I hope you liked our first Designer Showcase last month on the fabulous Natalie Gladman, a la Madeline Isaac James, if you missed it you can read it here.

Next up is a very clever lady, Rachel Simpson, designer of truly beautiful, vintage inspired bridal and occasion shoes.

Rachel Simpson Shoes

Rachel graduated from De Montfort University in 2001 and created new collections whilst working for a number of high street brands as a successful freelance designer. It was the art of shoe making which became her passion, and it was for this reason Rachel bought a couple of old footwear machines and built a workshop at the bottom of the garden!

After making shoes here for friends as well as commissioned work, Rachel saw a gap in the market for fashion led yet timeless, well made bridal shoes. Seeing her sister walk down the aisle in a pair of shoes she had created was a feeling worth building on!

Rachel Simpson Shoes

Today Rachel creates shoes which are as comfortable as they are beautiful. Every shoe is designed in the UK and beautifully handmade in Spain by skilled craftsmen- and women! Emphasis is on quality, with full leather linings and beautiful leather, satin and suede uppers. As well as her love of vintage, inspiration comes from all over, including current trends and of course listening to customers!

Here’s a few of my current favourites, I’m just waiting to see what the new collections will bring!

Tilly Ivory pair £145 (also available in Silver)

Hettie Ivory pair £160

Olivia Ivory brogue pair £150

Betty Ivory pair £115

Anya Ivory pair £155

Rosalyn Ivory Lace pair £165

Every so often on the blog I will be highlighting one of the designers that features in the Queens and Bowl boutique, showcasing just some of the gorgeous wedding accessories available and telling you a little bit more about them.

First in my Designer Showcase is Madeline Isaac James.

Katharina - The Madeline Isaac James 2012 Collection

Natalie, who named her company after her three children, designs exquisite and elegant bridal gowns, using fabrics such as lace, silk chiffons, taffeta, organza, satin and Swarovski crystals. She has also created a collection of wedding tiaras, necklaces and veils to accompany her wedding dresses, here is a few of my favourites but don’t forget, if you see a Madeline Isaac James piece that is not on the website, let us know and we’ll source it for you.

Annabelle Side Tiara £135

Charleston Wedding Headpiece £175

Daisy Bridal Tiara £135

Rosalie Pearl Side Tiara £170

Rosalie Wedding Necklace £140

Star Dust Side Tiara £135

Tea for Two Veil £125

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, how I wonder what you are.”

If you’re looking for the perfect gift this Christmas and need some twinkly inspiration, then look no further than the simply beautiful vintage inspired jewellery from our friends Ivory & Co.

Ivory & Co pieces feature the finest Austrian crystals, freshwater and cultured pearls on rhodium or silver covered bases to produce a range of designs from understated chic to dramatic glamour and I’ve gathered together just a few sparkling stocking fillers for you to choose from, but there are many more tiaras, necklaces, bracelets, brooches and earrings on the website.

Imperial Bracelet £60

Imperial Earrings £40

Lotus Comb £90

Crystal Brooch £20

Waterlilly Pearl Necklace £60

Enjoy!

Kate x

I have already expressed my love for Harriet Wilde’s brand new collection of wedding shoes, which you can now find on our website. But because there are so many stunning designs to choose from I decided on a double blog affair this week so you can see just some of the gorgeous styles available.

Don’t forget if you spot a pair of Harriet Wilde’s shoes that you can’t see on the website, just get in touch and I will order them in for you.

Grab five minutes and a cuppa and take some time to look at these beautiful vintage inspired bridal shoes, which if you ask me are the perfect accessory for any festive party you might be invited to this Christmas as well…

Bella Gold Glitter £199.99

Gardenia £374.99

Marina Satin Peep Toe £219.99

A simple but beautiful way to glam up any festive outfit is to accessorise with something gorgeous and sparkly. So why not treat yourself to a crystal brooch, bracelet or necklace from one of our featured designers Ivory and Co, to add that little ‘va va voom’ to your Christmas party outfit?

Victoriana Brooch £20

If you are a Christmas bride to be, these beautiful vintage inspired wedding tiaras add the perfect finishing touch to your ensemble or perhaps a pair of classic pearl earrings if you are looking for a special thank you gift for your bridesmaids.

Pandora Side Tiara £150

Classic Pearl Earrings £30

And I love the wearability of all our wedding jewellery. Long after the big day you can wear your bridal accessories to another wedding, a family gathering or simply a night on the tiles!

