In Conversation With Lily Tran of GWM Wedding
We sat down with Lily Tran, the talented designer behind GWM Wedding, a Melbourne-based bridal boutique, to gain some insight into the world of wedding dress design and to hear about her inspiration and creative process. In this interview, Lily shares her passion for creating unique and beautiful wedding dresses that make everyone feel exceptional on their big day.
What inspired you to become a bridal designer, and how did you get started in the industry?
In 2012, I started working for a bridal store as a marketing assistant, and then I slowly got involved in more handwork and directly dealing with the brides, from alteration to design and custom gowns. After working there for several years, I decided to open my own studio in Hanoi, Vietnam, where I come from, to have complete control over the quality and process of making wedding dresses for a reasonable price but will excellent quality.
In 2017, I opened my first Showroom in Hawthorn, and then we moved to our current location in 2020 during covid hit.
“For our latest collection: Flowers of the East, the inspiration came from my core: the Eastern girl from Asia.”
How would you describe your design aesthetic, and what sets your bridal gowns apart from others in the industry?
My designers are unique, simple, and elegant but with my own touch. I always like something different and love to create my gowns from the bride’s voice. Simple but unique is not easy. The dress might look plain, but that doesn’t mean a lot of effort hasn’t gone into it. At GWM Wedding, we spend a lot of time refining our technique, trying the right fabric and the right cut to bring our bride’s dream gown/ bridal wear to life.
Can you walk us through your design process, from inspiration to the final product?
For our latest collection: Flowers of the East, the inspiration came from my core: the Eastern girl from Asia. We used: silk, crystal organza and silk organza to create these beautiful pieces and dresses.
It's amazing how much the wedding industry has evolved in just a decade! One trend that's hard to miss is the rise of bridal jumpsuits, pantsuits, and mix-and-match two-piece outfits. Brides these days are much more daring and willing to try out new styles that truly reflect their unique personalities. It's great to see them embracing their individuality and making a statement on their big day!
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest fashion trends while also creating timeless, classic designs?
My team and I design our creations in-store in Camberwell, and we work closely with our brides and other suppliers in the wedding industry, especially wedding magazines, fabric suppliers, photographers and makeup artists. We're always up to date with new trends and try to elaborate on them in our designs.
What fabrics and materials do you prefer to work with, and why?
Silk is my favourite fabric to work with. It is not an easy fabric to work with, it is so simple, yet so easy to show all your mistakes if you aren’t careful when sewing or if your pattern isn’t right.
Besides that, creating my own lace beading is my second favourite. We do our own beading fabric in house.
How do you see the bridal fashion industry evolving in the next few years, and how do you plan to adapt to those changes?
We have noticed an increase in enquiries regarding elopement brides and lgbtq+ brides since Australia legalized same-sex marriage. We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring their unique ideas to life through our designs.
What advice would you give to brides who are trying to find the perfect wedding dress?
Our advice for all our lovely brides is: "Be yourself, enjoy the moment and make this the best moment of your life."
That’s what GWM stand for: Gorgeous Wedding Memories
What are your plans for the future of your brand, and what can we expect to see from you in the coming seasons?
We are planning to have more hand beaded couture gowns in the next collection with a unique pattern and a new collection for Curve Brides.
You can find GWM Wedding on THEODORE Magazine by CLICKING HERE, at GWMwedding.com.au or over at Instagram @gwmwedding.
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