 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 #carolinebruce #fashionblog #blog #fashiondesign #madeinengland #bespokedresses #britishfashion #ethicalfashion #luxuryfashion #occasionwear
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 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 currently source all of my own fabrics, design, cut, make and finish every garment myself. I also make bespoke pieces for individuals who can't find what they want on the high street, which I feel is also a sustainable way to buy clothing, as you are having exactly what you want, it's made to measure and will hopefully be a treasured garment for many years to come. The fast fashion way of doing things is very harmful to our environment as people buy and throw away so many garments now and this cycle must slow down or be replaced by more effective alternatives.  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!  #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.  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.  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.  Florence print crepe de chine and leather trim drape dress @janemucklowphoto 2015 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.  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.  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.  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 My aim is to used ethical or low impact fabrics wherever possible and reduce the use of fibres which are harmful to our planet. As awareness grows about the affects of fast fashion on our environment, I want to make a difference wherever I can.  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 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.  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! 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 #carolinebrucedesignerdresses #creatingluxurywithethics @cb1dresses   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
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
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 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... APRIL 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 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 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 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
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!  SEPTEMBERSeptember 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 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 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 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 AuthorCaroline Bruce designer, dressmaker and business owner.  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! 2014 -This was a House of Parliament landlords reception- with Cherise Cheney (Cherises Sparkle) talking about starting our own businesses as housing association tenants, hopefully inspiring the powers that be to support start up and small businesses! This came off the back of participating in the Popup Business course run by West Kent Housing Association earlier in the year, where it all started! My much loved union jack dress, which I made to show that my brand is made in England, before I had my stylish logo designed for me!
My first commission was making bridesmaids dresses for Immodesty Blaize, the amazing English burlesque performer, this was through Designer & Stylist Jeff Mehmet 2014 Here are just some of the amazing images from a photoshoot by Jeff Mehmet using the styles I was working on as a freelancer for the brand Tempest 2014 My first fashion show @LSE Fashion Society Show was a major highlight for me! Here showing a capsule collection of seven pieces designed and made by myself 2015 Working for UCA Rochester Textile Students Final Collections 2015 |
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A few of my favourite bespoke pieces from the past four years! Every client has their own taste and I love creating pieces they enjoy wearing which bring out their own special uniqueness as women!
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What a great venue to hold a fashion show! The Sunborn London Yacht Hotel hosted a special brand launch event and I was invited to take part by fashion industry expert and mentor Carol Rose 2016 showing a few of our designs each.
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I enjoyed creating these fantastic gowns worn by Miss Caribbean 2016 finalists for fashion & beauty brand Chikezie Rose Designs
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Women's Enterprise Kent was a digital technologies business course run by Kent County Council 2015/6 where I met some amazing women, one of them was my fabulous photographer, Jane Mucklow! I made some new friends and found they were a great deal of support for me! Fun times to be remembered and such a shame it had to end and that there was no funding to run it for further years to benefit other women!
The Screen Nation Awards for Chikezie-Rose Designs again! The Miss Caribbean finalists were chaperones for this event and all 11 dresses were made by my studio 2016
Photoshoot with Jane Mucklow Photography and my fabulous model Jenny Carolan, who has worked for me since the beginning, creating images for the Gorilla & Gowns Charity Fashion Show brochures 2017
Channel Radios Business Bunker Extra Radio Show with the Gorillas & Gowns Team 2017
from the left, myself, Jane Mucklow photographer, Joshua Birch Jones of label By Josh, Joanna Birch Jones, radio show hosts Paul Andrews and Amanda Flanders, who also organised theis spectacular event!
Gorillas & Gowns Charity Fashion Show @Port Lympne 2017 myself with all the models in my collection pieces, designed and made by myself, I consider this the biggest highlight of my business story so far, so a great deal of gratitude is sent out to Amanda Flanders of Butterflies Business Events for giving me the opportunity to show off some of my work, although I have big ideas for the future yet to come!
Below photos by Jane Mucklow Photography. Special guests at the event were Gemma & Joan Collins, pictured below and my red hooded signature dress Jacqueline
I can't do a highlights blog without adding one of, if not my favourite regular customer! I have been making clothes for Joan Collins, mother of Gemma, from The Only Way is Essex for a couple of years now and I am sure I will be for some time to come! I love working with Joan and we enjoy creating dress designs together and so I think I need to do a special blog just about working with Joan, so watch this space! Below are just a couple of the many items I have made for Joan.
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Miss Caribbean 2017 and the two glamourous and lovely finalists I dressed, Kamara Thomas and Eshiva Wright, who won Best Personality! I loved the freedom of creating some unique dresses for this event.
One of my major achievements was to get trademarking for my label last year and so it is now an official brand!
Screen Nation Awards 2018 and I was wearing my own African inspired creation for the Black Panther Movie themed ceremony as the event took place soon after the UK blockbuster premiere!
I was so amazed to be added by Kate Hills founder of Make It British, as one of the top 40 British-made womenswear brands! One of many highlights! 2018 makeitbritish.co.uk/top-ten/british-womenswear-brands
A few of my own designs now and the stunning photography is by Jane Mucklow Photography all taken at local historical sites & beauty spots!
This year I also launched my online shop, currently exclusive to my website but look out for further developments on that! At the same time I have been setting out my brand values and aspirations for the future.
Unfortunately I couldn't add everyone on to my highlights, but just to let you know it was a pleasure working with you even if you weren't listed! That just leaves me to say I have enjoyed building up my business and the incredible people I have been lucky enough to work with, for and have had advice from, as every customer counts! I am looking forward to growing my business in the coming years and creating many amazing garments with the ethical values I have set out for the future. So remember to keep all your brilliant feedback coming through my blog posts, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and by liking and commenting on my posts @cb1dresses!
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.
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
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 hoping to source at least one fabric I can use for a 'green' dress this year, which is not in a cream or a neutral colour. One of the other issues with manufacturing is the dying process of the fabrics, which can be a massive pollutant for our rivers, therefore natural dyes or environmentally dyes are a factor involved when sourcing eco fabrics as there may be certain limitations on colour choices. I did, however, notice a wide variety of colour in woolen, recycled plastic and cotton fabrics, but I am hoping that there will be more choice of prints and colours within the silks and satins that I am hoping to use!
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!
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Designer, maker and creative director of Caroline Bruce
Creative Luxury With Ethics
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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!
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Thank you to all my family, friends and clients who have supported me this year! A special thank you to Jane Mucklow Photography for all the beautiful pictures and Amanda Flanders of Butterflies and Dreams Events for organising the amazing Gorillas and Gowns Charity Fashion Show! I am so excited about the new year and wish everyone a joyful and prosperous new year!
enquiries info@carolinebruce.co.uk
07835 983 018
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Designer, dressmaker and creative director of Caroline Bruce.
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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.
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.
Above I was photographed with my two lovely finalists, Miss Eshiva Wright on my left and Miss Kamara Thomas on my right, both representing Jamaica. Meeting the ladies I was about to design for really helped as I wanted to design something that would suit their personalities, fit with their personal sense of style and image, plus make a stunning gown for the evening wear section of the competition. I wanted to incorporate all of those elements into my creations as well as design with my own design handwriting, dresses I would like to be recognised as my own work, rather than specifically a pageant style dress.
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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!
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!
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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!
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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!
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
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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!
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
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
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!
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