​Hello everyone I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe. I decided to make a simple guide on how to make yourself a washable fabric face mask just in case you feel like doing something useful with all your free time, if you have any! I feel that soon we may all be required to wear a face covering to be able to go out to public places and so I hope this helps?
Please contact me if you need any further help...info@carolinebruce.co.uk  

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copyright@2020

2019 seems to have flown by without me noticing and at the beginning of  the year, as in previous years, I had set various goals for the business and personally. This year I can say it has been a good year, one where I feel I have had many challenges to overcome, but have celebrated an amazing 5 years in business which I am so pleased about! The blog I have created for the end of the year is to celebrate some amazing personal achievement's and some of my favourite fabulous client projects...    

ETHICAL WEDDING DRESS

To start the year I was asked to design and make a very special wedding dress to be worn for a spring wedding in the Far East. The back has a simple cowl feature exposing the beautiful oriental print fabric underneath as a reference to the wedding location. I was particularly pleased that I could source all the silk fabrics from an organic silk supplier as the quality of the fabric was so important to the finish of the dress. Above are several views of the finished dress.   

MRS JOAN COLLINS

It has been a real pleasure working for Joan Collins over the last few years, mother of TV celebrity Gemma Collins, as I never know what Joan has planned for her wardrobe! This year Joan was keen to have a few more beautiful styles made as she herself appears on several shows too and wants to wear her own commissioned dresses. Joan loves to be fully involved in the creative process and has many artistic influences which lead her to source unique fabrics and prints which I then make into the styles she likes.  

THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN

This year I have enjoyed working with the creators of the Magic of Motown on several of the female singers costumes among other things. I really enjoy creating these glamourous pieces and being able to make use of my imagination for these show costumes. A little sneak preview here as the creators are working on a new show around the hits of Diana Ross coming soon and so I made this gorgeous silver gown for the singer!   

DESIGNED BY JOSH

Some of you may have heard of Designs By Josh from previous events I have taken part in, but in September 2019 the 14 year boy took the amazing finale spot at the House Of Ikons fashion show in central London to display all his latest designs, which is where I also showed my latest collection. I am pleased to say that a few of his designs were made in my studio and have been delighted to work with him on some of his collection. It has been great to watch this young fashion talent grow from when I first met him a few years ago and look forward to see his career progress!   

CAROLINE BRUCE SPRING SUMMER 2020

My first ethical luxury collection was shown in September at the House of Ikons Show in central London in September 2019 named 'What Lies Beneath' and I was there taking some behind the scenes pictures during the fittings.

Creating a collection for a catwalk show obviously has to have a high visual impact, but the show and the collection for me was also about discovering the ethical and luxury pathways available to me as a brand. I spent a couple of months early in 2019 researching the effects the fashion industry has on our environment and exploring positive ways I could create my occasion wear garments.   

SPECIAL PARTY DRESS

I just loved making this sparkly little number for this young lady for her party with all the pretty trimmings and  spent some time making sure the fabrics and trimmings would be right for such a special dress. I like to give my  bespoke clients plenty of  fabrics swatches to choose from and this helps them picture the finished garment. I have to say that being able to source the right fabrics needed for any garment can be very challenging and one of the most unexpected time consuming things to do even with my experience! 

Media

After the House of Ikons show in September  I was interviewed by the Rebecca Davi online magazine, had my collection in Daily Mail 24 online, I had some of my designs in several publications, Runway Magazine, Avant Garde Magazine and  to top it off, Tatler which really made my year!  ​

2019 was a very busy year for me but I enjoyed working with and appreciate all my clients, not just those that I have highlighted here! I have also been working on a few more accessories for my online shop and will be continuing to develop my brand of ethical luxury occasion wear during 2020 which is my passion! I just want to take this opportunity to wish everyone an amazing 2020 and look forward to exciting times ahead. As we start the new decade I will be looking for ways to be innovative in my business which will improve ways we work together, respecting people and the environment.    

www.carolinebruce.co.uk
@cb1dresses

​Photography credits 
Getty Images
Surjit Pardesi @pardesiphoto
Jane Mucklow Photography
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#carolinebruce #fashionblog #blog #fashiondesign #madeinengland #bespokedresses #britishfashion #ethicalfashion #luxuryfashion #occasionwear 

In September I had the pleasure of showing my first ethical luxury collection at the home of the emerging designer, the House of iKons fashion show. The show took place in the Hilton Metropole in London during London Fashion Week and it was their 5th anniversary show. 

 The theme of the collection is 'what lies beneath' drawing inspiration from the beauty of our planets fragile sea life. I found this also ties in perfectly with my ethical values and the current climate issues being highlighted with sea pollution, particularly plastics.

,The spring led to much research of the type of fabrics available to me, in which to develop my designs. I was aware that this would be a bit of a challenge and so I had an open mind. I knew that I could get ethical fabrics that would translate well into day wear, work wear and other types of clothing lines, for example cotton, hemp, linen and cotton jersey, but I wanted fabrics which would be beautiful and luxurious for evening and occasion wear and was concerned about my ability to access these products.  

 I was limited to when ordering due to minimum order quantities. Some of the fabrics I would liked to have used were not readily available as they were either so new to the market or so expensive I could not justify the cost, which was a little disappointing. However, even in the six months since I started seriously sourcing ethical fabrics, I have found there is more choice and hope that soon the prices will be more comparable.   

I believe there is a shift towards sustainability in the fashion industry and I would like my business to operate in the most sustainable way as possible. Sourcing the right fabrics is one way, but there are many ways in which fashion businesses can reduce it's negative effects on people and our environment. I am currently developing ideas on how to recycle and reuse left over fabric.    

I have chosen to use fabrics which fall into a fairly broad category of low impact and luxury. Fabrics which are eco friendly as used in this beautiful purple silk hemp dress or locally sourced from deadstock fabrics, which are end of line like this black sequin fabric, used in the above red carpet dress, which also is made from a silk organza remnant fabric I had.

I was keen to source an alternative to leather that wasn't plastic and found that there were a couple of fish skin leather manufacturers around the world which make leather as a by-product of the fishing industry. The dress above  left uses salmon leather on the neckline and is such a beautiful skin to use. The indigo sateen fabric on the right was sourced from a company who works with artisanal weavers and producers and the silk organza contrast was remnant fabric.    

Above I designed a coat which I wanted to show off this gorgeous green GOTS certified linen which means that it has been produced in an ethical way to meet a certain standard. The beautiful pink outfit is made of luxury fabrics, the fake fur jacket is made from a couture brand of fabrics which is one of the best. The pleated slip dress is a made of satin which is a luxury fabric. Luxury weavers and mills are akin to ethical in that their manufacturing processes follow a high standard.  

I was keen to use a UK made fabric and I have always loved Liberty Print fabric. During a visit to their store, I found this beautiful silk print in chiffon and satin and teamed it up with another new discovery of mine, sequins from the Sustainable Sequin Company hoping to create the effect of falling water droplets. The two piece bustier outfit is inspired by tropical fish and I used an ivory triacetate which has a lovely textured surface with some more of the black sequin. I chose to use triacetate as it is a manmade fabric using natural fibres, so probably not the most ideal fibre to use, but mainly the advantages of using it are in the ease of laundering. Excessive washing of clothing accounts for a third of all pollutants from the fashion industry as a whole.    

I used an end of stock shocking pink silk satin to line this beautiful luxury  pale turquoise chiffon dress, which is great, if like me you are only making limited edition garments instead of requiring hundreds of metres of the same fabric. The dress design was chosen to explore the creation of a pattern which uses less fabric waste in the making.  

Now a couple of back stage pictures at the venue when I am fitting my garments on the models the night before and I was happy everything fitted perfectly so no dramas there! Below my final line up of the collection and am so pleased with the whole look of the show.   

 I am grateful for the whole experience of showing my collection at the House of iKons show it has been a great learning process for me and an opportunity to research ways to make my garments more ethical and sustainable. I feel that all the supply chains now face similar challenges if they want to be part of the change and the effects that the fashion industry has on our planet. The ethical components to make garments need to be available for there to be progress and designers like myself need to be creative in different ways with the resources we have available. I am always creating unique pieces for evening and occasion wear and searching for low impact materials, including UK fabrics, deadstock fabrics as well as eco friendly and sustainable choices.   

