Something Borrowed Rent

We are thrilled to have partnered with bridal wear rental company, Something Borrowed. Like us, Something borrowed are keen to reduce waste in the wedding industry. Rental is a great way of having a more sustainable wedding, a greater choice of outfits and the possibility of more than one wedding outfit at an affordable price.

https://www.somethingborrowedrent.co.uk/wedding-dress-rent/bridal

We met Christie, the founder of Something Borrowed, at The Un-Wedding Fair London in 2022 and realised we shared the same ideas about renting and decided to partner together, choosing two mini skirt outfits, The Mackenzie Dress and the Biker Jacket and Skirt combo. These are perfect for rental for anyone who wants a second outfit perhaps for the Town Hall Ceremony before the big day, or to change into for the evening party, ready for the dancefloor!

Christie sent us some questions to find out a little more about how we work so well with her business:

1. Your designs are inspired by historical fashion, what is your favourite era and why?

That's a really hard one! What we like most is borrowing aspects from various past styles and bringing them to life in a modern way. The 1930's definitely inspired our Verona skirt and the Blanchett and Casablanca dresses. But in contrast the Mackenzie dress definitely has its roots in the 1960's.

2. Why do you think rental is important in bridal wear?

Rental offers greater choice for brides, which is always a good thing! It gives brides the opportunity to wear dresses they might not be able to afford outright. Or to pick from designers like us who make pieces to order, so have longer lead times on availability. Or the freedom to have a daytime look and an evening look for the same price as buying one single outfit.

3. How are you bringing sustainability into your design and production?

All our pieces are only made up once an order is placed, so no fabric gets wasted. We make everything in our London studio and also use smaller pieces of excess fabric on headpieces and small accessories. We're always on the hunt for more sustainable fabric options. So far we've discovered a great bamboo silk and a recycled polyester crepe. We have also been exploring the world of Lyocell which is amazing for its sustainability value.

4. If you were to wear one of your dresses, which would it be and why?

Ohhh it's so difficult to choose! And we don't think we are the only people who struggle to pick, which is why we embraced the idea of separates so much in our collection. So we'd go for the Cirrus Blouse layered over the Portofino Slip Dress for the ceremony, keep the blouse and then swap to the Faye Trousers for the evening reception!

5. What would be your top tips for a bride to be when choosing their perfect dress?

For inspiration don't just confine yourself to wedding magazines, look at red carpet fashion, celebrities and even your own wardrobe. What is your go-to outfit that always makes you feel like you look your best? Why is that? That's always a great starting point.

6. Why did you decide to go into bridal and not just everyday or couture wear?

We started out doing bespoke bridal wear for a few years. We loved hearing about our brides' plans for their wedding day, their cool ideas and individual choices and it was a really special process to be a part of. It made us realise we love creating pieces that will have meaning to people, even for the brides we don't meet in person.

7. What do you feel are the synergies between Paper to Lace and Something Borrowed in terms of values and mission?


We definitely have a shared goal in providing brides-to-be with more choice. We are also committed to finding ways to reduce waste in the wedding industry. That's clearly reflected in the type of brides we are both drawn to / are drawn to us. And obviously, very stylish!

8. What is the best approach when choosing accessories to wear with your dress?

Don't worry too much about everything matching, it's better for them to compliment your outfit and be a part of the overall vibe. Also, go for jewellery and accessories that suit your style rather than something that you're "supposed" to wear as a bride. Finally, if you don't want to carry a bag consider an outfit with pockets and, most importantly, don't bother with shoes that aren't comfortable!

9. What has been your most popular style to date?

The Mackenzie is definitely a frontrunner. It's a winner in its original shape and has recently been the inspiration for two bespoke bridal creations! We're looking forward to it reaching more brides as part of the Something Borrowed selection. Also the Cirrus Top, we are seeing a lot more brides wanting separates that they can style up their outfit with and still be able to wear again after the big day.

10. Why did you want to partner with Something Borrowed?

We had been thinking about the benefits of rental and how to find a way to make it work when we met you at the UnWedding Show, which just seemed very serendipitous! One of our favourite things about the UnWedding show is the amazing wedding industry suppliers we get to meet. We were very lucky to have you as our neighbour, we love the ethos of Something Borrowed so it seemed like a perfect fit