Upcycled kimono couture
When Helen and i first met we talked about her desire to reflect her and her husbands cultures in their wedding at Kew Gardens in london. I was thrilled at the idea , but mindful of ‘ fancy dress ‘ , how to bring a Japanese element to a botanical garden wedding and Helens english looks ? Having worked with Japanese fabrics before i knew a vintage kimono could be the start. Fortunately Helen’s sister in Tokyo obliged by trawling vintage kimono shops every saturday and sending reams of pictures.I was so jealous not to be there and couldn’t wait to see what treasure she could find. When she sent pictures of ‘the one’ it was an instant WOW from us both. The creamy satin gave an overall wedding impression with stunning silver embroidered cranes. The cranes are quite large , each one has a tiny spot of electric red on its head.
Now the creative process of working a cut that was perfectly flattering whilst working out how best to use the jigsaw of kimono pieces all over the studio floor.Keen to make the most of the best bits and waste as little as possible. Then trawling suppliers to best match the duchesse satin and hand dying silk ribbon for the waist tie.
The final design uses the straight kimono panels flat pleated into a full skirt with long tails at the back. The bodice again has a traditional overall silhouette emphasising the waist bit with paper like folding over the bodice.
wedding photography by James and Kerrie photography
Wedding dress designer London. Upcycled kimono wedding dress created by Jenny Lessin. If you’re looking for a bespoke unique wedding dress for your wedding at Kew Gardens or similar amazing botanical venue get in touch using my contact page or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. I design all kinds of bespoke wedding dresses and love a challenge!