INTERVIEW with Charlotte Leung (Designer)

Q How long have you been designing Fabulous Wedding Dresses?

Since 1997 when I started designing bridal gowns for my first Wedding Boutique.

Q Tell us a little about your roots in fashion, how you started and your progression in the bridal fashion world?

I hadn’t planned a career in fashion at all. Having studied Economics at university I started out in the financial field in London but soon left for something more creative and more “me”. As with many things in life, it was a chance meeting with a friend who put me in touch with a Bridal Designer who needed help launching her collection in Europe.

Having grown up with exposure to the fashion world through my Mother who was both a model and designer in the 70’s, it felt very familiar and I fell into it easily. One thing led to another and a year later I found myself designing bridal gowns and running my own business. My stepmother, June Leung, teamed up with me a couple of years into my business after she completed her Masters in design in England and now heads the design team. We are close in age and have very similar tastes and ideas and fortunately this has meant a brilliant working relationship.

Q What inspires you?

Inspiration comes from all areas of our lives – particularly from our travels and seeing things done in different ways. Art, movies, the latest fashion, jewelry, interior design; anything that is created and is a form of expression is of interest.

Q How would you describe the “Augusta Jones” Style?

We essentially design contemporary wedding dresses – clean lines with a strong focus on fit. Coming from a multi-cultural background we pick up influences from our mixed bag background. Both of us have lived in Europe & Asia and I feel just as much at home in England and Denmark as I do in Hong Kong, Singapore or Bali – our influences and tastes are similar and this is reflected in our creative process.

I have a Scandinavian appreciation of simplicity and pared down looks but a very English attitude towards tailoring – I love a crisp cut & fit. I think these two influences are very strong in all our designs. June has a keen eye for British tailoring but she is also a details person and very technical in her approach. She is strongly influenced by Art deco and Indian jewelry and anything botanical. She is the hands down expert in gorgeous hand cut flowers. These gems have littered our collections since the very beginning.

Q In your professional opinion what is the most important element when choosing a bridal gown?

Everyone says it and they are right. The bride should feel both confident and herself in the bridal gown she chooses. It really boils down to the personality of that particular person and how she wants to feel on that day; and how she wants to remember her wedding.

Q Do you recommend that a bride go dress shopping alone or should she bring a friend or relative?

Some brides are better shopping alone while others prefer to bring girlfriends. It really depends on the person! I know this is obvious, but if you bring friends – bring the ones you feel will offer you good, sound advice.

Q What top tips can you offer brides when it comes to choosing their special dress?

I use the process of elimination when I decide anything! And I think it works for choosing a bridal gown too. If it is a tropical beach wedding then perhaps the big bridal gown won’t work so well. Take into consideration the venue, the time of year as well as what flatters your body. Narrow the selection first so you can fully concentrate on the few that will work. Usually you know you have found your dress when you don’t want to take it off!

Q Describe what we can expect from the 2010 collection; what were the ideas behind it?

This season’s collection is decidedly softer, more romantic with plenty of soft layers. Playful details such as hand cut layered flowers cascading down backs or strewn along hemlines are featured on a number of our lovely strapless designs.

The mood is light and effervescent and our bridal gowns reflect this. We believe the wedding dress is very likely the single most important item of clothing a woman is going to decide upon in her lifetime. So we always want that experience to be extraordinary. Our collections will always be about making a woman feel supremely glamorous and happily confidant on her wedding day. We want her to glow.