Four Years Gone By!

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!      

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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 
Just two of the students I have worked for over the​ years are Sophie Cheney & Ella Henry whose pieces I worked on below. 

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!

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.    

I enjoyed creating these fantastic gowns worn by Miss Caribbean 2016 finalists for fashion & beauty brand Chikezie Rose Designs

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. 

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!