Olwen Bourke

Olwen Bourke designs timeless wedding and evening gowns, with a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship. The celebration and evolution of hand craft and traditional techniques sit at the heart of her collections, re-imagining delicate embroidery, crochet and lace detailing into contemporary silhouettes. She currently collaborates with Irish lace makers who still make lace by hand, thus creating unique heirloom pieces, while helping to revive the rich art of lace making in Ireland.

The brand was born out of Olwen’s desire to re-connect with the crafts and traditions of her native Ireland after working in the fashion industry in London and Paris for 17 years. Her luxurious, dresses are made to order using predominantly FSC certified renewable fabric sources and organic silks. She also provides a “pre-loved” service where bridal dresses can be returned and re-sold, and a “new life” service where dresses can be reworked, in order to extend their life cycle.

Olwen studied fashion design at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin (NCAD), where she was awarded a first-class honors BA degree, as well as the Designer of the Year Award from Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Clothing and Textiles Alliance (ICATA). She moved to London and became a dress designer for TV and film including for the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing and for the Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet. She went on to design for fashion houses in Paris and London, before moving back to Ireland in 2021 to establish her eponymous label in Dublin.