A MATERIAL WORLD

Raw (Shatung) Silk

A beautiful, high quality fabric which tends to be slightly ‘rougher’ than satin as natural bumps are interwoven into the material.

Raw silk has a slight sheen, but is by no means shiny. It is an ideal material for creating a softer, more natural look than satin, though it is much more likely to wrinkle when sitting for long periods of time.

Taffeta

Taffeta is a material with a very high sheen that posesses a slightly reflective quality. It is primarily used for suit linings, though can be used to great effect on Wedding gowns.

As taffeta turns in the light, one way will reflect the main colour of the fabric (e.g ivory) and the other way will be a different colour (e.g gold). Taffeta is a very smooth fabric that is available in an amazing range of colourways e.g. peach/green, red/purple, blue/gold. Taffeta is also available in colours more suited for Bridal gowns in tones of white, ivory and cream.

Due to the rich colours and opulent look, taffeta works well in gowns where more colour is required and it is ideal for Bridesmaid dresses and accessories.

Tulle

Tulle is a very fine, mesh-like net fabric - for all you ballerina's out there, just think back to that stiff material that featured on your tutu!

Tulle can help to give skirts their form, or work in conjunction with hoops and petticoats to create body. In recent years, tulle has even been used on its own as a skirt, with as many as a dozen overlapping layers being used to create a cloud-like garment suitable for the dreamiest of days.

Tulle can be embroidered with a fine stitch and is a popular choice for veils and as trim in lieu of lace.

Velvet

Velvet is a tufted fabric with evenly distributed cut threads that stand upright - it has a distinct sumptuous look and feel.  

This traditional fabric is seldom used in the modern Wedding market these days. When velvet does appear, it is often in the form of accessories such as capes, cloaks and hand muffs. It looks superb at winter Weddings and feels very much at home when included in a medieval themed affair - usually turning up in deep red or green.