Wigan wedding shop celebrates 50 years of business

Creation and Prom Frocks was started in 1974 by Edna Ellison, a fashion designer from Ince.

At school, Edna’s dream of becoming a designer was laughed at by her teachers.

She worked at a number of clothing factories before becoming freelance fashion designer alongside teaching fashion design at Wigan and Leigh College where she went on to become the head of the school of art and fashion design.

Creation was started after Edna’s niece asked to her to create a medieval styled gown.

It turned out so well that her colleagues at the college suggested she set up her own company.

The business initially began in rooms in Upper Dicconson Street before moving to Mesnes Street and later moving to its current premises on Market Street in the town centre.

Edna later employed one of her fashion students Linda who would take over the business as well as becoming her future daughter-in-law.

Owner Linda Ellison said: “I’ve been here 46 years out of those 50.

"I feel like I’ve gone through stages of being a different person.

"When I first came here as a teenager, I left school on the Friday and started work on Saturday.

"Then I got engaged, got married, I had my wedding dress from here.

"I then had my children, they’re now married and had their dresses from here.

"I feel like I’ve gone through all the different generations.

"It seems like 50 years has gone like that but at the same time a lot has happened.

"My life has only ever been Creation.

"It was Edna’s dream and I’ve taken it on

"We’ve gone through a lot of highs and lows, since Covid its been really really tough.”

Over the 50 years, Creation has developed a significant retail presence and built a reputation for customer service

At the beginning, all the dresses sold were designed and made in house.

However, as the business grew the number of dresses made had to be multiplied and it had to adapt and buy in dresses from a number of designers.

It began to stock prom dresses in 2005 which quickly grew into a significant wholesale company that supplies around 100 other shops across the UK and Scandinavia.

Much of Linda’s time is now devoted to designing prom dresses which involves time travelling away from work, so many of her roles have been taken over by her 12 members of staff.

As it is approaching the business’s busiest time of year, there is currently no plans to celebrate the golden anniversary until later this year.

Linda added: “Its crept up on us quite quickly.

"Other than advertising and having a staff party we don’t know yet.

"April is going into our busy time so perhaps when the proms are all finished and we have a little bit of a lull in the summer, we’ll do something.”

The family-run bridal gown shop would also like brides to send in photos of their dresses from over the five decades to celebrate their special anniversary via its social media.