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felicity Westmacott bespoke wedding dress maker portrait

Biography of a bespoke wedding dress maker

I have been sewing professionally for more than 20 years, specialising in bespoke wedding dresses since 2006. In 2004 I graduated from Wimbledon College of Art with a BA(Hons) in Costume design.

• and unique•That’s why the dress is important, special,of what a bride wants her future to be.A wedding dress tells a story

My family observes that I'm never seen without a needle. For my work I make beautiful and individual bespoke wedding dresses and on holiday I do cross stitch!

 

I live with my spouse and three lovely children, working from my studio /shop on Dorking High street.

 

To see more of my work visit my portfolio of real brides.

 

Art and Painting

I love painting; with still life of flowers and reflective surfaces being favourite subjects I return to again and again. I actually really dislike figurative work, though faces and portraits interest me. So you’ll notice my dress designs for bespoke wedding dresses are very simple, with no body parts involved!

 

rosie's bouquet painting by Felicity Westmacott

Board games and computer games

If you’re ‘in’ to board games you will recognise and appreciate my taste for ‘proper games’. I loved Monopoly, Hero Quest and Risk as a child but I’m so glad better games were invented that don’t rely on dice rolling! My favourites include Dominion, Smallworld, Wingspan and Samurai.

I also loved computer games growing up. I played all the way through the ‘Commander Keen’ series and later enjoyed many many games of Civilisation, Theme Hospital and Theme Park on the PC. When I gained a husband and a playstation other games became available to me including Super Monkey Ball and Katamari Damacy.

 

the other interests of a bespoke wedding dress maker

Language and more

I’m very much a book worm and much prefer the printed page to reading online articles. I have a very high reading speed and devour the written word, both novels and non-fiction.

 

My mind is a bottomless well for acquiring new and interesting facts. I love connecting with people who can expand my knowledge more into my areas of interest. Or show me new avenues to explore. Linguistics and anthropology are some subjects that interest me particularly. I’ve had passing flirtations with economics and psychology too.

Garden and nature

I love my little garden though I rarely get as much time out there as I would like. My work, making bespoke wedding dresses is very seasonal. So my busiest time crosses over with when the garden needs me most.

My vegetable patch has ebbed and waned with each new baby usurping any spare time I might gain. But I love growing herbs and things to eat as well as flowers. I grow red-currants and make my own jelly.

 

Felicity's garden in May with columbine and roses

May is a good time of year in my garden: my happy place.

 

If you feel a connection with me and my interests enquire today about starting the design process for your bespoke wedding dress.

 

Aerial Hoop

I started attending aerial hoop classes at a local studio, My Body Rocks in Reigate in 2022. I love gaining strength and flexibility and sometimes learning graceful moves as well!

Below I perform one of the simplest positions, the very first people learn at a beginner class, but with my friend Lauren Croucher on the hoop as well it looks spectacular. It is called a Delilah.

double delilah with lauren and felicity
Image cella aerial hoop photoshoot with felicity westmacott

Advancing to moves on the top of the hoop and in the 'strop' shows the progress I have made in three years practice. Below is a 'chest stand' and I am wearing a custom unitard by Shelley of Cirquewear by Shelley

felicity westmacott double leg cradle
aerial hoop pike from the top bar

Bright Apple photography

After just nine months at the studio I took part in my first photoshoot with Bright Apple Photography . It's a really good idea to document even the start of your journey as then you can later really see the gains you are making. Below two pictures from the first photoshoot, showing a 'double leg cradle' and a 'clothes-line' poses.

 

double leg cradle in green dress aerial hoop Felicity Westmacott bright apple photography
clothes line aerial hoop at my body rocks studio

The image cella

The other pictures are from my most recent hoop shoot in July 2024 with the Image Cella. This shoot wasn't the first time I've posed for Simon as he started in wedding photography and has not only taken pictures of some of my client's weddings but also collaborated with me on wedding dress photoshoots.

 

aerial hoop photoshoot at my body rocks studio with the image cella

The Path to making Bespoke Wedding Dresses

fuchsia cross stitch in progress

Sewing and fashion are threads that run deep into my life history.

My first memory of sewing is at just over four years old, on the floor of my mother's sewing room, making a doll's dress (which I still have). I sewed at home for fun, at Brownies for badges, at school for GSCE and A-level, fashion shows and for my friends' Leavers' Ball dresses.

