Rachel Lamb Bridal Design

I'm in the mood for sketching. Here's some designs from the past weeks.

What has happened to February?? (See last paragraph below.) Here are some lovely images of one of my brides, Emily, who got married in the New Year. I think she looks great! So happy, and her dress fits her so well! :-) Emily's photos were taken by Ben Bull . Emily is wearing Gaia dress which is a design from my collection. It's the last one I shall make in this particular lace as sadly it's no longer easily available. However, plans are afoot for a new version of this dress using a different lace. I've been working on the dress from the sketch in my last post (see above). It's almost complete now. As usually happens, I've changed some of the features a bit as the work progresses. I'm in love with the colour - very cool-sky-ish. What do you think? I'm into designing some dresses that aren't ivory at the moment. I was listening to All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West while working on this dress, so perhaps the story...

I tend to forget to put up work in progress, working on wedding gowns tends to be a kind of 'ta-da' type of thing, and I end up only showing the end product. So in an attempt to break this habit, this is what I've been working on this week: The last ever Gaia dress (possibly): Gaia has been one of my most popular gowns ever, and as a result I've kept it going for years and made it for many happy brides either as the sample design, or altered the design slightly to suit the client. Sadly the lace is no longer as easily available as it once was, and I'm thinking of discontinuing the design. I'm not really sure actually. I'm pondering it. Either way, I will design a newer version. I'm designing new gowns and will be making them shortly. These snippets are straight from my sketchbook, so they'll probably change as the design is developed while being manufactured. The quilt progresses. In typical personal-project fashi...

I have been meaning to show this image for a few weeks now, but school holidays were in the way. Now they're over, here it is! This is Sophie whose dress I made last year and who I have shown pictures of before. However, she recently had the gown re-photographed and sent me this and I think it's splendid! I hope you do too. The gown is a two-piece, a detachable cape/train with a strapless dress lace dress underneath. I'm very excited about these images, it's always lovely to receive pictures of my work. I have used the top image in some of my new adverts.

Remember this dress I showed a picture of at the toile stage? Well it's slowly progressing! Above was the toile (prototype) made from calico. Yes, I pinned all those pieces on something that it's then necessary to take apart again. Below is a picture of the real silk dress in progress. Today I started beading those squares onto the main body of the dress. Phew! I really enjoy this sort of day, working on something where I'm sitting still and doing a repetitive task like this can be very relaxing and leaves my mind free to wander. But I think the idea of doing this sort of work does weird things to my brain: First thing in the morning, I optimistically think such things as 'Yes, I'm sure I'll have half the dress done by sunset'. The sun is not yet set, but it is fading, and I'm about 1ft up from the hem at the back... and I'm not hanging about! It's important that I get the timings right, as this is a sample dress and needs to be...

  Really excited about this dress. It's currently being made as a new collection dress and I can't wait to show you when it's finished.

I mentioned in a previous post that I would be photographing hair accessories on my sister's head, well due to the snow at the weekend I've had no sister's head to photograph my hair accessories on, so those will have to wait until a suitable head comes along. Instead I thought I'd show you a couple of designs I'm thinking of making as samples: Given the recent weather, this top one might be a good idea for a winter wedding as it has long sleeves. I intend it to be a floppy dress, made of silk crepe. It could also work well made with an all over lace as well. I see it as quite a sophisticated dress suitable for multiple venues. This one I've had in my files for ages, but not got around to making yet. Its quite a traditional look, and again has little cap sleeves which I like. I love the back. I see it as a church wedding dress, very feminine. A 'proper' wedding dress, but simple. Those are big pleats on the skirt, not gathers. The fl...