About Debbie Carlisle

Debbie Carlisle in her bridal hair accessories workshop studio in Sheffield

 

I launched my label in 2009 after discovering a passion for bridal accessory design when I was planning my own wedding. Fourteen years on, I've handcrafted thousands of wedding accessories for incredible design-loving brides all over the world.

I’m inspired by the natural world to create thoughtfully-designed handcrafted bridal hair accessories that have an eye on wedding and fashion trends but also retain a timeless, classic feel. My accessories have an ethereal, wild, deconstructed style that is inspired by the delicate vines, flowers and botanicals of the meadows and hedgerows of the English countryside.

From crowns to headbands, hairpins to hair vines and combs, I take a considered approach to every piece I design and make, using only the most beautiful, high quality materials to carefully create delicate, comfortable bridal hair accessories that are not only a joy to wear on your wedding day but are designed to be worn long afterwards and treasured by generations to come.

I work in a light, airy and welcoming workshop and consultation space in a converted former steelworks in the heart of Sheffield’s Little Mesters district, where the city’s reputation for metalwork - and the birthplace of stainless steel - was forged.

Bridal consultation area in the Debbie Carlisle atelier at Harland Works, Sheffield, UK

 

As well as being a working studio, my atelier includes a beautiful consultation area where I host one-to-one accessory styling appointments in person or online to help brides find their wedding hair accessory in a calm, relaxing and welcoming environment.

I am proud to open my studio space to customers by appointment so they can see for themselves how and where my designs are made – I love being able to share my creative process with my clients and to provide a unique experience for those who choose to wear one of my designs.

You can also shop online here on my website and I am very happy to offer advice over email if you need some help and can't get to my studio or one of my stockists. You can even take my online quiz and I'll reply personally with my style recommendations just for you.

I also create a very limited number of vintage jewellery wedding bouquets which I make to order by private commission. These bespoke brooch bouquets are made from carefully sourced vintage jewellery, buttons, crystals, pearls, beads and luxurious fabrics, and are a mix of found treasures and family keepsakes which allow couples to blend their family and heritage together in one re-purposed symbolic piece of spectacular jewellery that can be kept forever as a unique family heirloom.

Debbie Carlisle wedding hair accessories gift box packaging

All of my designs are carefully packaged to ensure your accessory arrives safely and is a luxurious pleasure to receive and to unwrap. I have carefully sourced beautiful eco-friendly branded gift boxes. They are made from recycled card and only the surface white paper covering is new. The whole box is also recyclable – although I recommend keeping your accessory in its gift box to keep in the best possible condition!

I use eco-friendly, biodegradable, recycled or recyclable gift and postal packaging and work hard to keep the studio as free of single-use plastic and other non-recyclable goods as possible.

Most of the crystals I use are sustainably-produced in the finest Austrian crystal house and I also use sustainable satin ribbons for my headbands and crowns. The feel, quality, and the way the ribbons drape are exactly the same as standard satin ribbons but, incredibly, these beautiful ribbons are made from recycled bottles.

Where we use materials frequently we buy them in as much bulk as practically possible to keep our carbon footprint and packaging low and we make our hair accessory designs to order to avoid wasteful stockpiling of products.

I've also taken measures to offset our carbon impact by donating to Ecologi and have signed up to their scheme to plant a tree for every product sold through our website. We also choose the carbon neutral option when shipping with DHL Express. We take our environmental and social responsibility seriously – it’s a work in progress but one we are determined to improve on every day.

Debbie x

Photos by We Are Da Silva