Phillipa Lepley

Born in Nottinghamshire, Phillipa was aware from a young age that she had a passion for design.

And she went on to study fashion design at the London College of Fashion.

The course taught her the basics, which enabled her to set up her namesake bridal business in 1988, in the midst of a recession.

Phillipa opened her first bridal store on London's Fulham Road in 1990.

Her bridal couture then went from strength to strength, and her designs now appear in top bridal publications worldwide.

She boasts a celebrity clientele which includes Ulrika Jonsson and Davina McCall, and her distinctive signature lies in understated elegance, sophistication, luxurious fabrics and exquisite embellishment.

In 2008, she opened a flagship store, again on the Fulham Road, but this time in Chelsea.

Phillipa juggles her successful working career with being a mother to two daughters.

She describes herself as a real homebody, who loves cooking, entertaining and spending time with her family.