We’re starting this week with yet another gorgeous bridal collection for 2016 (I hope you didn’t miss last week’s beauty!) this time from Chic Vintage Brides’ regular and fave Belle & Bunty. I’m sure you can’t possibly have forgotten the last collection of theirs I shared with you on these pages – , inspired by the Art Nouveau era and the exotic Dutch dancer, turned spy, Mata Hari, it was an absolute stunner! And I think it’s fair to say ‘A Piece of My Heart’ is just as breathtaking…..

For those of you who may not be familiar with this Flirtatiously British brand, Belle & Bunty are London based design duo Alice Shreeve & Hannah Coniam-Thompson. Since debuting their Ready-to-Wear collection at London Fashion Week in 2003, the brand has become renowned for understated elegance; and in 2010, after designing their own wedding dresses, they brought this aesthetic into the bridal world. Belle & Bunty have a unique signature style, their modern vintage inspired wedding dresses combine glamour, simplicity and romance, for brides that want a luxurious contemporary look with a playful and vintage-inspired feel for their big day.

Belle & Bunty bridal collections are always beautifully feminine, full of exquisite fabrics and flattering cuts inspired by the best of bygone eras. With their first collection it was the 1930s and 40s, their last collection was infused with Edwardian elegance and for ‘A Piece of My Heart’ the girls have given their gowns a retro, bohemian vibe and a subtle hint of the 1960s and 1970s. Effortlessly cool their latest designs capture the aesthetic of a free-spirited bride…..

The structure of the dresses are fluid and luxe, the sumptuous fabrics skim the figure creating a feminine and flattering silhouette, yet keeping the look modern. For style-loving brides, the collection includes dresses that can be made with or without sleeves and various complimentary two-piece bridal separates, that are perfect for brides keen to create a unique look more in keeping with their own personal style. What I love most though are the names! As well as the best selling ‘Belle’ and ‘Bunty’ – the dresses that started it all – the girls have taken inspiration from a mixture of the era’s musical genres: rock, pop, folk and disco; as well as supermodels and idols of the time, naming every gown in the collection after fashion icons, with each one sharing the same unforgettable chic sense of style and confident carefree attitude, as their namesake.

One of my favourites from the collection is ‘The Stevie’ which with its dropped waist looks amazing with either full butterfly sleeves or sleeveless and would be just as perfect for an Art Deco bride as a boho beauty.  Whilst ‘The Joni’, with it’s silk embroidered bodice, bell sleeves and elegant column skirt is glamourous but with a free spirited edge.  And the clean lines of ‘The Dusty’, with its straight sleeve, high beaded neckline and beautiful keyhole back detail, makes it the perfect choice for the modern bride looking for refined and understated elegance.

I love them all! Belle & Bunty‘s collections are available in boutiques across the United Kingdom and around the world. For a full list of stockists and to learn more about Belle & Bunty, visit www.belleandbunty.co.uk. You can also keep up with all of the travels and delights of this dynamic design duo on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Amy

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