 

2004 at the Henley Royal Regatta in a dress and hat I made myself

Felicity and husband at the henley royal regatta in a bespoke red dress

 

At the age of fifteen I joined the National Youth Theatre's costume department and sewed through six summer holidays in dusty theatre wardrobes and back stage. While I was at art college my mother and I ran a small shop on Reigate High Street called ‘Lothlorien’. We sold clothes and jewellery we made ourselves and craft items from other local artisans.

 

the shop front of lothlorien in reigate 2000
inside lothlorien shop reigate in 2001

 

above: 'Lothlorien' in Reigate, Surrey 2000-2001

 

In my early twenties I designed and sewed hundreds of costumes for a Yorkshire based Youth theatre 'Livewire'. At university (Wimbledon School of Art) I purposefully took the design, not sewing, course to push my research and design skills. I felt I could already sew!

 

While at university I got the bug for bridal wear by working part time for a wedding dress shop in Reigate as their alterations lady. After graduating I worked briefly in film and television before concentrating on making bespoke wedding dresses.

 

Liz and I in the bridal shop 'Amante' in 2008
inside 'amante' the wedding dress shop 2008

 

above: on my last day at 'Amante' wedding dress shop in Reigate 2008, with Liz the owner who has been so supportive and encouraging during my career and is still a dear friend.

Moving into new premises

I have been working from home for most of my working life, but in 2021 we decided as a family we needed more space. With three children and my business (as well as ourselves) our three bedroom home was beginning to feel quite tight! We considered moving house but with the children settled at school it seemed a better idea to look to move my business to a new space.

fitting room a big mirror

Fittings in my previous space took place in our living room, with a lovely big mirror.

felicity westmacott sewing at a sewing machine

My sewing room was quite small, and difficult to keep tidy when I was busy.

Felicity Westmacott sewing a lace wedding dress bodice on the stand

Photography by @thealtweddingco and @rachelmillsphotography

felicity westmacott shop front dorking high street

I got the keys to my new shop premises on Dorking High Street in April 2022 and moved in six months later after extensive renovations.

 

I gained so much space. Not only a workshop area four times the size of my old workroom at home, but also a retail area with seating for consultations, two fitting rooms and a huge basement area where I keep my pride and joy, a 4m long cutting out table!

 

consultation area of bridal shop with pink sofa
fitting area with big mirror and floral wallpaper

The same big mirror from my home is now in pride of place in my main fitting room. The mirror used to belong to my grandmother. She as a professional dancer and used it for dance practice at home.

 

Below: my new sewing room where I create all your beautiful dresses.

bespoke bridal sewing room workshop

home, work and family life

 

 

I live in Surrey with my wonderful and supportive spouse who is a computer programmer. We have three delightful children who were trained young to bring me the pins they find all around the house. They are all very patient with my work making bespoke wedding dresses. With many fittings at weekends and in the evening it’s tricky sometimes to balance work and family life.

 

 

My splendid family. A portrait taken in 2018 with baby just 2 months old!

 

Photo by Kevin Day

 

Westmacott family portrait in the garden 2018

costume history

My fascination with costume history began when colouring in photocopied pages from my mother’s costume history books. Books she’d enjoyed herself as a child. My mother made many historical costumes for her large collection of Barbie dolls, which my sister and I gained access to when we successively turned eight. My mother’s miniature Elizabethan and Tudor creations were truly exquisite. And the 1950’s and 60’s commercial doll’s clothes that came to us were so much more beautiful and well made than those sold in the shops at the time.

historical barbie costumes made by my mum

Historical barbie costumes made by my mother when she was a child. They are Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I

18th century costume designs for

above: 18th century costume designs for 'Our Country's Good', a university project.

 

The award winning and well known costume designer, Jenny Beavan is a family friend. I was lucky enough to live with her for 4 summers in my teenage years, while I worked at the National Youth theatre. I watched her work on designs for the films ‘Ever After’ and ‘Possession’ while I lived at her house in London. She kindly tempered my youthful arrogance with wise words of advice. Jenny helped me to think about my possible career in costume optimistically but with realism. And she has been supportive ever since!

 

theatre

 

My love of theatre extends far beyond the costumes. I love to watch plays and feel very lucky to live so close to the culture epicentre that is London. I am a member of a small but very prolific local amateur theatre in the nearby town of Horley. The Archway Theatre, built under the arches of Horley station’s railway bridge, produces 10+ productions a year on two stages. I have designed and made costumes on occasion but mostly participate on stage.

