Here at Hello May, we love taking you behind-the-scenes to get to know the amazing talents in the wedding industry. And today we have a total treat – Australian bridal designer Karen Willis Holmes. First featured in Issue 40, Karen Willis Holmes is at the forefront of bridal design. She is a powerhouse and an icon, and has recently released her 25th anniversary collection (check it out, it’s GORGEOUS). If you’re looking for that perfect timeless wedding gown, or simply enjoy the art of couture, then scroll on for inspo aplenty and stunning imagery from Scott Surplice.
Tell us your beautiful brand began? I started in Perth creating one-of-a-kind couture gowns and ended up making a custom wedding dress for a client. From there, I realised that wedding gown design wasn’t just a hobby and I wanted to make stunning bridal dresses for brides on their big day.Twenty-five years later, we moved the business to Sydney and we’re still making beautiful fashionable bridal gowns that stand the test of time.
How would you describe your style? I really just like creating ivory dresses – they don’t start as wedding dresses when I am designing them, they are just gowns that I would like to personally wear that are beautiful and functional. I even wore a black version of one of my creations (Ines Bodice & Faye Skirt) for my 60th birthday.
What can brides expect from an appointment at KWH Bridal? You can expect to try on beautiful wedding dresses and have a really great time. All my girls really love their jobs and try to connect with each bride to personalise their experience and make it a fun time to remember. It’s a once in a lifetime experience, so we want you to have the time of your life. If you find your gown with us, it’s a bonus!
What inspires your collections? My love for couture inspires my designs – it’s all about predicting what will be trending in high-end fashion and what you can use in bridal to make a great wedding gown. My designs reflect my personal taste, nature and high-end fashion, ensuring that each gown is something I would be proud to wear myself.
What is the price range of your gowns? $4,500 to $6,500 is our average range for our Bespoke gowns which you can mix and match, bodice and skirt pieces to create your own individual gown. Our Elope range is more for the bride who wants to be demure and sophisticated, while our Luxe Collection shines bright with luxurious beading and 1920 themes. Our current price range includes mini gowns, so we start at $1,990 and go to around $8,000+
Best-selling pieces from your latest collection? Our bestsellers from our Parsley Bay collection are Bailey, which is an embellished Basque waist gown. We also have our Lou-Lou Bralette and Gianna gown, which is a two-piece look. Brides are also loving our Roberta Basque bodice with any of our skirts. As a company, we are really proud of this collection and couldn’t be happier at the response from our brides who love it as much as we do.
Top tips for brides looking for their dream gown? Try on a bunch of gowns in all shapes, sizes and fabrics and decide how you feel about them. Normally it is something you haven’t stopped looking at on social media or in your own wardrobe.
Trends you are loving? I love most couture trends, but what I’m really enjoying at the moment is seeing proper, beautiful boned corsets! Like the original craftmanship of traditional couture in a new, modern way. It flows very naturally into how we construct our gowns, so it feels like home to me.
What are you most proud of when it comes to the KWH Bridal brand? I’m so proud of being in the bridal business for so long, and making quality, fashionable bridal gowns and having happy brides. All of this makes me so thrilled to be in business and I’m so grateful to have an absolutely amazing team who loves my brand as much as I do, helping me grow KWH Bridal bigger and better.
You’ll find Karen Willis Holmes boutiques in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as at KWH online. Have you checked out KWH: Bridal’s dreamy collections? We def recommend taking a squiz – her Parsley Bay, ELOPE and LUXE ranges are tdf. You can also find real brides who are donning her dresses time and time again (with rave reviews), underneath their Directory listing with us here. Finally, if you’d rather read this beauty of an interview in print, you can shop Issue 40 right here.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Scott Surplice.
