“We aim to challenge the one-wear mindset of occasion and bridesmaid dresses so clothes are wasted less and loved more.” Nola London on their sustainable bridesmaid dresses
If it’s sustainable bridesmaid dresses you seek, look no further than Nola London. Born out of a desire to craft a bridesmaid label driven by a slower pace, a love for the environment as well as style, and a conscious decision to create a selection of sustainable bridesmaid dresses that women will want to wear time and time again, Nola London is making waves in the industry with their sleek, timeless designs.
At the heart of this unique brand lies two very talented individuals who are not just co-founders, but first and foremost, friends. your day caught up with Abi and Sophia to chat everything from sustainable bridesmaid dresses, to Nola London’s creative roots and the perfect getaway…
#1 What is the story behind the brand?
Abi: “We are best friends and were each other’s maids of honour at our own weddings.
When looking for our own bridesmaid dresses, we wanted to find sustainably made dresses that were stylish enough to wear again, and that made every single one of our friends feel confident. We simply couldn’t find what we were looking for, so decided to utilise Abi’s design background to make them ourselves.
The results were beautiful, thoughtfully made dresses that our friends felt comfortable and beautiful in, and that they wore again and again as occasion wear. This is when Nola London was born.”
Sophia: “We have a combined 30 years experience in fashion buying and designing, working with brands such as Topshop, Urban Outfitters and ASOS. With the know-how to create beautiful dresses, and the desire to produce in a more considered way, Nola London is the modern, sustainable dress brand reimagining the fast-paced nature of fashion and challenges the one-wear mindset of occasion and bridesmaid attire.”
#2 Talk us through a typical day at Nola London…
Sophia: “No two days are the same. We have built this from the ground up and have learnt so many new skills along the way. Whether it’s planning out our social feed, speaking to our manufacturer and suppliers, carrying out customer consultations at our studio or packing boxes, we love the challenges and rewards that Nola brings us. It’s a real honour to be able to deliver our brand vision and values and then see our customers bring our product to life.”
#3 When creating a new design, what starts the creative juices flowing?
Abi: “Lots and lots of research goes into the initial development process. We find inspiration in everything! Film, music, exhibitions (the recent Dior exhibition at the V&A was seriously inspiring), delving into my grandmother’s vogue patterns from a bygone era, botanical plants from my family’s farm in Shropshire (where the idea for mimosa yellow came about). Even food! (Which is how our oyster grey colour was born).
I’ll usually take all of this inspiration and start drawing, using my experience designing dresses for various brands in the past. I’ve got a pretty good understanding of what silhouettes and necklines are most flattering for different female forms, so I merge this with ideas. It really is a melting pot of inspiration refined and finessed to create a collection of modern simplistic dresses for every style of occasion or wedding.”
#4 Is sustainability important to you? Talk us through what measures you have put in place to help your brand and its processes/designs be kinder to the planet…
Sophia: “It was the number one thing we wrote down when we plotted out our brand. It is a value that truly runs through every aspect of Nola London and each stage of our business has been considered to keep the impact we have on the planet to a minimum.
From our materials which include fabrics made from 100% EcoVero viscose or a bamboo mix to our components, like zips made from recycled plastics.
All of our dresses are made locally in London at a small atelier where we know everyone by name, so we don’t rely on shipping goods from the other side of the world and communication is much easier.
Our waste is kept to a minimum by keeping our stock holding super tight, and making to order so that we only produce what we need. Finally, each dress within our range has been designed to be worn again and again, both from the perspective of durability and timeless design. We aim to challenge the one-wear mindset of occasion and bridesmaid dresses so clothes are wasted less and loved more.”
#5 Which Nola London styles are proving particularly popular at the moment? Why do you think this is?
Abi: “Oh this is a tough one because they have all been so successful and all have a different end use but, the Gigi dress has proved very popular.
The plunging neckline and high apex is so flattering. The super soft bow at the back, the skinny adjustable straps, the angular seaming at the hip and the train for added glamour create a simple, modern elegance. A pinch of bygone Hollywood glamour.”
#6 How far in advance should brides/bridesmaids be looking for their bridesmaid dresses and ordering them? Talk us through the process of ordering a bridesmaid dress from Nola London…
Sophia: “Our made-to-order lead time is 4-6 weeks so we can turn things around pretty quickly if needed, however we advise that brides/bridesmaids start the process around four months in advance. Our studio appointments have been really popular and we love nothing more than getting to meet the bride and her girls and hearing all about their relationship and how they got to know each other. Seeing our customers try on our dresses and seeing their reaction is something we will never get tired of. It’s such an honour to be part of.
