.
When Brides Up North signed up Rosie Willett Designs as our newest Featured Supplier, I was blown away by her gorgeous range of bridal headwear. Feminine, delicate and gorgeous, choose a Rosie Willett Designs headpiece as your crowning glory!
.
.
Aurora
.
.
Yet again, another brilliant Northern supplier that I just wish I had known about in advance of my own Real Wedding. Brides Up North loves home grown talent.
.
.
Coppelia
.
.
Rosie gives us the gossip behind the gorgeousness.
.
.
What sort of bride do you design for?
.
The brides I design for tend to have a strong sense of style accompanied by a love of fashion and distinctive accessories. They have an eye for detail and appreciate the unique qualities of an individually made product.
.
.
What is your most popular design and why?
.
.
Georgina with birdcage veil
.
.
The most popular design at the moment is Georgina from my Roses and Lace collection. It’s a
gorgeous French lace and silk organza flower with Swarovski Crystal AB and ivory pearl. It also has a detachable birdcage veil which adds to the vintage style of the piece. It’s so versatile and many brides who have worn Georgina have removed the veil after the ceremony to create two different looks in one day!
.
.
Which is your favourite design in your new collection and why?
.
.
Anna
.
.
It’s so difficult to choose a favourite design as I love them all for different reasons. I do feel that Anna is a very special piece as it leans towards the trend for vintage whilst also remaining quite classic and understated. The small lace flower looks so delicate and I love the way that the spray of Swarovski crystal, ivory pearl and diamante sweep across the head.
.
.
When it comes to your own wedding day, what sort of gown would you choose? Would you wear a
Rosie Willett Designs headpiece? Which one?
..
I tend to dress around my accessories so I’m sure I would do the same on my wedding day. I think I
would have to start with the Arabella headpiece from my Roses and Lace collection. It’s the largest
flower in the range and makes such a statement. I would choose a contemporary, slim-fitting gown
from one of my favourite designers, Jenny Packham, Alice Temperley or Claire Pettibone.
.
.
Arabella
.
.
Which celebrity would you most like to design a headpiece for and why? What style would you go for?
.
Having recently seen the ballet inspired film Black Swan, I would love to design a headpiece for its
leading lady, Natalie Portman. She is a classic beauty and I have always admired her elegant style.
I even have a piece named after her in my Bohemian Romance collection!
.
.
.
.
My new collection, Tutu, has been heavily influenced by the ballet and I will be releasing a Limited
Edition piece for this range in March called Titania. It’s a very special design as I will only be making 20 and it would be wonderful to see Natalie Portman wearing the first one!
.
.
The question on everyone’s lips – which of your designs would you choose for Kate Middleton? Or alternatively, what would you design for her?
.
Kate Middleton has a classic style, but she’s young and also has an eye for fashion. I think Margot
from my new collection, Tutu, would be the piece I would choose for her. It’s a double band with
Swarovski ivory pearl and diamante and is the perfect combination of traditional and vintage style.
.
.
Margot
.
.
How did you get into design – what is your “story”?
.
I studied Fashion Marketing at Northumbria University and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree. I actually started designing headpieces whilst studying and ran my business part time. After graduation I had several job opportunities to work for design companies in London and America, but I loved the idea of running my own company. My heart was in designing bridal accessories, so I went for it and I’m glad I did!
.
.
Is this your dream job? If you didn’t do this, what would be your alternative career?
.
This is absolutely my dream job and I can’t really imagine doing anything else. However, I did
enjoy the textiles and graphic design elements within my Fashion Marketing degree and feel that I
could pursue these skills further through wedding stationery design. I would love to introduce a
range of stationery to coordinate with my headpieces and jewellery.
.
.
Describe a typical working day in the life of Rosie…
.
I normally have a look at my emails first thing. I find it quite exciting, as you never know what
opportunities might arise from an email; sometimes it’s a contact for a new stockist or a product
request from a magazine. My favourite emails are the ones from brides, saying how delighted they
are with their wedding accessories. I then have a look at my order book and spend the rest of the
day sewing, beading and making beautiful things!
.
.
Can you give us an idea on price?
.
The price of my headpieces varies from £58 up to £319, so I believe there is something within every
bride’s budget. I also offer coordinating jewellery which ranges from £15 for small earrings to £111
for a beautiful waist length necklace. Considering every single item is individually hand crafted, I
feel that my brides receive excellent value for money on such high quality designer products.
.
.
Can you create bespoke designs?
.
I launch a new collection once a year and spend a long time in the design process. Each collection
is quite different and I feel that there is something for most brides, including romantic, vintage,
classic and contemporary styles. For this reason I tend not to make bespoke orders, but I do offer a
‘tailor made’ service through my stockists. This enables brides to make small changes to my
designs, such as adding extra pearl to a piece or perhaps substituting silk satin for French lace. I
have created some beautiful unique pieces for brides through this service.
.
.
How long does a headpiece take to make from design to finished article?
.
The length of time it takes to make one of my headpieces can vary greatly. With the smaller pieces
I may make three or four in a day but I could spend a whole day on just one of my more intricate
designs. Of course, this is reflected in the price of each piece. When I’m designing a new collection
however, it takes longer to make each piece because there is a lot of experimentation involved.
.
.
Sylvia
.
.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
.
I take inspiration from a wide range of sources, including the arts, fashion and film as well as the shapes and structures in nature. My new collection, Tutu, is inspired by the ballet which is right on trend for 2011. The film Black Swan, which revolves around the world of ballet, has influenced so many designers, from Karl Lagerfeld to Oscar De La Renta, this season. This trend is going to be huge and it lends itself so well to bridal fashion. The luxurious silk satin, French lace, fluffy tulle and organza I have used in my Tutu collection captures the look perfectly.
.
.
Tell us a bit about your plans for the new website?
.
.
Juliet
.
.
Darcy
.
I’m so excited about my website as I have just launched an online boutique which will enable brides who don’t live near one of my stockists to buy direct from me. There are some fantastic new features, such as a magnifying glass to view all products close up, a coordinating jewellery finder for each headpiece and a link to my Facebook and Twitter pages so that brides can keep up with the latest happenings at Rosie Willett Designs. I’ll also be keeping my favourite page from the current website, In The Spotlight, which showcases one of my designs each month being worn by a happy bride.
.
.
Carmen
.
.
How can Brides Up North readers get in touch with you?
.
Brides Up North readers can get in touch through the contact form on my website, they can email rosie@rosiewillettdesigns.co.uk or telephone 0845 838 1869. They can also join me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
.
.
Brides to Be – be SURE to check back here later for an exclusive Rosie Willett Designs giveaway! With 6 fabulous prizes to be won, this is one that you REALLY don’t want to miss!
.
.
Rosie Willett Designs is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
.
.
