BHF shops
One hundred wedding dresses generously donated to the BHF
When one hundred brand new designer wedding dresses were generously donated our shop in Sidcup, the team were ‘completely shocked’.
The dresses were donated by Adrian Chapman, age 56, who donated them to the BHF, in memory of his friend and business partner.
The Malaysian designer Steven Sin passed away very suddenly after having a heart attack at the age of 54. “We worked together for over 20 years and were very close. He was an amazing person, so his death was a massive shock.”
Steven spent a year designing and creating each of the one hundred one-of-a-kind dresses. He had planned to enter the bridal wear market but unfortunately passed away in April 2022, before they could be sold.
“An incredible designer”
“He was an incredible designer,” Adrian said. “He had his own collection at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week. Together, we opened shops in Soho and Chelsea, and even had our own counter in Harrods. We sold fashion accessories in shops, department stores, boutiques, museums, and gifts shops all over the world.”
The dresses were sold at our wedding fair in Sidcup on Thursday evening, and the money raised will help the 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory disease.
Funding lifesaving research
“I was very happy to give these to a good cause in memory of Steven,” Adrian said. “They retail at about £700-1500 per dress, so I’m hopeful they can go a long way to fund research to prevent sudden deaths like Steven’s.”
Sally Todd, Sidcup shop manager, says, “When we saw the dresses, we were completely shocked. They are absolutely stunning, and we’re so grateful for Adrian’s very kind donation. They are completely one of a kind.
“The Sidcup team has worked so hard to get the venue ready for the wedding fair to sell these incredible dresses. It’s been a real collaboration with local businesses, and we’ve managed to create a real buzz.”