By Feature Editor, Amy Croffey. Aisling Nelson of Rangoli designs has been working as a bridal accessory designer in Ireland since 1998. As part of WOL�s Irish Designer Week we spoke about her newest collections, her inspirations and the Irish design industry.
Aisling Nelson from Rangoli has been designing bridal accessories since 1998. Meeting new brides and getting to see so many beautiful wedding dresses are the two main reasons why she decided to enter the world of bridal design.
“I love to create bespoke pieces as I get to meet the people I am designing for. In my showroom, I listen to a bride’s ideas and stories and together, we come up with great accessories, the inspiration works both ways,” she says. “Secondly, the ornate style of my designs suits those pretty dresses that I get to look at every day!”
Aisling finds that most of her clients have looked in all the standard shops but they have not found exactly what they are looking for. They also love wearing and owning pieces that have been made especially for them.
This year, Aisling’s designs are inspired by garden parties with a whimsical take on a Midsummer Night's Dream. She describes her collection as delicate and ultra feminine with lots of romance thrown in for good measure!
Less is more
“I advocate a 'less is more' look and encourage clients to choose accessories that will complement rather than take over their look,” says Aisling. “My designs will subtly pick up on the lines and embellishments of a dress, making the bride feel extra special on her wedding day!”
For the bride-to-be who is trying to find the ‘perfect’ accessory for their big day, Aisling says, “First of all everyone's style is different so be true to it. Try using blogs and image-sharing sites such as Pinterest to gather together pictures that you love. You'll soon get a feel for what you are looking for.”
While Aisling feels that it is great to support and buy Irish, she still respects that everyone has different requirements.
“Personally when I am shopping, I look for quality first and foremost and will purchase from the source that ticks all of my boxes. I love to support Irish designer/ makers where possible though,” she says. "My adviceis know what you want, research well, both locally and further afield and base your decision on purchasing the things you love most."
Aisling believes that there is an amazing array of talented Irish designers out there and she’s discovering more and more of them through Twitter and Facebook. Word of mouth is also one of her favourite ways to spread the word and she would encourage brides to share their best supplier discoveries whenever and wherever they can.
When it comes to materials Aisling sources most of hers from outside of Ireland.
“Unfortunately, abroad is where most of my materials are made such as Austrian Swarovski components. I'd like to be able to source more here but for reasons of quality, variety and price, I source things from all across the globe,” says Aisling.
Email Aisling Nelson from Rangoli Jewellery at [email protected].
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Submitted by Aisling Kavanagh on Wednesday 4 April 2022