Five minutes with bridalwear designer Kate Gubanyi, The GC bridal lounge

It takes a little something extra to make shopping for a wedding gown a true experience. And designer Kate Gubanyi has nailed the brief with The GC bridal lounge on the Gold Coast. This appointment-only offering has upped the game by offering stellar service and laying on the luxe. We’re talking Champagne up front, oversized change rooms with well-considered lighting (hallelujah!), and a plush chill zone for your crew.  

The lounge is home base for Kate’s eponymous label and the statement lace, plunging backs, and curve-hugging silhouettes that are fast becoming a favourite with modern brides. Infused with a boho spirit and a generous shake of glitter and glam, these gowns are designed to stand out from the crowd (you’re the bride after all!). And, importantly, they move like an absolute dream. 

Kate draws on her natural creativity, years of travelling the world, and home life on the GC to keep her collections fresh and flattering. We managed to catch the designer between yoga mat and bridal lounge to chat goddess goals, Gisele Bündchen, and the charity that’s close to her heart.

Can we rewind to what first sparked your interest in wedding dress design …
When I was gown shopping for myself, the gowns seemed a bit stiff and unflattering. I couldn’t imagine myself getting around and actually enjoying myself in something that, for me, felt uncomfortable. I had been a journalist for ten years and wanted a change, plus I had travelled the world and had lived in Japan, so I knew what good service was. This all, combined with a love of drawing and creating, led to starting up The GC bridal lounge.   

What inspires you & who are your style icons?
I love any gown designer who knows how to flatter the body with the clever lace placement or fabric patterns and cuts. I also love designers who aren’t afraid to take risks. 

Describe your style:
Coastal chic glam with a boho edge.  

What’s your process when designing a new collection or gown? 
I really just wait for inspiration to hit me then sit down and start designing. After drawing many designs, I put them all in a drawer for a month. Then I revisit them and choose the ones I think will work best for my brides. 

Do you have a favourite material to work with?
Statement lace. I don’t want my brides to be forgotten or blend into the background. 

What fascinates you — and how does this feed into your work? 
Just a woman having an opportunity to look like a goddess and maximise her best assets no matter what body type, ethnicity or stage in life. If a woman feels comfortable and confident, she will shine from within. 

Do trends matter?
I believe bridal shouldn’t be dictated by trends and try to design a gown that will still look timeless in a photograph 10 or 20 years later. With that being said, I try to incorporate the more flattering trends and leave the ones I think are more of a fad. 

Is there a celebrity you’d love to dress?
Gisele Bündchen. She’s a goddess and looks like a cool chick to hang out with. 

What do you do to relax?
I used to teach yoga so enjoy my own daily practice. And swimming with my kids every day — we were all fish in a past life. 

What is your most treasured possession?
I’ve had breast cancer and was told I wouldn’t have children, then conceived two miracle babies. So, it would have to be my family and my health. 

What advice would you give to brides-to-be searching for their dream dress?
I think most brides suit fitted styles, regardless of their body shape and size. I love to see brides showing off their curves — and from the husbands I’ve spoken to, so do their partners! 

After eight years of designing, what has been your biggest achievement?
Seeing incredible-looking brides get married in my gowns. It’s a really personal thing between myself and the brides and it’s always been about that for me rather than achieving industry recognition. More recently, it has been exciting to start stocking our label in European and US boutiques and have brides from all over the world wear Kate Gubanyi gowns. 

I’m also really proud of my husband and my combined charities which include our Passion Project in-house bridal label. We now raise $20,000 a year for breast cancer research, which continues to grow every year. 

What’s next? What do you look forward to most for your label?
I’m really excited about some new lace I’m designing with at the moment. It’s really next level. Also, to continue to increase our global presence post-covid. 

Discover more at The GC bridal lounge.