THE CAMPAIGNS: Mark Ingram
For this week’s profile on *The Campaigns*, Ispoke with Mark Ingram—the man who’s done it all and then some. As the creative force behind his namesake bridal collection and the founder of the legendary Mark Ingram Atelier, he’s shaped the luxury bridal space from both the sketchpad and the showroom. A fixture in the fashion world and a longtime champion of industry talent, Mark has had a front-row seat to some of the most iconic collections and image campaigns our community has produced. But what happens when the spotlight shifts, and it’s his turn to craft the vision? I asked the tastemaker himself to break down the making of his own campaign—and what still moves a man who’s seen almost everything.- Louis Iacovelli
1) Your campaign draws inspiration from the golden age of Parisian haute couture. What is it about the post-war era—particularly the late 1940s to mid-1950s—that continues to resonate so deeply with your design philosophy?
There is a particular luscious and feminine quality to the Paris Haute Couture designs of the late 40’s to mid 50’s. The fabric rations lifted after WWII allowed designers to indulge in sumptuous designs, and to some extent ‘excess’, especially in evening gowns and bridal wear at that time. A New Look of volume and construction virtually appeared overnight, which harkened back to the Gilded Age of draping, bustling, and the use of rich fabrications. This is what is particularly appealing to my design sensibilities. The modernized aesthetic of that period is what I had hoped to capture in this specific collection.
2) You mention the influence of legendary couturiers like Dior, Balmain, Fath, and Balenciaga. How have their early works shaped the silhouettes and details we see in this campaign?
Just after the war, all the above-mentioned younger Paris couturiers were experiencing breakout moments from the older French fashion houses where they had been employed. By the late 1940’s these designers, under their labels, were playing more with shape and construction and fabric manipulation than in the recent past. Voluminous, longer skirt lengths, bustles, and draping for both cocktail and evening dresses were re-interpreted for the modern, sophisticated woman. The boxy, lean square-shouldered shapes of the war years gave way to rounded shapes, more intricate corsetry, and inner construction. This is what fed into my design imagination this season.
3) The use of black-and-white fashion photography in your campaign creates such a timeless mood. What role does visual storytelling play in honoring the sophistication and optimism of that era?
Our decision to use black and white, as well the color imagery we produced, was a deliberate throwback to the late 1940s and 50’s. The almost monochromatic backgrounds in the color photography, coupled with only dashes of color in the accessories and lip on the model, were a nod to a nostalgic, almost film noir-like, quality, mood, and sophistication. The fashion photography by the greats of that period… Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, and Irving Penn… were slightly avant-garde, coupled with the use of ‘creature-like’ top models with exaggerated limbs and movements. That is what served as our inspiration. Although we shot on location at the stunningly restored Waldorf Astoria, we chose mostly tightly cropped shots for our campaign to have a ‘studio-like’ quality that was evocative of that period. That is exactly the story we were trying to convey.
4) From opulence to optimism, your latest gowns seem to channel more than just style—they reflect a feeling. What emotions or experiences do you hope today’s bride connects with through this campaign?
I think this campaign feels rich, but not overproduced, and my designs reflect that exact sentiment. In my design work, I have always strived to create modern classics that feel timeless… but modernity is key! I do feel the generally clean lines of my collections and fabrications pair perfectly with the imagery we created to appeal to a bride who exudes elegance and timeless beauty. I must admit to being pleased with myself with this particular season, as I moved slightly out of my comfort zone of more minimal design to the edge of opulence.
