WED

𝗟𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. This idea was captured in a recent article by Hurs Official that resonated with our mission at WED. At WED, luxury extends beyond the product itself; it encompasses an emotional experience that transcends the physical garment. For us, bridalwear epitomizes luxury. The creation of a bridal gown is a collaborative journey between maker and wearer. ✂ As designers, we meticulously sculpt fabric to fit the bride perfectly, ensuring she feels her absolute best. For the bride, choosing her dress is often the most thoughtful and deliberative clothing decision she will ever make. This mutual investment of time, emotion, and expertise transforms the bridal gown into the ultimate luxury item. As Carlota Rodben eloquently puts it, “𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲.” In today’s digital age, an “insatiable hunger for more” has led many brands to prioritize speed over quality, the rise of Tiktok shopping reflects this. However, bridalwear remains a bastion of true luxury, with lead times spanning 9-12 months, dedication to craftsmanship and personalized service. While innovation is important, our focus in bridalwear has always been on what’s best for the customer. The ultimate test of luxury lies not just in the allure of the brand but in the impeccable fit and feel of the garment. As Grace Margetsen says, “𝗟𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.” In a recent WWD article on the launch of ReSelfridges, Andrew Keith, Chief Executive Officer of Selfridges, said, “𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁.”  This insight, though pertaining to Circular Retail, resonates across the retail industry. Experience and feeling are key, and the bridal industry naturally embodies this ethos. During such turbulent times, people are becoming more connected to whats important to them, what their values are and where people want to put their hard earned cash. It's moving away from impulsive buying decisions to considered, thoughtful, process driven purchases. In essence, luxury is an experience, a journey, and a dedication to excellence that we are proud to offer to our clients. As we continue to innovate and expand, we look forward to connecting and partnering with those who understand the value of luxury defined by craftsmanship, personalized experience, commitment to quality, and emotional engagement. https://lnkd.in/efVjjqhc https://lnkd.in/ey_rjkUF

I am incredibly happy to have been a part of the new SSENSE Bridal Capsule, featured in British Vogue, alongside my talented co-founder Amy Trinh, spearheading the rise of the ‘Anti-bride’. 💭 In 2018, when Amy approached me with the idea of working on her own wedding dress, it made perfect sense. It didn’t take long to realise that there was nothing available at the time that would appeal to who Amy was as a person. Neither of us related to the wedding industry at all at or had ever really thought about it truthfully until then. As a queer person, I felt nothing other than alienated by the idea of weddings and as a fashion consumer just as much so. During my time at Central Saint Martins and at RTW brands following, I had become accustomed to thinking of Bridal as a no-go, the ‘uncool’ sister of the fashion industry. 💫 After a deep-dive, our fun weekend project became WED and we embarked on our mission to fill a gap in the market; the disillusioned fashion consumers who could not relate at all to the bridal industry, which had remained largely unchanged in two decades. ✂ For us, bridal ended up encapsulating everything we loved about being designers. It’s a consideration of the highest craft, its about striving to achieve the perfect fit and the incredible emotional value of clothing. The thought process behind bridal decision making cannot be underestimated, as much so the skills of the incredible crafts people who make it. Bridal allows us to experiment and create pieces that we were never able to do whilst offering RTW. It considers fabrication, technique, and garment value so highly. Every piece has a purpose and sincere connection to the wearer and following our made-to-order model means that we are never sitting on bundles of stock.  Five years ago, people were confused why we wanted to enter this market. I was asked whether I really wanted to ‘abandon’ fashion for bridalwear, as if the two are not inextricably linked. The key was taking the time to discover where they perfectly intersect. By building WED we have established a market which was waiting, but nobody would cater to. I am incredibly happy to see this shift in Bridalwear and that the industry now recognises WED as being ahead of its time. The release of capsules by revered fashion platforms such as SSENSE serve to strengthen our position as leaders in this growing market which is an incredibly exciting prospect! Biggest thanks to our fantastic team, incredible UK manufacturers and the SSENSE team!

I am so proud to be part of this incredible Capsule for the SSENSE Bridal Edit recently featured in Vogue 'This Anti-Bridal Capsule Just Threw The Wedding Rulebook Out The Window.' 👰 Back in 2018, I got engaged. Six years ago, it was the first time I began contemplating what marriage might entail. I can honestly say that I wasn't one of those individuals who had spent their entire lives dreaming about it, envisioning what dress I would wear or the cake I would have. The concept never crossed my mind so it all began quite pragmatically. 💫 I needed a dress, however, I had no idea where to start. Traditional bridal shops didn't resonate with me, and traditional bridal attire wasn't on my radar. My signature color palette was black, and my style leaned toward what you might call "tomboyish". At Central Saint Martins I loved Comme des Garcon, Ann Demeulemeester and Helmut Lang. A traditional meringue dress was the polar opposite of my aesthetic. Why couldn't I find something that suited who I was? 🤔 I sensed there was something missing. I scoured online boutiques, but there were no bridal edits available, especially not on the "cool" ones. I was puzzled about where to find my dress. Online searches yielded no results, and I knew for a fact that bridal shops wouldn't have what I wanted. So I thought, I'm a trained designer, why not design my own dress? And why not do it with my talented friend Evan Phillips, who was also working in the industry at the time. It made perfect sense. What started as a fun project evolved into a deep analysis of the bridal industry, revealing a gap in the market for the "fashion-forward" bride disillusioned by an industry that had remained largely unchanged for decades. When we first embarked on this journey, people were perplexed. We often found ourselves in conversations like, "What do you do?" - "I'm a Co-Founder and Creative Director of a Bridalwear Brand" - and that awkward moment of "erm…eek ok," 😐 though it was left unsaid, was palpable. Bridalwear was deemed incredibly uncool, the "dark side" of fashion. But for us, Bridalwear was about appreciating the craftsmanship behind each dress, recognizing the emotional value attached to such a purchase, and the meticulous thought process behind each bridal dress decision. It was about taking it slow, working sustainably by creating made-to-order pieces with no excess stock, valuing and pricing garments properly, spending time on meticulously getting the fit right and ensuring fair wages for craftspeople while keeping manufacturing local, in London. Many people have told us this year that "we were ahead of our time" when we first launched. It's gratifying to witness this shift in Bridalwear today and to see huge platforms demonstrate the potential in this category that was once perhaps underappreciated. It’s an exciting time for Bridal and its evolution is something we will keep shaping.

Amazing to be included in the "15 Best Bridal Designers in the UK" by THE WED. It is wonderful to see the industry for Bridalwear having a clear shift since when we started in 2015 challenging the Bridal industry. https://lnkd.in/etzmwXxx "Since its launch in 2019, WED has garnered an international reputation for its rebellious and visionary take on bridalwear. Founded by designers Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips, the brand focuses on three fundamental principles outlined as The Three C’s: “Cut, Craftsmanship and Creating consciously.” WED holds dear the emotional and physical importance of bridal attire, seeing it as the cornerstone of their work."