Charlie Brear had been a stylist for 10 years when she was required to source a plethora of vintage wedding dresses for a commercial shoot. On selling the dresses afterwards, she was surprised at how popular they were and that light bulb moment inspired her to found The Vintage Wedding Dress Company in 2005. Spurred on by the growing interest in these original vintage pieces, Brear designed a caps
ule collection of made to order gowns, offering a contemporary take on vintage glamour. Its success in house led to the first full collection selling to market in 2010. Brear next produced Additions, a collection of unique styling pieces to complement the made to order line. Starting with a simple crepe, satin or chiffon dress and layering everything from sequined overdresses and tiered skirts to hand beaded pieces, belts, sashes and sleeves, a bespoke look can be effortlessly customized to create a brides own perfect look. The company was re-branded as Charlie Brear in January 2013; in time for the launch of her first mainline fashion ready-to-wear collection. Brear was shortlisted for SS14 at London Fashion Week as “one to watch” by WWD and BOF have shown support for both her bridal and RTW collections. Although an affinity for vintage style resonates throughout her work, a strong contemporary aesthetic ensures that, as Kay Barron - Fashion features Director at Net-a-Porter notes; “Brear’s offerings are both directional and instinctively feminine, giving a couture spin on the everyday”
Charlie Brear collections of Ready-to-wear, Bridal and Additions are designed and produced entirely in the UK, using a diverse range of hand selected fabrics and trims. Unique pieces are still sourced internationally for her Original Vintage Collection, which is sold exclusively at the flagship store in London.
“Charlie Brear is a designer to watch - she’s honed her ability to know exactly what women want to wear and how to create essentials that mix and match to promise a very hard working wardrobe. With fantastic tailoring, and beautiful dresses and separates, she could have stopped at that. Instead, she’s made it her mission to produce in Britain and to offer up luxurious fabrics and textiles that make her collections standout.”
- Caroline Issa
