Celebrity designer Kate Halfpenny is a household name in the fashion world, known for dressing stars from Rihanna and Kate Moss to Emilia Fox. The Central St. Martins graduate is also making a name for herself in the bridal world, and last year she opened her first boutique in Bloomsbury, London.
Drawing together her beautiful wedding dresses under Halfpenny London, Kate has chatted exclusively to HELLO! Online, revealing her predictions for next year's bridal trends. "We're going to see more lovely low backs," said Kate. "And appliquéd and embellishment details are making a strong come back. People are loving unusual textures and fabrics, like our swan skirt mixed with a simple camisole style tee and lace cap sleeves."
A few of Kate's designs featuring low backs
The skirt and top ensemble echoes Olivia Palermo's break with tradition. When the socialite married her German model love Johannes Huebl, Olivia walked down the aisle in a waterfall skirt, mini white shorts and a cream cashmere cardigan.
Olivia Palermo's unique wedding dress
While some celebrity brides have dared to be different, Kate added that most women wouldn't be brave enough to try and break with bridal tradition. "I think the separates is a good way to really be able to customise your look," said Kate. "It's also diverse and you can remove elements to create different looks throughout the wedding day. However I do still have lots of brides that are scared by separates and even though they want to break tradition they feel a 'wedding dress' should still be a dress.""The crop top trend is great on the catwalk and it's pretty fashion forward for bridal wear," she added. "However it's not a trend I think many real brides would be able to pull off, maybe something to change into for the evening."
Kate Halfpenny revealed that her favourite celebrity wedding dress was Kate Moss'
While Kate finds it difficult to choose her favourite wedding dress, the designer revealed that one of the contenders is Kate Moss' – a model who is regularly seen in Halfpenny creations, as recent as last month when she attended Mario Testino's birthday party in a sheer red polka dot number. "She is always a big iconic figure of mine," said Kate of the supermodel. "I loved her Galliano dress. It was so beautiful."
Kate Moss recently wowed in a Kate Halfpenny red sheer polka dot dress
And a wedding dress she would have loved to design? The late Princess Diana's. "I would have tried to make it more timeless and less of the period," she said. "Plus what fun you could have with the length of train she had."
Kate Halfpenny said she would have loved to design Princess Diana's gown
Bearing in mind her trend predictions, Kate's latest collection, which starts from £2,000, features the Iris – a floaty piece that has a deep plunging back complimented with Victorian buttoning, and made of French lace and soft silk tulle. Her other signature details include gowns with scalloped laced edges, silk ribbon ties and intricate embellishment.
To see Kate Halfpenny's collection visit her website: halfpennylondon.com/