I just want to thank Pardesi Photos for these amazing catwalk images, Savita Kaye CEO of House of iKons for organising the show, all the fabulous models and back stage helpers and Dens Creative Event team for hair and make up! 
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​#carolinebruce #ethical #ethicalbrand #madeinengland #houseofikons #fashionshow #slowfashion #ethicalclothing #ethicalfashion #britishfashion #fashiondesigner #designermaker #bespoke #luxury #ethicalluxury #madetoorder #sustainableclothing  #ladieswear #fashionchanges #emergingdesigner #worldfashion

​Hi everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my latest blog although it has been a while since my last one...
Today, 5th August 2019 is a special day for me and my business as I have been going for 5 years now! 

One of the first styles I created for the Caroline Bruce label in 2014  

​I just wanted to share with you a few of my favourite images of some of my previous designs with you from the last five years rather than writing too much! Although I do just want to explain some of the reasons I started my business in the first place and where I want to take it in the future. 
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First photoshoot with @janemucklowphoto in 2015 capturing the red hooded satin Jacqueline dress one from the Caroline Bruce label

​I have always been a creative person and found out at a young age that I liked to create things using my hands and felt a sense of achievement from doing so, whether I was sewing, crocheting, knitting, sketching and so on.

​​ 

Andra dress and Cape photographed by @janemucklowphoto 2017

​​ I found that I could create something that didn't exist before from items around me. If I had some fabric I could make it into something wearable or useful or if I drew a sketch of a dress design I would always think technically about how to translate my ideas into a finished product.
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Black & white image of  the Amber dress photographed by @janemucklowphoto 2015

I had a curiosity for how things came into being and developed a real passion for art, fashion, textiles and music! Cutting to the chase, I studied clothing and textiles at college and had a career in the fashion industry.
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Florence print crepe de chine and leather trim drape dress @janemucklowphoto 2015

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​As years have gone by, my passion has never waivered and my childhood dream of having my own business and my own fashion label has stayed firmly with me. I feel that I have been gifted with certain talents in life that I have yet to fully utilise, something unique to offer and I have much room to grow, not only in my business but as a business woman.
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One  of the eclectic styles created for the  Caroline Bruce label that was shown in central London in 2016

As you may or may not be aware, I have two sides to my business. I am a bespoke dressmaking business but also I am now a trademarked British clothing label, Caroline Bruce, which actually makes me very proud to say.
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This two piece suit was created for the Caroline Bruce Label in 2015

​I have been working behind the scenes this year on a new ethical  occasion wear collection to be shown at House of iKons 5th anniversary show in London on September 14th and this side of the business is something which I would like to make successful in the coming years.
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Gorilla &Gowns Charity Fashion Show 2017 organised by Evexio  Ltd Events and hosted by Port Lympne Hotel

I wanted to create a unique fashion experience with carefully designed  styles which will be exclusive to my brand as well as more classic styles with a unique edge. As I have been developing my brand over the last few years, my dream has evolved into creating luxury products with an ethical narrative.   

Emerald green dress with leather trim by Caroline Bruce shown @GGCharityFS 2017  

Mae frill dress from photoshoot with @janemucklowphoto 2017 

​Making bespoke garments for my clients and providing a sampling service for other start ups, small business and students in the textile trade has been the service side of my business among other things. I have acquired the  various skills necessary to fulfil all those various clients needs over many years of experience. 
​      

Amber backless dress with leather trim for Caroline Bruce photo @janemucklow 2017

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​I am very keen to pass on my knowledge to the future generation as I feel this important skills set will be lost in the UK textile trade if we do not educate our fashion and textiles students fully.
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The Jacqueline hooded dress captured by @janemucklowphoto in 2017 @GGCharityFS

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me in the last five years and here's to the next five!
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Happy 5th anniversary Caroline Bruce Designer Dresses! Please sign up to my new newsletter, which is coming soon, using the form on the home page for exclusive product launches and special offers too!

#carolinebruce
#carolinebruceblogs
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​#creatingluxurywithethics
@cb1dresses
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 I know we are well into January now, but I couldn't let anymore time slip by without celebrating all my business achievements of 2018 no matter how big or small! Also I feel it is good to reflect on how I can improve things within my business and in turn, improve my focus on specific goals for the year ahead!   

January 2018 started off with me attending The Future Fabrics Expo for the first time in central London. I don't have to look very far in London for events and exhibitions that interest me and are even better on a grey day in January! I believe that this event is expanding year on year due to the growing interest in sustainability in the fashion industry and the increased awareness of the effects the industry has on the environment globally. It was a great education for me to learn how fabric manufacturers around the world are exploring the production of  ethical and recyclable fabrics which is off interest to me, in the possible use for my garment production and as someone who cares about the environment and admires innovation. It was also interesting to find out there was more to this than just hemp and cotton as I found some very interesting new fabrics including recycled polyester.

February saw the influence of the premier of the  incredible Black Panther movie taking over the Screen Nation Awards which celebrates the achievements of film, tv and digital media professionals of African Diaspora heritage. I was lucky enough to be invited to the event and obviously wanted to look the part and so I had to make my own African inspired dress to be part of the occasion! Above right are pictures of the construction process with the calico toiles. 

I just love the different exhibitions they have on in central London and almost all year round there seems to be something I want to see! In February I was lucky enough to get to the Balenciaga exhibition and see the amazing gowns on display and learn more about the work of this iconic couture designer.       

I can't talk about February without mentioning @DesignsbyJosh, who at 12 had his first House of Ikons fashion show of the year!
 Above is one of the amazing looks the then 12 year old boy designed and I was pleased to have made in the studio! 
Photograph Frank Macdonald Photography
​Modelled by Tiger-Lily Chandler.

March was a big celebration for me and I was lucky enough to go to Marrakech to escape the cold weather! I was instantly taken with the bold colours and intricate designs on almost everything... but especially the tiles adorning most interiors. This little adventure inspired me to explore colour and print design once again this year, which was a passion of mine in my younger years, so much so, that I even designed my first print design and made some silk scarves in the Autumn. Morocco was full of colour and I have to add another picture to show you...     

I so lucky to get to go to Marrakech shortly after the new Yves Saint Laurent Museum had opened the previous November which is located next to the already popular Maison Majorelle gardens designed by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, so how amazing to get to see the two together which I certainly wasn't expecting! Above are some of his beautiful sketches on display there, but I wouldn't want to spoil it for you by showing you any more... 

Aprils highlight was being added to the Make It British list of top 40 British-made womenswear brands by Kate Hills,  whose campaign to promote British brands has encouraged me to keep on building my brand in the knowledge that there are other businesses in the same boat as me! I feel so honoured to be included even though I am still on the early part of my journey. 
I also saw one of the first fashion documentary films of the year I had been waiting to be released, which was the Westwood film about the life of Vivienne Westwood one of our most treasured British fashion designers.   

May was a month when I was focused on creating some new dresses for Joan Collins who stars in TOWIE, who you may know as mother of Gemma Collins also star of TOWIE and creator of her own glamorous plus size fashion range!
Joan has a great eye for colour, fabric and style, so we always have plenty to talk about when I am working for her! Look out for my blog about working with Joan coming soon...    

June was a busy time making some separates for one of my clients and a couple of the previous beautiful silk pieces I have made for her are pictured above. Both pieces are made from a beautiful silk twill which is nice to work with. I'm so pleased that I also found the time to see the McQueen movie after last year seeing the fantastic exhibition, both of which I found an incredible source of inspiration. I appreciate being able to see couture garments in the flesh rather than just on a video and the hear the life stories of different designers.     

July came around so quickly that I realised one of the things I had planned at the beginning of the year I hadn't actually started yet! I finally found the time to launch my online shop on my website and start adding some of my unique dresses to it, although this is a work in progress and there is so much else to do including more advertising!   

August was wedding season and  I had one particular project that I enjoyed working on for a lovely young couples wedding. The bride had bought a beautiful bodice that she saw in a bridal boutique and needed a skirt designed and made that would make it look like a dress when worn together. I confess that usually I am not so inspired by bridal garments but rather enjoyed putting the finishing touches of beaded embellishments on the fishtail skirt. 
Photo on right by Annie Hall Photography

I also celebrated 4 years in business in August which was a fantastic achievement for me as I move steadily toward my goals growing my online ethical luxury occasion wear brand! 

September was also celebrated by having been nominated for a second year in a row in the STP Awards (Sevenoaks Town Partnership) which is my local council. The two categories were New Business and Micro Enterprise of the year. It is so encouraging to be considered for any kind of awards as it makes you realise that people do notice the work you are doing and it makes it all the more rewarding!   

