Limerick designer creates heirloom piece for mother and daughter
The christening gown was made by Limerick designer Aoife Kennedy from the mother’s wedding dress - creating an heirloom piece for mother and daughter on two very special days
KATE O’Brien from Limerick City grew up hearing her mother tell her about how her christening gown was made from her mother’s wedding dress.
From when she was just a little girl, as she said “with no man and no baby”, Kate always knew it was a special thing she wanted to recreate and she always said she was “thinking very far ahead”.
Kate and her three siblings were all christened in a gown that was made from their mother’s wedding dress and from the day her own wedding was on the horizon, it was always an idea that she had in the back of her mind.
With Kate and Shane set to get married on October 19, 2024, herself, her sister and her mother flew to London to look at wedding dresses.
“I didn’t have massive expectations. I wanted to do what my Mom had done. We went to two or three shops and I found it in the third one on a sale rack – I just fell in love with it.
“I loved the design and the lace drew me to it.”
Kate brought the idea of turning her own dress into the christening gown to designer Aoife Kennedy from Kildimo.
She said that she always knew she would never wear the wedding dress again and she actually bought the dress with this intention in mind, but had never realised how truly special a garment it would be.
“It’s so lovely to be able to say that we used the same piece in the space of just under two years for myself and my daughter.
“I was so delighted with it, Aoife is such a gorgeous down to earth, divine person.
“She made such a beautiful piece for my daughter. She took such care, wore gloves when handling it, had it in the most beautiful cream box and was so particular,” Kate said.
“It’s definitely something that we’ll mind forever,” Kate added, saying that she’d love to see this dress being worn again if they have another child.
Perhaps even little Beth will even bring the idea into another generation in years to come and follow in her grandmother and mother’s footsteps.
Aoife used the skirt and train of Kate’s dress to create the gorgeous bespoke gown and bonnet for Beth with a lot of possibility for using more material from the dress for something else in the future.
Aoife, originally from Kildimo, studied fashion in Cork and then went on to live and work in France for eight years.
Speaking about this project, Aoife said: “It’s just incredible.”
She said that traditionally repurposing a wedding dress into a christening gown was a popular practice in times of fabric shortages.
“It was that idea of using what you have and it came from resourcefulness.”
The designer said that now people are leaning back into ideas about upcycling and sustainability.
As well as not buying something new, and using what you have, as people traditionally did, it’s a way of keeping a very special garment in the family for another occasion.
“It’s also that idea of a mother gifting something to a daughter.”
The bespoke creation was also featured in British and American Vogue in an article about brides reworking their wedding dresses in unexpected ways.
Brides have had their wedding dresses made into shorter dresses, skirts, christening gowns, lingerie and even a canopy for a baby’s crib.
Kate said that it will be really special to show the articles to Beth when she’s older and she hopes that it will shine a light on Aoife’s incredible talent.
Aoife mostly works on large-scale custom bridal orders, but has had the opportunity to do some bespoke projects like this and they are really unique and special.
“I see it as a collaboration with every client – these are one-of-a-kind pieces and every time I work with someone, it’s really special.”
Aoife found a vintage pattern based on a Spanish style of christening gown as inspiration for Beth’s little masterpiece.
“I really wanted to use as much of the fabric as possible, and it was pleated in at the waist to bring more volume. I used satin ribbon at the cuffs to bring in a feel of almost like a Celtic pattern.
“What is show stopping about the lace is the sheer element and the contrast.”
When Kate came in with Beth for a fitting, Aoife said that she could see the emotion in Kate’s eyes and it was a really special moment.
“It’s a way of giving new life to a special piece, without giving it away.”
Brides put so much time and often investment into their wedding dresses and then they are worn once and never looked at again.
“So many dresses are just sitting in a wardrobe,” Aoife said.
“It is a good idea to keep them,” she added, saying that you never know what you might decide to use that dress for in the future.”
The christening gown and bonnet are now a special part of the history of the O’Brien family – an heirloom piece, connecting mother and daughter on two very special days.