ALK BY LE’KAL BY ALIN LE’KAL: IT’S IN THE DETAILS
28 February 2024 | Words by Grace Biber
Walking into the South Yarra showroom is like entering an underwater Degas painting where the ballerinas are the ghosts of bridal parties past, waltzing by in medleys of frothy tulle and ivory silk.
Full trains explode from racks, peppered with delicate lacework and beading. Mermaid dresses hang amongst gowns sporting detachable skirts of a shining fabric that pays no mind to the laws of physics. A shock of lace in front of a mesh outline creates, inexplicably, the properties of a mini dress. Amidst the ethereal chaos emerges one of Melbourne’s most beloved bridal designers, ALK By Le’Kal by ALIN LE'KAL.
Despite boasting a star-studded clientele, Alin remains humble to the medium he has risen to prominence in. “It’s an honour that my skills have been sought out for the bridal grown, which is arguably the most culturally significant piece you will ever wear.”
Nowadays there are many options for brides to purchase off-the-rack, yet the haute couture wedding dresses adorning the walls of the showroom are designed with intent; to create a lasting memory of the day and be passed down for generations.
Already famed as the creator of the Million Dollar Dress, a 150kg tour de force entirely covered in Swarovski crystals and held up by a cast-iron petticoat, created for Paris Haute Couture Week. While the dress never made it to Paris due to logistical issues, conventions of its design – namely, the glittering, armour-like bodice and handbeading, recalling a Joan of Arc-esque style – are well represented in his following collections, including his Ready To Wear that encapsulates both eveningwear and party dresses.
Incorporating intricately bodices with powerful silhouettes, the dresses explore the areas between sweet and sexy, combining both to create a uniform of elegant glamour. Alin’s signature hand-beading style shines in a minidress with diaphanous ruffled accents, and a lightly feathered ‘naked’ dress of a delicate gold.
Drawing inspiration from Melbourne’s character as a city, especially in the past few years— “Melbourne has been very stereotypically Melbourne, very timid, very black, dark tones”—but adding options for colours and textures, ALKbyLeKal is designed without motive or inspiration, but rather for who is going to be wearing his pieces. “You can base a person’s character on what they’re wearing.”
ALKbyLekal was conceived during Covid, when brides began purchasing pieces for baby showers, engagement parties and birthdays. Being unable to make dresses in-store, he launched the online shop.
While the inception for a bridal gown begins with a one-on-one conversation and personal relationship with the designer, Alin discusses his Ready To Wear with the same intimacy and passion as he discusses his individual designs.
“Eveningwear trends have become extremely personal, especially in Melbourne,” Alin explains, surrounded by his bejewelled and feathery creations. When speaking about the Ready To Wear collection designed for PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, he is equally specific about his vision. “It’s for the fashionista who enjoys a night out, who has events they’re attending… everything depends on the wearer of the garment.”
Mass market appeal and trends are additional considerations, but they take a back seat. Some pieces created at the beginning of Covid are still selling, comfortably so. The ethos behind each dress is to create something beautiful that doesn’t go out of date or fall out of fashion.
And of course, the piece de resistance of any party girl’s wardrobe, the timeless sparkly mini, is well represented in many different forms across all of Le Kal’s collections.
Leaving the showroom is dropping out of a world of ethereal, bespoke artistry and back into a reality where weddings are once in a lifetime events—but even if you’re not a bride taking away a haute couture gown, you can still find some of the magic in ALKbyLeKal.