Making my Wedding Dress - Part II - The Fabric Hunt
In the last post, I spoke about making the decision to make my own wedding dress. Learn how I had to figure out my style here.
This edition is all about fabric. My design process really kicks off once I have a fabric in mind. If I know the fabric I want to use, the design develops from there. I knew at this point that I wanted something with a beautiful drape but with a decent bit of body. Not a massive fan of satin options, I felt something matte would be nice and elegant. Images of 30’s and 40’s garments made from wool crepe were popping into my mind. I adore the feel of wool crepe and the drape could be perfect so it went on my list. Other than that, I didn't have too much in mind but it was a good starting point.
Fabric choice is fairly limited here in Dublin. I knew I’d have way more choice over in London so off I hopped. Any excuse eh! Also, having some best mates based over there is always handy! I’ve been over there fabric shopping plenty of times before so I was able to plan it in a way I could pack lots in, in a small amount of time. The two spots on my list were Berwick St and Goldhawk Road.
Berwick Street is just around the corner from Liberty, Carnaby Street and Regents Street. It has less choice but nicer quality fabrics. Expect to open your wallet here but there are some really beautiful pieces to be found. Shops are more organised too which means it’s easier to scan the shelves…my kind of shopping! You’ll find the likes of The Cloth House, Broadwick Silks and Borovick Fabrics here along side Kleins Haberdashery, just off Berwick St. I also remember there being a very epic, very expensive silk and lace shop up near the Cloth House, just at the corner. Worth a look if not just to stroke the fabrics!
Berwick Street Fabric Shopping Map
Goldhawk Road is in Shepherd’s Bush and can hold some serious bargains. Buyers beware however, not all of these Shepherd’s Bush goldmines hold quality stock and I’ll go as far to say as some are perhaps not the most ethically produced. Plenty of shops themselves are generally a mix between a street market and a warehouse sale so don’t expect too much organisation! But half the fun is digging through the rolls while expecting a shelf to fall on your head! Some newer shops have opened up in the last few years and are definitely more organised, but with this means slightly higher prices. But the selection is INSANE! My advice is to visit all the shops along this street before making your final decision. It’s not a big street but it packs a punch. As you reach Goldhawk Road from Shepherd’s Bush Station, it really is only a small block of the street up as far as the railway bridge. I’ve not ventured farther than that as I don’t think there’s much up there (correct me if I’m wrong!). If you turn right up along the railway bridge, I believe there are one or two shops and markets but I’ve not been there myself. Let me know what it’s like if you have been.
Goldhawk Road Shopping Map
I came across a handful of fabrics that I loved. I got swatches and prices for them all but bought 1/4 metre lengths of 2 that I really loved so that I could play around with them on the stand before making any final decisions. My shortlist was down to a wool crepe and treble weight silk crepe with an almost sandblasted finish.
Yes I could have just selected a few swatches online from a few sites but physically holding up the rolls of fabric next to me and really paying attention to the colour and drape was so important to really get a sense of what my dress could look like. Doing this is ultimately what helped me make my final decision.
Once back in Dublin, having handled and draped the small lengths on the stand, I still loved the idea of wool crepe but the drape of the silk was just that bit more fluid but honestly, it was the colour that finally swayed me. There was so very little in the difference between them when holding them side by side but I remembered noticing in the shop that the wool was ever so slightly more yellow in tone when holding it up next to my skin. The silk was just a touch more champagne coloured which suited my pasty white skin better. My decision was made. The shop I ended up buying it from was Unique Fabrics. They also had double weight silk crepe but it was a bit too white and I was happier with the weight and tone of the treble crepe.
I still didn’t have a final design in my head but once I knew this was my fabric, the rest would begin to take shape. See what came next in part III - The Design Process.