We are dedicated to making sure we find the right dresses for each girl, so everyone feels confident and gorgeous when they wear their Nola dress.”
#7 What makes Nola London different to other bridesmaid labels?
Sophia: “Friendship is at the heart of Nola and everything we do is about making women feel confident, stylish and special in our dresses because that’s what we wanted to achieve for our own best friends at our weddings.
We want to create low-impact, thoughtfully made dresses that are worn and loved again and again.”
#8 If you could have designed the bridesmaid dresses for any previous celebrity/high profile wedding – who’s would it be and what would you have designed?
Abi: “I have a soft spot for the Biebers. Hailey has an incredible sense of style, and I love her energy. She seems happy and caring which is a very ‘Nola Girl’ attribute and she’s not afraid to try out lots of different styles.
In terms of her bridesmaids, I’d design a different dress for each girl. A voluminous off shoulder sleeve, a side split midi skirt, a halter neck, a split front slip. All in satin, across an array of colours. Styles you could wear again after the event dressed up or down.
Keep your eyes peeled for our second collection launch in March 2022. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on!”
#9 For smaller, more intimate micro-weddings with fewer guests, what would you suggest in terms of style for the aisle for modern bridesmaids?
Sophia: “I think the rise in micro-weddings as a result of COVID-19 has been a really meaningful moment for weddings! Crisis brings sharp focus to the things that are most important to you. It’s poignant that something that kept us apart has given rise to a trend of intimacy. Our recommendation would be to go with something that makes you feel confident and yourself. My choice would be a Romy in Oyster Grey…”
Abi: “Don’t be afraid to be playful, and incorporate your friends personalities into the styles you pick. Different styles in the same colour or tons of colour work really well together. We all come in different shapes and sizes, so choosing a dress to compliment your bridesmaids shape and personality will shine through on the day and will be evident in pictures!”
#10 Do you have a signature selection of fabrics you turn to for Nola London dresses? Where are these sourced from?
Sophia: “One of our first rules as Nola London was that we would not use plastic based fabrics and so we set off on a bit of a mission to find luxurious natural fabrics that fell and moved beautifully. It was quite a challenge and our call to the textile industry would be to focus on the development of sustainable evening and occasion wear fabrics.
Our go-to is 100% EcoVero Viscose – EcoVero Viscose fibres are derived from sustainable and certified renewable wood and pulp sources, and meet the EU Ecolabel’s highest environmental standards throughout its lifecycle, from extraction through to production and disposal.”
#11 If you could collaborate with another industry professional or brand who would it be and why?
Abi: “Definitely an underwear brand. In line with our values here at Nola, underwear has the ability to make women of all shapes and sizes feel comfortable and confident. To us, the perfect underwear feels like the ultimate compliment to a Nola dress.”
#12 For a modern twist, what accessory should bridesmaids be adding to their looks this coming 2022?
Abi: “I’m a big fan of gold reclaimed gold jewellery at the moment. An elevated version of everyday jewellery that can add a real personalised touch to a look. Hoop or straight earrings, delicate stacked chain bracelets and a delicate gold chain necklace would look amazing against our satin and crepe colours. They give the dresses a modern edge!”
#13 Your top tips for brides/bridesmaids choosing their bridesmaid dresses…
Sophia: “Think about the bigger picture. The best way to make clothes sustainable is to wear them again and the best way to wear something again is to feel confident and comfortable in it. Make sure you find a dress that makes you feel your best, and that you can enjoy for years to come.”
The Quickfire Round:
#1 Coffee or tea? “Coffee.”
#2 Favourite way to relax? “Spending some rare quality time with my husband.”
#3 My top restaurant recommendation is… “The Palomar.”
#4 Favourite book? “Wild Swans: Three daughters of China by Jung Chang.’
#5 Perfect getaway? “Touring around the South of France, eating too much cheese and drinking too much wine.”
#6 The last Netflix show you watched was… “Sex Education.”
#7 Your favourite thing about the wedding industry… “The optimism and excitement of relationships.”
#8 Favourite thing about social media? “The ability to connect with people.”
#9 Least favourite thing about social media? “Planning content.”
#10 Top film recommendation? “Only You.”
Fall in love with Nola London’s sumptuous array of sustainable bridesmaid dresses via their carefully curated website.
For more sustainable bridesmaid dresses and bridesmaid inspiration, head back to your day.
