THE DESIGNER
Creative Director and Founder, Yorkshire born Mary Benson started sewing and creating garments at the age of 10. Self taught, she made garments for her friends. Always fascinated with clothing, music and art from the 1960's & 70's, and passionate about art and illustrating, she eventually began her studies at Leeds College of Art. During her first year of college, at the age of 16, Mary featured on BBC's prime time 'Mary Queen of Shops', debuting her first collection of metallic rainbow vintage style dresses, hosted by the renowned Mary Portas. After the success of the TV show, with raving reviews, she began making clothes for established boutiques around the UK.
Mary moved to London after finishing college, and worked for the late Alexander McQueen before beginning her degree in Fashion Design at the University of Westminster. Upon finishing her degree, Mary was sponsored by Topshop and Fashion East, and had her first debut at London Fashion Week. She also showed her collection at the showrooms in Paris with the British Fashion Council, and immediately began taking orders for private celebrity clients and boutiques around the world.
During this time, Mary collaborated with high-profile companies such as Swarovski, Royal Milliner Stephen Jones, shoe designers Terry de Havilland and Melissa, ASOS, and Tatty Devine.
After 2 years of creating and showing her collections, Mary took time out to become a mother. She then moved back home to Yorkshire, and continued her business there, selling bespoke and made-to-order dresses, including introducing a small selection of wedding dresses. After a successful response to the wedding collection, Mary took her business in this direction, and continues to create bespoke pieces for an international clientele, with her team in her York atelier.
In 2024, Mary had the honour of being invited to 10 Downing Street for lunch with the Prime Minister, the British Fashion Council and a handful of British brands in recognition of our contributions to sustainable British fashion.
Photography by Libby Burke-Wilde
THE LABEL
We believe that what you wear should be magical and empowering on a deep soul level. Our brand is all about breaking boundaries, being inclusive and encouraging a bold self-expression which embodies the true power of women and celebrates all that we are. We design collections that are both timeless and technically modern; featuring bold prints, pockets, and truly unique embellishments, and silhouettes designed to fit all women no matter your shape or size. We never settle for anything less than a lasting impression and a huge dose of the true feeling of magic.
Mary Benson’s design personality is deeply feminine, bold, and confident. We want our customers to feel empowered and express their individuality through our distinctive and dream like designs. At the same time, we are committed to ethical and sustainable practices, which gives us a sense of responsibility and accountability to our customers and the environment.
THE ATELIER
Welcoming clients from around the world, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality pieces and a very special experience. Our bridal collection, wedding guest dresses, accessories and gifts are carefully curated to meet our clients’ needs and desires and to ensure that they look and feel their best.
We passionately embrace a mindful approach to our craft. We dive into responsible production, creating each piece to order. We invite you to cherish your Mary Benson, each with its own captivating story.
As a small team of artisans, we keep our collections exclusive and bold, allowing us to be inspired to continue creating unique pieces that resonate with our clients wild and bohemian spirit.