Bridal bliss an offline dress

By CHRIS DANIELS

Every bride wants to be a princess and few know this better than Kevin Berkahn, known in town as "king of the brides".

He has some definite ideas about using the internet to look for wedding gowns - it's good for inspiration - but you won't see any of his designs online.

That's because he does not want to give potential design pirates any help.

"It's a waste of time putting your designs on the internet, people either copy them or they just want to have a look at them."

He says he gets people bringing in pictures of other designers' dresses asking him to make a cheap copy.

He sends them on their way, with vehemence if they want him to rip off a fellow local designer.

"Before the internet, they could come with as many as five to 10 magazines, some of those good overseas bridal books at $80, $90, $100 a pop".

"They go and get all this stuff.

"I think the net is giving people who are getting married a lot more choice and a lot more variety of things to look at."

But he claims no self-respecting bride would buy a gown over the internet.

"They can't see or feel the quality of what they're getting.

"It's the bride's day. And if she wants to be the No 1, I don't think she will buy it off the internet."