Originally founded as a couture house by Isabell in 1990, creating timeless evening wear, the independent Maison was relaunched in London in 2017 by Isabell’s son Martin Kristensen, who as the fates would have it, was born the very day of Isabell’s first independent fashion show.

Under Marty’s creative direction, the house focussed on creating exquisite statement designs, winning ‘Best Dressed’ on Red Carpets from the Oscar’s to Cannes FF & BAFTAs. A multifaceted designer, Marty has been commissioned to design key leading talent looks for hit shows, with his creations featured on the likes of BBC’s The Traitors, Design Masters, The Voice, X Factor, BBC Strictly, E!, ITV’s ‘Dancing on Ice’ & Channel 4’s ‘Inside The World’s Most Luxurious’, to name a few.

Having firmly established his family’s namesake brand in the luxury bridal sector since his breakout bridal collection SS2023, as featured in British Vogue, the award-winning designer has received ‘Most Valued & Recommended Brand of 2025 & 2026’ by The Knot Worldwide & nominations for Rising star Award & CS Global Fashion Awards 2026. Having created designs donned by icons including Nicole Kidman, Katy Perry, Pixie Lott, Kat McNamara and Paris Hilton, the Maison excels in evening-wear, Marty is transferring that couture savoir faire to serve its’ bridal clients worldwide, partnering for the first time with stockists abroad. All Marty’s designs are strictly MADE IN ENGLAND guaranteeing exquisite quality. Taking 2025 by storm, Marty’s bridal collections headlined fashion weeks from Barcelona to Harrogate, in 2026 Marty brought his collection to March Chicago NBM for the first time as well as Melange Market in New York, NYLBFW.

“I despise simplicity. It is the negation of all that is beautiful"

Hartnell, a designer after my own heart. I despise idle designs. Static creativity. Deja-vu we did not demand, repeatedly revolved & repackaged. In a world of rampant overproduction & FPP factory-led copycat fashion, statement design has never been more necessary. Low energy, low risk mediocrity masquerading as ‘chic minimalism’ has plagued the industry. Nevermind “not gilding the lily” if the beauty of the lily is lacking in the first place. Lazy designs that will bore you into doom-scrolling for the mere excuse of escaping what you are looking at for the thousandth time.

The bride is the belle of her ball and should be unrepentant in this regard. I exist to empower that bride & embolden her to persue her dreams. I’ve never understood 'dreamer' as a pejorative, quite the opposite. Ever since the first client I served referred to us as ‘les marchands de reves', I have worn the term “dreamer” with pride. I am driven by dreams, limitless aspiration, delivered by design. There are few privileges greater than bringing needle and thread to bear, weaving dreams into reality.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOMING A BRIDAL FASHION DESIGNER…

“It must have begun in the womb! I was born the day of my mother’s first independent fashion show, so you could say it runs in my DNA. I grew up in awe of my mum who raised my siblings and I herself, with some help from my nan, Mormor, a brilliant lady who made her own wedding dress - a clear red thread to me! Fashion for me and my family was a means to refocus, to aspire and a way for Isabell to dream. Relaunching Isabell Kristensen Couture in the UK was a mission for me and London was the perfect choice due to its dynamic energy that we needed for global expansion. Ultimately, the dedicated bridal line was important for me because I am enamoured with true love. It is the same for design, I draw on the purest form of that feeling, first remembered from when I was 13 and fell in love for the first time, she and I are still together. It is that same love I am fortunate to see every time I look in my daughter Wilhelmina's eyes. That interminable, everlasting, evolving love is the feeling I want to capture in needle and thread.”

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR DESIGNERS OR ERAS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR STYLE?

“For designers, it would have to be Charles Frederick Worth, Norman Hartnell and Roberto Capucci. Each one is a master of structure and innovation with a remarkable ability to translate beauty into exquisite couture designs. I admire designers who look to the world around them in art, architecture and nature for inspiration, such as the wrought iron balconies of Paris for the House of Worth and the beauty of a Doric column for Capucci. I am also forever a child of the 90s. That resurgence of British creativity that fed into fashion, with greats like McQueen and Westwood bringing forth an exciting era of rebirth.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY TO YOU?

“Very important. A wedding is a focus towards the future and as couture is the slowest form of fashion, we aren’t plagued by the wastage and problems of fast fashion. But our sector is not without its issues, the greatest challenge is the quality of luxury materials available within high fashion; sustainable alternatives are improving but limited. Some forms of recycling waste are more appealing, like a mill I am speaking to in Italy using orange peel! I find sourcing from new, responsible and renewable suppliers helps motivate the industry more.”

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE STYLE FROM YOUR LATEST COLLECTION?

“I love 100% of our collections but I do have a bias towards the pieces that were hardest to make - we’re talking craftsmanship, boned structures, hand-sewing and fabric manipulation. I love the process and love the craft, sometimes more than the finished product! That said, I do love my teacups! While complex, there’s a harmonious simplicity to their construction that’s endearingly alluring and inviting to brides.”

HOW DO YOU SEE THE BRAND EVOLVING IN FUTURE?

“It was a huge honour for Isabell Kristensen Couture to be invited to Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week alongside greats like Vivienne Westwood and The Atelier by Jimmy Choo, but I still have so much to do! Fortunately, two of the first collection designs were spotted and featured in British Vogue which I took as a sign from the fashion gods to crack on. The sense of mission has never been stronger, bringing fairy tales to life and evolving a boutique brand into the legacy my family and the House deserves. Bridal is the first step in that expansion towards luxury RTW ranges with special order capabilities the world over. Bridal as an industry is well set-up to receive a couture brand operating on this basis but our fashion RTW expansion will follow. Watch this space.”