IN THE ATELIER | BRIDAL COUTURE WITH DESIGNER HOLLY BUTLER
Holly Butler Delphine gown, Lei Lei Clavey Photography
bridal couture IN THE HEART OF MELBOURNE
The Holly Butler brand is synonymous with couture bridal couture, exquisite craftsmanship, personalised service and more recently…COLOUR!
Instagram cannot get enough of Holly’s purple tulle explosions and I can see why…after years of lockdowns, creatives are turning the colour dial up, up and up and we are loving it. Colour is slated as one of the biggest bridal trends of 2023 by Vogue, Brides and Carats & Cake. From pale blue hues to the full spectrum of ballet pink to fuschia, brides around the world are embracing colour and texture.
Whether you are thinking of spinning the colour wheel or staying with traditional white, designing a custom Holly Butler gowns is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thoughtful and considered, Holly’s design process has you, your shape and your personality at heart. The atelier is located in North Melbourne and open by appointment for design consultations and fittings.
I’ve never met a happier bride, than a Holly Butler bride and she always looks like a vision. Holly Butler bride, Claire worked with Holly to design a stunning replica of her grandmother’s wedding dress, with a modern twist (read more via the real wedding blog post.)
In this Q&A, Holly shares what makes her atelier unique, her inspiration, upcoming trends to watch and tips on how to find your wedding silhouette.
Holly, you are salt of the earth and we love your gowns, attitude to colour and brand. The future is bright, a barbie-core pink kind of bright!
Lei x
TELL US ABOUT THE LATEST HOLLY BUTLER BRIDAL COUTURE RELEASE?
Each year we only make 5 new samples (styles) and release them once we feel they are absolutely perfect. We’re a small business with only myself and Victoria making gowns in our Melbourne atelier. We hand drape, cut and sew each gown to ensure it is an iconic Holly Butler gown, representing our aesthetic and quality of finish. The limited number of gowns that we produce each year really highlights the couture nature of the HOLLY BUTLER brand.
Our two latest samples were released in October ‘22 and we were so excited to show them to the world! Our Delphine gown took over one year to finish as there was so much work involved cutting each fabric strip and gathering nearly 80m of silk organza. The gown really was a labour of love and I can say that it is a dream to wear. I made the sample to fit my body shape (I couldn’t resist!). Big heart eyes every time I walk into our atelier.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION FOR WEDDING GOWNS?
For the latest release, I took inspiration from traditional ballet. Ballet has always fascinated me and I wanted to capture the romantic, whimsical and storylike quality of a ballet with a fresh approach.
Of course, the couture runways are an inspiration source, especially Giambattista Valli and Ralph and Russo. With a new approach to bridal we chose to create these gowns both in pink; a ballet pink and a rose pink. I think subconsciously I created coloured gowns in an act of rebellion. I want to show our customers that you can indeed wear anything on your wedding day as long as you feel celebrated.
TELL US THE BRIDAL TREND THAT WILL DEFINE 2023?
Definitely colour. More and more couples are wanting to express their personalities louder on their wedding day. A wedding season for a couple is a chance to have a lot of fun in a way they love and feel inspired by. Colour is one of the easiest way to bring in personality and it shouldn’t stop at the dress.
Colourful gowns can be challenging to buy for customers as they are not widely available in a couture design or finish. As a custom atelier, Holly Butler is one of a kind; we design each gown with the bride including consideration of how much colour, what colour and where the colour will be on the gown.
do you think colour is the new white?
The traditional ‘white’ wedding dress was popularised in western culture by Queen Victoria 200 years ago but more and more brides are choosing to bend this trend and add in pastel colour tones, vibrant colours, metallics and even black.
Our Louis sample was a “joy project” as I like to call it; it is a lilac and tulle explosion. I made it during lockdown in 2021 as I felt a sadness hovering over everyone. I wanted to create a gown that was just a big pop of colour and could bring back energy and joy, both to me creatively and to our followers. It truly did!
I was so shocked with how many people really adored it and I realised that there is a huge demand for colourful wedding dresses as so many companies don’t have the capacity to do it well and we do! With the celebration of femininity, ballet-core and barbie-core, the colour pink is our new love. It will keep popping up everywhere in bridal trends and we’re here for it.
“At Holly Butler we really listen to your ideas, concerns and design something for you that will be made specifically for you and your body shape.”
- HOLLY BUTLER
tips for brides trying to find the right silhouette?
Before shopping I would look through your wardrobe – what necklines do you usually go for? V-neck? scoop neck? Do you usually wear tighter fitting clothes? Clothes with sleeves? Even though you’re not likely to have a wedding dress already in your closet it’s good to understand what elements you like in your everyday wear so you know what you’re naturally comfortable with.
I do suggest going to a shop that provides a decent range of gowns to try on to get a feel as to what silhouette you like on your body. With off-the-rack dresses, a lot of the time it can be disheartening but remember there’s another option – custom made!
Once you have a better understanding of what shape you like on your body and what fabrics you like go to a designer and talk about creating something custom. At Holly Butler we really listen to your ideas, concerns and design something for you that will be made specifically for you and your body shape. As with all parts of your wedding, you should feel some sort of connection with the business you’re buying from. '
Finally, make sure you like the people you’re working with. When you have a true connection with the people around you (vendors) the whole planning process of your wedding becomes incredibly enjoyable. Your wedding is more than one day – it’s the season you remember and a feeling you will hold onto for a lifetime.
holly butler
125 Errol Street, North Melbourne, VIC, AUSTRALIA, 3051
www.hollybutler.com.au
Instagran: @hollybutler_au
