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Blog entries in "Irish Designer Week"
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Irish Designer Week: Project 51 Wedding Showcase
Project 51 is a modern style haven in Dublin City Centre, stocking the best in high-end Irish design.The store features a realm of Irish designers including those specialising in the fields of jewellery, millinery and accessories.
All this month they will be showcasing their wedding collections from Project 51 designers such as Caoimhe Keane, Jennifer Rothwell and Martha Lynn.
The showcase is made up of designers from the Project 51 collaborative as well as unique wedding suppliers ranging from flowers to cakes and stationery to event planning.
WeddingsOnline suppliers featured include florists Tiger Lily Flowers, event planners Plan My Party and, for the men, Aston Formal.
Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 7pm.
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Irish Designer Week: Martha Lynn Millinery
By Amy Croffey
Born in Co Roscommon, Martha Lynn is a young, passionate milliner based in Dublin. Her creations are a combination of traditional elements with a modern twist that she creates in her studio on 51 South William Street in Project 51.
Martha takes inspiration from everything and anything. “Each piece has been inspired by something different. It could be anything from materials to people,” she says.
Her designs are composed of simple clean lines. “I like to introduce a little element of excitement but I like to keep the design classic,” she adds.
Her most important advice for brides who are trying to find the perfect headpiece is to be comfortable and confident in what they are wearing and to consider the style of dress as well as the wedding theme.
On the issue of buying Irish, Martha believes that we all need to support each other. “In the current climate I think it’s really important to support and encourage Irish designers. With the right support we can continue to develop our designs and grow our business giving our customers a better quality and selection of products,” she says. “There is so much Irish talent. We really need to build on what we have.”
Martha tries to buy Irish materials as much as possible when creating her headpieces. At the moment, she is just selling her designs in Ireland but she also has customers in the UK, Australia and America.
For more information on Martha Lynn Millinery call 00 353 85 777 1641.
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Irish Designer Week: Marie McElheron Design
Marie McElheron has worked in the fashion industry in both Dublin and London for over 10 years. She now specialises in bridal design and is based in County Wicklow.
Marie describes the inspiration behind her latest wedding dress collection as slightly bohemian. “The cut remains simple but I’m a little more playful and creative with the design,” she says. “Rich embellishments of flowers and a mix of fabrics are part of each creation.”
Elegance
Marie’s signature style is a classic cut influence by Madeleine Vionnet who introduced it in the 1920s. “I believe less is more without sacrificing femininity or elegance,” she says. “Quality fabric is also very important. I only use silk in my collections.”
The celebrity Marie would most like to design for is Kate Moss because she believes her style is classic boho and she always looks effortless and comfortable in her playful and colourful style.
Marie’s advice for those who are starting to search for their dream wedding dress is to always keep an open mind and to start collecting ideas of what you like.
“Try on different styles to begin with and then narrow down your choices, most of all enjoy the experience,” says Marie.
When it comes to buying Irish, Marie thinks that most girls would consider it but they believe that having a dress custom-made by an Irish designer is very expensive which is not always the case.
“Buying Irish can only be a good choice. A lot of my clients are delighted to have chosen to buy from an Irish designer,” says Marie. “I work with brides-to-be up to a year before their wedding day so I get to know them very well and it’s a very special time and experience.”
Marie McElheron’s wedding dresses start at €800.
For more information contact Marie McElheron Bridal Design, Abbey House, Abbey Lane, Arklow, Co Wicklow or call 00 353 402 32818.
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Irish Designer Week: Edel Tuite
Edel Tuite is a well-known name in Ireland, renowned for her luxurious bridal gowns and bespoke service to brides. She aims to take the drama out of the wedding dress hunt by offering a highly personalised one-to-one service and start to finish wedding dress design and dress making service.
Grafton Acadamy graduate, Edel sharpened and expanded her skills by working with celebrated bridal designer Bridgette Moore. Her passion for design and flair for couture catapulted her into the bridal industry and she launched her own collection in 2001.
In 2008 Edel won Best Traditional Wedding Gown at the Irish Bridal Designer of the Year.
“Edel’s popularity is due to her reputation for creating unique, expertly crafted gowns that truly capture the beauty and spirit of a bride," says a Clients praise her honesty, professionalism and fun, friendly nature.”Edel prides on her personal service. She is fully aware of the needs of even the most discerning bride. Her customising service offers the opportunity to mix and match elements of any dresses her customers wish to emulate, from necklines, to fabrics, to lengths and details.
Edel’s specialises in natural silks which are especially good for girls getting married abroad in hot climates. Her new collection includes luxurious French laces, silk crepes, samouse Italian silk, chiffons and silk taffeta with her exclusive signature hand embellishments of hand beading and embroidery techniques.
Edel Tuite Bridal Design, Upper Mell, Drogheda, Co. Louth
To make an appointment with Edel call +353 41 987 2951 | 086 824 9575 or email [email protected]
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Irish Designer Week: Mia Elmes
Mia Elmes is a bridal designer with an admiration for understated elegance. As part of Irish Designer Week she speaks to Karen Birney about the importance of accentuating a woman's curves, of loving the suppliers you choose, and of supporting the Irish designer industry.
Graduate of Ireland’s centre for fashion design, The Grafton Academy, and the prestigious London College of Art, Mia Elmes first arrived on the designer stage with her contemporary ready-to-wear collection for Topshop Designers in 2005.