For his second show of the year at House of Ikons, Joshua Birch-Jones' designs were on show as emerging brand Designs By Josh! I was again able to bring a few of his designs to life and was also invited to attend the fashion show in central London. To say he got an amazing reception is an understatement! I look forward to working on some of his new designs for the next show, he is a great inspiration to young people and definitely one to watch for the future!
Photograph by Frank Macdonald Photography

October was a time for a little more time out to visit the wonderful Azzedine Alaia couture exhibition in London, which was yet another incredible display of beautiful garments that are just breath-taking! This  stunning pink gown was just one of so many beautiful pieces to pour over.
I cannot forget to mention the truly brilliant Bohemian Rhapsody movie I watched this month that was a complete joy to watch, bringing back musical and cultural memories of my youth! Music has such an influence in our lives and can be reflected in the fashions of the day.    

How can I forget my second awards evening of the year...the IBAK Awards (Independent Business Awards in Kent)? That evening I received a runner up award for Best Home Based business, which I was thrilled to receive and two other nominations for Best Creative Business and Innovative Business.
I also, again had to make myself another special dress for that special occasion, so here I am pictured above wearing my royal blue satin cape dress!

I ended October with my first popup in Tunbridge Wells, organised by Support Local which is a great business which helps promote small businesses and local traders. This is where I launched my new silk scarf range alongside my rail of one off unique dresses! I had my first print design transferred onto a couple of the scarves, which was a side step into another passion of mine which is print and textile design, but beautiful fabrics anyway.

November was a time for smaller projects which  can be just as interesting as the bigger projects. Here I am in the studio doing some pattern cutting for one of my bespoke clients. I have a range of clients, from bespoke wedding dresses to small alterations, although I do not primarily do weddings. My main passion is evening and occasion wear and developing my own brand, which I am trying to develop in an ethical way.    

December was time for a new project and was asked to make some lovely pink uniforms in the form of jumpsuits and two piece outfits for Baker Girl Beauty Academy in Bromley! Above, one of the beauty academy professionals is wearing her jumpsuit. What an enjoyable project to end the year with and this has given me a lovely new network of friends too!

Well I hope you enjoyed reading about my business year as 2018 has flown by and we are at the beginning of another year! I am planning some exciting projects for this year, some of which are already underway and I am so excited to announce that I will be producing more of my own designs this year ... so I look forward to sharing them with you soon.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and I wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year!

#fashiondesigner #fashionstudio #bespoke #eveningwear #occasionwear #partydress #ballgown #atelier #patterncutter #madeinengland #ethicalfashion #luxuryclothing #creativebusiness #womaninbusiness

I haven't written a blog in a while, but I couldn't possibly miss out on the chance to celebrate with this one! Can you believe it's been four years since I started Caroline Bruce Designer Dresses? If you don't know me by now, I am a designer and dressmaker of creative, luxury, ethical evening and occasion wear, making bespoke and demi couture garments. So much has happened in that time that I wanted to make this blog. It as much a celebration of my most memorable business achievements, as a celebration of all my  various supporters, collaborators, customers, family and friends and of all the wonderful people I have met! So not much to read in this one but some great pictures to enjoy!      

Last week I attended an ethical fashion fabric event in central London with a view to introducing ethical fabrics into my eveningwear pieces.
This is not really a review of the actual event, but an insight into the progress that some fabric manufacturers have made in producing fabrics which have less of a harmful impact on our planet and to make you aware of new types of ethical fabrics which are being introduced into the supply chain. 

Over the last few years I have been observing the emergence of many new ethical young fashion brands and from my point of view, many of these brands seem to be using ethical cotton fabrics, bamboo fabrics or  even vegan leather, as these fabrics seems to have been the more accessible eco fabrics available. I always had the idea that there would be no real luxury fabrics suitable for making  my evening or occasion wear pieces, so when I saw there was an eco fabric event I had to go to and see  for myself how much progress had been made, if at all in this niche area of interest to me.    ​

The event, The Future Fabrics Expo, was organised into fabric categories rather than suppliers, which would usually be the case, for example, woolens, denim and jerseys. Although this looks like a very small event, comparatively, this was a huge event for the niche market it appears to be in the UK. I think we maybe behind the rest of the world in terms of the production and development of ethical fabrics and clothing? Having said that, a few years back I am probably right in saying, there probably was only a handful of  ethical fabric suppliers selling in the UK and so the organisers have now managed to source an enormous array of exciting fabrics from all round the world, which was not only great from a designers perspective, but very interesting from a technical point of view!     

I find it interesting that eco friendly fabrics are not only born of the most simple, least environmentally harmful and traditional  fabric making techniques, but also the exact polar opposite, of  the latest advancements in recycling and regeneration technology, which is quite amazing. Examples of this is peace silk which is made in a traditional, non harmful way to the silkworm as opposed to the new technologies of recycling plastics to make fleece fabrics, just two examples of many.

I am definitely no expert on the subject, although I could still probably go into much more detail about how fabrics are ethical... as it's not just about the fabric  itself,  but also about the artisans from far flung places of the world, just as much as artisans local to us, how things are made, who is making our clothes and fabrics, how those people are treated, recycling, the treatment of the environment, it's carbon footprint and so on, it is a very complex and ever evolving subject. 

The fact that the fast fashion industry is the world's second most polluter has forced industry leaders to rethink the supply chain, although there is much change needed, there has been a huge shift in attitudes in recent years. Basically our throw away culture regarding clothing, for one thing, has become bad for the planet! Although I do have a  keen interest in ethical fashion and fabrics, being ethical and living up to my brand values is more than just sourcing eco friendly fabrics. I think we can all be more aware of how we treat each other and our surroundings, therefore, to me, that is the essence of being ethical. My list of aspirations as a business are below.
​
  ​ETHICAL ​BRAND VALUES

Made in England
Handmade
Respecting people and the environment​ 
Aspiring to use ethical / sustainable fabrics where possible
Reducing fabric wastage by producing garments in limited runs / made to order 
Making use of  fabric remnants by using them to make smaller items / recycling 
Aspiring to create local employment / provide training

 Going back to the fabric, which is my passion, this event was not only a work and educational event for me to attend, but loads of fun too! Who can say ethical fabrics are only practical and comfortable? I went along to this event to be proven wrong and to be inspired and I was! With a view to actually make an ethical luxury evening gown and possibly other items this year, I was hoping to find something I could work with that would fit in with my occasion and evening wear brand. I was surprised to find a whole rail of luxury fabrics and ethical skins! So what is the fabric above? This gorgeous fabric is fish skin, made from a fish called Pirarucu, which lives in the Amazon river and is a byproduct of the food chain. Yes, it is lovely and soft, plus it was shown in other colours too!   

Among the fabrics I discovered on the rails were fabrics made of tree bark, mushrooms, salmon skin, cork, and wolfish, all of which I do not envisage myself using for my designs, not this year anyway! They did, however, have several beautiful silks available, all organic or sustainable which I was interested in using, plus there is a fabric called Tencel, which has been around for some years now, which is a sustainable fabric, made from wood and  produced in an eco friendly way, among other things I was admiring.

 I feel fairly satisfied that luxury eco friendly fabrics will become more widely available as time goes on, however, although there were many interesting and beautiful fabrics available to see at the event, plus a few gorgeous prints, I am not sure how readily available these fabrics are to someone like myself and of course the cost implications I would have to evaluate to start with.

I am so pleased that I took the time to attend this fabulous event, as now I am more aware of just some of the new products being developed. Hopefully these fabrics will be made more widely available to fashion houses and emerging creatives like myself, for example, so that we have the tools available to create more sustainable businesses.​ As a creative I would like the opportunity to work with ethical fabrics as a norm rather than a rarity, but it is something I will be considering for at least one item in 2018. Watch this space!

info@carolinebruce.co.uk
​07835 983 018

It is the end of another eventful year in my business and looking back I have enjoyed this year more than any other since starting my business in 2014. I am not going to write much as I want you to enjoy the images, but just to say I have achieved so many things in my business this year and apart from the obvious highlights shown below, I have trademarked my brand! I hope you enjoy the pictures!  

enquiries info@carolinebruce.co.uk
07835 983 018
​ 

Earlier in the year I was invited to an open call in London, to apply to design a dress for a Miss Caribbean finalist, to be worn for the Grand Finale on 25th  November 2017. At the beginning of July I took some of my dresses to show a panel of judges who would decide if I had been chosen as one of this years designers. I was thrilled I had got through and was asked to make two dresses, therefore dressing two finalists, who were at this point still  yet to be named.      

