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Brides Up North jumped at the change to ohh and ahh with Susie McKenzie, Edinburgh based wedding dress and lingerie designer. I’ve fallen in love with LoveBySusie and I bet you will too. Oh and if your groom is bored of wedding planning – show him this post – sure he will quickly re-focus!
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What sort of bride do you design for?
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LovebySusie appeals to the modern fashion aware bride, with a passion for luxury fabrics, sophisticated vintage design and unabashed pretty femininity. Every aspect of a LovebySusie bride’s wedding day ensemble is a careful consideration, including when it comes to what is underneath that once in a lifetime gown.
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What is your most popular design and why?
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Bridal Gowns – Lizia Gown – this is the gown that all brides want to try on and when they do they fall in love with its beautifully hand beaded bodice and voluminous fairytale silk chiffon skirt. This is also a very flattering design if you have anything to hide being empire line whist being adoringly feminine, timeless and very glamorous. I have made variations on this gown for many brides changing the colours and beading to suit.
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The Lorelei Corset is my best selling lingerie piece – Ivory silk dupion with vintage cream and blue heart embroidered ribbons down each boning channel. This is very pretty and perfect for under your gown or as a honeymoon treat, a little flirty, vintagey and gives you a gorgeous hourglass silhouette…perfect.
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Which is your favourite design in your collection and why?
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My favourite gown design (and also my mum’s) is also the Lizia Gown as the design stemmed from a small piece of fabric that was my grandmothers. This gold brocade was then shaped into a top and hand beaded, I then added the very full dramatic chiffon skirt. It’s just such a lovely and unique design which really epitomises what LovebySusie gowns are about.
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My favourite design from the new lingerie collections is the Tallulah Dressing robe and nightie – so so pretty lace all over and perfect for a bride getting ready for her big day in – at the photo shoot all the girls wanted one!
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What would your dream wedding day be like – and what sort of gown would you choose?
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I’m not married myself, always dropping hints though to my man! My dream day would be pretty, classic, luxurious with a hint of glam. Have always imagined an outside ceremony in a forest clearing, all deco white and green with a tiny bit of dusky pale pink. Lots of glass ornaments and twinkling lights I use to love the outside weddings they would have on the ranch in TV show Dallas! My gown I imagine would be silk chiffon, very voluminous and flowing with lots of hand cut silk organza flowers, petals and beading scattered and down the back of full train. My flower girls would be my two lovely little nieces in little girl versions of my gown probably tagging along my puppy Sherlock wearing a top hat!
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Which celebrity would you most like to dress and why?
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Actress Emma Watson from ‘Harry Potter’ films. I think Emma is a really beautiful young woman, really natural, feminine and quite ethereal. I think her graceful style and slight figure would suit a LovebySusie gown perfectly, something like the Orthia Gown with a 1930s feel, very elegant and not too fussy.
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The question on everyone’s lips – which of your designs would you choose for Kate Middleton? Or alternatively, what sort of dress would you design for her?
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I think Kate Middleton’s gown should be extremely elegant with subtle but still quite encrusted embellishment with a beautiful slim silhouette. Perhaps a silk satin and chiffon bias gown with flowing fishtail and sheer chiffon sleeves with delicate glass and pearl embellishment especially around the train and hem and neckline.
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How did you get into wedding dress design – what is your "story"?
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Born in Edinburgh, I completed BA (hons) Degree in Fashion Design at Edinburgh College of Art followed by a MSc in Fashion Marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University. This led to an exciting and inspiring career in buying Tailoring and Occasion wear for the highly successful luxury High Street brand Coast. During this time, I gained vast knowledge and expertise in all aspects of the design, construction and production of exquisite high quality garments. After six years in London, I decided it was time to return to Edinburgh to set up on my own.
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I established LovebySusie last February creating LovebySusie Bridal Couture in Edinburgh offering a bespoke bridal gown design service. Realising a gap in the market for luxury bridal garters and lingerie to wear with her unique wedding gowns led to the introduction of LovebySusie Lingerie.
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Is this your dream job? If you weren’t a wedding dress designer, what would be your alternative career?
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This is my dream job and was a perfect way to bring free flowing creativity and gain complete control over my work back into my life after an enjoyable but stressful position in fashion buying. I always know I would do something design led, I suppose if I could do anything else I would be on the West End stage in musicals…unfortunately my talent here would let me down but how I would have loved the chance.
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(Brides Up North note: OMG! Me too!)
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Describe a typical working day in the life of Love By Susie…
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Every day is different and some days I have no idea what is in store. Typically I will start the day with checking emails, I will then go upstairs to my studio and work on what is needed – If I have lingerie orders I will get these made up, may also be working on new patterns, new designs. I may also have bridal consultations during the day, or can be emailing and chasing up fabric or trims orders and customer enquires. Working on my own I do everything including the designs, pattern cutting, fabric sourcing, accounts, admin, pr and of course a lot of sewing! I also work in the evening a lot as I can sit peacefully and do work such as hand beading on a gown which can be very therapeutic.
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Tell us a bit about your new bridal lingerie collection?
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I have two new lingerie collections and a loungewear collection for the first time;
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LILIANA COLLECTION – LovebySusie classic bridal styles in ivory, cream and pale blue. Not so innocent silk duchesse satin corsetry finished with delicate ivory and ecru lace and unique waspies with suspenders in floral embroidered organza and polka dot cotton coutil. Brides to be will love the luxury silk satin knickers worn with beautiful silk satin, polka dot and lace wedding garters.
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VALENCIENNES COLLECTION – For all you lovelies who adore antique trimmings, LovebySusie have incorporated the most delightful authentic vintage design Valenciennes leaver’s lace produced in Nottingham since the 18th century into this collection. The collection includes traditional corsets in pastel hues with lace trimming or all over designs with delicate silk and lace knickers. For the bride to be the ‘something old’ and something blue’ is translated in the truly unique Valenciennes wedding garters. Lastly we have the loveliest loungewear from lace, silk and luxury cotton camisoles and shorts to pretty nighties and a must have ivory all over lace robe perfect for getting ready on the big day.
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How can Brides Up North readers get in touch with you? Do they need an appointment?
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Bridal gowns are bespoke only so brides can make an appointment for a no obligation consultation here: info@lovebysusie.co.uk.
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To purchase items from my new lingerie and loungewear collections please go to www.lovebysusie.co.uk
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Are you at any upcoming wedding fairs or events that Brides Up North should know about?
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The main event for me this year is the launch of my new ecommerce website www.lovebysusie.co.uk and I plan to exhibit at wedding fairs starting in the Autumn this year.
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Some satisfied customers…
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This is not a sponsored post
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