My favourite roles with Archway, and at other theatres, have included Elaine in ‘The Graduate’, ‘Lotty’ in ‘Enchanted April’ and Sybil in ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’. I also regularly appear in Shakespeare plays with The Polesden Lacy Shakespeare Company. Until 2019 they produced outdoor, traditional but groundbreaking productions of well loved Shakespeare plays.

 

Below you can see me in

Home I'm Darling -as Judy 2024 Archway Theatre

Sunset at Villa Thalia -as Charlotte 2022 Archway Theatre

Love's Labour's Lost -as Moth 2019 Polesden Lacy Shakespeare

Enchanted April -as Lottie 2017 - Archway Theatre

The Winter's Tale -as Paulina 2012 Archway Theatre

The Taming of the Shrew -as Biana 2010 Polesden Lacy Shakespeare

Passing out Parade -as Jenkins 2009 Archway Theatre

A Midsummer's Night's Dream' -as a fairy. 2009 Polesden Lacy Shakespeare

Lord Arthur Saville's crime -as Sybil 2008 KADDS, Kingswood

 

 

Saucy Jack and the space vixens

In 2023 I directed 'Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens' at the Archway Theatre. This is a musical I saw in one of it's original productions at tne Edinburgh festival in the late 1990's. I fell in love with it's sexiness and vibrant score. It was a wonderful fulfilment to bring my own version to life and to have such a wonderful cast and crew help me do so.

Photos below by Mark Dobson

 

  • hoop saucy jack and the space vixens hoop show
  • saucy jack and the space vixens archway theatre 2023

 

Costume design

Though I actively prefer treading the boards myself as my main hobby, I am occasionally persuaded to help design and make costumes for shows I am involved with. Below are a few creations worn by wonderful characters from shows across the years. These include, Dracula, Hamlet (In Japan), Much Ado ABout Nothing, The Importance of Being Ernest, Private Lives, King Arthur, Pride and Prejudice and Twelfth Night.

 

Felicity Westmacott at the Muslin Trust Jamdani project presentation 2015
Felicity Westmacott teaching a summer course at the London school of fashion 2015

teaching

In 2016 I taught a summer course at London School of Fashion. The project was run by ‘The Muslin Trust’ a charity seeking to raise the profile of traditionally woven cotton muslin fabrics called ‘Jamdani’ from Bangladesh. The course ran for 10 weeks with young people aged 15-21 learning about the history of Regency fashion, historical construction techniques and the continuing production of the muslin fabrics. The students designed and produced, entirely by hand, two Regency dresses using Jamdani fabrics. The dresses were showcased and exhibited around the world.

In 2017 I started running small sewing classes with colleagues Sarah Fenn and Beth Moody. Under the name ‘Reigate School of Sewing’ we run 6-8 week dressmaking courses for beginners and improvers. We also run stand alone ‘Learn to use a Sewing Machine’ classes for total newbies and for those needing to gain confidence again after some time away from sewing.

 

If you're new to dressmaking and looking to buy a suitable sewing machine check out my blog post on 'Sewing Machines for Beginners'

 

From these two small forays into teaching I find I have a real love of, and some skill at, imparting my own knowledge to others. I hope one day to take on an apprentice and be able to pass on my knowledge of making bespoke wedding dresses.

teaching

In 2016 I taught a summer course at London School of Fashion. The project was run by ‘The Muslin Trust’ a charity seeking to raise the profile of traditionally woven cotton muslin fabrics called ‘Jamdani’ from Bangladesh. The course ran for 10 weeks with young people aged 15-21 learning about the history of Regency fashion, historical construction techniques and the continuing production of the muslin fabrics. The students designed and produced, entirely by hand, two Regency dresses using Jamdani fabrics. The dresses were showcased and exhibited around the world.

Felicity Westmacott at the Muslin Trust Jamdani project presentation 2015
Felicity Westmacott teaching a summer course at the London school of fashion 2015

In 2017 I started running small sewing classes with colleagues Sarah Fenn and Beth Moody. Under the name ‘Reigate School of Sewing’ we run 6-8 week dressmaking courses for beginners and improvers. We also run stand alone ‘Learn to use a Sewing Machine’ classes for total newbies and for those needing to gain confidence again after some time away from sewing.

