Together Journal can exclusively reveal that Juliette Hogan has decided to work with 10 brides this year to create bespoke wedding looks.
The ultimate choice for occasionwear, Hogan’s fluidly tailored, thoughtful designs make women feel utterly sophisticated and beautiful. She tells Together Journal about the exciting new chapter she’s beginning.
We closed Juliette Hogan Bridal during COVID as a result of everything we were going through, but I’ve continued to make wedding dresses for people that I care about and I’m really enjoying the process.
We thought about how we could reintroduce bridalwear and I could still be involved creatively, but it wouldn’t become bigger than it needs to be. I don’t want to do more than 10 dresses (and the price will reflect their being less available and the amount of work that goes into them).
As we started talking about it, people in the workroom got really excited. When you’re designing for clothing that goes into stores, you’re thinking about 40 or 60 or 100 people interacting with this one style. Getting to create something bespoke means getting to see a piece come to life as it should be, and as it should fit, for one particular person. That brings joy to them and it brings joy to me.
Credits for above photo: Photographer: @hollysarahburgess / Model: Minnie Xu at @red11models / Hair: Lauren Gunn – @colleeen__colleen / Makeup: @josie_wignall_makeupartist
TJ—What is it about your style that makes women gravitate towards it for their big moments?
JH—We’ve been around for nearly 20 years, so there’s a real understanding of who we are as a brand. People trust us. And our aesthetic really resonates: beautiful clean lines, sophisticated, ever-so-slightly masculine. We don’t overdo things; we’re more understated. There’s not a huge amount of fuss.
Often, when you try on wedding dresses, you’re trying on these big, immaculate creations that make you feel like a princess. That’s pretty cool, because you don’t get to dress like a princess very often, but a lot of wedding dresses out there, although phenomenal pieces of work, are a bit more challenging to wear. Our dresses aren’t going to be 14kg of bedazzle. I want to design dresses that let brides be comfortable, and not be restricted from dancing or eating or sitting down. It’s about giving people confidence, as opposed to hiding who the person is.
TJ: What kind of bride do you want to design for?
JH: I want to create dresses for people that feel really connected to the brand and want to work within our aesthetic, but that are excited about the process of designing a dress together, don’t have too many preconceived ideas and are open to being challenged.
It’s not about working with somebody with the biggest wedding budget or who’ll spend $200,000 on flowers. It’s more about brides whose weddings are celebrating who they are and who they’re with.
I love the process of getting to know somebody and helping them decide what they should wear. I’m currently designing a dress for my nanny and I’ve really enjoyed watching her interact with different styles. It’s about knowing how to ask questions to understand what she wants, and interpret what would be best for her on the day.
When you really understand who you’re designing for, and the purpose of the wedding – where it’s going to be and what they’re hoping to achieve, how they want to be interacting with their friends and family – then you can suggest something that will resonate for them.
TJ: What will the process be like?
You can register your interest online, and someone will give you a call to discuss dates and times, and figure out if we have an aligned aesthetic.
Once we have committed to making your dress, you’ll spend an hour with myself, our lead designer and production manager to talk through what your wedding will be like, try on a few samples, and then there will be a sketch or drawings made. The consultation is about figuring out what they like to wear, and pushing things ever so slightly, but not trying to put them in something that doesn’t work for them. There’s nothing worse than seeing somebody that looks uncomfortable in what they’re wearing.
Once we have signed off on a sketch, we would make a toile or calico to make sure the fit and proportions are as they should be, and to see if their vision and my vision marry up. Then we make the dress and go through fittings and tweaks to make it all work. We’ll do that within 16 weeks, and can potentially do rush pieces, if needed, as it will all be made in-house. I feel like four months is a pretty good turnaround time for a wedding dress.
I have favourite fabrics that I like to work with, like 40 momme silk crepe de chine, which is a beautiful, heavy silk that’s dense enough that you can make something really fitted, and it won’t fall apart. The way silk reflects light is so beautiful!
TJ: Will you make the whole outfit and also be involved in styling?
JH: I would love to! We’ll discuss what’s happening on the day, what you should be carrying, what jewellery and flowers… everything should complement everything. When you’ve got that kind of relationship with somebody where you understand what their wedding’s about, how could you not be involved?
And how fitting that Juliette Hogans very first custom customer after announcing this exciting news is none other than Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinta Ardern.
Seen below in a delightful modern and chic custom Juliette Hogan gown. Photographed by @felicityjean_weddings
Learn more by visiting juliettehogan.com and @juliettehogan.
