Paju Designs

Designer Pat Brathwaite explains why she loves weddings

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From age 10, Pat Braithwaite knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. So passionate was she about this dream that she gave up a possible career in meteorology to pursue it. With a modest beginning of making outfits for friends and relatives who advertised by word-of-mouth, Pat’s career has escalated to designing collections for regional and international fashion shows and winning several awards including Caribbean Fashion Icon at this year’s Caribbean Fashion Awards.

Pat is now so highly requested by her clients that even this very interview had to be postponed a couple of times before she became available. But even after 20 years of sketching, sewing, creating and innovating designs, Pat still gets a thrill-happy excitement, when she has to design for a wedding.

Isle I Do: As an established designer, what makes weddings so exciting for you?

Pat Braithwaite: I love weddings in general. When I am designing for a wedding my clients sometimes wonder if I am the one who is getting married, I get very enthusiastic. It’s like sharing some of the joy that brides and grooms experience during the process. I have actually gotten calls from couples immediately after the wedding about how beautiful the dress was and it made their wedding day perfect. It feels really nice to be a part of the event.

IID: What was the first wedding dress that you made?

PB: The first wedding dress that I made was for my neighbor/best friend. She told me that I had to make her dress and I had no other choice (laughs). But of course I didn’t mind, I would have done it even without her asking.

IID: What kind of dress was it?

PB: It was an embroidered organza gown with a Nehru collar and a full skirt.

IID: How did she like it?

PB: She loved it….she still has it to this day.

IID: Have you ever outfitted an entire wedding party?

PB: Yes, but that is a very big undertaking and it can be really stressful. Although I am trained in tailoring and have made suits and jackets for gents over the years, outfitting a whole party can be extremely time consuming. I would usually just outfit the bride and bridesmaids and accessorize the guys, so everyone matches.

IID: What should a bride know before coming to you to design her dress?

PB: She should have a vision of her wedding day because the dress has to compliment and be complimented by the theme of the wedding. The location and the time of day also can play a part in what the finished dress will look like. An example would be for a candlelit wedding I would use more sparkles on the dress to make it gleam or for a beach wedding I would use sea shells or coral designs.

IID: Where do you draw your inspiration when designing a dress?

PB: My inspiration is gained from talking to the couple, feeling the excitement about the event and getting into what they are doing. From there my creative juices start flowing and I begin to sketch a design.

IID: How long does it take you to make a wedding dress?

PB: Well, I once made a dress overnight (laughs). It was for a bride who ordered a dress online but received an incorrect one however to make a dress comfortably, it usually takes me a week with planning and consulting occurring before that. 

IID: How would you describe your designs?

PB: My designs have an international flair with a Caribbean flavor.

IID: Does living in Barbados influence your designs?

PB: Yes, I love to use items that look Barbadian like seashells and flora – I also prefer to use local fabrics like our West Indian Sea Island Cotton that is available right here in St. George.

IID: What is the most popular style of wedding dress at the moment?

PB: A lot of brides are getting strapless dresses, showing some cleavage.

IID: Anything with a scoop or gentle neckline.

PB: Exactly, they want to look very glamorous for their wedding day.

IID: What can we expect to see from Pat Braithwaite in the future?

PB: In the near future I will be designing some very unique but practical wedding dresses. Because of the current times, everyone is looking for a more cost effective wedding dress so I have come up with a concept where the garment or part of the garment can actually be worn after the wedding day to an elegant event.

IID: Wedding dresses that can become evening wear.

PB: That’s right. One example would be the bridal top which can be worn at the couple’s first anniversary dinner.