Good morning folks,
Today I am so pleased to be able to introduce you to another superb Dream Team member ~ Corrine Smith Design, specialists in creating award winning bridal accessories and offering an unrivalled collection of handcrafted wedding tiaras, wedding headbands, wedding hair accessories, vintage tiaras and wedding jewellery to customers from their gorgeous boutique in Kilmarnock, Scotland. They also supply their beautiful ranges to brides, bridesmaids, mother of the bride/groom and wedding guests across the UK from their online store at www.corrinesmith.com.
I have actually been lucky enough to wear one of the amazing headpieces from the Corrine Smith Design collection, you may remember my little trip to a certain soiree not so long ago, well I got to wear a gorgeous creation called the Ophelia and I must say ~ I felt like a million dollars all night in my sparkly headpiece.
The lovely Corrine told me all about her exclusive accessories boutique….“I live in Ayrshire, Scotland with my husband and 5 year old son. I am a bridal accessories designer and I love my job!
Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated by the creative process and have always loved making things. At school I was encouraged to follow a more academic path and studied European Business Law at University. I always knew that I would follow my heart and end up where I am now. I set up my business on a part time basis in 2004 and over the next few years worked every spare minute building my reputation within the wedding industry. In 2010 I gave up my day job to run my business full time and opened my first boutique. This is probably the best decision I have ever made and my business has continued to grow and exceed all of my expectations. I have just recently moved into a much bigger and better premises complete with luxurious showroom, office, workroom and consultation room.
Do you have a particular style and can you describe it for us?
I don’t like to categorize my designs as belonging to a particular style. Being a creative person I am always exploring new ideas, styles and techniques. I love vintage and contemporary designs in equal measure and love to incorporate elements of both into my designs. One common theme throughout all of my work is the application of meticulous attention to detail and the use of the highest quality materials.
What / who inspires your designs?
I draw inspiration from so many different places, but my biggest inspiration undoubtedly comes from the brides that I work so closely with on a daily basis. Most of the designs in my current collections are heavily influenced by the hundreds of bespoke designs I have created for brides over the years.
What makes your products unique?
Each and every piece that leaves my studio has been made with love by myself especially for the wearer, which means that customizing an existing design is always a possibility. I think there is something really special about having a piece made for you, rather than buying an off the shelf headdress that may have been tried on countless times before. I am dedicated to providing my clients with quality products and I am also very passionate about offering excellent service on all levels and I am extremely proud of the fact that I have won the ‘Best Bridal Accessories’ category at the www.vowsawards.co.uk consecutively for the last 4 years.
What is currently hot in the world of bridal accessories?
At the moment I am seeing a move away from structured designs and an increasing demand for feminine delicate pieces with a slightly organic feel. Bohemian style headdresses and browbands are also very popular just now. Headwear that can be worn again and again after the wedding day is always a great investment and this is always something I discuss with my brides at consultations.
What about future trends, what is going to be popular in the future?
The trends in bridal accessories are very much influenced by the upcoming collections by bridal dress designers, and whilst the vintage trend is set to stay around a little longer I have seen the emergence of lots of classically cut bridal gowns with a contemporary edge and I’m really looking forward to creating some new pieces and getting started on my next collection.
Which bride (past, present or future) would be your dream bride to wear one of your designs?
I know it probably sounds a bit corny but I have a fantastic time working with all of my brides and if it wasn’t for my clients I wouldn’t be able to do what I love. Having said that I’m pretty excited about designing accessories for my 3 gorgeous nieces when the time comes for them to get married.
Who would you love to work/collaborate with and why? Do you have any plans to make this happen?
I would love to collaborate with a dress designer and design a range of headdresses to compliment a collection of couture gowns. This is something that could be happening later this year but I don’t want to give too much away just yet, so as they say…..watch this space!
Can you share with us a sneak-peak exclusive of future plans for your business / goals for this year?
For quite some time it has been an ambition of mine to make my designs available to a group of exclusive stockists throughout the UK and further afield. Ideally bridal boutiques would stock sample designs and order from me when a bride orders from them which means that I can stick to my principles and still create a piece especially for an individual bride. This is another exciting development for my business and I am totally committed to continuing to provide first class service and beautiful products to my stockists and individual clients alike.
When you are not crafting and creating what are you doing?
When I’m not crafting and creating I’m usually thinking about crafting and creating. What I do is my passion and it can be very difficult to switch off completely. I love to spend time with my family though and Sundays are dedicated to getting out and having fun.
What is your ultimate dream in life?
For years my dream was to be in the position I am now, being able to do what I love as my job. I am extremely proud of what I have achieved so far and I’m pretty excited about where the rest of my journey is going to take me. As far as I am concerned I have the best job in the world and I am so very grateful for that.
All The Details
- Corrine Smith Design
- Website: www.corrinesmith.co.uk
- Email: info@corrinesmith.co.uk
- Phone: 01563 532561
- Twitter: @csmithdesign
- Facebook Page
- Image credits:
- Photographer: www.craigevasanders.com
- Hair: www.bespokeweddinghair.co.uk
- Make-up: www.lookgoodmakeup.co.uk
