I’ve been running ‘Claire Austin England’ for almost ten years and I count my lucky stars every day to play such an important role in a bride’s day. Born out of serendipity, my business began back in 2012 when I was living in London, armed with a Drama & Theatre Arts degree and a job as an usher in a West End theatre. During my time there, I began to make winter woollen headbands adorned with paper flowers and lace embellishments for my friends, and as their popularity grew, I decided to make a social media page for them. 

 

The stars aligned, as Stephen Fry was in a show at the time, and he kindly tweeted about them to his then five million followers. As a result, my social media pages grew overnight, and I made the decision to set up a website. Spring was just around the corner and I had to think of a way to adapt the original winter headbands into something a little lighter. And so, became my flower crowns! 

 

I knew this was a journey I wanted to explore further and undertook a course at The British Millinery School to carefully learn the skills and techniques of wire work so that I could create hair vines and tiaras. Some time passed and after leaving the world of theatre, George and I moved back to my hometown of Torquay so that I could really pour my heart and soul into the business. I’ve never looked back and from day one I have adored crafting accessories for people to fall in love with, over and over again.

 

Fast forward to now and I’ve had an array of photoshoots, multiple magazine features and a number of awards under my belt. I am proud to offer my brides a personalised and luxurious experience from my very own studio in Torquay. For me, nothing beats that feeling of seeing my bride’s reaction to her unique bridal accessory, and it really does bring me so much joy!