Designer Michi Calica, who is popular with brides and fashionistas alike for her kicky yet flatteringly feminine designs, opened her salon at Oasis last May 5, 2006. Located at the newest hub for wedding suppliers, it’s hard to miss Michi’s salon, as its brightly lit and attractive display is reminiscent of storefronts found on trendy Fashion Walk in Hong Kong. It features—in addition to wearable samples of her designs (bridal and formal gowns alike included)—ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, jewelry (with a separate display for wedding bands), and home accents. But as is to be expected of someone of Michi’s caliber, her designs are prominently displayed about the shop. "I didn’t really have a shop theme in mind; I just wanted my designs to be more accessible to my clients," she says upon being asked about the beautiful ready-to-wear dresses the store carries.

But it’s far from being just a clothes shop. Michi envisions her bright, well-appointed salon as a one-stop shop for brides-to-be. "So many brides come to me for a wedding gown design then ask me for referrals to other suppliers, so I thought I’d make it easy for them and carry what they needed in one place: my shop. What a lot of people forget is that brides-to-be are usually building or furnishing their new homes at the same time, and I want to continue my tradition of building relationships with them that last beyond the wedding." Given how many brides have happily raved about Michi’s friendliness, this is almost a certainty.

It’s easy to see how these relationships develop; Michi’s cheerful yet calm demeanor belies a brisk efficiency that bubbles under the surface. This is reflected in the neat yet stylish layout of the salon; wherever you turn, there is space, and the space is always accented, discreetly, by something lovely: an artful display of shoes, a crystal chandelier, even a colorful body mannequin displaying one-of-a-kind earrings. Even the shop’s dressing room reflects the same stylish yet comfortable efficiency; it bears no resemblance to the cramped, makeshift dressing rooms in other salons and in malls. Several guests, in fact, mistake it for a lounging area, because it has its own couch.

What’s a designer’s salon without the clothes? A rack near the dressing room-slash-lounge displays several beautiful designs. "These dresses are here because I wanted to have a real catalog, so to speak. Clients can come in and look at the dresses to see what they like then we can discuss how to tweak or personalize these dresses to their liking," Michi explains between sips of champagne and delighted greetings with various guests. "I want them, the brides, to come here and look around, tell me what ideas they had in mind, and work with me so that we can bring her ideal dress to life. You might say that these are samples," she says, indicating the dresses with a wave of her hand.

Don’t just fall in love with the designs, though; Michi is proud of the craftsmanship of her work, and happily points out the lovely details to anyone. Her teamup with jewelry, house accent, and shoe designers complements her attention to details; it’s not just brides who will enjoy browsing through this cheerful little shop with a relaxing view of the pretty Oasis reception gardens.

Relaxation is one of the keys to Michi’s salon; comfortable couches are positioned throughout the shop, and Michi’s staff are friendly yet competent. "I want my shop to be like a little vacation for busy brides. That’s a concept I’d like to see take off here—the full-service salon. I think every bride deserves that." And who better to do that than Michi Calica?