Weddingbells: Why bridal? How did you first start?
Kim Ironmonger: After seeing some beautiful gowns on a buying trip to London (England), I decided I should open a retail store. My first shop opened on Jan. 15, 1985, and I had the exclusive on designer lines such as Carolina Herrera and Bruce Oldfield. After four years of selling other people’s dresses, I decided to teach myself to design.
WB: Where do you find inspiration for your bridal collections?
KI: Travel is my biggest source of inspiration. I spent several months living in Asia and Africa, and my experiences definitely influenced my work. I also collect fashion books and vintage magazines, particularly Vogue. My earliest issue of Vogue is from 1896!
WB: What makes a Valencienne wedding dress stand out?
KI: The unique details, the high quality fabrics and the impeccable fit. Each Valencienne wedding dress is a bespoke garment, meaning it is made completely from scratch and is finished to perfection inside and out.
WB: Who is the Valencienne bride?
KI: A woman with a strong sense of style—I can design the perfect dress to fit her personality.
WB: What advice do you have for a bride who is shopping for her dream dress?
KI: When a bride first begins looking for a wedding dress she has to ask herself some key questions: Who is she? What is her every day style? Where is she getting married?
WB: Why should a bride choose a custom gown?
KI: A custom gown is more unique, more individual and more exciting.
WB: Can you walk us through the process from start to finish?
KI: Initially, I meet with the bride to discuss her wedding overall. We consult pictures and she tries on samples; then I illustrate a one-of-a-kind sketch. After taking the bride’s measurements, I create a canvas garment, which is used for the first fitting. Based on the canvas, a pattern is created and the fabric is cut. For the second fitting, the bride tries on the dress (in an unfinished state), and we decide on embellishments (beading, embroidery, etc.) together.
WB: You’ve been in the wedding dress business for 26 years, how have the fashions changed during that time?
KI: When I first started (in 1985), wedding dresses were completely over the top. Princess Diana was the style icon and everyone wanted her dress: a huge princess ballgown with enormous puff sleeves.
WB: Are there any trends you would like to see make a resurgence?
KI: I’d like to see more brides choose a V-waist wedding gown—nothing slims a girl down more than that waistline.
WB: Do you have a favourite Weddingbells memory?
KI: I designed Whoopi Goldberg’s wedding dress (for her 1994 nuptials to movie union organizer Lyle Trachtenberg), and the story appeared exclusively in the 10th anniversary issue of Weddingbells. That was a great moment for me.
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