Not only is Philippa Long’s signature designs threaded with creativity and the designer’s signature cool elegance, but at the heart of the line lies a forward-thinking, sustainable stance that fits perfectly with the approach of the modern bride.
“The bride wearing Philippa Long is a woman of substance who will not be overwhelmed by her dress. She will wear it with all her personality, grit and style.”
Known for her incredible approach to texture and material, not to mention her penchant for ‘breaking the bonds of tradition’, Philippa Long is fast becoming the cool new bridal label to love, and even more so when it comes to the designer’s ambitions for the future and the industry itself.
When it comes to navigating the wedding dress buying journey, the designer has some sterling advice: “I personally think brides should start with who they are and what they like/feel comfortable in. I see so many women looking like ‘brides’ and not themselves on their wedding day'” she says. “I also encourage a more sustainable approach when thinking about your wedding dress or outfit. Is white/ivory a practical colour? Can I wear this again? This is a real passion of mine and something modern brides and bridal designers should really consider, traditionally wedding gowns are a very expensive, signal use garment.”
Personally, I applaud this approach. I love the idea of wearing my own wedding dress again, be it to a ball or a dressier event that calls for a floor-sweeping number. A wedding dress or bridal ensemble, be it a slinky, chic number or tailored two-piece, is a BIG investment. Often, one of the biggest wardrobe investments a person will make in their lifetime. Not only is it a shame never to wear it again, but it’s more sustainble to do so (and who doesn’t want to be more sustainable in our current climate?). As Philippa Long suggests, why does it have to be a ‘single use garment’?
Following this more sustainable thread further, the designer tries to implement a more sustainable way of manufacturing and creating her designs in-house at her studio in Dalston. Not only does she try to – where possible – use dead stock fabric, but the designer plans to collaborate with a silk mill in Suffolk to extend this idea, and also potentially aims to re-work some material remnants from another bridal designer.
“I really want to be a leader in terms of pushing a more sustainable and alternative approach to bridal design and hope that I can create creative employment opportunities for people in the process. I also hope that the Philippa Long label will gain global recognition for how I/we are implementing sustainability and that the line will be stocked all over the world.”
Extending the brand’s sustainability research via a trip to New York earlier in the year, the designer is also looking to implement zero waste pattern making into her design process moving forward.
I’m truly excited to see this bridal label evolve, especially with its forward-thinking, sustainable direction.
For more information regarding Philippa Long and her designs, click here.
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