Here’s the first of our bridalNEXT winner blogs. Yes it has taken us almost an entire year to get to do this but… we got home from the Manchester 2020 show on 1st March 2020 and…. we all know how that month unfolded!

But we’re SUPER happy to be presenting the wonderful Megan Brown Jewellery to you today, the WINNER of our Manchester Fashion category for innovation in the wedding industry. The bridalNEXT exhibitors are new emerging talent in the wedding world, who have started their business no more than 3 years ago and are pushing the envelope in terms of ideas and execution - the nominees are chosen by us and the winners are chosen by Love My Dress who came to the shows to meet and select in person! We’ll be running through the 8 winners and runners up, from Manchester and London over the next couple of months. But yes, let’s kick off with the very special Megan Brown, with her new collection, Valentines ideas, new wedding ring workshop and HER INCREDIBLE VALENTINES’ DAY GIVEAWAY OF £300 WORTH OF HER BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE JEWELLERY!

Blanket Earrings_Photographed by Stuey'B-072-.jpg

Megan began her career studying fashion design at Edinburgh college of art. Her first introduction to jewellery was from a local jeweller who offered to teach her how to create a piece of jewellery for herself. The designs instantly caught attention, with subsequent one-off creations and the decision to launch her own brand ‘Megan Brown Jewellery’. She a shining, powerhouse of talent, her designs drawing on her background in fashion, and an intuitive instinct she utilises in her bespoke creations. We love the feminine and subtle decorative shapes and finishes of her work, that make it such a popular match for bridal jewellery, as well as the fact she creates bespoke engagement and wedding rings too. Hands on, tactile, creating and crafting is in her DNA; Her family are the founder of Leeds’ Mill Alfred Brown , and at the end of 2020, Megan launched collection WOVEN, inspired by the looms that have been her family’s business since they became weavers of fine worsted woolen fabrics in 1915.

Megan Brown at the family Mill in Leeds.

Tells us a little more about WOVEN and the direction you’ve been going since we met at the fair a year ago! And how lockdown has worked out for you!

My new collection is inspired by my family’s 100-year-old textile mill. I’ve always been fascinated by the fabrics they create and wanted to capture this in my new collection. It is a fine jewellery collection by exploring how the soft, flowing qualities of fabric might be translated into something as hard as metal.

Draped Necklace_Photographed by Stuey'B-045-Edit.jpg

The ideas behind this new collection have been dwelling in the back of my mind for a long time but it was because of lock down that I was able to focus solely on developing these designs. So for me lockdown was an opportunity to try out everything I had been too busy to really give the time to let develop.

The Woven collection is named after the process I use to create my designs, creating intricate sculptural designs that adorn the body. The initial piece I created was the Woven Hoop, by opening out the circle and curling it behind the ear it created a sense of illusion which I then channeled into my later pieces like the Draped Earrings which appear to flow through the ear like a piece of fabric.

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Are there new ways of working you’ve experimented with this time?

This collection is created using an innovative new process I developed where gold and silver chains are woven by hand through an intricate structure of fine wires. I developed this process by exploring the process of weaving, which led me to begin experimenting with chains as they have similar qualities to threads enabling me to create flowing designs that would move like fabric, with hanging chains to represent the loose threads, like selvedge from a loom. The hundreds of tiny facets in the chain links, sparkle like thousands of tiny diamonds as you wear them, capturing the precious nature of these handmade pieces.

When you imagine brides wearing pieces from Woven, what do you think of them being paired with, what type of bridal vibes were going through your mind!

The designs are very elegant, so I think they would look stunning with a modern contemporary look, something like the dress Megan Markle wore would be a great fit with my designs.

What services do you offer engaged couples, and if they are looking to commission wedding or engagement rings what’s the process and timeline?

I offer a range of services including a new wedding ring workshop I have just begun to offer where you are able to make your own wedding band at my studio with my guidance. I also make a lot of engagement rings to commission as well as wedding bands. This would start with an enquiry, after which a date would be organised to talk through your ideas at my workshop or online via email and zoom. I’ll help you refine your ideas to the budget that suits you, once a design is finalised, I will send you a design and estimate before a deposit of 50% is needed to go ahead.

Oh and I’ve been compiling a curated pic of my pieces for Valentines Day gifts which couples (and others!) might be interested in perusing! Here is the link.

Have you been working with any couples who have had to postpone or really seriously change their plans, what has that been like?

So far, I have found that couples are still wanting engagement rings but are having to wait on their wedding rings as it’s so hard to set a date at the moment. So for me not as much has changed though I do miss going to the wedding fairs to meet the couples and catch up with fellow suppliers. [Us too Megan, us too!!]

AND KEEP SCROLLING FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

AND NOW HER AMAZING COMPETITION TO WIN £300 OF MEGAN BROWN JEWELLERY!

To be in with a chance of winning a piece of jewellery up to the value of £300.

Follow @meganbrownjewellery on Instagram

Head on over to the Megan Brown competition post on the @mostcuriouswedfair Instagram feed

Tag yourself in the comments section.

You can also tag friends or anyone else who you think might like to win this prize, share in your stories for an extra entry.

Terms and Conditions:

* This excludes bespoke designs.

* Multiple products may be selected by the winner without exceeding the value of £300

* UK residents only

* Prizes are not transferable or elegiable for exchange or refund.
Running from the 1st - 10th Feb with the winner announced on @mostcuriouswedfair on Monday 11th Feb and can be posted in time for Valentines Day!

GOOD LUCK!!