British, handmade, luxury bridalwear today as we’re shining our spotlight on the ever-elegant Rebecca Anne Designs and her utterly beautiful, swoonworthy bespoke veils.
If you’ve found The Gown but there’s a little something missing, or you’re looking for that finishing touch that’s totally personal to you and you alone, you’re going to want to hear about this supplier. Award-winning Rebecca has been handcrafting her own veils for smitten brides since 2015, following a successful career in fashion and managing bridal boutiques. She wanted to create something that she felt really matched up to the quality of the gowns and there just wasn’t anything out there that was quite ticking her boxes.
We’ve managed to pin Rebecca down to chat about what it is that makes working in the wedding fashion industry so addictive, where she gets the inspiration for her stunning designs from and how that then translates into the softest tulle and silk. These veils are simply gorgeous!
Photography by Katie Rogers Photography
Hi Rebecca! Tell us about your label…
Rebecca Anne Designs is a luxury British bridal label celebrating the uniqueness of every bride in each intricately designed veil. Embroidered veils offer brides the endless opportunities of creating something exclusive and personalised. Staying true to the traditions of the bridal veil, I design and embroider onto tulle to form contemporary pieces with effortless longevity.
Where did your passion for design come from?
From a young age I was obsessed with the textures of fabrics, adored drawing and constantly had an artistic project on the go, so choosing to study Fashion Design at University was a natural step. However, I never really thought the degree would take me on to becoming a designer – I simply chose to study what I knew I’d enjoy. I learnt the art of pattern cutting, the properties and behaviour of different materials and found a real passion for drawing something on paper and bringing it to life with fabrics.
Following my final collection, I won an award for Technical Excellence from Sassi Holford and joined her production team on a 6 month internship. And that was when my love of bridal truly began! I went on to manage bridal gown boutiques and started my label in 2015 when I felt that the veils we were selling just didn’t match up to the quality and design of the dresses.
2020 brought an exciting fresh identity to the label when I made the decision to purely focus on embroidered veil designs and took a leap of faith in taking my business full time.
Why do you love working in bridal?
The world of bridal fashion is just so full of happiness – it’s addictive! I left it briefly a few years ago and it didn’t take long to get pulled back in – once bridal has your heart, it’s hard to let it go. It’s a collaborative industry full of creativity and passion, which I thrive on. I love being surrounded by like-minded suppliers and having the opportunities to work with so many artistic people. But it’s mainly just a privilege and an honor to work alongside brides in the lead up to their wedding day and create something so meaningful for them to wear to this milestone moment in their lives. I honestly still do a happy dance every time a bride decides to work with me!
Tell us about your wedding veils – what makes them different and special?
Deciding to opt for a bespoke embroidered veil is the ultimate designer veil experience. Rebecca Anne isn’t just a brand name – from that initial enquiry, through emails and designing, to the final delivery, my brides go on that journey with me. I love getting to know my brides so that their veil truly reflects their personality and style. My veils are not just a product, they are an experience, and every one I create is entirely unique for that bride, telling their story through their individual design.
Do you have a signature style?
Classic yet fashion-focused. My style is organic, evoking a timeless elegance whilst leading the way in offering contemporary trend-setting designs.
What sort of client do your designs appeal to?
Rebecca Anne Designs appeals to the modern bride who is looking to invest in the personal details of her bridal styling. Embroidery offers endless opportunities to the style-led bride in search of something unique. My brides aren’t dictated by tradition – they choose to personalise their veil to put their own twist on a ‘traditional’ bridal accessory.
Where do you find your inspiration?
My brides are my biggest inspiration. In terms of my collections, the designs are influenced by the things I love; wildflower botanicals and the night sky to name a couple. Stitching my passion for design and bridal into each design attracts brides to my signature style and inspires many of them to choose the bespoke route. It’s working on their unique, entirely bespoke designs that I find so inspiring – they are often a starting point I use in the future that snowballs into a new piece for my collections.
What materials and techniques do you use in your creations?
All my veils are made using a soft veil tulle, stitched using a silky embroidery thread and finished with a gold metal comb. My designs are all hand drawn and then scanned to my computer where I then take time over tracing and redrawing them as stitches in my embroidery software. Once I am happy with it, my embroidery machine brings my pattern-work to life. I could watch it all day – even now, I am in awe of how it stitches out my designs and translates them into thread.
I create my veils in-house from start to finish – every step is completed with my attention to detail and a quality finish. I sometimes get asked if I will embroider veils that brides have bought elsewhere but, as a designer, I don’t offer this service. I like to complete every step myself so that I know the veil being worn by my bride is a true reflection of the luxury product I design and make.
Tell us about the process of sourcing a veil from you – what can a client expect?
There is, and always will be, the option to simply buy from my collections online and through my boutique stockists. I have found, since re-launching at the end of 2020, that most of the brides who work directly with me have decided on the bespoke route, using my collections as inspiration to have something designed exclusively for them.
When getting in touch, some brides know exactly what they are looking for, whilst others just know they want to work with me but are looking for guidance and clarity on their ideas. Once a design idea is set and a bride’s order is confirmed, I can begin drawing up their pattern work. Bespoke brides always receive a sample of their embroidery in the post along with a sketch of their veil design. Once that’s approved, I can go ahead with the actual veil, which I tend to create and send around 6 weeks before the wedding date. The design has been created in partnership with my bride so I always send sneak peeks of its progress to include them in that final part of the journey. Once the veil is complete, it is lovingly wrapped in acid-free tissue and placed in a branded box ready to send to its intended owner!
What makes your products and service stand out?
Rebecca Anne Designs is me. When choosing a bespoke veil, brides can expect to work alongside me every step of the way! From that first DM, through the design discussions over email or video call, all the way through the creation process until the veil is lovingly wrapped and boxed for delivery. It isn’t just buying a veil; it’s investing in the finishing touch to your bridal style by co-creating something meaningful and personal.
A seemingly simple accessory, a veil has the power to completely transform an entire look. And, with my signature embroidery style, my brides can decide whether that look is classic or modern, timeless or fashion-led.
What is the feedback like from clients?
When brides first get in contact there is often a phrase along the lines of ‘I didn’t even realise this was an option’ usually followed swiftly by ‘This design idea may sound crazy but…’!
I think the concept of embroidered veils is very niche and opens up a world of opportunities to brides that could easily become overwhelming. But I love talking about all things weddings and finding out more about my brides to help them come to a design idea that tells their story. The feedback from this part of the process has been very positive in allowing brides the freedom of design (honestly, anything is possible!) whilst at the same time guiding them with my creative eye and the technical knowledge I’ve developed from years of bridal experience.
It’s an honor to be a part of a bride’s styling journey and I pride myself on my attention to detail and creating a high quality, luxury product – my brides deserve nothing less! So, it is always so lovely to hear from them, when they unwrap their veil delivery, that their veil is what they dreamed of and more. Seeing wedding photos is a huge highlight for me too, it’s so wonderful to see a veil being worn, knowing the journey I went on with that bride to create something so perfectly ‘them’.
What would be your top tips for those on the accessory hunt?
- As with all parts of your wedding, choose for YOU! Don’t worry about what your best friend would choose or Grandma would approve of.
- Think about the finished look. It’s really important that all the elements of your bridal styling work together which is why I always like to see photos of The Dress (or jumpsuit or trouser suit or skirt and top). I helped hundreds, if not thousands, of brides find their dress so I have the expertise to make suggestions on veil styles and lengths so that the design idea we opt for will complement your outfit beautifully.
- The wedding planning process is so unique – have fun with it and enjoy the process of investing in those bespoke details!
And the no-nos?
- Do not leave it until the last minute! My lead time on bespoke veils is 6 – 16 weeks depending on the intricacy of the design BUT my design schedule is often booked up much further ahead.
- Do not rule out a veil without trying one on. From my experience managing bridal boutiques, you don’t know until you try! When else do you get to wear one!?
- Choose The Dress first. It is so important that your bridal accessories marry-up and enhance your chosen outfit.
What trends do you see emerging for 2021 and beyond?
Today’s bride is looking for something exclusive and modern. Yes, a veil is a ‘traditional’ addition to a bride’s outfit, but that doesn’t mean she has to choose a classic style. Embroidery allows brides to showcase their individuality in a whole new way. I think especially after the past year, people are looking for extra meaningful details to their wedding day. Whether opting for a statement of pattern work, or just a subtle addition of a wedding date, I think the versatility of embroidered veils are set to stay.
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about?
This year is going to see an exciting step forward for Rebecca Anne Designs. The imagery shown here today (taken by the wonderful Katie Rogers at a recent Amore Workshop) is a snippet of what’s to come. Instilling the same femininity through my organic designs, I have been pushing the boundaries and there will be a fresh look when launching a new collection later this year. Watch this space…
