Brianna commissioned a stunning autumn dip dye wedding dress for her Idaho wedding. It is copy of my best selling “Phoenix Dip Dye” wedding dress, with unique matcing accessories I made just for her. Brianna asked for a dip dye veil to echo the colours on the dress and gloves with lace detail.
I first designed the Phoenix dress in 2016 but it’s a style that has stood the test of time. It is one of my most popular styles. The dress has a boned bodice with a sweetheart neckline and scalloped lace trim. I ruched tulle over the whole bodice and for the delicate shoulder straps. I designed the skirt very full, in layers of gathered tulle with a shepherdess frill flounce two thirds of the way down. Later I sewed on more scalloped trim and hanging blossoms along the flounce which blends the border from the clean, pale ivory part of the dress to the statement autumn dip dye colour.
Official wedding photography by Parker Jones Photography (located in Twin Falls, Idaho)
Made to Measure Wedding dress
Brianna’s dress was made in my studio in the UK. It was made using her measurements and then shipped to her in the USA. This means it was technically ‘made to measure’ rather than bespoke because a bespoke garment by definition requires in-person fittings to perfect the style and fit. When I create a ‘made to measure’ dress the bride needs to organise fittings with a local seamstress after delivery. In person fittings are essential for any tweaks needed to make the dress perfect. Changes needed will usually be minor as the dress should be close to a good fit.
Design details like the lace-up back on this dress make made to measure dresses easier to create. This type of back allows for re-sizing without alterations as the dress can be fastened to fit the body.
I have made more than 200 bespoke wedding dresses in my career so far. Made to measure is much rarer. In fact of the 10 or so made-to-measure dresses I have created, 4 were prefect, needing no further work! Another 4 needed minor alterations, like the hem length, straps or taking in the bodice slightly. And the last two needed more extensive changes. But that was ok as I had made the dresses in such a way as to make alterations easy for a skilled seamstress to undertake. Plenty of seam allowance, spare fabric in case it’s needed and stitching that unpicks without leaving damage all mean my dresses are designed to allow alterations.
Extra details to compliment an autumn dip dye wedding dress
Gloves
Brianna also commissioned these beautiful lace gloves to match her autumn dipdye wedding dress. I made the fingerless gloves using corded lace that matched her dress. They have a scallop trim at the top edge and a floral lace motif extending over the hand. I made the gloves easy to wear for any size arm by having the backs lace closed.
I made ‘gloves’ for Brianna’s feet too! These were in the same style as the gloves for her hands and arms.
Autumn dip dye veil
I was delighted when Brianna added a matching dip dye veil to her order as well. Veil’s usually only have one layer of tulle flowing to the floor. So the colour doesn’t look as intense as it does on the dress where many layers of tulle build up the colour. When the veil is worn over the dress the colours flow together perfectly.
Making the Autumn Dip Dye wedding dress
To make Brianna’s dress, a made to measure order, I adjusted a dress stand as close to her real measurements as possible and did all her ‘fittings’ on this stand-in. I started with a ‘toile’ or practice run of the bodice shape. First I drafted a the pattern o her measurements then cut and sewed the toile to check on the dress stand.
After the toile I begin working in the real fabrics. The base fabric of the dress design is a poly-shantung and then I add three layers of finely gathered tulle. The bodice tulle is made of separate panels to the skirt. The skirt as even more tulle added at the hemline to create the wide flounce. Once the tulle is sewn to the base I take the dress outside for colouring. Then I hand sewed lace edging and motifs over the joins in the tulle. This was applied at the neckline, waistline and on the skirt flounce. Silk roses finish the effect.
Dip dye Colour
Above, adding dipdye colour to the dress. I used my classic spray colour technique. You can learn more about this from my youtube video and blog post about dipdyeing the first Phoenix dress.
You can see another real bride for whom I made a bespoke dress with autumn dip dye colour. The same colours but with a very different silhouette.
Above: the finished dress with train down and bustled up. I created the bustle for the autumn dip dye wedding dress using a discreet button and loop hidden in the lace details.
And this blog post shows the very first version of this dress design I made, before I added the colour a few years later!
If you would like to order a bespoke or make to measure wedding dress you can get in touch.
I have a page dedicated to my dip dye and ombre colour work. Click to can see more examples of how this technique looks on different dresses.
