Why do you exhibit at Bridal Week Harrogate, and how did you find this year’s show?

We thoroughly enjoyed this year’s show and were excited to see how many new brands attended. While this was our first year exhibiting, we have been following the show for a few years.

You showcased some of your pieces on the Bridal Week Harrogate runway. How did you decide on which designs to put on the catwalk?

When deciding which pieces to send down a runway you first have to take into consideration how many gowns will be going down and what is going to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Since we only had four gowns walk the runway, we decided to go with some of our newer gowns that we believed would catch the audience’s attention. The four dresses we chose included some of our favourite trends and are ones that we feel embody us as a brand.

What was it like seeing the designs come to life on the catwalk?

Seeing everything come together with choreography, lights, makeup, hair and music was truly spectacular. We have participated in several market runway shows in the past, and this was by far the most organised and well put together of all the shows. Seeing our gowns walk the runway was really exciting and something we look forward to doing again in the future.

Where do you look for creative inspiration, and how do you keep your designs fresh season after season?

My inspiration comes from many different places, like music, photography, art, and even stories. When I am beginning a new collection I start by compiling images, music and fabrics that have me excited and feeling an emotion. Then I let them tell me what they want to become. Season after season I try to take into context current trends in bridal and in ready to wear while putting my own spin on it. We are known for having gowns that are a little bit more unique, so I try to keep that in mind as well, while designing  new collections.

What trends/designs have been most popular amongst retailers this year?

We’ve seen a lot of interest in our coloured 3D floral gowns; specifically our Prue gown which also walked the runway this year. A simple cut with a ton of sparkle, like our Emerson gown, was a big trend for us this year and has also had a lot of attention.

Can you pick out your top three designs from the runway and tell us a bit about each of them?

The gowns mentioned above, Prue and Emerson, were two of the gowns that we got the most interest in from the runway show. However, the Cara veil that we paired with our Sabina gown also had a ton of interest. Prue is an off the shoulder strapless A-line gown that has pink and silver embroidery, 3D flowers, and pearls scattered across the entire gown. Emerson, is our take on the 90’s trend we’ve been seeing in ready to wear. She has a straight across neckline with spaghetti straps, pockets and an A-line shape, with a medium length train. The entire gown is covered in a glitter tulle that makes her sparkle under every type of lighting. Finally, our Cara veil is special because she is made from an organza as opposed to tulle. We already have a chiffon veil that we make and we’ve been looking for a long time for the perfect organza to create our organza veil. We feel we found it this season. The veil comes in many lengths; fingertip to cathedral.

Why did you decide to take part/ why do you think the Fashion Shows are important?

As a new brand to Harrogate, we really wanted to get as much attention on our gowns as possible, we believe the runway is the way to do that. While there are many different ways to advertise within the show we find this one works the best for us. The exposure is invaluable. Participating in the Fashion Show is cost effective, fun and while your gowns are on the runway, the whole audience’s eyes are focused on one designer’s gowns.

Do you have any trend forecasts for the year ahead? What’s going to be popular with brides in 2023?

I believe we are going to see a bit of a juxtaposition with brides in the next year. During Covid, with the shutdowns, isolation and many weddings being postponed, some brides will want to make a ‘big splash’. No doubt, some will want to continue with the more simplistic looks while others will do a one eighty and want larger skirts and trains and more glamor. We are going to see more people having large celebrations that require a second shorter party dress or jumpsuit. While we are all so sick of talking about it, the pandemic is going to play a part in shaping the years to come. People want life to not only return to normal but make up for the past two years. We also expect to see a bigger swing in the eco-conscious direction, however unlike in the past where eco-conscious meant we also saw simplicity and more organic designs, I believe we are going to see more brides becoming eco-conscious but not wanting to sacrifice on style or the glamorous aspect of a wedding gown. 

 

Click the link below to watch Rachel Elizabeth’s full catwalk: