Tucked away in Russell Street, just a couple of minutes' walk from Stroud train station, Ellie Lowe's design studio and bridal store is the stuff of dreams for Gloucestershire brides-to-be.
With rails of dreamy white, ivory and cream wedding gowns in the front half of the shop and a busy bridal atelier in the back, Ellie has been creating and crafting dresses for over 25 years, setting up her Stroud-based studio in 2021 after moving to the area in 2014.
She shares her top tips on finding the perfect dress, as well as some of her stunning new designs, with SoGlos, ideal for anyone planning their Gloucestershire wedding this year.
Using the very finest natural materials, from chiffon and satin to silk and organza, with accents of lace and embellishments of crystal and mother of pearl, each of Ellie's gowns takes many hours to design and make over a period of months, with the bride given complete design freedom to envisage the dress of her dreams.
Gowns can be completely bespoke, using the very beginnings of an idea, from anything like a family heirloom brooch to an old picture of a vintage dress.
Ellie's advice for starting the process of finding 'the one' is to start with the very basics: 'Proportion is key to finding the perfect wedding dress. Choosing the right cut for your body shape.'
'The dress needs to be an extension of who you are rather than something that is totally out of character. My approach is very much centred around the bride herself and celebrating what she’s about.'
The design of each handmade dress is an organic process, with multiple fittings and meetings each step of the way, allowing the bride to collaborate and experiment, ensuring the finished creation is as exactly as envisioned.
But if total freedom is too overwhelming for busy brides with lots of other details to plan, Ellie's 2024 collection of 21 dresses offers a starting point to try for size, shape, colour and theme, with each style offering the ability to personalise with different fabrics, sleeves, overlays and embellishments.
Of the key trends emerging for brides in 2024, Ellie said: 'Brides are erring towards a simple, stylish and understated look. Less lace and more plain chiffons and silks.'
The studio also holds a large collection of vintage dresses to choose from that can be adjusted and adapted to suit — and brides are also able to bring in their own dresses, perhaps a vintage find or a precious heirloom, which can be adapted or even completely reimagined into something new and unique.
'My approach is totally bespoke — every bride is different and anything’s possible as we make every dress from scratch. I guide brides honestly from the word go, so I’ll say if a dress they’ve been admiring online won’t work for them.
'I’ve got so many dress styles, new and vintage, for brides to try out and we work out through a process of elimination what’s working and what’s not and build the design from there.'
To book a free 90-minute consultation, call (01453) 578264 or visit ellielowe.co.uk.
