Wed meets dress designer, Kate Walker

...we get to know Devon-based designer, Kate Walker

Choosing your wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, all down to the incredible designers, such as Kate Walker, who bring your visions to life. We meet the woman behind the wedding dress, who's bringing elegance and timelessness to the brides of Devon at her beautiful boutique in Honiton.

Searching for your dream dress? Explore our directory of wedding dresses in Devon to discover bridal boutiques and designers across the county.

Tell us a little about your background in bridal design and dressmaking...

What inspires you?
I have many sources of inspiration. Firstly and most importantly, my brides inspire me every day. Sometimes a simple conversation during a consultation can spark off an idea for a fabulous new dress for the collection; I then scrabble for the sketchbook to get the idea on paper before I forget! I'm also inspired by fabrics and often spend time at fabric shows on the hunt for new and exciting additions for the collection, plus I keep an eye on celebrities and red carpet events for inspirations on silhouettes and details.
 
What would you say is your signature style?
Clean, classical and timeless. I love clean lines, clever pattern cutting and beautiful silhouettes that flatter the female form elegantly. The right choice of quality fabric is incredibly important too. Every bride will wear something different to suit their body shape, but cut and fit is everything. A bridal gown should look 'sprayed on' and feel effortless to wear. Comfort brings confidence, and this is what I strive for when working on my brides' timeless gowns.

Which is your favourite dress from your collection?

What would be your dream brief from a bride?
To be asked to design and make several dresses for the same bride! Following the trend of weddings that last a whole weekend, I'd love to design two dresses for the actual wedding day: beautiful, elegant and timeless for the ceremony, and fun and frivolous or super glamorous for the evening, followed by a more relaxed dress for the following day. The chances of that are pretty slim but a designer can dream!
 
If you could design a wedding dress for anyone, who would it be?
I'd love to dress Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley and Emma Watson. All three women have a classy look that is right up my street, each is from a different age group, which is a lovely challenge as a designer, and all three are strong and intelligent career women with beliefs similar to my own.
 
What is your top piece of advice for brides seeking their dream dress?
Look for boutiques with a good reputation or who have been recommended to you, and try not to visit too many. Keep your mind open when trying for the first time and don't be afraid to try styles that you would normally shy away from. Once you've found your favoured silhouette, be true to your own style and shape and don't listen to too many opinions! Think about how each dress makes you feel and ask yourself if that's how you want to feel on your special day. When you feel really comfortable in a dress, you will begin to feel glamorous and your confidence will shine through. Finally, a little piece of 'mum advice' from me: for goodness' sake, wear a comfortable pair of shoes - it's a jolly long day and you don't want sore feet to spoil your fun!