Halfpenny London – Cheryl
We just love to work with suppliers who are evidently passionate about the world of weddings and the job they do within it – hence our excitement to introduce you to one of our newest Sponsors on the blog today, the wonderful Zoey Amitage, proud owner of White Closet Studios.
Located in a chic spot in Liverpool’s city centre, this friendly bridal boutique is beautiful both inside and out. Set within a beautiful Georgian house and stocking gowns by some of our very favourite designers, we can easily see why Zoey fell head over heels in love with it – just as you might well do.
Keen to help brides narrow down their search and find that one special dress, Zoey prides the boutique on its appointment-only approach, and its amazing collection of gowns, each chosen to offer something unique to the contemporary bride who craves a romantic yet individual look.
Designer images provided by White Closet Studios.
How did you become involved in the wedding industry and what led you to own a bridal boutique?
zoey says
: It may sound clichéd but it has been a dream since I was little. Life has taken me along quite a different path, but the dream was always to work in bridal and now I am finally doing what I love. For months I had been looking for the perfect boutique to come along as I know that setting up from scratch can be extremely difficult and White Closet Studios was the second boutique I visited. After sitting there for five minutes I just fell in love with it and knew it was the right one for me (a little like finding the right husband!).Where is your boutique located and how would you describe the look and feel of it?
Based on the iconic Rodney Street in Liverpool City Centre, we are a small but elegant studio, which seeks to create a calming and creative atmosphere for our brides. Being bijou certainly has its benefits, in that we are able to operate on an individual appointment only basis which means we devote our full attention to each bride who visits us.
Watters – Galatea
What designers do you stock and can you tell us a little about each one?
We are extremely fortunate to work with some of the most sought-after designers who all create unusual and romantic dresses for the contemporary bride.
Renowned for her relaxed bohemian styles and pioneering additions, we are extremely proud to stock London based designer Charlie Brear. Charlie’s dresses are beautiful enough to be worn on their own but by including additions a bride is given the freedom to celebrate her individual style by creating her own unique wedding dress.
We are equally as thrilled to work with British luxury bridal wear designer Halfpenny London, who offer the most beautiful elegant detailed designs which ooze glamour with a nod to a bygone era. With a distinctive couture look utilising the most exquisite fabrics and textures, Halfpenny London continue to push bridal wear boundaries.
Widely known for their elegant, refined and sophisticated lines the acclaimed Spanish designer Jesús Peiró provides our third collection. It is their philosophy of high quality which has this year seen the designer celebrate their 30th anniversary. Designed and manufactured entirely in Spain, Jesús Peiró gowns offer a twist on the traditional with touches of romanticism.
And for the bridal party we stock Rewritten bridesmaid dresses, which are simple, elegant and pretty damn cool!
How do you pick the right designers for the boutique and what do you think makes a good bridal collection?
We pride ourselves on offering something a little different and we are only able to do this by choosing the best designers who seek to break the mould when it comes to bridal wear. Of course, there will always be traditional styles, and Jesús Peiró are an example of this, but it is how our designers adapt these styles to create something unique that inspires our collection.
A good bridal collection should offer quality and diversity which is something we achieve with our contrasting designers. Moreover, it should be adaptable to allow brides to create something that is unique to them.
Watters – Brighton
What current trends are you seeing in bridal wear and can you forecast any future trends that will be coming through?
Lace remains hugely popular and we are continuing to see a rise in brides asking for mermaid styles.
We are however interested to see if the addition of black nuances, as noted on bridal catwalks recently, will prove popular, alongside the increasing number of bold applique designs.
What research or preparation would you advise brides to do before visiting the boutique?
We would advise brides to look at our website and research our designers before they come to see us. We love seeing everyone, but there is nothing worse than advising a bride that we do not stock the style of dress they have their heart set on and seeing their disappointment. Equally, if you have not tried any dresses on yet come with an open mind and try on something different, if nothing else this will enable you to narrow down your ideal silhouette very quickly.
My other little bit of advice is by all means look on Pinterest, but you cannot feel any genuine emotion until you try on a gown. It is this emotion that make the bridal shopping experience so special and cannot be replaced by online browsing.
Halfpenny London – Daisy
What can brides expect from an appointment at your boutique and how do you and your team help brides to find their dream dress?
As we operate on an individual appointment only basis each bride will have exclusive use of our boutique for the one-and-a-half-hour appointment. We wholeheartedly believe that bridal shopping should be an enjoyable, stress-free experience and our aim is to ensure that the whole bridal party are relaxed and enjoy their visit with us.
We are inspired by our bride’s sense of individuality and endeavour to find a dress that represents who they truly are without compromising on quality. Therefore, during the appointment, we will offer advice on shapes, fabrics, cuts and designers, in addition to offering accessory advice but we love hearing creative suggestions.
What size and price range of dresses do you stock?
The majority of our samples are size UK12, however we are very proud of our Capsule Curve Collection with samples sizes up to UK20. Many of our styles however can be made up to a size UK32.
Our bridal collections ranges from £1,500 to £3,000.
Jesus Peiro
Do you stock accessory ranges at the boutique and, if so, can you tell us a little about them?
Yes, we have worked with Helen Martin Veils for many years. Each veil is made to a bride’s exact specification, with her choice of length, colour and lace trim making this a truly bespoke service. With precise attention to detail and made by hand in the finest premium quality materials we cannot recommend Helen enough.
Marie Canning provides us with the most exquisite timeless handmade and dainty jewellery and accessories made from porcelain with intricate floral details perfect for those brides love the subtle and delicate. Simply beautiful.
We also stock the most beautiful hair-vines created by pioneering wedding accessories designer Debbie Carlisle. Mixing elegant vintage styles with a bohemian contemporary edge Debbie’s designs are stunning.
What is it that you love about the world of weddings and what do you enjoy most about your job?
I am a romantic at heart and wholeheartedly believe in marriage. Once all of the arrangements are in place and the day is finally here it is the ceremony that truly matters.
Seeing the look on a bride’s face when she tries on the dress which is ‘the one’ is the best part of my job. It is not always a huge show of emotion, but you just know, and for me that genuine emotion cannot be beaten. Seeing that still gives me goosebumps!
Who is your biggest style crush and if you were getting married now, what type of wedding dress would you pick?
Is it wrong to say that I don’t have one? If I had to choose it would possibly be Audrey Hepburn as I love her elegance, but I am absolutely in awe of people I see on an everyday basis who embrace their own style and push boundaries.
Being in the bridal industry has completely changed my perception of what a wedding dress is, however I still love my dress that I wore eight years ago and would not change it. However, if I could have a second choice I would opt for a combination with additions so that I could have the flexibility to change my look throughout the day.
What sets your boutique apart from others?
Besides our amazing bridal collection, we are set in the most beautiful Georgian house and our studio is a place of calm and relaxation. It is this alongside our customer service and expertise which keeps our brides referring their friends to us. As a small bridal boutique, we cannot cater for every style but if a bride leaves without a dress and has had an amazing experience with us, then that is something we can be very proud of.
How can Brides Up North readers get in touch or find out more about the boutique?
We can be contacted via email at info@whiteclosetstudios.co.uk, or by phone, 0151-709-6073. You can also send us follow us/send a message on Facebook and Instagram. To see more about out boutique and view some of our real brides, please visit our website
Any other exciting news to share?
We are extremely excited to announce that in August 2018 Willowby by Watters will be joining our collection, offering sultry, laidback effortless gowns with the most beautiful applique and beaded detailing.
