which dress is better made once she has a look at them in person - although from what I'm hearing it seems like the Casablanca may wind up being the winner in that respect.  My mother should also be able to tell me if she could do my alterations once she's had a good look at the dresses!  Hello to saving some cash on that! 

Thank you ladies all for your helpful responses.  Gotta love the Chicago boards!

lorn

I liek the Casablanca better. I like the softer color and the fabric doesn't seem as stiff. Very pretty.