Kate x

How exciting – the brand new range of Rachel Simpson wedding shoes are now available to buy! Rachel Simpson wedding shoes are one of my best-selling ranges at Queens & Bowl and the latest collection is certainly set to keep them that way.

The 2012 range of bridal shoes complements Rachel’s current Ivory Collection and Pearl Collection, which both take their vintage inspiration from the elegant 1920s and 1930s eras and offer brides understated, timeless and detailed designs.

The new 2012 collection has at its heart the ultra-feminine and glamorous feel of the 1940s. And even more exciting for brides looking for low heel wedding shoes, there’s a real choice of options! From the totally flat, ballerina style bridal pump that is Betty, to ballroom T-bars like Tilly and pretty courts like Maisie, there’s a host of possibilities for brides who want comfortable bridal shoes! I think that these new, lower styles are also a great choice for bridesmaids too.

Low heel wedding shoes are a key feature of Rachel Simpson's 2012 collection.

Rachel has also included some popular concealed platform styles like Rosalyn and Tallulah, which add height yet make for a much more comfortable wear – especially on your wedding day, where you’ll spend so much time on your feet!

Concealed platforms add height but take the strain off your feet!

As with all of Rachel’s vintage wedding shoes, there’s a real emphasis on luxurious fabric combinations and careful attention to detail. She’s added beautiful touches with the incorporation of satin, lace, kid suede and pearlised leather, plus the floral insole that will become the signature of the new collection.

And if your colour tastes are on the wilder side of ivory wedding shoes, there’s plenty for you too, but more on that to follow later…

So yet again Rachel has managed to mix that perfect combination of timeless vintage with contemporary styling to make one of the most exciting but easy-to-wear wedding shoe collections of the year!

Kate. x

If you’re searching for a really unusual, vintage-inspired wedding headpiece, then one of Jo Barnes’ designs could be just what you’re looking for. Her bridal side tiaras and combs are hand-made by Jo herself in her home in the south of England and take influence from the 1920s and 1930s. Here Jo told me a bit more about her business and designs….

Jo Barnes - The lady herself!

1. First of all, could you briefly describe your business and ethos?

Jo Barnes Vintage is my wonderful vintage headdress and accessory business, which I set up after creating my very own bouquet and headdress for our wedding in 2009 with my Nana’s vintage jewellery. All items are hand crafted using the finest materials. It was my mission to create accessories for brides that they will be able to wear again and again and not just on their wedding day. You can choose from an original vintage “one off” piece if you are after something unique or a vintage inspired piece, which-ever you choose you will be sure to sparkle like a Hollywood starlet….

2. Can you describe a typical working day? What do you like / dislike the most?

No day is the same, that’s what I love about it. I get to meet and talk to lovely brides to be and I get to design and create pretty sparkly things, what more can a girl want!!!  I love what I do the only downside is the state of my fingers (nothing a good manicure can’t fix…)

3. Who would be your dream client and why? What do you think they’d choose to wear?

My dream client??? Ummm (I’m really not sure to be honest) It would be really fab to have a famous person wear one of my creations but all my brides are a dream to work with, I can honestly say I haven’t yet had to deal with one bridezilla….

4. What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from a bride-to-be?

No unusual requests so far, I do get brides asking me to copy other designers work, my reply to that “If you want to wear a creation by another designer then go and purchase it from them”

The beautiful Audrey side tiara and Rhea comb

5. What’s your greatest achievement of your career to date?

The greatest achievement for me is just how quickly my business has grown, it really has been incredible and I cannot thank my brides enough and also the lovely Annabel at Lovemydress who helped me get to where I am now…

6. What’s the most memorable thing you’ve seen at a wedding as a guest?

Our good friend married an Italian lady, they had a traditional Italian wedding and I can honestly say I have never seen so much food, it was unbelievable…. My husband and I had what we thought was the main meal and was totally full and that was just the starter, there were 4 more courses after that and then they had a BBQ!!! It was unreal but it was such a beautiful wedding it was like being on a movie set… and in the evening they had a huge pool party, just fabulous…

7. What are the overriding trends we’ll see in your next collection?

1920’s inspired headdresses, with lots of pearls…

Unusual designs in the form of Etta and Mirta Side Tiaras

8. What advice would you give to a bride-to-be starting her search for a headpiece?

I always tell my brides to “Choose your wedding gown first” this will avoid extra spending when you realise the headdress you bought doesn’t match your gown…  It’s also a good idea to have an idea of how you would like to wear your hair on the day, and this will help decide whether you have a comb or headband and if you have pearls or crystals in your gown try and incorporate these in your headdress as this will compliment the gown.

