Beyond the pretty pink doors of her Auckland flagship store is a world of calm, beauty and luxury. Trish Peng's boutique is a haven for those embarking on the often nerve-wracking process of choosing a wedding dress. Brides-to-be are expertly looked after every step of the way; whether they are creating their own gown, choosing off the rack or buying from the gorgeous pre-loved collection. You could be getting married in days, months or years and you will find something to wear.
When did you start Trish Peng design?
I officially started Trish Peng in 2014, however, I had already had the business plan, logo and was creating custom dresses for clients while I was studying at Whitecliffe College in 2012.
Did you always want to be a wedding designer or were you designing other types of garments before this?
I knew when I was 7 that I wanted to be a designer, but I didn't know it would be in bridal. It was until I saw Vera Wang and was so inspired by the empire she had created.
At the beginning of my career, I created all types of garments including a ready to wear line but I soon realised that wedding dresses were my true calling.
What do you think makes a wedding dress “special”?
I believe the wedding dress signifies the end of singlehood to a new commitment and partnership, but also a statement piece that makes the bride feel perfectly special on their wedding day. The idea of celebrating the love between two people and wearing that once in a lifetime dress.
What’s on trend for wedding dresses at the moment?
Most kiwi brides are still going for simplicity, with clean lines, plain fabric and styling it with a detailed pearl or lace veil and a statement shoe.
How does your service differ?
We offer a luxury personalised experience for each bride, where they can build their own dress from selecting a silhouette and from our hundreds of fabrics.
We only take one appointment at a time and offer a selection of consultation packages including a mini high-tea, champagne while you try on dresses.
How do you help a bride-to-be design a dress?
It seems like a scary option to go custom, but the process is quite fun seeing your creation come to life. We start with figuring out trying on some styles to see what silhouette/neckline the bride suits, from there I will sketch it to life on my iPad for the bride to envision. From there we start choosing fabric, we have hundreds in-store to choose from, there is something for everyone.
How long does it take from the first appointment to the actual day?
We usually recommend starting the process of looking for their dress at least 8 - 12 months before your big day.
What steps happen along the way?
Once the design is finalised, we create a mock-up, which is a cotton version of the dress so we can perfect the fit before we start the real dress. In total there will be about 3 to 5 fittings and we hand the dress over around the week before the wedding.
What’s the most extravagant dress you’ve ever created?
The most extravagant dress would actually be the fresh flower gown we made for NZ Fashion Week. See Daily Mail article
here
As fresh flowers don't last too long out of water, we had to create it the day before the show with a team of MIT floristry students, from there we debuted her on the catwalk and received global attention. Sadly she didn't last more than 3 days
What’s the most unusual?
A bride who wanted her dress made entirely out of feathers...
How have dress trends changed since you started?
The beauty about bridal is that most styles are timeless, trends do come and go. When I first started it was when Kate Middleton got married and everyone wanted the long sleeve lace look, now brides are looking at a more simplistic Megan Markle approach.
What do you think the future of weddings and dresses will be with this new Covid influenced world we are in?
I believe the wedding industry is pretty 'recession-proof' and will bounce back after covid. Most of my brides are still going for the dress they had always dreamed of, even though their weddings might be smaller.
