About

Olwen Bourke is a Dublin-based designer
creating bespoke bridal and occasionwear, with
a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship.
The celebration and evolution of handcraft and
traditional techniques sit at the heart of her designs,
re-imagining embroidery, lace and vintage textiles
into contemporary silhouettes. She currently
collaborates with Irish lace makers to create
bespoke lace embellishments for her
bridal dresses, thus creating unique heirloom pieces,
while helping to revive the rich art of
lace-making in Ireland.

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.

She moved to London and became a bespoke
dress designer for TV and film, including for the
BBC show Strictly Come Dancing and for the
Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet.
During this time, she honed her skills designing
one-off made-to-measure pieces for celebrities,
private clients and special events.

She went on to design for fashion houses in
Paris and London, and continues to design the bridal
and bridesmaid ranges for the UK brand Monsoon.
She launched her own namesake bridal brand in 2018
and creates her gowns at her Dublin studio.