Exclusive peek into designer Hermione Harbutt’s Kensington Showroom

For those of you who follow my work, it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of  award winning designer,  Hermione Harbutt.  As a wedding photographer, I encounter a lot of wedding accessories and in my mind Hermione’s work stands out from the rest for its quality craftsmanship, beautifully intricacy and delicate, feminine designs. Each one of her pieces is painstakingly made by hand  using the highest quality materials and uniquely designed for each of her clients. As the proud owner of one of Hermione’s pieces myself, I can tell from first hand experience that it’s very hard to wear her work and not feel pretty!  I invariably recommend her shop for creating beautiful, bespoke pieces to all of my brides, or to anyone in my neighborhood who simply might need a little dose of sparkle and glamour!

I was honored to photograph Hermione’s stunning 2015 collection this past summer (you can see that Here), and over the last year and some months have had the immense pleasure of getting to know her better. Like icing on the cake, not only is Hermione incredibly talented– she just might be one of the loveliest people I know–graceful, charming, stylish, and kind.

It’s with great pleasure today that I share with you an interview with Hermione Harbutt and an exclusive sneak peek images from her Kensington showroom located on Kensington Church Walk.  And as a side note–It’s absolutely no surprise to me that her work attracts Royal clients, but I was personally surprised that there happened to be a Royal visitor during the time that I popped by for the visit!

You can also have a peek of this video of her showroom Here

And enough chattering from me, because the truth is her work speaks for itself. Enjoy!

  

 Can you tell us a bit about your design process? 

Inspiration for new designs comes from many different sources; current fashion trends and styles, nature and organic forms, details of a bouquet of flowers I saw on my way into the showroom, or perhaps a gorgeous print on a piece of clothing passing me. Once I have an idea forming I start to focus on the materials to use and the way the piece will sit. From there I start to create the piece, often designing the style as I progress. Once happy with the final design, this lovely new piece is added to the collection in the boutiques and we start to show it to our brides! The time to make a piece varies widely based on size and complexity of design. Each piece really is a labour of love and it gives such pleasure to see the bride wearing her Hermione Harbutt accessories on her special day!

How long have you been creating accessories? How did you get started?

I have always been a creative person, designing and making things since childhood. I started creating jewellery whilst still at university, mostly pearl jewellery as this was my favourite medium to work with. From there I specialised in bridal jewellery and began creating the headdress designs for which I am now best known for.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I’ve always been fond of past eras and fashion trends, especially the 1920s – 1950s. I love vintage styles but with an up-to-date fashion feel. Nature has been a constant inspiration; the intricate details of flowers, leaves and tendrils feature heavily in my designs, and give a soft, feminine feel to my work.

When should brides contact you to have accessories made for their big day? 

A bride can come for an appointment at any time during their wedding planning but this is usually once the bride has chosen her dress and is ready to start thinking about the finishing touches. Sometimes choosing accessories can help to guide the bride with hairstyles if they are unsure what they would like to do with their hair. I would recommend visiting at least 3 months before the wedding if at all possible to allow plenty of time for the pieces to be created. It is always lovely for a bride to have her accessories ready in time to take with her to hair trials and dress fitting take her accessories se we ensure they are made well in advance. 

If you weren’t creating beautiful couture accessories what could one find you doing?

I simply cannot imagine not working with brides and creating my designs but if really pushed, I think you would probably find me either working as a flying trapeze and aerial performer (I have been taking lessons for years!) or a ballet dancer. Or perhaps return to my childhood roots further afield and working in wildlife conservation in East Africa. I grew up in Kenya and this issue is very important to me.

How do you incorporate a bride’s personality into the bespoke pieces you make? 

As each piece is hand made individually for each Hermione Harbutt bride, our brides have the option to change their headdress and jewellery to suit their preference. This includes colour, type of beading and materials, shape of detailing and every other element of a headdress. We quite often create completely bespoke pieces or a combination of several designs that a bride may love, giving her a piece that is entirely unique to her. 

Any rules brides should take into consideration when choosing accessories for an important event?

The most important thing I would say is that you should absolutely love your accessories. The pieces should feel comfortable, compliment your style and personality, and make you feel amazing whilst wearing them. Headdresses and jewellery are such an important part of a bride ensemble, and will be noticeable in the majority of the wedding photographs, which is why it is so important to love every single piece. Accessories are typically timeless pieces and can be treasured as wonderful heirlooms for future generations. 

Hermione Harbutt offers welcoming and relaxed appointments. We love to get to know our brides and all of the details of their weddings. This helps us to understand exactly what they are looking for and what might suit their personality and sense of style. We make sure each of our brides have an enjoyable and most importantly comfortable experience, and we offer as much help as possible, especially when discussing bespoke options. The luxurious showroom helps to create a lovely ambiance. Our ultimate goal is to discover exactly what our bride is looking for, and offer lots of beautiful options to suit, so that every bride leaves our showroom with a positive understanding of what Hermione Harbutt can offer and the beautiful pieces we create. It’s a privilege to share the bride’s happiest moments and create such special pieces for them.

Do you have a favourite piece? 

That’s such a hard question to answer, it’s like trying to choose between favourites!  I have to admit that as I have designed and made every piece in the collection I feel sentimental about all of them and each piece holds lovely memories of all the lovely brides who have worn them and were designed specifically for them. There are so many pieces I love, each one for different reasons, which constantly changes. Every day I walk into the showroom and I have a new favourite!