 

If you're new to dressmaking and looking to buy a suitable sewing machine check out my blog post on 'Sewing Machines for Beginners'

 

From these two small forays into teaching I find I have a real love of, and some skill at, imparting my own knowledge to others. I hope one day to take on an apprentice and be able to pass on my knowledge of making bespoke wedding dresses.

Early connections with the Wedding Industry

I grew up with parents who changed jobs and moved house every 3-5 years throughout my childhood. Though we were always living in and around the Reigate/ Horley/ Gatwick area. My father loves setting up new businesses and making plans, but not so much the everyday slog of running them. So there was always a new project on the horizon and another reason to move on!

Parks Young Family Portrait 1991

The Parks Young family in 1991, I am bottom right.

 

One of their enterprises was running a country house hotel, just outside Charlwood, in Surrey. The 16 bedroom house was owned by my grandfather, and had been built by his grandfather, truly a family mansion. My parents started out running the house as a bed and breakfast but quickly progressed to hoteling. They found weddings were the best way to make the house financially viable.

Stanhill Court in the snow winter 1987

Stanhill Court in the snow 1987. My bedroom was the third upstairs window from the right which was always traditionally the nursery.

 

Unfortunately this discovery could not prevent the 1991 financial crash from pulling the rug from under their feet. As a result the business collapsed and the house was sold out of the family.

 

Stanhill Court mistrals gallery 1986

above: Inside Stanhill Court when I lived there, view from above the stairs to the minstrels gallery

 

But the years I spent from age four to nine in a big, beautiful house, surrounded by English woodland and handing round cake at weekend weddings, were very formative. You can still visit my family house, Stanhill Court (Hotel) in Charlwood. It is still a hotel and wedding venue, though now much changed and modernised by the current owners. Very occasionally I make a bespoke wedding dress for someone who is going to be married there and that always brings me much happiness.

 

 

If you feel a connection with me and my interests enquire today about starting the design process for your bespoke wedding dress.

 

follow me on instagram@felicitywestmacott

Part 2!

In Part 1 I spent all day prepping my bridal window display. There was a looot of dismantling and tidying involved before I could even begin to start thinking about which wedding dresses I wanted to include in my Pride themed window. Now that`s all done, let`s just enjoy all this glorious colour!

Which outfit is your favourite? I would love to see a bride wearing both the skirt and veil in one, fabulous, rainbow look.

And, of course, happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈

#pride #bridalboutique #surreybride #sussexbride #altbride #alternativebride #colourfulbride #bespokeweddingdress #weddingdress

30 1
Open
Part 2! In Part 1 I spent all day prepping my bridal window display. There was a looot of dismantling and tidying involved before I could even begin to start thinking about which wedding dresses I wanted to include in my Pride themed window. Now that's all done, let's just enjoy all this glorious colour! Which outfit is your favourite? I would love to see a bride wearing both the skirt and veil in one, fabulous, rainbow look. And, of course, happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈 #pride #bridalboutique #surreybride #sussexbride #altbride #alternativebride #colourfulbride #bespokeweddingdress #weddingdress

I love making wedding dresses, but a highlight of my month is always coming up with a new window display.

For this month, obviously I had to do something for Pride. You probably know by now, but Pride is important to me for lots of reasons. I feel it especially important as an individual, as well as a business, to show my support and my pride openly, so that others know that my shop is a safe space for all.

With that theme in mind for this bridal boutique window display, I chose my Nile Queen wedding dress, complete with golden corset, and this gorgeous gold leaf, dip dye train. For the other three looks, I chose the bases to be relatively simple, so that the pops of colour from the rainbow overskirts and veil could really shine through.

If you want to see how the window turned out, have a look at for Part 2!

24 2
Open
I love making wedding dresses, but a highlight of my month is always coming up with a new window display. For this month, obviously I had to do something for Pride. You probably know by now, but Pride is important to me for lots of reasons. I feel it especially important as an individual, as well as a business, to show my support and my pride openly, so that others know that my shop is a safe space for all. With that theme in mind for this bridal boutique window display, I chose my Nile Queen wedding dress, complete with golden corset, and this gorgeous gold leaf, dip dye train. For the other three looks, I chose the bases to be relatively simple, so that the pops of colour from the rainbow overskirts and veil could really shine through. If you want to see how the window turned out, have a look at for Part 2!
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in
from design to completionbespoke wedding dressesFelicity Westmacott
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in