Fashion, Craftsmanship & Culture. From the Elizabeth Lad Studio.
Welcome to Notes from the Studio, an editorial space dedicated to the ideas, influences and stories that shape Elizabeth Lad.
Every piece we create begins with a considered approach to design, but there's often more to a fabric, silhouette or finishing detail than first meets the eye. Behind the collections are histories, cultural influences, personal stories, creative discoveries and a belief that what we wear can carry meaning far beyond the occasion itself.
Notes from the Studio is where we can explore those stories.
From the fascinating histories of familiar textile motifs to the evolution of fashion, personal style and the art of occasion dressing, we'll explore the subjects that inspire our work, alongside the real-life experiences that have shaped our story.
You'll also find glimpses behind the scenes at Elizabeth Lad: the development of new designs, the decisions behind our materials, the craftsmanship that goes into each piece and the creative journey of building an independent British fashion brand.
It's an opportunity to discover not just what we make, but why we make it, what inspires us and the details that make each piece distinctly Elizabeth Lad.
our details, shot by the amazing Jigz Lad
The Origins of Elizabeth Lad
Every brand starts somewhere, usually with a personal gripe or irritation that someone wanted solving, and decided to solve themselves. Elizabeth Lad is no different.
I got married in August last year, and found it so difficult to match the colours of my bridesmaids and groomsmen, in fact, it went beyond that. My Mum wanted to co-ordinate with our colours (rightly so as Mother of the Bride!) as did my Dad. Brother, and my In-Laws. It was a lot to manage. As a total perfectionist and stickler for detail, I found myself traipsing round shop after shop with scraps of fabric in my handbag desperately trying to find the right colour tie/dress/shoe/bag/insert item here.
I ended up DIY-ing a lot of my wedding as a result, not because it was cheaper (I spent a LOT on fabric, and we won’t even go into the hours I spent), but because it meant I could have things the exact way I wanted, with everything co-ordinating. I made my bridesmaid dresses, their matching PJs for getting ready in the morning, complete with monogrammed embroidered pockets, all personalised.
my beautiful bridesmaids on my wedding day, shot by the incredible Odette Green
I realised that if I was feeling like this and tearing my hair out trying to get everything to match, I couldn’t be the only one, and not just for weddings. When attending events, it’s so difficult finding a tie for my husband that actually matches the colours in my outfit. I like to co-ordinate, and I like things to be well made, and unique to me. This is where Elizabeth Lad was born.
I decided that there had to be an easier way to co-ordinate for occasion wear, and that’s where I landed on bags and accessories. Having a bag that exactly matches your partner's accessories immediately ties your looks together, removing so much of the guesswork. Your bridesmaids can all have matching bags, that tie into the ties & pocket squares worn by your groomsmen. Your Mum can have a bag in the same colour as your bridesmaids, it can even be embroidered with a message to show how truly loved she is. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? The answer for me came about 6 months after my own wedding. How I have wished for time machine to fix that one!
The designer behind the details
After all this “me, myself and I”, it’s probably time I introduce who “I” is.
I’m Becci, the designer and founder of Elizabeth Lad. After spending over 10 years in the classroom, I left teaching to pursue fashion design. At least, that's what my timeline says.
In reality, I have been sewing and creating for years, it was one of my first loves, the other, music. I learned to crochet & knit as a small child with my Grandmother, and learned to sew watching my Mum create amazing costumes for our school plays and all the curtains in our houses (I loved going to Laura Ashley with her to find the fabric!)
I studied Music at uni, trained as a teacher, and crafted throughout. I made costumes for uni events, clothes for me when they wouldn’t fit right, and even made costumes for school productions to save money in our tight budgets. I have spent over 20 years honing my craft, and after developing long covid, I even used crafting to rehab my memory and brain function.
In 2025 I realised that my love of creating was worth pursuing further than a hobby, and started studying fashion design. It was a whole new way of working and a little daunting, but has opened my perspective to a whole world of opportunities that I never thought possible for me. I have honed my skills, developed techniques I thought were exclusive to the haute couture houses of Paris and am learning every day.
At the same time I was planning my own wedding, and ran into the issues I’ve already discussed here, (don’t worry I won’t repeat myself). One very important additional note though. Our wedding was a fusion of cultures. My husband is Gujarati, and it was incredibly important to both of us that our wedding celebrated the joining of our two heritages.
my husband and I on our wedding day, shot by the incredible Odette Green
This is something I want to carry into my designs. I want to build a brand that reflects, celebrates and represents both sides of our heritage, just as our everyday life does.
Elizabeth Lad, as it stands, is only the beginning. I want to expand into apparel, wedding gowns, veils and menswear, but it's one step at a time.
And that's really what Notes from the Studio is about. A place to share the stories behind the designs, the influences that shape them, the things I'm learning and the occasional chaos of building a fashion brand from scratch.
I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you.
Becci x
A Little Something for Your Inbox
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