Later in July, I attended the Finals of the London heats at the stunning venue of Shaka Zulu in Camden, which created a wonderful backdrop and atmosphere to the competition. There, the fate of the London contestants were  to be decided and as this was the last heat of the whole competition from various locations around the UK. We would now know who all the finalists for Novembers Grand Finale would be! 

In August I was invited to the Miss Caribbean photoshoot in London to meet the two finalists I was going to sponsor their evening dresses. Above are the ten finalists with  Jackie Brown, top centre, who along with her husband Clayton Brown, created the Miss Caribbean UK brand and whose hard work  and passion, has created an ever growing competition and an amazing annual event, now in its fourth year.
 Miss Caribbean is a beauty pageant set up to promote all the Caribbean countries under one umbrella and the event is a platform to promote, educate, celebrate and inspire the historical and cultural impact of the Caribbean on the United Kingdom. The pageant aims not just to look for a pretty face, but for a young woman who is able to demonstrate a far more holistic image of beauty, poise, personality, confidence, grace knowledge and personal vision and sense of self worth.

Once I had met the young ladies, I thought quite a lot about how I would approach this project, after all it is a competition and it would be fantastic to have designed and made the winning dress...
However I also wanted to stay true to my own handwriting as it were, plus dress them in something that I thought would suit their personality, stand out above the other entries, plus still be a very glamourous evening dress!  

So I had a few ideas on the designs I wanted to use and finally decided I was quite happy about them. Next was sourcing the fabric... I was very short of time by this point, with only three weeks to go, which quite often happens when working on these sort of projects and I decided to source some fabric from a local supplier, rather than either take a chance online, as I did not have time to order samples, or take a trip up to central London and take a chance on finding what I wanted on that one day. I knew the colours I wanted but actually finding what I wanted was the tricky part. I had a selection of diamante trimmings, some I had already and some I bought with the dresses in mind.

I had only two, ten minute fittings with each of the girls before I was to produce the finished dresses on the night of the show, so I was obviously a little anxious as to whether the dresses would fit properly and be the correct length. Also I wanted the girls to be as excited to be wearing my designs, as much as I was to have them wear them for me!  

Back stage before the show I was so pleased not only did the dresses fit but both the girls loved their dresses, which pleased me as I obviously wanted them to feel comfortable but also elegant and confident! 

Above left Kamara is preparing for the first round of the finals, the carnival dance section. On the right I am in the makeup room having my makeup done and all the contestants have been called out one by one to go on stage.  

Above Eshiva is performing her  amazing solo dance.
Below all nine finalists are performing the carnival dances together and it looks so spectacular!

After the carnival round the girls were each escorted on stage by a young gentleman as they showed off their elegance, deportment and evening wear dresses. Then a few of the designers including myself were invited onstage to talk about our designs.

KAMARA THOMAS

ESHIVA WRIGHT

Apart from the various rounds in the competition the evening held some brilliant entertainment, music, dancing, shown below, and comedy, which made the whole event a really good night! So much work goes into the preparation of this event, especially in the work that is done individually with each contestant, and is growing year on year!   

Above is the final line up of all the finalists in their evening dresses.
In the last round the girls were asked a series of questions and were judged on how well they answered them. Everything was considered and eventually the winners of the various categories were announced, including best evening dress, best personality, second and first runners up and of course the who was to be crowned Miss Caribbean UK 2017!

  I love this in the moment picture of when this years Miss Caribbean 2017 was announced! Neither of my lovely ladies won the title, but Best Personality 2017 did go to Eshiva Wright one of my ladies, which was well deserved, but then all the girls deserved to win in my opinion! I did not win best evening dress, there were so many lovely dresses to choose from,  but I  enjoyed taking part in this competition, working with the ladies and the team and being involved in such a worthwhile event! Looking forward to next year!

Caroline
​

​tags #misscaribbeanuk #misscaribbeanuk2017 @misscaribbeanuk #pageants #beautypageants #eveningwear #bespoke 

18 months from the original idea, Amanda Flanders of Butterflies and Dreams events, Jane Mucklow of Jane Mucklow Photography and myself of Caroline Bruce Designs, finally created the fantastic charity fashion show we had been planning all that time! The Gorillas and Gowns Charity Fashion Show was held within the grounds of the Port Lympne Wildlife Reserve at their amazing mansion house, now Port Lympne Hotel. When I first stepped inside this incredible building I knew this would make a great location for a fashion show, it has to be seen! Whilst appreciating the interior herself, Amanda Flanders told me that she could arrange a fashion show for me and I was delighted at the prospect... and she did! We joined forces with Jane Mucklow who took some incredible photographs of not only my dresses but of the location and the evenings events!

As Port Lympne was our stunning venue, we agreed that our only charity for the evening had to be Aspinall's Foundation and the funds were to be donated to their work with the gorillas, hence Gorillas and Gowns! We realised that four endangered western lowland gorilla brothers, will be sent to a gorilla orphanage in Congo by Aspinalls, to rehabilitate them back into the wild and this was what the funds raised will be going toward. When you go to Port Lympne Reserve, they have a list on display near to the entrance,  with all the wild animals that are close to extinction mentioned, that's without all the other species of animals, and it is desperately sad to think that within our lifetime we could, and already have, lost many species that will not be there for future generations to see, gone forever! That is why our event was so important to all of us, even though I'm sure it's a small drop in the ocean to what is really required to make a difference.

Just some of the items donated are above. Below is just one of the three 'Gorillas and Gowns' limited edition 100% silk georgette gorilla print scarves I designed and made. I had the design for the gorilla print but needed help with the technical side of printing and so luckily I found textile print graduate Lauren McArthur  and I put her  creative skills to use and she enabled me to have my gorilla print on the silk I wanted! I love the effect the repeat print gives.     

By chance also I happened to know Josh Birch Jones and that he had a great deal of designs drawn up and I thought it would be a brilliant idea if he could have some of his designs made and launch both our collections at the same time... Joshua being only twelve years old of course, but his mother was thrilled and it made for a great concept for this charity event. I was keen to use the fashion show as a platform to show potential clients my new designer ethical evening and occasionwear range. Among the items were my a few bespoke pieces and a couple of leopard print pieces just for the show! ​

My theme for the collection was The Power of a Woman and this was a continuum of the pieces I created previously. I love using fluid fabrics like soft satins and chiffons as well as fabrics which take on more form, like organza and duchess satin. My evening wear designs are often inspired by the 1920s and Hollywood glamour with my own narrative. Movement of fabric around the body is intriguing to me, therefore I think in three dimensions, figuring out how the design will work as an actual garment and how  I can construct each piece.  Luckily I am able to work on all stages of the process from design to finishing, which gives me total creative freedom.          

Young Joshua Birch Jones was also showing his capsule collection, inspired by the need his mother had to change from boardroom attire to evening attire without carrying extra clothing around all day long, as she went to various meetings. He had the idea of making reversible pieces that would coordinate and be suitable for both scenarios. He did fabulously as you can see below!   

I have been working on the lovely Mrs Joan Collins' wardrobe, on and off for over a year now, so I knew animal welfare causes are very close to her heart. When Joan, who appears on The Only Way Is Essex with her daughter Gemma, said she would like to come along to our fashion show with Gemma, star of TOWIE  and with her own fashion collections, I was so excited! Gemma also made a generous donation to the charity,  which we are most grateful for! Having mother and daughter celebrities there made it an extra special event for me!    

We were also lucky to have another mother and daughter attending as Mary-Louise Chandler  came along to support her lovely daughter Lily Chandler who was modelling for me. Mary-Louise herself  is a model and ambassador of plus size clothing. Both pictured below!   ​

Below I am taking my bow at the end of the show with the final line up!

Apart from the two fashion shows, there were amazing body painted ladies by the living art show who entertained the audience and there was a grand auction with some very generous  pledges. It was a fantastic evening and we raised an amazing  £6,500 for the Aspinall Foundation so a massive thank you to everyone who made this possible. Below are my amazing models who I am extremely grateful to for putting on such an amazing show!   ​  

Special thanks goes out to Amanda Flanders, Jane Mucklow, Paul Andrews of The Business Bunker, Joshua and Joanna Birch Jones, Molly Wright from Molly Moodle Media, Port Lympne Hotel, The Aspinall Foundation and everyone who attended and donated!  
All amazing photography by @janemucklowphotography 

 enquiries info@carolinebruce.co.uk

Well here I am in my third year of business, looking back  on my journey so far, it seems a little like a course you take, but learning to steer your own ship. No one can tell you exactly how to go about it but at the same time guidance and support is gratefully received and I have been very lucky to have had both! Quite a few eventful things have been going on behind the scenes recently and finally I can write about everything!  

