“Your wedding dress should be an heirloom and be worn and worn and loved and loved forever” – Designer to the stars Alice Temperley MBE flies into Dublin for exclusive evening with brides-to-be
Saying yes to the dress has just become easier as Ireland’s number one bridal atelier for bespoke luxury wedding dresses Sharon Hoey on Merrion Street Lower is now the proud exclusive stockist of Temperley Bridal in Ireland. To mark the occasion, Sharon Hoey hosted a very special evening on 23rd February as designer Alice Temperley MBE flew into Dublin to share her unrivalled expertise and knowledge around bridal fashion with the gathered guests and brides-to-be.
Sharon Hoey has been a fashion designer for over 35 years. Starting out as a designer of ready to wear she pivoted to designing both bespoke wedding gowns for the individual and collections for the export markets in the US and UK. Clean lines and luxury fabrics are the essence of the Sharon Hoey brand. Sharon Hoey is the go-to bridal atelier for Irish brides where Sharon and her team share decades of experience, offering incredible attention to detail and impeccable customer service at every turn.
Sharon Hoey is also the designer behind the ready to wear label Andtate – a favourite of Dame Helen Mirren – and a member of both CIFD and Guaranteed Irish. The Sharon Hoey store became a multi-brand wedding boutique in 2002 stocking top international designer brands alongside her own collections. This partnership with designer Alice Temperley is the latest collection to join the brands at the Sharon Hoey boutique.
Alice Temperley counts Beyoncé, Jennifer Coolidge, Michelle Obama, Charlotte Tilbury, the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton and many more as members of her esteemed fashion forward Temperley Tribe. However bridal design is where her training in textiles shines brightest as artisanal techniques mix with new technologies, hand worked crystal bugle beads contrast with sculptural satin duchesse. Each dress is treated as a work of art; each bride is revered as an individual soul. The only common thread is a true sense of romance – and a bohemian willingness to flout the rules!
So how best to describe the quintessential Temperley Bride?
“Bohemian, free spirited and romantic, open to not being traditional,” explains Alice.
According to the designer, bridal trends for 2023 show that the modern bride likes to have a few options on their big day to really give that wow factor: a wedding dress and a party dress. She has also seen a jump in popularity in colourful embroidery, tuxedos, sequins and more characterful outfits among brides, particularly items that can be worn again.
“Jumpsuits are great for the after party and I think all brides need the white tux jacket to throw over her shoulders – a wear-for-ever piece. Brides should get good at throwing white parties for their wedding dresses too! Think about dying them into a colour and shortening them,” she adds.
When it comes to advice for someone trying to decide on what kind of wedding dress to opt for, Alice says: “You know when you have it on – it’s about comfort and feeling like the best version of you.”
Sustainability has become more important for brides and fashion lovers and Alice advises brides to “choose great fabrics – your wedding dress should be an heirloom and be worn and worn and loved and loved forever.”
Check out Temperley Bridal, exclusively at Sharon Hoey, 6 Merrion Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02XF34, or online at sharonhoey.com.