Interview with designer dressmaker, Mette Baillie

Posted on February 1, 2010

This month award-winning Mette Baillie of Edinburgh-based Freja Designer Dressmaking tells us all about her business, and has a special offer for McBeth Photography customers:

1. You’ve been designing wedding gowns for ten years. What changes have you seen in that time?
I feel people are becoming more adventurous and individual. When you look at wedding pictures from 15 years ago you can say exactly what year they got married; there was one style with a few variations for that year, or couple of years. Today, it’s much more individual. Brides take inspiration from different historical periods, or another theme to influence their wedding dress, and they try to get this theme to tie in with the whole wedding.

Mette Baillie design2. How would you describe your designs?
I try to get to know the bride and her ideas about her wedding, and then I try to understand how she feels about her body.  I always think it is my most important job to make the best dress for that bride, not for any bride that season.  My designs also depends on what fabric the bride likes … I love to mix heavy, light, floaty with stiff, see-through with opaque … all of this is what gives my dresses a lot of detail, rather than a lot of added on extras. A lot of people don’t quite understand the service we offer till they have tried it as it is such a different way of buying clothes.   When I make a dress for you, you are part of the process of developing the garment, from using fairtrade silks to getting it to fit to the last millimetre.  It is very different to when you buy a wedding dress or bridesmaid dress or mother of the bride outfit in the shops.  Hardly any companies have production in the UK any longer, so you may want to consider the fact that your wedding garments could be made in a sweat shop in the Far East.  I obviously feel it is both the most environmentally-friendly and the most conscientious choice for the modern bride.

3. What is the price range of your wedding gowns?
My dresses come in a lot of different price ranges, because I work with such individual styles.  I have made a lovely simple linen dress for a beach wedding, so that would never be very pricey.  However the average price for a wedding dress is probably around £1500.

4. What is the most important advice you can you give brides when selecting their wedding dress?
Use the information you have from every-day dressing e.g. if you do not like to have your arms uncovered, do not chose strapless.   If you have a special need for certain underwear, then that should be taken into consideration.  Other than that I think it is important that you make the most of your figure as it is.  If you have bigger hips, try and have some detail on your upper body to draw the eyes to your best features.  And then celebrate your best features, don’t get hung up about what you would like to change about yourself.

5. Have you ever designed for anyone famous?
I have a lot of famous people on my books, more so as regular clients, but I have confidentiality agreement with those people!

6. Please tell us a little about yourself, your background and how you developed your business.
I trained as a fashion designer in Denmark.  My degree is in haute couture, so it’s about making one of each garment rather than thousands of each style. I worked for a small fashion house in Copenhagen after my graduation and then I worked as a pattern cutter for Marks & Spencer ladies wear.  This was when I decided I wanted to set up my own business, making individually tailored designs.  I set up ten years ago, which was part-time in the beginning and I was working from home. It was a challenging time … I worked a lot of hours and I had dresses stored all over my tiny flat. Then I got premises in 164 Dundas Street in Edinburgh, and soon the business grew.  I now have three employees.   We make a lot of wedding dresses, bridesmaid’s dresses, mother of the bride and groom outfits. 

Mette Baillie7. You recently won the 2009 VOWS award for bridal dress design.  Please tell us about your award.
I won the VOWS 2009 and it was a great achievement.  We are by far the smallest company in the category, but this means we can keep very close contact to the bride and the whole bridal party and I think that has helped.  The VOWS goes into so many aspects of the business, such as concern for the environment, the staff, and the general procedures of having a dress made.   However most of all, it is about the service we give to the brides, and the brides of 2009 said we were the best.  So it is a great honour that they all took the time out to fill in the form and say that.

8. Do you have any interesting anecdotes from your years as a wedding dress designer?
I have a lovely story from a wedding in 2009 where I had promised to come and help the whole bridal party get ready on the day.  When everyone else had gone to the church, I was left with the bride and her father and it started to rain heavily.  It was pretty stressful to help the bride into the car without getting her covered in mud, but we managed it and the car drove off.  Then I turned around and saw that her flowers were still sitting on the front step!  So I jumped in the car and drove very fast to the church, parked badly and ran up the path.  I reached the church door just as the bride was about to walk in, and I passed her the flowers. The gratitude in her face was worth it all. She had a wonderful day, and it was lovely to have participated in making it so special.