Back in July I had my trade mark officially approved and am glad to say I am now an official ladieswear brand! It is quite a long process to go through but definitely worth the wait!  

I had a really proud moment when I finally received my official woven garment labels after years of wishing I could! Below are previous examples on my road to being myself, above is the beautiful new one! It has taken a long time but I decided never to give up.

By now I think you may have seen the initial marketing images for the Gorillas and Gowns Charity Fashion Show, but if you haven't, below is a preview of one of the images being photographed for the brochure, by the amazing Jane Mucklow of @janemucklowphotography!  

Below is the official media marketing poster designed by Jane Mucklow and it has all the organisers and participants logos on it, including the amazing venue Port Lympne Hotel! If you have never been, look out for some photographs of this stunning venue in future posts! We have @butterflies2019 the fabulous Amanda Flanders as event organiser, @vanillaweb the brilliant Business Bunker radio show host Paul Andrews as compere, @janemucklowphotography event photographer, @MollyMoodleUK the lovely social media marketing expert, Joshua Birch Jones an incredible twelve year old ladieswear designer, yes you heard it here first... and myself @cb1dresses!

Apart from the preparations for the fashion show, mostly of which means that I will be making some spectacular new eveningwear dresses, I have been busy working on various bespoke projects for summer weddings and mostly mother of the bride dresses and outfits, hopefully I will have some photos to share with you of one or two of those soon! Below is a glimpse of a special hand beaded trim I will be using on one of my new one off pieces for the show. I have come a long way in the last few years and still have much to learn and much to create, not least for the show in September.  

For the last three years, I have been trying to balance two businesses within one, working for clients on bespoke projects and as a studio for other fashion businesses, whilst trying to create my lifelong passion of an eveningwear collection. All the work I have put in has been a learning curve for me, no one can know how to do everything, but what I don't know I have been learning how to do, which is an ongoing process but I never get bored!  Infact I love what I do and look forward to many more years creating and evolving my business and my British, ethical eveningwear brand!    

info@carolinebruce.co.uk
07835 983018
#GGCharityFS
@GGCharityFS

I was so excited to be nominated for two categories in this years Kent Women In Business Awards #KWIBA2017 and I certainly did not expect to be a finalist! I knew the date for the awards evening was approaching, however, as I was busy working on my customers outfits and dresses I wasn't really thinking about what I would be wearing, anyway I thought I must have a dress suitable of a black tie evening right? Actually I was wrong and so thought I would make something special for this big event! 
It started with fabric and colour for me and so I decided to take a trip into town where I know there are a couple of fabric shops, maybe not my favourite Berwick Street shops and as I was short for time and definately no time to order online, it was only two days away... so I had to settle for a trip to my nearest town where there would be at least  one fabric shop!​      

There were many colours to choose from and I did have my eyes on the purple, my business brand colour, however the advice from my stylist friend Siobhan Atkins of Wellstyled, was not to have purple for this event, which was some what a relief as I wanted something different and so I considered metallics, bronzes and rose golds which I love, but the fabric was just not inspiring to me for this occasion.  

Finally I decided on something more classic and versatile, black. I felt black on it's own would have been too harsh for me so I decided to go for a little sparkle with a silver sequined mesh to give it the evening gown look. 

Next I had to decide on a design for myself, I had so many ideas that I sketched out, but it came down to what shape I thought would be the most dramatic but also flattering for me too. ​

I was also slightly limited by a little thing called time as I only had about 2 days to make my dress from scratch! In that time I had to buy the fabric, design the style, make the pattern, cut out the fabrics and make, fit and finish the dress for the Friday early evening, bearing in mind I wanted to have my nails and hair done... but I would not a little thing like that stop me!  

I decided on something with two skirt layers so that I would reveal a hidden skirt and create a dramatic effect when I walked, but was also covered and elegant. Also I love long fitted sleeves and so I wanted make the most of the lovely sequined fabric and had this nearest my face rather than the harsh black satin.  

I spent some time working on the pattern pieces as this makes life much easier when sewing a garment together especially when you are in hurry. Once it is cut there is no room for error, if you make something too small and do not have any spare fabric then this will be a problem! I also had to make it bespoke to my measurements, which was fun trying to fit it to myself in the mirror...

Finally the dress was finished after much hard work and a tight deadline, just enough time to get mself ready!  

Photogragh above @janemucklowphoto

Above are pictures of me having a twirl in my new dress! 
Below are my friends who were runners up in one of their categories, from the left stylist Siobhan Atkins from Wellstyled , next Jane Mucklow from Jane Mucklow Photography and myself,  Caroline Bruce designer and dressmaker!  

I had a great time, even though I was not a runner up or winner, being a finalist in two categories was an achievement for me and being among so many talented business women who all deserve to be winners was very inspiring! It was fabulous to be part of such a great event and to be networking with  all those like minded business women all in one room. What a great excuse for a new dress!

07835 983 018
​info@carolinebruce.co.uk

Spring 2017 has been and gone so quickly for me, so now is the time to show you a few projects I worked on during the last few months.
​    Below is my spring bride Sara in the beautiful wedding dress I made  for this lovely lady. The design has a bohemian accent, I used a delicate hand made cotton lace inserted in the sleeves and bodice and a traditional embroidered broderie anglaise fabric for that vintage look.

Now for something very different and a first for me, but an interesting project nonetheless! I was commissioned to make this set of neck, waist, wrist and ankle ruffles as props for the incredible 'Living Art Show' who specialise in face and body painting exhibitions and courses.  

 I have again had the pleasure of working for Joan Collins, Mrs Joan Collins as she refers to herself , now a TOWIE star (The Only Way Is Essex) in her own right, as this season she has appeared along side her daughter Gemma! I create the styles that Joan envisions for herself as she has such a creative hand, she loves choosing fabrics and trimmings with me as we build up her wardrobe. For Valentines Joan wanted to create a special window display for Gemmas boutique in Essex, so Joan decided to use a bomber jacket I made for her with the lips print on and along side other seasonal items she put  together this shop display! 

Apart from my bespoke work, working on my own designs and the KWIB Awards I took part in, I have been working as a fashion studio for the new ethical label Chikezie- Rose. I was excited to be asked to take part in the 12th Screen Nation Awards 2017 in May, after my technical involvement in Miss Caribbean UK 2016 last year for the same label. With very little time but no lack of enthusiasm, Chikezie-Rose and I, agreed to take up the offer of dressing last year's lovely Miss Caribbean finalists, who were due to chaperone the celebrities and guests at the awards on the red carpet at The Plaza Hotel in central London. It was a real privilege, not only dress these talented ladies, who themselves are ambassadors for their own country of origin, but to have been invited to join in this fantastic occasion! There I am enjoying the event and getting some great photos on the red carpet!         

Apart from the nine one shouldered African print tie dresses, I also made the mens cravats and ladies pins for the Miss Caribbean UK production team which are pictured below.

After the excitement of the awards event, I was soon busy again creating this beautiful silk scarf. I wanted to donate a special item I had created to Linda Garcias 'Pink Charity Gala Ball', to help raise some money for her chosen charity 'Breast Cancer Now'. I chose this 100% silk crepe de chine geometric print to make this sumptuous scarf, as a luxury classic one off  piece for the lucky winner to treasure and enjoy wearing. 

 The last few months have been very busy for Caroline Bruce Designer Dresses, but in the background there are lots of great things happening with the development of my own eveningwear brand which I will reveal very soon! 
info@carolinebruce.co.uk
www.facebook.com/cb1dresses 

 I was so pleased to be invited to write a guest blog by the highly talented and lovely Julie Davies of Julie Davies Flower Workshops, The Florist That Teaches, so here it is!   

 A LIFE WITH FLOWERS, MEET THE CREATIVE

​This week I’m handing over my blog to Caroline Bruce. We first met at Women’s Enterprise Kent – a scheme devised to digitally empower entrepreneurial women.  Caroline’s post was scheduled a while back and I’ve just updated it to let you know that Caroline is a finalist in the Kent Women in Business Awards 2017 in the arts/creative and entrepreneur categories.
Over to you Caroline …

BRITISH DESIGNER AND DRESSMAKER 
​Hello, I’m Caroline Bruce, a British designer and dressmaker. My business was born out of a lifelong passion to design, make and sell my own designs. I create bespoke outfits for women who need something unique to wear for a special occasion and can’t find anything off the peg. I also design my own unique range of evening and cocktail dresses. Luxury, glamour and individuality are the essential elements that go into each of my elegant designs.

