Anne Barge

Anne Barge had wanted to be a bridal gown designer since the tender age of three when her mother, an accomplished pianist and organist, began taking her to the many weddings for which she played. Anne’s fascination with wedding dresses was undeniably her life’s dream, and upon her graduation from college, Priscilla (of Priscilla of Boston) along with head designer Jim Hjelm offered Anne a job as an apprentice designer after showing her sketchbooks to the designers at a trunk show in a local store.

During the time she spent in Atlanta, Anne designed and coordinated the entire wedding of the Georgia governor’s daughter. In 1981, she opened her own boutique, “Anne Barge for Brides” in the chic, upscale Buckhead section of Atlanta. It reflected her love and appreciation of classic, timeless elegance through the select, top couture wedding dress designers she carried as well as the impeccable customer service that she offered. At this point, she began changing many designs through these designers in an effort to offer one-of-a-kind gowns to the brides.

In 1996, British mogul Richard Branson asked Anne to set up a bridal store in London for him, where she became the managing director for Virgin Bride. During this time designed a private label bridal line for the store and also brought top American and European designers to the London store, introducing British brides to the clean, elegant simplicity completely different from the traditional English look prevalent at that time. In March of 1999, Anne launched the Anne Barge Bridal Collection which combined classic designs in the finest of silks with museum quality beading and embroidery….not before seen in the worldwide bridal market.

Today the line is represented in Neiman Marcus and the finest stores throughout the country, UK, Spain and Japan. With an atelier above Atlanta’s Four Seasons Hotel, her own private label and an international presence, she has made her lifelong dream a reality. Her bridal gowns have been featured in magazines and newspapers internationally as well as having been selected as the winner for the 2003 Today Show Throws a Wedding.