9. What career path would you have taken if you weren’t a designer?

I always wanted to open my own tea shop, I adore baking, which is what I do when I get a bit of spare time, I love to be in my kitchen with my music blaring out whilst making yummy cakes…I’d like to think that’s what I would have been doing now if I wasn’t a headdress designer…

10. What would you do if you won the Euro Millions?!

Create headdresses with real diamonds….

~~~

Ooh – real diamonds?! I’ll take one of those! If you do choose one of Jo’s gorgeous designs, make sure you check out Rachel Simpson‘s beautiful range of vintage wedding shoes – just perfect for Jo’s Art Deco designs!

Kate x

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I’ve had the pleasure of welcoming a glut of amazing wedding accessory designers and their brands to Queens & Bowl recently. One of those such brands was the totally fabulous Harriet Wilde – whose vintage-inspired wedding shoes I have completely fallen in love with!

Last week I quizzed the lady behind Harriet Wilde, Ruth Shaw, and asked her a few probing questions. Here’s what she had to say :

The lady herself - Ruth Shaw

1. First of all, could you briefly describe your business and ethos?

Harriet Wilde (my Great Grandmother’s name) was established by myself Ruth Shaw, as I searched in vain to find the perfect pair of shoes for my own wedding, my style is about mixing vintage with designer pieces and I wanted my wedding to be the same.

The philosophy: Unique vintage inspired footwear, stylishly designed in London, made to the highest quality by shoemakers in Europe. A backlash to mass production and the image that weddings have to be fluffy and not stylish with a contemporary edge.

Some of Ruth's beautiful creations for Harriet Wilde wedding shoes

2. Can you describe a typical working day? What do you like / dislike the most?

Right now I’m working from an office at home, I had a baby girl (Lois) in October last year so as a working Mum I need to be close at hand. First job is to check emails, process orders and talk to clients and my factory in Spain, next varies from day to day, if I’m lucky it’ll be thinking or designing new shoes and trims, if I’m unlucky it’ll be a meeting with the accountant (sorry to all accountants out there, we love you really).

3. Who would be your dream client and why? What do you think they’d choose to wear?

I’d have to say Kate Middleton, she has a great figure, is atractive and is on the cusp of becoming a princess, need I say more? Harriet Wilde would design and make a bespoke pair for Kate, it would be an honour.

We hope that Kate may choose Harriet Wilde to design her wedding shoes!

4. What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from a bride-to-be?

Can’t think of an answer for this one, all our brides have requested only gorgeous things, I guess colour could be considered unusual – bright yellow, electric blue, all of our satin shoes can be dyed to any colour.

5. What’s the greatest achievement of your career to date?

Designing an exclusive collection for Harrods shoe boudoir.

6. What’s the most memorable thing you’ve seen at a wedding as a guest?

Not a wedding I’ve attended, but Gypsy weddings are something else, the size of everything is outstanding.

7. What are the overriding trends we’ll see in your next collection?

Kitten heels, more high heels and platforms, glamour yet still retaining elegance, sparkles and thirties inspired trims all with matching clutches.

8. What advice would you give to a bride-to-be starting her search for wedding shoes?

Style, pick the most appropriate shape for your dress. Comfort and quality is key as you’ll be wearing them all day and dancing too. It’s worth budgeting for a very special pair of shoes for this important day and don’t forget our shoes can be dyed either for your wedding or after so you can wear them again.

9. What career path would you have taken if you weren’t a designer?

It could only EVER be shoes, I’m shoe obsessed.

10. Finally, what would you do if you won the Euro Millions?!

Boring, but I don’t do the lottery so I’ve got to make my own millions.

So if you’re looking for amazing quality shoes that certainly have the ‘wow’ factor, check out Ruth’s gorgous collection on our site now and take your pick from some amazing styles!

Kate. x

In amongst all the pre-Christmas rush, you may not have noticed that quite a few new wedding accessories designers have come on board at Queens & Bowl Wedding Accessories. One of these such brands was no-less than the amazingly talented Jo Barnes, with her Jo Barnes Vintage headdress collection.

I’m really excited to have Jo’s work as part of my collection after being a fan for quite some time after seeing her very own wedding on Love My Dress. Married at the Fairmont in Banff, Canada, Jo started on her accessory designing career by creating her very own vintage bridal bouquet from her grandmother’s antique jewellery, plus pearls and cufflinks from other relatives. Already a huge fan of the 1930s era, she started designing and creating bouquets and headpieces for other brides-to-be using genuine vintage pieces.

The gorgeous Audrey headpiece by Jo Barnes

