With summer fast approaching, wedding season is well and truly upon us, and the fashion that accompanies these amazing days consist of staple pieces that many of us will treasure for years to come. The most important piece of the day? The perfect wedding dress that makes you feel your best, of course! We had the opportunity to sit down with the incredibly talented designer Róisín Dockry to talk through her latest collection, The Bridal Era, as well her other amazing designs. She also shared some tips and tricks of the trade when it comes to all things wedding attire.
The Galway-based fashion designer has always had a flair for fashion, and Róisín’s creative expertise really shone through when she decided to design and make her own wedding dress for her wedding in September 2024. “I jumped at the idea of making my own wedding dress”, Róisín shares. “As a fashion designer, I feel I was always dreaming of that moment!” Having been in the fashion space for several years, creating the perfect piece came easy to Róisín, and she was determined to ensure her own personal style came through in her design. Staying true to her signature structure style, a magnificent princess-shaped, 100% silk gown was born. Using two different types of silk, Róisín created a structured, pleated bodice that formed a perfectly dramatic silhouette from silk taffeta, fitting seamlessly with the defined silk mikado skirt. A perfect addition for a perfect dress? Pockets. “I also added pockets because I think pockets add a cool effect to the dress. They’re perfect for something to do with your hands if you're posing and you don't have your bouquet or a drink in hand. I think pockets are always fun if they work with the dress.”
This dress ended up being one of Róisín’s favourite pieces she’s ever made, so much so that it inspired her to create her capsule collection for other brides, The Bridal Era. The collection caters to all things wedding, from engagement and hen parties to civil ceremonies and the night before. Having thought about creating her own wedding dress for many years, Róisín dedicated the concept behind The Bridal Era to be “a celebration of childhood dreams coming true. It's like you're living out that dream that you've always been dreaming of, like being a bride since you were a young girl, and you want it to be really exciting and playful and fun. That’s why there's touches of bows and tutus. It’s an innocent, playful side, but also keeps it really elegant and sophisticated.”
When it comes to her favourite designs, Róisín holds one collection above all the others; The Bridal Collection. “For me, I associate the Bridal Collection with so many memories held to each dress, obviously because I wore them myself the year I was engaged. So, for me they're really meaningful pieces.” Some of the unforgettable, standout pieces in The Bridal Era include The Willow Dress, which was worn by Róisín during her civil ceremony. It is a beautiful mix of a more toned-down version of Róisín’s wedding dress, with a fitted satin bodice, and a tulle skirt, and a matching neck scarf to encapsulate the elegance and sophistication of the day. Another dress to add to the list would be The Bella Dress, which was worn on the dancefloor during the wedding festivities. When designing this second wedding dress, Róisín thought, “What would be the most fun dress to wear on a dancefloor? What would show off all the movement, and what would be the most fun thing to put on after a day in your wedding dress?” She says, “That's where I thought of a tutu, and just being really fun with it, and having bows and all the elements that you want added in. Having bows on top of tutus is just really fun and exciting!”
In terms of designing, Róisín has no shortage of talent, from creating her own wedding attire to making luxury slow fashion pieces perfect for every event across the marital calendar. She has launched some truly jaw-dropping pieces through each collection, such as the Ava Top, as well as the Alexia Dress, to name a few, ensuring each piece possesses its own story and personality while keeping up with the fast-paced, ever-changing fashion world. Róisín has a keen eye on up-and-coming fashion trends, and by looking at shows and events such as Vogue, she is able to incorporate elements that suit her brand and style, such as colour schemes, and curate her own individual collections. From growing up sewing and making hand garments with her granny from a young age to living in Barcelona during her time in college, Róisín finds inspiration wherever she goes. “I did my graduate collection in college on the Galway Hooker because I really wanted to base the collection on Galway. I thought ‘What a unique story point in Galway!’ I actually did my thesis on the Macnas Parade and then I did the collection based on the Galway Hooker because it has such a unique look.” Combining the latest trends with her own past experiences, Róisín tells a story in every piece she creates, with her signature dramatic silhouettes and a focus on making anyone who wears her designs feel truly confident and like themselves when they walk into the room.
above: The Bella Dress
With a new wedding season comes new dress designs, and Róisín has been keeping an eye on some of her favourite trends in bridal fashion for this upcoming spring and summer. “Some trends I see and I really love are the drop waist trends, which is a lower waist band, and I think it's really flattering. The princess dress shape also seems to be quite big at the minute which is something that, personally, I just love! Combined with the drop waist, I think it’s really flattering.” Paying attention to silhouettes, there’s been a lot of ruching and draping around the body in this season's collections, creating a flattering design along the torso and waist. One element that Róisín uses a lot in her designs, which is steadily rising this year, is the bubble-shaped hem, which gives wedding dresses a modern and playful feel. Brides are also opting for alternate colours apart from white, giving a contemporary twist to traditional bridal wear and the wedding dress shopping experience.
With so many stunning trends and designs in the wedding dress world, it's easy to feel indecisive, so it’s important to step back and think about what you really want your perfect day to look like. “Really go for something that makes you feel like you,” Róisín shares. “Try not to go outside of your comfort zone too much, because you want to feel like yourself on your wedding day, so whatever feels true to you.” For a day that brings so much joy and excitement, it will fly by in a flash, so it’s important to soak it all in and enjoy the moment. Róisín knows how important it is for each bride to be able to look back on such a special occasion with fond memories, knowing they stayed true to themselves and chose a dress that made them glow on the day!
The concept of slow fashion is something that Róisín holds dear in each one of her collections, and it’s something she would like her brand to proudly highlight. “I always try to incorporate slow fashion into my designs. The main element for my brand that falls under slow fashion would be that all the pieces are made to order. There's no mass production, there's no textile waste. It also makes it more special to own a piece, because it's literally made especially for you - no dress is the same.” She sources as many fabrics as locally as possible and branches out to Europe when needed, ensuring high quality for each piece while maintaining a positive environmental impact. “I'm always learning and trying to grow. No brand is absolutely perfect when it comes to slow fashion and sustainability, so I feel like if you're constantly improving and learning, that's all you can do.”
With such high quality fabrics, disaster can sometimes threaten to strike. On a day as special as your wedding day, it's important to know the ‘do’s’ and ‘don'ts’ of keeping your perfect outfit pristine. While we can’t always predict the future, Róisín shares a little tip that can be a lifesaver: “I would recommend these like ‘bridal emergency kits.’ They have white gloves for when someone's dressing you so there's no stains even getting ready, and swabs in there for cleaning - emergency things. I'd recommend one of the bridesmaids having one of these kits, just in case something went wrong, but you'd hope nothing like that happens! They can be gotten off websites like Amazon, so definitely get one for the bridesmaids to be kitted out with the emergency kits.”
Finding that perfect wedding dress can be a challenging feat at the best of times, but with Róisín Dockry’s talent and love for all things fashion, her collection The Bridal Era, and other awe-inspiring designs, are sure to provide you with a high-quality, tailor-made, 100% authentically you dress that you’ll cherish for many years to come. You can find all of Róisín's luxury fashionwear at roisindockry.com, and be sure to follow Róisín Dockry on Instagram @roisindockrydesign for future launches.
All photos courtesy of Róisín Dockry.
above: The Harper Dress with veil