VALUING CREATIVITY AND SKILLS 
I aim to have my garments hand produced here in the UK - embracing slow, sustainable fashion.  My fabric is mainly sourced through local suppliers. This ethos is also behind my belief that we should value the creativity and skills within the fashion industry and provide quality training in order to keep the industry alive for future generations.  
I don’t know about you - but I’ve always wanted, not only to wear beautiful clothing, but to design it as well! When you’re wearing something special it totally transforms how you look and feel. I aim to capture this magic for my clients. My dresses all have an element of wow about them - whether it’s the movement of the fabric, the way it drapes or the cut. Every piece creates an individual magic for the wearer.

HAND ME DOWNS 
​I grew wearing hand me downs from my older sisters and watched my mother sew some clothes for me on her hand powered sewing machine. While my friends had wardrobes full of lovely new and fashionable clothes, I really appreciated the few new clothes I had! I realise now, that by playing with the fabric scraps from my own hand made dresses, wrapping them around my dolls and trying to fit the fabric on them, that I was actually figuring out how garments were made.
At secondary school I developed an interest in the arts and decided to follow a creative career path. My interest in fashion, art and design grew into the dream to be a fashion designer. I went to college and learned how to design and make clothes. I completed my diploma and left with plenty of new skills and great hope for the future.
I started my career in London by working as a sample cutter and worked my way up to become a  toilist and pattern cutter at Nicole Farhi. During my years as a mother and home maker, I often made garments for myself and my family. I returned to work in the industry several times during those years - assisting the pattern cutting tutor at the college where I’d trained. Eventually I decided to start my own business.  And here I am looking back at my first two years in business and building my own future.

​NATURE IS A GREAT TEACHER
One of the things I love the most about being in fashion is having the creative freedom to create my own designs. I love being able to make something from just a thought, a feeling or a flash of inspiration. I like finding patterns in nature - a flower or a leaf that gives me the initial idea for the shape of a dress or part of a garment.
Looking at the natural world from a different perspective provides inspiration that can be translated into my designs. I also like to model or drape fabric on myself or on a mannequin so I can visualise the movement of the finished garment, making sure the end product is wearable. Not all my ideas start in this way but I do find that nature is a great teacher and shows me endless possibilities for colour, texture and design.

THE EVOLUTION OF IDEAS
​A jacket I designed earlier this year was originally inspired by an image I found of some waves breaking on the shore. I thought the wave ripples could be used as the outline on part of a garment. From here I collected similar images and tried various ways to use the wave design.
Next, I sketched out the shapes and working out how I could create the waves in fabric form. From this the waves became pleats - which I wanted to be soft and full of a fabric to hold their shape. However once I started modelling the design on the mannequin, the look of the crisp flat pleat looked better and this is how the initial idea for my jacket design was formed.
This is just one way in which I explore new ways of using nature to inspire my work. I’m looking forward to creating many more unique designs in the future and never fail to find inspiration all around me. This continual evolution of new ideas is what keeps me motivated and passionate about my own design business and the fashion industry as a whole.

 Caroline ​

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 2017 was kicked off for me with something different, as I was asked to take part in a community event run by the group Ashford Undivided at the beginning of January. This is a group of 'community change makers' led by Georgina Cooper ​and Francesca Baker, who wanted to give their local community a chance to have their say in a creative way!
​ My project was just a small part of a very full day of creative events taking place at The Bauhaus Cafe in Ashford town centre. Attendees were invited to take part in various creative projects to help express how they felt about where they live now and how they wanted the community to change for the better. With the affects of Brexit on their minds, how, as mainly young people, would they would like to shape their futures? In small groups they used the arts and crafts workshops to make bold statements of how they felt, for the MP Damien Green to see when he came to speak and to post on their website. MP Damien Green spoke for some time on the subject of the affects of us leaving the European Union and answered many questions, responding to peoples fears for the future.        

 The workshops ahead of me that day were Make a Postcard, Poetry, Using the Uke, Urban Sketching and then the Question and Answer with MP Damien Green and  there was some lovely live music too!     
​I began my project with a short talk about why and how I am creating my own sustainable fashion business. As I was invited to create a project for the event, I wanted to talk a little about recycling, eco freindly clothing and sustainability within the clothing industry. One of the things I talked about was how to be more eco freindly with your own clothing. Top tips included repairing damaged garments, by replacing zips for example, restyling a garment or reusing the fabric from an unwanted garment to make something completely different! I also discussed the pay and working conditions relating to the factories, where many of the cheap high street fashion stores have their garments made. Also up for dicussion was the fact that globally, we consume 30% more natural resourses each year than our planet can replenish, the fashion industry, unfortunately, is also one of the highest poluting industries in the world. Therefore, I decided to create a project using old t-shirts to either recycle into something else, a bag for example or to use the t shirts provided to get everyones individual messages across for the community and government to see!  

I just wanted to say thank you to Ashford Undivided for inviting me to take part in this positive, creative and community based event and I hope that the messages of the people will be heard. Create a better future!
​​
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https://www.facebook.com/AshUnCCC 

 2016 is almost over, so now is the time to take stock of all this years achievements and share some of my highlights with you! 
I started the year by taking part in my first fashion show at DISTRKT nightclub in central London! I showed a capsule collection I had designed and made specifically for this show, with other new designers invited by LSE Fashion Society. This was an amazing experience and a great opportunity to show a few of  my designs to a new audience! 

DSTRKT nightclub in London was an amazing venue for the fashion show, with it's long and narrow dance floor it was a perfect catwalk! 

Also in February, I was suprised to be nominated by West Kent Housing Association for the TPAS awards, Tenant of the Year for my  entrepreneurship. I went with other nominees in our local area to The Hilton, Wembley to attend the ceremony. I had a fantastic time and I was honoured to be nominated and to get that recognition!

April saw the end of the Womens Enterprise Kent course I took part in, such a shame that it had to finish! I met so many amazing fellow female entrepreneurs aswell as making some new friends. We had various seminars, sometimes in beautiful locations and we learnt  about marketing our businesses, financial and business skills.

Which leads me nicely on to tell you about the photographer Jane Mucklow, who I met on the course and who took the stunning new images you can now see on my website. We arranged a photoshoot in a local historical site which made an amazing backdrop for my dresses.

During the spring months I had several clients who wanted bespoke garments made and I worked on four weddings, well actually four mother of the bride/groom outfits which I specialise in. In this capacity I create the bespoke garments from the very beginning, from my design through to the finished garment, working on every stage myself. This one shoulder cape dress was a particular favourite of mine, due to the stunning asymmetric design and it started my wedding season off nicely!   

Some of the projects that I work on require my technical support skills,  working as a creative pattern cutter and as a seamstress or sample machinist. So in May, I worked with designer and fashion industry consultant Carol Rose, to create her daughter's prom dress that she herself  had designed and choosen fabric for. I saw the sketch and knew I would love making this dress, especially as we were using stunning African fabric, silk finishing touches and with an elegant back waterfall detail. This dress was actually made up of 46 seperate components that needed to be sewn together! All the outside pattern pieces had to be placed strategically on the fabric before cutting out in order to make the design of this garment work.    

I was also thrilled to be asked by Carol Rose, to take part in a fashion show (my second of the year!) at London's Docklands on the Sunborn Yacht Hotel for a Christian ladies website launch!  This was a chance to show off my own designs as well as Carols, we each showed three looks. My garments were Dana my chiffon asymmetric dress, Isobel my two piece cape and layered dress and Oriana my silk satin and leather jumpsuit. This was a fabulous experience for me, plus an education on how to put together a small scale fashion show!

​I also had the pleasure of working with a couple of celebrity clients during the summer months, one of whom was Joan Collins, no not the one from Dynasty, but Gemma Collins' mum from TOWIE! Joan commissioned me to make most of her holiday wardrobe as she was taking a special holiday in August. Joan loves unusual fabrics and sometimes bold colours and although the dress styles were  quite simple, Joan wanted to be creative with them by mixing the colours and textures of fabrics in a unique way. Some fabrics we used were from remnants from Joans' previous projects, but used as part of new dresses we created. Not only does Joan enjoy experimenting with the fabrics and trimmings, she also likes to make good use of eveything that is available to her so that nothing is wasted. This was a new challenge for me and taught me a lesson in upcycling!        