As well as genuine one-off items, Jo has now branched out into designing vintage-inspired items, based on classic 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s designs. And the good news is that Jo’s bridal headpieces, side tiaras and wedding hair combs they are now available at Queens & Bowl. All of Jo’s are created with the following features:

• The finest materials, including Swarovski crystals and Swarovski crystal pearls
• Light, flexible bands for a comfortable fit and easy re-shaping around your chosen hairstyle
• Silver or gold-plated bases for extra twinkle!
• Some headbands are also covered with satin ribbon in either ivory (for blondes) or brown (for readheads / brunettes) to help the band become invisible against your hair, making the adornment even more of a statement.
• Finally, Jo’s designs come in GORGEOUS packaging

The seriously glam Etta and Mirta bridal headpieces.

I’m so glad to have Jo on board – please check out her range now for some gorgeous and inspiring pieces!

Kate. xx

As I hope you may know, Queens & Bowl have just launched a brand new range of accessories by Madeline Isaac-James. They’re the perfect match for her glamorous gowns, many of which have a distinct vintage feel.

The lady behind the stunning designs is Paula Marsh, owner and designer at The Vintage Sparkle Company, known for its gorgeous one-off original vintage pieces. Here I chat to Paula about her collaboration with Madeline Isaac-James and the brand-new vintage inspired range of wedding tiaras, headpieces and necklaces…..

Paula Marsh - Designer behind the brand new Madeline Isaac-James accessories range.

1. First of all, could you briefly describe your business and ethos?

I’m Paula Marsh and I run The Vintage Sparkle Company. I also design an exclusive collection of vintage inspired headpieces & jewellery for designer Madeline Isaac James. In my business I make headpieces from entirely vintage pieces but Natalie from MIJ asked me to design a vintage inspired range that could be made available to every bride. I still wanted to make each piece unique its in own way so I’ve included an original vintage pearl in every piece for a brides special something ‘old’ and also a small blue crystal for their something ‘blue’.

2. Can you describe a typical working day? What do you like / dislike the most?

First thing in the morning I update my job board, then I spend half an hour sorting emails and updating twitter. The rest of my day I am completing orders, photographing new pieces, updating the web site and talking to shops that stock the headpieces. I love designing new pieces so my favourite part of the day is working on new designs.

I can’t think of a part I dislike I’d just like a few more hours in the day please!!

3. Who would be your dream client and why? What do you think they’d choose to wear?

My dream client would be Florence Welch form Florence And The Machine.  Seeing one of my headpieces up on stage would be fantastic. I think that she would choose the Charleston Headband to sit at the front of her head and it looks fantastic under stage lights.

Would Florence Welch rock the Charleston headpiece? We think so!

4. What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from a bride-to-be?

To make a headpiece that included the Arsenal logo. A request that was slightly mad but  I did fulfil.

5. What’s your greatest achievement of your career to date?

My first front cover was a milestone for me, it was the Rosalie headband and she looked fantastic. I hope to achieve lots more of my milestones next year.

The Rosalie headpiece got Paula her first magazine cover!

6. What’s the most memorable thing you’ve seen at a wedding as a guest?

I went to a friend’s wedding, during the hymns the vicar was having sneaky sips from his hip flask, then he started slurring the service and during the final hymn he fell asleep, the groom had to nudge him to wake him up. Luckily he delivered a very memorable service and we all still laugh about it with our friends 9 years on!!

7. What are the overriding trends we’ll see in your next collection?

Obviously I am really inspired by vintage and antique jewellery so I think that this will be a continuing trend. For the next collection I will work closely with Natialie again to see which direction her dress collection is taking and I will adopt some of those themes through the accessory collection. I think big statement pieces will be a major trend in 2011.

8. What advice would you give to a bride-to-be starting her search for a headpiece?

Look, look and look some more, find a headpiece that like your fiancé you completely fall in love with. There are no rules on what you ‘have’ to wear, find something that you love and it’s bound to suit you and your personality.

9. What career path would you have taken if you weren’t a designer?

Before I was a designer I used to be an accountant, but thankfully I was able to give up the accountancy to do something I love. Other then that I would have loved to have gone into Law.

10. Finally, what would you do if you won the Euro Millions?!

Oh that would be fun, I would buy a beautiful collection of stunning diamonds set them in platinum and make a spectacular headpiece, which could then be auctioned off for my favourite charity.

Aww, what a sweetie? I absolutely love Paula’s new collection for Madeliane Isaac-James – let me know what you think!

Kate. x