Restyling & Updating of a Family Heirloom
The Project
This season we have looked after some challenging but rewarding bridal projects. One of them was a bridal gown the mum of the bride-to-be had designed for her own wedding 30 years ago. The ivory ball gown with a multi-layered silk chiffon skirt had been stored well. The fabric was in good condition. As the daughter needed the dress to be bigger, we explored how we can restyle the existing bodice and turn it into a laced corset to add extra width. The existing sleeves were too small. Our senior fitter suggested to replace them by straps to provide additional structure and support for the bride’s bust area and shoulder cover. All decorative features needed to be re-freshed, with some of them replaced. After an initial consultation, the bride together with her mum decided to go ahead with this existing wedding-dress-to-be project. The timeframe was 3 months.
The Work & Patience paid off
Five fittings later, on the day of the collection, the bride and her mum were thrilled. The bride looked absolutely stunning in her restyled bridal gown that had already marked her parents’ wedding day. The dress had been updated and now carried the bride’s very individual signature and encapsulated her personal style. The mum was moved to see the dress she had designed at the time being brought back to life for the wedding of her daughter. It was beautiful for us to witness and we felt very privileged to support the project with our expertise.
If you are interested in wearing a family heirloom or vintage wedding dress for your wedding and would like to inquire whether your wedding dress can be restyled, please do call us on 020 7498 4360 or email info@brideandalter.com
- First fitting consultation: The dress was too small
- The closed bodice was restyled into a laced corset for additional width. The existing sleeves were too small. We replaced them with wide shoulder straps/ruffled silk chiffon. This feature added a contemporary feel and shoulder cover which the bride was looking for.
- Restyled wedding dress – back. We attached a bustle for the evening party. We updated, repaired and replaced decorative flower features.
- Restyled wedding dress – before collection – front
- Repaired and updated beading detail – front
Find out more: www.brideandalter.com/wedding-bridal-dress-restyling-upstyling-vintage-london