To round the year off nicely, Carol Rose ask me to work with her on another exciting project, the grand final of the Miss Caribbean UK 2016 pageant, positively promoting the Caribbean. Carol collaborated with award winning hair salon owner Anastasia Chikezie to create the Chikezie-Rose collection for the event. The designers bought some amazing heritage fabrics and sketched out their initial ideas. I worked again in a technical support role for this design collaboration as creative pattern cutter and seamstress. I was  lucky enough to be invited to attend this spectacular event and look forward to seeing it grow in future years!   

It made my evening when one out of the two beautiful ladies wearing the dresses I made, Cheniel Henderson, won second runner up prize overall!  (seen here on the right)

Some of the carnival costmes for the first section of the pageant were laid out in the dressing room and of course I couldn't help but take a photograph of these!

 The beauty pageant marked the end of a fantastic year for me and there was plenty more to tell. I would like to say a massive thank you to all my clients from this past year and for all the advice and support I have recieved from various individuals and organisations. Next year I look forward to growing the ready to wear side of the business, desingning evening wear pieces, which needs to be nurtured too! I hope to see many new clients booking for bespoke garments to be made and the technical support side of my business. Look out for further new developements and have a creative 2017!

​Caroline 

 
 Thirty years of experience in various roles in fashion and clothing have resulted in me being able to provide the service that I do. The term dressmaker/seamstress is one which seems to reduce what I do to just sewing, I am actually more than just a dressmaker! Although, yes, I sew dresses, that is only a small part of it...
I refer back to a time when probably every woman would sew their own clothes and make repairs to their own clothes, or pay for a seamstress to do it, but times have changed. Apart from the recent resurgence in the interest of dressmaking due to certain tv shows, most clothes are mass produced, even high end designer garments that command the highest prices are mostly factory made. These days most garments are massed produced and one factory worker would be responsible for one process repeated on hundreds of garments each day, for example, one person would just sew the zips in, this is known as piece work. The only garments made by hand now days would be couture, bespoke garments and men's tailored garments that are  hand made, from start to finish by one person a tailor or seamstress/ dressmaker and finished with care and attention to detail, also, rightly commanding the high prices that goes with the specialised service. Below are just some of the details of my particular work as a bespoke dressmaker.       ​

                                                              DESIGNER
​
Making a bespoke garment or a one off, couture garment can be quite a lengthy process and one that involves a variety of skills practised over many years. I start with the design process and designing a suitable and desirable garment for the client. I always aim to make something beautiful that is wearable, that is why I love making garments, it's a kind of art using fabrics.      It all starts with needing to be a clear communicator and trying to assess what your client is actually visualising, I may be sketching an idea as my client is explaining what they want. Many things need to be taken into consideration in the design process. Sometimes the client has a design in mind and obviously I have to respect this, although I need to be able to give my opinion as to whether this will work for them or not. Some of my clients have fitting issues with high street clothes and want something made that will fit them correctly. I have clients who want a specific design and cannot find this on the high street, where as others just want the luxury of having something made for them or have a special occasion and want to look and feel special, without the worry of showing up in the same dress as another guest! If I am designing for the client, I need to show them a selection of designs then we can then discuss what they would like made. A non- refundable deposit is required before any design work can even start and you will see before I even pick up my scissors I have many tasks to complete. It is useful that a customer has a good idea of what really suits them, for example colours, styles to suit their body shape, what suits their personality, what they will feel comfortable in and if it is appropriate for the occasion, as a lot of work will go into making the garment and it has to be right.
The first initial consultation should set out what the client wants made and the design either decided upon and a deposit paid if work is to commence, a set of measurements taken and a time frame of fittings established with time allowed for any unforeseen circumstances. ​

  PATTERN / GRADER / TOILER
​
 Once a design has been chosen, I will take a set of measurements from the client, correctly fitting under garments need to be worn for me to get accurate measurements and the shoes for the correct height if necessary. Next I will arrange to see them for their first toile fitting, a toile being a mock up of the finished garment in a similar but cheap version of the final fabric. From the measurements taken I will then draft a block pattern, not use a shop bought pattern, which is a first basic shape. Next I will use that block to then create the actual style required as a paper pattern. A pattern cutter is a highly skilled position within the clothing indusrty, who works closely with the designer to achieve the required look and fit of the garment and usually has to train for several years to work independently. Some pattern cutters can also grade which means sizing up the original size,  usually an 8, into larger sizes, however, when making a bespoke garment I am switching between pattern cutter and grader to create an individual size to fit just one persons body exactly. This is arguably one of the most difficult parts of my job, as everyone is so different! I would then source and buy a cheaper substitute fabric for a first toile which should give a good resemblance to how the style will work when finished. Next I need to cut the cheap substitute fabric out using the pattern I have drafted and then sew it together accurately and press it, but without finishing it entirely as that is not required, as this garment is not going to be worn other than for a fitting. A toile is going to be the mockup or prototype of the finished garment, in which the fit of the garment is corrected and the style is adjusted if needed. If any fitting or style changes are required at this point, I will then adjust the paper pattern and the toile. If there are sufficient enough changes to be made, then a second toile will be made and again fitted until this is correct. It is important for the client to know that any major style changes made after the first toile is made will result in extra costs being added to the final price, due to the required time spent on making changes.    ​

                                                    SOURCING SPECIALIST
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Next I need to make a follow up appointment with the customer and fabric is either bought by the client on my advice, giving them an accurate measurement for what is required or I have been asked to source  usually a choice of fabrics for them. I have to make sure that I provide a good selection of fabric samples in various colours, types and weights and also know what price range they are considering. Buying the correct fabric is obviously very crucial, I would not want to spoil the whole design by using a cheap fabric that does not hang or drape as expected, but equally it is not necessary have to pay a huge amount to make a beautiful garment! Another thing to remember is the colour of the fabric, whether or not it suits the client's complexion and flatters them, after all I want them to look amazing in one of my dresses! The chosen fabric then needs to be tested on the sewing machine with the thread to make sure it sews nicely and will press flat. The machine needle also has to be the correct one for the type of fabric, for example , I could not use a leather needle on a chiffon as it would pull and spoil the fabric! I also need to identify wash care instructions for the customer as some special fabrics may only be hand wash or dry cleanable and the iron guidlines are needed too. The other important thing to remember is the other items that may be needed to finish the garment, so I will need to source threads, zips, linings, buttons, fastenings or trimmings, for example a beaded applique piece that may be required for the front of a dress.   ​

​ ​                                                      SAMPLE CUTTER

When it is time to cut the fabric I need to make sure my cutting table is clean and clear of clutter, then I need to work out the best way to lay the fabric and how to be as economical as possible. This I usually worked out before I order fabric as I need an accurate measurement to know how much to buy, although I add a small allowance for any faults that may be in the cut length of fabric. Laying up the fabric may be quite straight-forward, however if I am cutting a print that needs to be matched or a lace with a scallop edge, the pattern pieces need to be placed in a careful manner to suit the design of the garment. Matching a design when laying  the top and underneath layers of fabric and cutting slippery fabric is also a challenge. A good pair of tailors shears is required for cutting neatly as I do not want to cut leaving any jagged edges as this will affect the finished garment by cutting into the seam allowance.  I have also to make sure I do not mix up cut fabric pieces or lose track of the right and wrong sides of the fabric as this could be time consuming trying to unpick or re-cut pieces. ​ 

​  PRESSER AND FINISHER 
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The first thing to do is press or hand sew in any interlinings or stiffening materials required and then start joining all the pieces together by machine. There is an order of how I need to construct the garment depending on the style. As each bespoke garment is totally unique, it takes longer to make as I have to figure out the best way to assemble that particular garment, as I am not remaking one style over again as a factory garment is made. Each process in a factory would be repeated by one machinist  at a fast pace, this is called piece work. I have to consider which process will need to be done at each stage for the best outcome. Next I decide to how finish the inner seams to stop them fraying, this has to be done in the way that will best suit the thickness of the fabric, so for example if it is a silk lightweight dress then I would  join the garment together with french seams. I next join in any facings, zips and linings. Some degree of hand finishing is also required which is also a skill which has to be observed and not used widely in everyday manufacturing.     
​ ​Once the garment is completed and top pressed I then hang it and cover it to keep it clean and crisp for the client. I usually finish the garment completely before I arrange a final fitting of the garment. Usually the garment is perfect and the final payment is paid, although there may still be minor changes to be made.  

It is important to have a good understanding of my clients needs, keep up with current trends and to be flexible, as I never know what is going to happen from day to day and every customer is unique! The process of making a unique garment or outfit is labour intensive and therefore can be costly, however it is a worthwhile investment and the resulting garment will be one to treasure and hopefully  be worn over  and over again! Many skills are involved in creating a bespoke garment and therefore I am not just a dressmaker!

