Olwen Bourke: Beautiful Couture Gowns Inspired By Nature

When a designer grows up by the sea, surrounded by the best that nature has to offer, it’s really no surprise their designs have an organic beauty about them that is quite simply breathtaking. This is certainly true of Olwen Bourke’s delightful gowns and today, we’re so thrilled to be able to give you a look at her latest designs as well as taking a peek into her world…

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen Bourke began her design career with a couture dance dress company in London, working on stunning gowns for dancers including the stars of Strictly Come Dancing and the balletic heroines of the Royal Opera House. Having fallen completely in love with making one-off dresses that were personal, unique and always designed with a special occasion in mind, Olwen took the plunge and launched her own label in 2012 and straight away, brides were smitten.

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

We are, we must admit, smitten too. The organic shapes, the recurring themes of shells, leaves, plants and other natural motifs are such subtle showstoppers that you just can’t look away.

Olwen says she designs for ‘the modern woman who doesn’t buy into the frou-frou princess look’ and we just love the confident, contemporary lines that combine so wonderfully with the delicate details that just demand to be adored.

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

If Olwen Bourke’s signature bridal style mixes femininity with the romantic and the ethereal, she also makes her mark by including delightful heirloom details into gowns and she is a true devotee of ethical fashion. As well as re-working elements taken from treasured family gowns into new pieces, she can also work with an element from a mothers or grandmothers gown and incorporate a frill, a fabric or a snippet of lace and include it into a new design. This gives Olwen’s incredibly lucky clients the opportunity to combine their own style with their cherished family history – something old and something new all in one amazing bridal gown.

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Spending her days in her London studio, surrounded by silks, tulles, laces and all manner of embellishments, Olwen will work with you closely to make absolutely sure that the finished design and your finished dress is everything you imagined it would be and you have the added reassurance of knowing exactly where you dress is being made.

Provenance aside, how wonderful it will be to have a gown that is totally styled around your natural shape in such a wonderful environment – an incredibly beautiful relationship in our opinion!

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dressesOlwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Please don’t think however that this level of skill and workmanship comes with an unattainable price tag. With gowns starting at £1,250, Olwen’s designs are certainly an affordable luxury for the fashion conscious bride. To indulge and enjoy a truly couture experience is indescribably special and to be able to select fabrics and embellishments is such a treat.

Might you opt for one of Olwen’s handmade leather roses, a swirl of punched leather in lieu of lace or a gold leather belt over a tulle skirt? When Olwen named one of her collections ‘Aislinn’, the Irish word for a dream or a vision, she really couldn’t have chosen anything more appropriate.

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

Olwen bourke, nature inspired wedding dresses

If you’d like to find out more about Olwen’s work, do take a look at her stylish website and, of course, you can follow Olwen on Twitter and Facebook for all her latest news and some fabulous first looks at new designs.

Love Tamryn

 

Photography by Claire Harrison

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Tamryn Settle

Tamryn Settle View all Tamryn's articles

Self-confessed wedding addict Tamryn spends her days in her Berkshire studio writing about all things beautiful and romantic with her black Labrador for company.

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