The Designer
The woman behind Purple Peach, Jacinta Carter has been designing beautiful bridal wear in her Monaghan studio for over 20 years. Fashion has always been a calling for her from a young age. In university, she studied textiles in Galway and fashion design in Limerick, and, shortly after, she designed both her sister’s and her own wedding gowns. Her stunning dress won her designer of the year and alternative designer of the year the following two years.
Sustainability
In Jacinta’s latest collection, she offers a more sustainable option for Irish brides. “The biggest carbon impact of my business is the fabric, so I have challenged myself to only use recycled fibres, new technology fibres (such as Rose Silk made from waste rose petals), organic threads and recycled polyester (rPET) for all the lining.
“Using recycled fabric is hugely beneficial to the planet, with rPET estimated to save between 70-80% emissions compared to virgin polyester and to save around 50% of energy in the production process. Its other benefit is the diversion of plastic waste from landfills and oceans with post-consumer bottles used to produce the fabric after being melted down and spun – 1kg of rPET uses around 60 plastic bottles.”
Style
Jacinta describes her alternative bridal wear collection as “feminine, ethereal and contemporary.” The award-winning designer draws inspiration from nature, flowers, birds and natural blends of colour. And, everything she creates is bespoke. “Every dress becomes a one-off piece, created uniquely for each individual bride. What makes it so individual is that we sit down with each bride and discuss their style and what they dream their wedding day will be like. A woman’s personality and experience have to be taken into account as part of the overall design.
“For example, I had a bride who had lost her father and was very upset about the fact that he wouldn’t be with her on her wedding day. I believed there was a way of incorporating him into the design. One of the things she mentioned about her beloved dad was that he was from Scotland – and so inspiration struck, and I asked her if she would like me to incorporate the Scottish thistle into her dress. We hand-painted thistles onto the hemline of her dress and then she incorporated those colours through her best men and bridesmaids. She was so happy that on her special day she could have a piece of her dad with her.”
The Collection
Jacinta currently has three bridal collections: Tapestry, Oyster and Honeysuckle Earth. “The Tapestry collection was inspired by a beautiful printed floral silk. The quality and fall of the fabric were amazing and my creative brain went into overdrive when I first saw it. As soon as I started designing, I wanted to create a collection where the collars, pockets and cuffs were allowed to dictate everything else. It was an exhilarating challenge.
“For my Oyster collection, beautiful gowns and alternative pieces are inspired by the rugged Irish coast. Using natural fabrics, relying on drape and fall on the female form to achieve bridal beauty, the collection allows the beauty of the female form to shine bright. And my newest collection, Honeysuckle Earth, was inspired by the desire to achieve an Irish couture bridal collection without compromise. Using new technology fibres such as Rose Petal fabric which looks and falls like silk, our goal was definitely achieved.”