She built on the success of her flagship store commissions by establishing herself as an evening and bridal designer and soon garnered a name for her romantic, tailor-made designs and bespoke service.
Jane Eyre
Her bridal collection consists of sumptuous silk chiffons, antique embellished lace and soft lines. Her inspiration, she says, came from the eldest of the Bronte sisters.
“My signature style would probably be flowing chiffons and silk satins with simple, elegant tailoring," says Mia. "The romantic time of Jane Eyre was a great influence on my collection, when women wore fine silks to create beautiful, delicate silhouettes.”
The silhouette or ‘fall’ of a garment is of particular interest to Mia as she endeavours to construct complimentary garments to suit every shape and style. It is a task perfectly accomplished in her most favoured gown of her collection.
“My favourite gown is a silk and chiffon gown,” says Mia. (above left) “For me it reflects the importance of flowing shapes to accentuate the waist and glide over the hips to create an elegant silhouette.”
“The dress is perfect for a destination or summer bride when accessorised with simple flowers and a diamond headpiece. For a winter bride it would look stunning with a fur shawl and red roses.”
Bartering
Mia says she has noticed a ‘considerable rise’ in brides consulting Irish bridal designers in recent years, which is a welcome trend for home-based talents.
“This rise in interest is because the bride prefers to have the control of seeing her gown being made along the way and can change any design features throughout the process,” she says.
Another reason she believes brides are opting to go directly to designers is because they can often be bartered with.
“Irish designers are always willing to add in another feature or item so that the client will get better value for money,” she says. “I think it is important to support the Irish industry as there is a huge amount of incredible talent right on our doorstep!”
When it comes to finding the perfect dress for the big day, Mia believes that having a gown that suits your chosen venue and type of wedding is important. “Try to imagine the overall theme of your wedding,” she advises. “Bring together elements of different gowns by gathering images from magazines and sites.”
“It is important that you like the people you will be working with to have your gown made,” she adds, “so research your options and take the time to visit different shops and designers.”
Upstyling
With a past experience in fashion houses such as Ted Baker, Mia obviously has her ear to the ground when it comes to new trends in the fashion industry. The recent rise in the popularity of swap shopping and upstyling has meant Mia’s customising service is proving a very popular aspect of her work.
This budget-friendly service is perfect for guests who have more than one wedding to attend in a year and don’t want to purchase more than one dress.
Mia Elmes Bridal Couture, 11 Lakelands road, Upper Kilmacud road, Stillorgan, Dublin
To make an appointment with Mia, email [email protected] or phone 0861671523
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Irish Designer Week: Edel Ramberg Millinery
By Amy Croffey
Edel Ramberg Designs is an Irish label based in Galway, specialising in hats and headpieces.
Edel started to make bespoke bridal headpieces a few months after she was approached by a bride who was looking for an alternative to a veil.
“My headpieces are another option for people who don't feel that the traditional veil suits their dress or personality,” says Edel. “The bridal headpiece is something unique to them that they often help me to design and can wear again and again!”
Edel’s collections are all ready-to-wear headpieces but her bridal range needs to be pre-ordered. She has a range of samples and shapes in her studio and creates a bridal pieces using the client’s head, face and dress for inspiration.
Pillbox
“If a dress is quite vintage in style I work from there or if something is very fitted and 'Jackie-O' in cut we may try a pillbox base. It’s always down to the mood the dress creates,” she adds.
She would describe her designs as individual and sculptural, she is not into “fussy” pieces with loads of feathers and veiling.
“I would rather stay true to my style and keep things clean and chic. I like to embellish with quality materials, such as Swarovski and lace, rather than a mix of feathers and beads. It’s more about elegance and quality for me, rather than overkill," says Edel.
For wedding guests her collections are typically bought by women ranging in ages 30-60. Her bridal customers are typically in their twenties to early thirties and are looking for something special, unique and something that will compliment their face, shape and dress.
Overall look
“My clients are usually ladies who know their style and are keen to create something to finish off their overall look,” says Edel.
Edel’s advice to brides-to-be who are trying to find the ‘perfect’ style for their wedding day is to never bring too many people shopping for the veil or headpiece.
“I have seen brides in tears over varied opinions. You have to wear it on the day so you have to love it,” she says. “You should also be 100% sure about the piece, as it is something that will be in your wedding album for years. You need to be sure it doesn't hide too much of your face and that it highlights all your best features!”
Images by Richie StokesEdel believes it is always great to buy Irish but especially so with bridal fashion.
“It’s fantastic to get the support of Irish women as weddings are such a big tradition here. One bridal headpiece can often lead to several ladies getting in touch for their big day, which is great for any business as the knock-on effect can mean recommendations for local salons, make-up artists etc,” she says.
Edel admits the choice is not always there when trying to source certain products so people are often forced to look outside of Ireland for selections and price. However, she thinks now more than ever people can personally get in touch with designers to see what other options are available to them.
Materials for headpieces are mostly manufactured in the Czech Republic, France or other parts of Europe but rather than going to these suppliers directly for a small order, Edel tries to source from suppliers here.“I always feel it’s better to support a small local supplier rather than buying from elsewhere paying VAT and in some cases exchange rates,” she adds.
Email Edel Ramberg at [email protected] or call 00 353 86 837 6084.
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