January is bridal sample sale time and the first to announce its date is Phillipa Lepley.

One of London’s top couturiers, Lepley is now taking appointments for its winter sale from Saturday 7th January until Friday 20th January. Full-priced gowns cost anything up to £12,000 due to the amount of craftsmanship, expensive Italian satins, French laces and hand-embroidered embellishment. But a sample can cost as little as £1,100. As one who is paying full-price for one of her gowns, if I were you I’d bite their hand off for the opportunity to get this level of service, skill and quality of fabric for a fraction of the price.

A Phillipa Lepley gown

To avoid disappointment, know that sample sales won’t be fruitful unless you’re a regular build around the size 10 mark and neither very tall or very petite (that's where I fell down). But there’s always the selection of shrugs and veils to shop for too.

Good luck!

Starts 10am - 6pm Sat 7th Jan 2012. 48 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6HH, 020 7590 9771 www.phillipalepley.com