Phillipa Lepley Bride Lena

Phillipa Lepley bride Lena chose a couture variation of the brand’s signature ‘Christobal’ gown for her wedding in Puglia, Italy. Designed with a modern square neckline and long sleeves, the silhouette is clean and contemporary.

The gown was crafted from delicate flocked dotty tulle, layered over white organza and white sustainable tulle. Flocking is a couture technique used to create Phillipa’s beloved dotty tulle. Rather than the dots themselves, flocking refers to the application of hundreds of thousands of tiny fibres onto adhesive-coated dots. These fibres stand upright rather than lying flat creating a soft, velvety finish with subtle texture and dimension. Every dot is individually hand finished. Two layers of the flocked tulle were carefully overlapped in the Atelier, creating a sense of depth whilst maintaining the fabric’s light, feminine quality. The offset layered tulle continues through the sleeves, enhancing the gown’s clean silhouette. When worn on her wedding day the sleeves allowed Lena’s skin to peek through the tulle beautifully.

The fabric was draped over one of Phillipa’s signature corsets, specifically fitted to Lena to define and sculpt the waist. Every seam and line first drawn directly onto her toile before being translated into silk, with each fitting taking place in the Phillipa Lepley Conservatory, London. Travelling from Germany, Lena experienced the international couture service which is designed to minimise travel while preserving every detail of the couture process.

Constructed without a petticoat and using lightweight fabrics throughout, the gown was designed for effortless movement at an Italian wedding. Hand-sewn buttons and loops finished the back, complimented by matching buttons on the sleeves. For the evening celebration in Italy, the long train was bustled to allow for dancing. 

Lena paired her gown with a couture single-tier silk tulle veil. 

Every Phillipa Lepley couture veil is crafted from the finest silk tulle, woven in France on 200-year-old looms. The extra-wide width frames and envelopes the bride without overwhelming the gown. Its sheer quality revealed the texture of Lena’s flocked dotty tulle beneath. Working closely with Phillipa’s team, Lena designed bespoke hand-embroidery featuring her initials alongside her husband’s with a small heart motif. The font, scale and placement was personally approved throughout the design process – a beautiful and sentimental finishing detail.

Photography by Lato Photography