Next Steps
In addition to wedding attire, Mette designs evening dresses, formal suits, holiday wardrobes etc. Want to know more? Mette can be contacted on 0131 556 5407 or by emailing enquiries@freja-fashion.co.uk or visit her website at www.freja-fashion.co.uk. Appointments can be made to visit Mette’s workshop at 164 Dundas Street, Edinburgh.

Special Offer!
Place your order with Mette before 1st March 2010 to receive a 10% discount! You will need to quote McBeth Photography.

Interview with Corrine Smith of Corrine Smith Design

Posted on December 18, 2009

This month VOWS award winner Corrine Smith of Corrine Smith Design answers our questions about her couture bridal accessories business.

1) Corrine, what are the current looks for bridal accessories?

As well as providing my current collection of accessories I love to create bespoke designs for my brides based on their own ideas. This year I have seen an increase in demand for vintage inspired accessories which I absolutely love. Birdcage veils are also making a comeback, and I have designed quite a few in recent moths with a modern twist. One of the current trends in bridal gowns seems to be one-shoulder designs, which look fabulous with an asymmetrical hairband or tiara set to the opposite side. Of course there will always be a huge demand for the traditional style tiara which will never go out of fashion, and which many brides favour.

CorrineSmith-design2

2) What is the most important advice you can you give brides when selecting jewellery to suit their bridal attire?

When choosing your accessories, it is helpful to consider the following:

Bridal Gown Neckline: V-neck and sweetheart necklines lend themselves well to pendants and drop style necklaces. While most necklace styles will compliment a strapless dress, it is best to avoid chokers and very ornate necklaces if the bodice of your dress is heavily beaded or if you are having a very detailed statement headpiece.

Detailing: Consider the beading and/or embroidery detail on your dress. It is possible to have this incorporated into your accessories.

Face shape: Round shaped faces are complimented by high tiaras or tiaras that come to a point at the centre, thus giving the illusion of height.  Long faces are more suited to tiaras that have less height or perhaps a headband style.  Most style tiaras will suit if you have an oval shaped face.

Hairstyle: It is also important to consider your hairstyle when choosing a tiara. Most tiara styles are suitable for a high up-do or hair half-up half-down where there is plenty of volume to the hair. Shallow tiaras and headbands are more suitable for hair down or very sleek hairstyles. Side tiaras, combs and hairpins will work with most hairstyles.

Having said all of this, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with the accessories that you have chosen for your big day. My idea of the perfect outfit is that onlookers will say “you look beautiful” rather that “that’s a gorgeous dress” or “that’s a really sparkly tiara”. In my opinion it is important to get the balance ‘just right’.  I am always happy to offer advice to any brides who are unsure which accessories will compliment their wedding gown.

Corrine Smith 1

3) For someone looking for unique, individual pieces, please talk us through the process of creating bespoke accessories.

If brides are within travelling distance to Kilmarnock I would suggest contacting me to arrange a personal consultation, however brides from further afield have worked through the process with me via e-mail and phone. I do find that it really helps if I can meet with my brides or speak with them personally to get to know them and get a feel for their individual style and likes/dislikes.

In the first instance I like to have a detailed look at the wedding gown and idea of hairstyle, as the dress style and detailing can have a huge impact on the type of accessories that are suitable.

I will then work with the bride’s ideas and help to create the perfect accessories taking into account all of the styling advice detailed above. I will provide sketches if required, and there is no time limit on the process as my aim is to provide each and every bride with the perfect accessories that she will cherish for a lifetime.

4) Please tell us a little about yourself, your background and your business.

On leaving school I studied European business law at university and went on to have a career in the civil service, although I always had an underlying passion for all things related to craft and design. After struggling to find reasonably priced quality accessories for my own wedding in 2002, I decided to have a go at designing some pieces myself, I found that this was something I thoroughly enjoyed and after encouraging comments from friends and family (and a few orders for bits and pieces) I decided to make a go of it as a hobby. Increasing demand for my designs allowed me to establish the business a couple of years later. Since then the business has gone from strength to strength, attracting clients from all over the UK and worldwide. Throughout this process I also became a proud mum, and at times the challenges of motherhood and running a successful business can be interesting to say the least!! However my passion and commitment to my business has ensured that despite my other responsibilities I have never compromised on the quality of my products or service.

5) How does it feel to be a VOWS award winner for the second time?

