Following in her dress-making mother’s footsteps, Barbaranne Heaton launched her bridalwear label House of Moirai, focusing on bespoke designs, in 2012. While for the past six years, the Dubai-based label has been specializing in custom-creating gowns exclusively for brides-to-be, Heaton always had plans to expand the brand into ready-to-wear. “There’s always been a desire inside me to present who we are as a bridalwear label in our own entity,” explains the designer to Vogue.me. “We want to put Dubai on the map for modern-day bridal and also get across our aesthetic, which goes against the normal grain of traditional bridalwear.”
The new RTW bridal range, which launched this month, was in the making for the past four years (“I wanted to be 100% sure of who I was as a designer and who we were as a brand before we took the step into ready-to-wear”), and boasts a line-up of elegant yet not-stuffy gowns, trousers, and skirts for the woman who wants to break with tradition. The collection features all the elements of a classic wedding dress: feminine, soft silhouettes against sharp lines, draping, and embellishments, but with a contemporary edge.
“We want to inspire brides to break out of the box and follow their free spirit,” notes Heaton. While there are plenty of white dresses, the designer also incorporated some colors into the mix by introducing soft gray and champagne hues — coincidentally, according to the 2018 Pinterest wedding report, champagne-colored gowns saw a 358% increase in searches over the year. A strapless, breezy number is practically made for a seaside wedding, while a slinky, soft grey slip dress will beautifully transition brides from the altar to the honeymoon.
Additionally, soon-to-be-brides can customize their dress by way of a semi-bespoke service where they will be able to choose their preferred silhouette, or add on pieces such as embellished shoulders or capes, much like the brand’s main range. “The bespoke gowns are always a reflection of the bride and we love that but we wanted to show the world who we are,” states Heaton. “It was the right time for us as we direct the brand towards a new, exciting direction.”
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