TheFashionBrides Interviews: A Conversation with Jess Kaye ( The OWN Studio)

The modern bride loves sleek, minimalist pieces designed to be worn long after her wedding day. She is slowly walking away from fast fashion and regards the items in her wardrobe with great care and respect.

Founded by friends Jess Kaye and Rosie Williams, The OWN Studio follows directly into this new approach on life, fashion and well-being. The 12 piece collection has been designed for the modern, fashion conscious woman who happens to be a bride.

To learn more about this new ways of looking at the bridal industry, I had a very interesting chat with Jess and discovered how the modern bride can be her best self in her wedding gown.

Thank-you! We founded The OWN Studio because we saw a real gap in the market for fashion-led, contemporary bridal wear. I found it impossible to find anything that I felt myself in for my wedding, and my business partner Rosie had a similar experience when she was asked to be a bridesmaid. If you weren’t a ‘boho bride’ or a ‘princess bride,’  there was nothing for you. We both love sleek, minimal, effortless fashion and it felt like that aesthetic was really missing from bridal wear. We also wanted to really shake up the retail experience – we visited lots of boutiques when looking for my dress and found the experience to be a complete anti-climax, so we wanted to change this up. Hence our mission to redefine bridal wear – from design aesthetic to retail experience.

According to the charity Wrap, which promotes sustainable waste management, the average lifetime for a garment in the UK is just 2.2 years. For bridal wear, the average lifetime is just 1 day!  By definition, a bridal garment is one of the most unsustainable items of clothing you will ever purchase. This is a major issue and something we are passionate about addressing – we call it our commitment to being ‘sartorially sustainable’.  We create designs with versatility – every single piece across both the bridal and bridesmaid ranges has been designed to become a much-loved wardrobe staple after the wedding, and each OWN bridal piece is delivered to brides along with tips on how to re-wear and re-style their wedding outfit after the big day, whether that’s hemming a train to create a versatile midi dress or teaming bridal separates with jeans or polo-necks.

Everything is either made-to-order or made-to-measure which means there is minimal wastage. From the fabric offcuts we create matching scrunchies for bridesmaids as well as other accessories such as sashes, belts, pocket squares and hair ribbons. All garments are made in London (where we are based) to keep the supply chain and transportation emissions as small as possible. Fabric is sourced from Europe, and all orders are beautifully wrapped and delivered to customers in recyclable and biodegradable packaging.

We’ve made it really easy for brides to visualise our styles online with lots of detail shots and descriptions, and by the fuss-free nature of our designs, it’s really easy to see each garment’s shape and silhouette. We are always available to answer any questions to make sure brides feel confident shopping online.

We also have a really useful video guide on how to take your measurements – so there is help every step of the way! However, like most designers, we would always recommend that brides try on a sample before they buy, which they can do through an appointment at their home or in our studio.

This will give them a really good idea of the overall look. If they want further reassurance they can choose to have a toile made, at a small additional cost. We make our toiles in a soft white fabric so it’s easy for them to visualise the final look. Once they’re happy with it, we’ll then make it up in the final fabric.

I bet she wishes she could! Our customer is the type of girl who buys Zara but wears it like Celine. She’s confident and discerning, and inspired by other women, but knows her own mind. She’s got a sense of humour and she doesn’t take life too seriously.

Of course, once brides receive the dress it’s theirs to customise!

I know bridal gowns are like kids… but do you have a favourite??

There are many favourites but if I had to choose, I am absolutely in love with the Tux – it looks and feels so fabulous. I wish I could get remarried in it! Rosie actually got married in our sequin column dress (STYLE 003) earlier this year, so I think it’s safe to say that’s her favourite piece. We are also completely obsessed with the transformative power of a simple, beautifully cut slip dress; it’s one of our favourite silhouettes.

Ultimately, our bride doesn’t want to play ‘dress up’ when she gets married – she’s not looking to be a boho bride, or a princess bride. She is looking for a sleek, show-stopping outfit that will help her feel the best version of herself – strong, confident, empowered. We passionately believe that you can only look your best when you feel incredible, and at The OWN Studio you’ll find contemporary, fashion-led bridal wear that will help you do just that.