This is a guest post by Maria Yiannikaris, co-founder of Mirror Mirror London
It’s a family affair!
Jane, my business partner, and I look at each other and smile, not actually believing so much time has passed since we first hatched the idea of starting a bridal design company. We had both trained at The London College of Fashion, but our paths didn’t cross until some years later.
Being raised by a very talented mother in the clothing industry it seemed only natural for me to go into clothing design. My parents were originally disappointed as they would have preferred I became a lawyer!
I had worked as a commercial designer (technical pattern cutting and turning a flat design into a beautiful 3-dimensional form is still one of my favourite things) both in high street fashion and luxury evening wear when I took a sabbatical to raise my young family.
I was still working on private commissions from home when I made my first wedding gown, a beautiful labour of love for my younger sister. Working with beautiful evening wear fabrics had left me with the idea that if I was to stay in design I only wanted to work with the most beautiful and the very best quality fabrics.
Bride wearing Pronovias from Mirror Mirror | Image by Martin Beddall Photography from Michelle and Ben’s wedding
It was meant to be
Shortly after making my sister’s dress, my bank manager asked me if I made wedding dresses as his daughter was looking for someone to make her a bespoke gown. I said yes and that was how my bridal journey started.
Jane had always loved dressmaking from her teens, and creating designs with unique details with applique, pleating, and rare trimmings was always her passion. She loves nothing better than draping silks and laces over a mannequin and seeing what magic happens!
We met after Jane started dating my brother, and our mutual love for design and fabrics drew us naturally together. After many private projects together, in 1989 Stav and Jane got married in late July. Obviously Jane and I spent months creating and perfecting her traditional silk gown. But duty called and they rushed back from their honeymoon so we could open our first boutique/atelier in Crouch End, North London.
Bride Anna wearing Cymbeline from Mirror Mirror | Image by James & Lianne Photography from Anna and Jon’s wedding
Bride Anna wearing Cymbeline from Mirror Mirror | Image by James & Lianne Photography from Anna and Jon’s wedding
Humble beginnings
Money was very short, and we had to do as much as possible to create a home for our bespoke and couture designs. Curtain making, hand stencilled floors, painting and carpentry, were all handled between ourselves and our husbands, although with two young children and commissions on the go I must admit I was mostly at home whilst Jane was involved in much of the renovation. Someone had to keep an eye on the boys!
The auctions were scoured for unique but suitable pieces of furniture, and slowly but surely Mirror Mirror Couture became a reality. I remember the neighbours all coming along Park Road and asking what the shop was going to be. When we replied a couture bridal boutique one lady said, ‘fancy that’, not at all sure there would be a need for our services.
Image by Roberta Facchini Photography from STG’s Facebook Live with Mirror Mirror
Image by Roberta Facchini Photography from STG’s Facebook Live with Mirror Mirror
Powered by passion and love of our craft
But faith and belief in our skills and a genuine desire to dress brides to be their most beautiful, confident selves was a strong driver. Within days we had secured the first orders. Within the first six months we were approached by both Tatters at Harrods and the then Liberty bridal department about supplying them. This was followed by the top bridal titles of the time, and we began to be regularly featured in both Brides magazine and You and Your Wedding, amongst others.
We grew slowly, organically, and skilled seamstresses and team members joined us over the years to become the dedicated group of 22 bridal professionals that make up the Mirror Mirror team today. We continued to make exclusively bespoke gowns for the first 14 years, after which we decided to add a select edit of international bridal designers to the boutique, offering even greater choice to our brides.
Camilla Newman, Publishing Director of Glamour UK, in a bespoke Mirror Mirror Couture gown
Celebrity Brides
Over the years we have enjoyed dressing many well-known women including Amanda Holden, Zoe Ball, Denise Lewis, Anne Marie Duff, Caroline Quentin, and the current editor in chief of Glamour UK Deborah Joseph, as well as Glamour UK publishing director Camila Newman, both fabulous, strong Jewish women.
Maria and Jane, celebrating 29 years of Mirror Mirror! Image by Reportage Gallery
Fast forward twenty-nine years
We have now expanded and amalgamated the boutique and atelier to our Angel Islington flagship. We were sad to say goodbye to all our lovely neighbours and friends in Crouch End after 25 years, but it was time for the next stage of development for Mirror Mirror as we serve a new generation of brides.
Whilst the world has changed dramatically and that has transferred into the preferences of our brides, we celebrate the fact that there is so much choice and diversity. The most important thing for Jane and me is that Mirror Mirror continues to offer the most gorgeous gowns and a beautiful experience in intimate, private climate-controlled dressing rooms, with your personal stylist by your side to help bring your vision to life.
The Mirror Mirror bride can choose ‘her wedding her way’ but still cherishes that this is a very special occasion and wants to enjoy a stress-free experience with professionals that care and can deliver above and beyond her expectation.
Bride Ashley wearing Cymbeline from Mirror Mirror | Image by Claudine Hartzel from Ashley and Adam’s wedding
Bride Ashley wearing Cymbeline from Mirror Mirror | Image by Claudine Hartzel from Ashley and Adam’s wedding
The Jewish Bride
We have a long-standing wonderful relationship with the Jewish community and we are well versed in the needs from the most orthodox to the more modern ‘Jew-ish’ bride. This has been further enhanced with our special relationship with Smashing The Glass, which truly understands the needs of the global Jewish community today.
Our international designers encapsulate every look a bride could want for her wedding from classic minimalism to soft boho vibes or a truly opulent gown. As our workrooms are alongside the boutique, this makes for a seamless styling, fittings and alteration service. You can also opt for the truly bespoke experience of having a couture dress designed and made especially for you.
We look forward to the new season and look forward to welcoming and dressing many more beautiful Mirror Mirror brides over the years to come.
Gemy Maalouf’s fantastic 2019 Royal Bride collection is available at Mirror Mirror London
Gemy Maalouf’s fantastic 2019 Royal Bride collection is available at Mirror Mirror London
Gemy Maalouf’s fantastic 2019 Royal Bride collection is available at Mirror Mirror London
If you missed our Facebook Live with Mirror Mirror cofounders Maria and Jane on luxe wedding trends for 2018/19, catch the recording here.
About the Author
Maria Yiannikaris is London born and raised and of Greek Cypriot heritage. The co-founder of Mirror Mirror London, after brief thoughts at 14 of becoming an air stewardess (loves travel) and at 16 of going into law (can tell a good story and loves justice), she decided to follow her heart into clothing design at The London College of Fashion. Her early career started in designing for High Sreet fashion, Miss Selfridge and Top Shop, before moving into luxury evening wear and bridal – where she has found her true calling for over 29 years.
Maria is devoted to her family (when not at the boutique) and has been married for 38 years (to the same man!) and has a son, Andreas, and a daughter, Natasha.
Find Mirror Mirror London on: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | On Smashing The Glass
You can get in touch with them at +44 (0)20 7713 9022 or angel@mirrormirror.uk.com
And don’t forget, Mirror Mirror offers members of our Brides Club a £200 discount for veil and accessory purchases over £400!
