A new bridal boutique has opened its doors in the heart of Blackburn town centre. ‘Inspired’ by Helen Dimmick is a new addition to the first floor of Ainsworth Jewellers on Darwen Street which will certainly make brides-to-be say I do!
Inspired is a unique collection of new and pre-owned gowns curated by Helen and her decades of retail experience in the bridal industry. Helen had a vision and passion to bring bridal retail back to Blackburn and as part of a two-phase development program, has launched within the existing Ainsworth Jewellery premises to compliment the footfall the store already attracts.
Helen Dimmick said: “The opening of a bridal boutique in-store is the natural next step for me and I am delighted to see this come to fruition after all the research, designing, and planning. Our offer will be two-fold and is all about choice – brides can browse the latest collections from well-known designers we are proud to stock or they can bring pre-loved gowns or even family heirlooms for us to re-purpose to suit their wedding dress dreams.
“After my own wedding experience, I wanted to revolutionise the wedding market with a theme running through that really considers how a bride feels. We want them to be a client for life as opposed to a one-off experience, as the past, present and future is at the very heart of the Inspired story, just like it is in jewellery.
“Our values of repurposing and remodeling jewellery is something we are fiercely proud of and were keen to transfer into the bridal boutique, and so this move towards a more sustainable and even affordable way of also working with brides is something I am really passionate about. We will subsequently invite our brides to return so we can create a stunning black tie event creation, baby christening outfits, or even prom dresses from the once-worn, beloved wedding dress.”
The opening of ‘Inspired’ also brings job creation to the area with the appointment of a renowned seamstress who will turn her hand to alterations and bring dreams and visions to reality. As part of a long-standing relationship with Blackburn college, this designer vision and expertise will also support future talent with education classes and work experience projects.
In addition, Katie Grime joins as a new shop assistant who has years of retail experience, is a keen milliner, and has a clear desire to work in the bridal industry. The Inspired team with Helen at the helm, will welcome brides and their families to showcase the collections on offer or to work with brides to create a unique gown that can be effortlessly matched with jewellery from Ainsworth’s vast collection, or bespoke made, to style the perfect look for each individual bride.
Helen added: “The first phase for the store sees a new stylish fitting room complete with dressing area and plush seating for the bridal party to relax in historic surroundings whilst enjoying complimentary refreshments. Every bride should feel like they belong with us and we hope we will achieve this with our new store, personal and comprehensive styling service, and collection for all tastes, styles, and sizes, at all stages of life.”
Community is at the heart of both the Ainsworth Jewellers and Inspired Bridal Boutique ethos and Helen is delighted to be supporting the renowned and iconic, Gawthorpe Hall Textiles Collection, which themselves house the third-largest costume collection in the UK. A donation of the profit made on the sale of every gown sold will be gifted to the charity and as a lasting legacy of this relationship, brides will also be given Friends Membership to the Hall and will play a part in their archive story with a box used at the Hall labeled with the details from their wedding day a unique and inspired touch.
For further details, please visit www.helendimmick.com/inspiredbridal