The journey of a wedding dress—a rare chance to indulge in an extravagant purchase, typically the domain of celebrities on red carpets. While I’m often asked for advice about different vendors, when it comes to wedding gowns… oh, I could talk forever! That’s why I decided to write this article, sharing my own wedding dress shopping experience.
First, I should mention I’m not your stereotypical bride. I’m nearly six feet tall, with broad shoulders, hips, and large feet—definitely not fitting into the typical sample sizes. Plus, I can’t wear dainty little wedding shoes!
A Love for Couture
Even before I got engaged, I was obsessed with fashion—not the high street kind, but couture, with its handmade, exquisite details. I’d eagerly await the Paris Fashion Week magazines, sipping coffee while drooling over the runway looks. My favorite designer? None other than Lee (Alexander) McQueen. No one can compare to his craftsmanship—the way he sculpted coats for women, redefining fashion in ways few could. He never traditionally designed wedding dresses but Sarah Burton certinaly pushed the brand forward with Catherine Middlton’s wedding dress, can you image going on a journey to have your wedding dress made by the house of McQueen wow!!
If you have been living under a rock then I’ll tell you a bit about Lee. Alexander McQueen was a designer from London who emerged during the early 90s, after graduating from Central Saint Martins in 1992. He served as Givenchy’s chief designer from 1996-2001 and most importantly is known for his own namesake label launched in 1992. The Oyster dress is a McQueen piece from his spring/summer 2003 collection coined Irere. Much like his previous collections and those that followed, Irere represents McQueen’s avant-garde aesthetic. He was known for creating pieces that garnered criticism and applause all at once and for his ability to think outside of the box when designing pieces. Some themes for his other shows include the invasion of Scotland by England (entitled Highland Rape) for his 1995 fall/winter collection or the hybridisation of human and amphibian forms titled Plato’s Atlantis (2010 spring/summer). Alexander McQueen spoke openly about the many unique and unusual influences for his work both within his own life and elsewhere. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011) quotes McQueen describing his inspirations:
His exquisite detail, craftsman ship oh my goodness no one can compare! The way he sculpted a coat for women, he redefined fashion (which is a hard thing to do). His “Irere” collection in 2003 the oyster dress specifically, that was the dress, I had a copy of that dress ripped out of a magazine kept inside my journal, this is what I wanted my wedding dress to be like. I could only dream of this type of incredible gown.
The Reality of Dress Shopping
When I finally got engaged, floating on cloud nine, I was ready to create my dream dress. But reality hit hard. I went dress shopping with my bridesmaids, and after trying on dozens of gowns, I felt like every dress was the same—except the sample sizes didn’t fit me. While other brides zipped up perfectly in size 6–10 dresses, I had so many lovely assistants try to help me, by telling me to imagine it longer, or imagine it done up it’ll look like the picture. Ehhhhh no, I was fed up, I didn’t want to be like everyone else, this was sad and depressing, it didn’t feel special. Feeling discouraged, I turned to Pinterest. And while Pinterest is great if you know what you’re looking for, I fell down a rabbit hole of wedding dress ideas. That’s when I stumbled upon the work of Ashi Studio, a brilliant Middle Eastern designer. Unfortunately, getting an appointment with him required being a gazillionaire!
Turning to Custom Design
So, I reached out to a friend who was a dressmaker and asked if she could help me create something unique. We scoured fabric shops, but I was quickly overwhelmed, we also decided what I wanted to create was near impossible and I should seek a bridal designer. Then I remembered a few models I had worked with years ago and asked if they knew any cool designers with a McQueen vibe. One name came up: Aleem Yusuff.
So who is Aleem, he’s a Melbourne based designer working in the cool Collingwood suburb jam packed with other fabulous creatives. Aleem’s journey started at age nine, sewing dresses for his dolls using a needle and thread. By his teen years, he was crafting gowns from leftover fabrics from his great-aunt, a talented couturière. He has even shown his collections at Paris Fashion Week—he was exactly what I needed.
The Dream Dress Comes to Life
When I walked into Aleem’s studio, I felt like I’d entered heaven. His gowns were beautifully detailed, handmade with such care and love. And when I saw his McQueen book on the table, I knew I was in the right place. I was ready to go on my wedding dress journey with Aleem! Aleem sketched two dresses for me, I’m not sure how he did it, between my rambling descriptions and hundreds of pictures he somehow managed to sketch a gown that was exactly what I didn’t know that I wanted haha, does that make sense. He knew what I liked before I knew what I liked.
Throughout the process, we made adjustments—adding embellishments, floating layers to the skirt, structured lace, and beaded shoulder details. Every meeting was exciting, and watching my dress come together from sketch to final gown was magical. It was custom-made just for me, fitting like a glove—no need for bulldog clips or shop assistants trying to make me “imagine” it altered. I do wish my mum and sister could’ve been a part of the process, they live in Scotland so was hard. But if you do have the opportunity to include your family do it, it’s such a special moment, I just wish I could’ve shared it with them.
A One-of-a-Kind Wedding Dress Journey experience.
Now, I know some of you may be thinking, “It’s just a dress,” or “I can’t afford that.” I get it—I was fortunate enough to make this a priority, and to be able to this. For me, clothes are an extension of my personality. I even embellish jackets and shirts myself, learning embroidery just to create pieces that feel runway-worthy. This journey of the wedding dress was important to me, and I hope this helps you.
If having a unique wedding dress is important to you, I highly recommend going custom. Aleem Yusuff is my go-to designer, but there are many talented designers out there who can create something special, just for you. I’ve listed below some fabulous designers I’ve had the opportunity of working with over the years. I believe there is gown for everyone
About the Author
Jennifer MacDonald at Liminal Wonderland loves anything sci-fi and re runs of Gilmore girls. Loves baking and Champagne. Jennifer spends her free time hanging out with her husband and toddler that keeps her active. Jennifer is a wedding photographer based in Melbourne and Scotland. She specialises in capturing artistic portraits paired with unique storytelling
Aleem Yusuf – https://aleemyusuf.com.au/
Wedding Venue – https://www.drumtochtycastle.com/
Flowers – https://www.kimdalglish.com/
Other noteable wedding dress designers in melbourne
Ziva – https://www.zivaweddingdresses.com.au/
Asher and Archer – https://asherandarcher.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop7FoJO4ull0eXSYiDd1s01cvQ3PUWBvpE2jdbqT4Mvuoe9xjxl
Comments +
Comments -