                                                             
 
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​BUILDING A SLOW FASHION BUSINESS WITH CAROLINE BRUCE

18TH MAY 2016 - By Editor - In FEATURES / DESIGNER INTERVIEWS




Growing up as the youngest of 4 girls, mostly dressed in her older siblings hand-me-downs, Caroline Bruce grew up dreaming of one day having her own clothes. She fulfilled that dream when she left her “nine to five” and set up her own bespoke dressmaking business, followed up by the launch of her own womenswear brand.
Unlike many of her peers, Caroline is growing her business slowly and organically, strategically orchestrating and ensuring professional longevity.
We caught up with her to find out more about her business and journey to date.
Take us to the beginning….what sparked your passion for fashion?
I think the initial interest was from an early age, making clothes for my Cindy doll from the fabric remnants of dresses my mother was making for me on her Singer. This is a family industry! I just loved playing with the fabrics and trying to work out how to shape the cloth around the body in different ways. My mother made most of our clothes, either sewing, knitting or even crocheting things! We didn’t have much money and as the youngest of four girls I was last to inherit any garments and I just thought one day I would love to have my own beautiful clothes to wear. As a teenager, I started to make my own clothes and never wanted to look or dress like anyone else. I was very inspired by the wildness and explosion of creativity of the eighties!
How did you start in the fashion industry?
At sixteen, I began a Clothing Technology Diploma at the Kent Institute for Art and Design in Rochester. This was so I could learn how to design and make a garment from start to finish, which was my initial goal. After completing the course, I left college and the same week got a job as a sample cutter. My ambition was to work my way up in the industry.
What made you set up in business and be a freelance designer as opposed to working within a company?
Staring my own business has been a life-long dream of mine. It has been there in my head for years! Sometime back, I came to crossroads in life and decided to take the plunge and set up on my own, knowing that if I did so, I would never look back!
It wasn’t a difficult decision in the end because I knew I had all the practical skills to be self- sufficient and to design and make any garment from scratch. I knew I could survive. I have created everything you see on my website myself and I have always managed to earn money freelancing as a pattern cutter, sewing etc.
However, my dream has always been to start and grow my own designer label. There is so much opportunity out there for new, creative industries, much more than when I started out. Due to the internet, it is global now. I think the more unique your product is the better chance you have of creating a stand out brand.
One of the things I am passionate about is having the freedom to be creative and having fresh ideas and putting them out in the world. I look in the usual high street shops and just feel so deflated by the lack of interesting garments. I feel a bit disturbed by the effects of mass production and that is why I am creating a slow fashion alternative.
I feel I have been working towards this all my life and now I am creating my own designs. I feel privileged to be doing what I love! Working for various companies, gave me the knowledge and experience I needed to start off and go it alone. I make bespoke garments and this has enabled me the opportunity to create my own range as well as earn a living as I grow my online fashion business.

What challenges have you encountered along the way so far being your own boss?
Primarily, I think cash flow is my main challenge as I don’t have proper funding at the moment.
I am also trying to improve getting exposure and sales business through my website. Having my profile on utelier.com has been a good platform for me. As a result, I was invited to show some of my garments at the LSE Student Union fashion show in Mayfair this February. A highlight for me so far!
At times, I find the sourcing of some fabrics I wish to use difficult. My aim is to use fabrics made in the UK, luxury and preferably eco-friendly materials. This is proving harder than I expected. The bottom line with me is that the product is a beautiful garment and made in the UK. Design and quality comes first!
How do you work with clients- what’s the process usually?
For the bespoke side of my business, a client will usually have an idea of a dress they want made and so I arrange a face to face consultation and explain to them the process. It is important to explain the time frame of making such a garment, as certain things can take longer than expected. For example, finding the client the right fabric for the dress for what they have in mind. I may need to sketch out some ideas for the client. A deposit is required before any work commences and I then make a first toile from a similar type of fabric to the finished garment. I then arrange a first fitting, having sourced swatches to show the client. At the fitting, any style and fit issues will be identified and either the toile will be amended or another toile may be required. The fabric is then chosen and ordered. The final garment is cut and made and then the client will come for a fitting. The remainder of the invoice is paid and if no further amendments are required, the garment is taken away.
What is the one thing you wish clients will know/ be aware of before they contact you and commission work?
The client having a really good idea of what they want commissioned helps me so much. It is also useful if they know what colours and shapes suit them. Providing me with a picture before the consultation is a great help. They also need to be aware of the timescale involved and the necessity of providing a deposit.
You say that you are building slowly a “sustainable fashion business that respects people and the planet”- can you explain and elaborate on this?
I am building a slow fashion business, not fast, mass produced garments. I want to create local employment and keep the business in the UK, building good relationships with the people I work with. I want to create something to be proud of and have as little impact on the environment as possible. I don’t think we have to be hard faced business people to survive in this world. I think it is more about co-operation and meeting mutual needs.
What importance do you place on working relationships with clients and suppliers?
A good working relationship is crucial. Without trustworthy and reliable contacts I couldn’t get on with my job. It is essential to treat others as you wish to be treated yourself and expect the same in return.
To create such relationship, you need to communicate clearly and honestly with people. Be realistic in time frames. With suppliers, making sure you know how long things take to deliver and being clear on any added costs before you order is essential.
What would you say your weakness is as an entrepreneur?
My weakness is not knowing when to stop and have a break.
What would you say is your strength as an entrepreneur?
I am a highly creative and imaginative person. I use my ideas to produce unique designs. I am passionate about what I do and have the practical skills to make my dreams become a reality.
If you could start over again, knowing what you know and with all your experience and knowledge – what will you change and do differently in your career?
I wish I had become my own boss at a younger age and had the confidence to just go for it! I don’t regret it as everything in life happens for a reason but sometimes you just need to take bigger risks and have more faith in yourself!
Have you had a mentor or anyone who has been instrumental to your success and growth as an entrepreneur?
I have been so lucky to have accessed various forms of community support through my local council, the Women’s Enterprise Kentand other sources. This has helped not only build up my support network and my knowledge but my own self confidence as a business woman.
In the near future, I plan to continue my training with a business mentor to develop my knowledge and skills further. I feel a fashion business mentor would help advance my business and help me achieve my dreams.
On a personal level, I have had so much support from family and friends. This has kept me going when I have felt I was struggling with things or taking too much on, which we all have to be conscientious of. I guess I have had many mentors who have supported and encouraged me in a variety of ways.

 As a relatively new business woman and entrepreneur, I have been lucky to have many new and exciting  opportunities come my way.  I was thrilled to be invited to show some of my garments in the London School of Economics Annual Charity Fashion Show in February this year and was not going to pass this up!  Having the chance to take part in a show, with my own work, is something I have not been able to do since I was at college and now I was able to show my own designs which I hope will showcase my business and the attract interest in my designs.  

I had already made a capsule collection of six pieces (currently on my website) which I was initially intending to show when I was asked to participate. However, I wanted to make more statement pieces to really show what  my business and label is all about. The theme of the new capsule collection is "The Power of a Woman", contrasting the strong, powerful side of women, against the softer more vulnerable side. This is depicted using strong shapes in the silhouettes and the use of leather and crisp heavy satin, alongside the soft, fluid lines created by using the crepe de chines. I was inspired to create a collection around strong women, based on the media's portrayal of powerful women in society in general, thus leading me to examine high profile dominant female characters from  history to recent times.    

Above Satin Pleated Jacket with Peplum /Flare Satin Skirt with Sleeveless Tie Neck Blouse

Above Leather and Crepe De Chine Backless Dress/ Leather and Crepe De Chine Cuff and Cape Dress 

Above Hooded Heavy Satin Evening Gown with Flared Skirt

Above is the final line up!

I was so pleased that two of my garments were used in the finale! There were so many talented designers taking part in the show, such an inspiration. I love seeing what other designers create! 

I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to show some of my designs and would like to thank the LSE SU fashion show organisers, The DSTRKT nightclub, in central London, for holding the event and to the photographers for the use of the amazing images. Also I have to say a big thank you to family and friends for the support they have given me as I started out and continue to grow my business.They all know it is a passion I have had all my life, so to finally be doing the thing I love the most is amazing for me! This has been a rewarding experience for me and one that has inspired me to keep creating my unique designs!  

Me outside DSTRKT nightclub, London, waiting for the show to begin!