Given that I am a sole trader, running every aspect of the business myself I am extremely proud and delighted to have won the VOWS award for Bridal Accessories 2 years running. I feel that this is a testament to my commitment to ensuring each and every one of my brides feels special on her big day. The VOWS awards are designed to recognise outstanding levels of customer service throughout Scotland’s wedding industry, and are voted for by brides and grooms all over the country. To be recognised for providing an excellent level of customer service makes all that I do worthwhile and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my brides who voted for me to make this happen.

Want to know more?  You can order accessories online at http://www.corrinesmith.com/ or visit Corrine’s home studio in Kilmarnock to browse and try accessories in a relaxed and comfortable environment.  Contact Corrine on 07789 558555 or by emailing info@corrinesmith.co.uk.

Interview with Uzma Ali of ‘Makeup by Uzma’

Posted on September 23, 2009

It’s always good to pick the brains of people in the know.  Answering our questions this time is Uzma Ali of ‘Makeup by Uzma’, a freelance international hair and makeup artist based in Edinburgh. 

Tell us a little about yourself, background and your business.  How did you get into makeup artistry? 
uzma-mela-3I started off in a completely different career: marketing, recruitment, human resources and events management.  But makeup has been an ongoing passion of mine.  Being from an Asian background I grew up watching Bollywood films, wearing traditional colourful clothes and attending weddings where brides were adorned in the most amazing outfits.  In all these areas, makeup has always played an important role. I can recall from a young age collecting makeup and experimenting with different looks every spare moment I had.  I copied looks I saw around me and created original looks as I became more confident with applying makeup.  Over the years, I stepped in as a makeup artist on special occasions for family and friends.  Then I attended world-renowned makeup master classes in New York, Pakistan and England.  I noticed a gap in the market in Edinburgh & the surrounding areas for a specialist makeup artist and I decided in January 2009 to launch Makeup by Uzma.

 If you had to pick one easy thing women can do to improve their natural beauty, what would you suggest?
One very easy thing women and of course men can do to improve their natural beauty is to drink lots of water.  I find people are looking for quick ways of looking good and enhancing their natural beauty, but the key is to look after your inner self to bring out a natural glow.  Make up always sits so much better on healthy skin!

If we took a peek in your makeup kit, what would we see?
Ooh now that would be telling! My makeup kit consists of many luscious goodies by names such as MAC and Bobbi Brown.  You would see shimmering eye shadows in every colour imaginable, dewy blushers and highlighters to create glowing skin and lots of lip glosses for that ‘kiss & tell’ look for lips.20090921_3622

What tips can you give brides to ensure a well-groomed look which lasts the whole wedding day?
As well as having a talented makeup artist to create a well groomed look, I would also suggest sticking to a look that suits your personality, as that way the bride feels comfortable and confident in her overall appearance.  A bride who is calm and confident with her outfit and makeup naturally looks groomed for her entire day!

Does bridal makeup fashion change?  If so, what’s in fashion now?
Bridal makeup does change quite a lot according to seasonal trends, but most brides tend to stick to looks that they are fond of rather than going for a look which is in fashion.  Being a model as well as a makeup artist, I am easily able to create the latest in-fashion makeup trends for brides.  However I tend to tailor makeup looks according to what the bride has specifically requested.  My preliminary aim is to have a happy and satisfied bride by delivering breathtaking makeup looks.

What is the difference between creating a bridal look for an Asian and a non- Asian bride?  How does this differ from makeup for commercial or catwalk models?
Uzma-190809--578The difference between an Asian bridal look and a non-Asian bridal look is vast!  Asian bridal makeup typically (but not always) involves deeper colours and more detail to the eye makeup whereas a non-Asian bridal look is usually softer and more minimalist.  There is a world of difference between bridal and commercial/catwalk model makeup.  Catwalk and media work is like working magic tricks, as I create bright or larger-than-life makeup looks to change the appearance of the person to fit the role they are playing.

How does it feel to be playing such an important part in a bride’s wedding day? 
I never imagined how amazing it would feel to play such a vital role on the bride’s wedding day.  It really is a blessing.  I’m the sole person the bride shares her thoughts with on the day leading up to her big moment.  She trusts and relies on me to bring out her inner beauty by emphasising her features and hair through makeup and styling.  But I’m also the person the bride is alone with and looks to for words of comfort.  From my experience, each bride is truly unique; every bride I’ve had the pleasure to work with has looked stunningly beautiful on her big day.  There is nothing more rewarding in my role than seeing a bride so satisfied with her look.

Uzma can be contacted on 07500 966580 or by emailing info@makeupbyuzma.com.

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