Couture Cakes: Debbie Wingham

I was recently introduced to this gorgeous girl who has quickly become like a sister to me for more reasons than one can imagine, thanks to our mutual friend and favourite hatter, Louis Mariette. Last year I photographed a fashion show for the highly acclaimed makeup artist Lan Nguyen and it was not until the fashion show was finished, that I realised the items on the banquet table that looked like antique baskets, or busts, were being cut into…with a pair of couture shearing cutters…and were in fact decadent and rich chocolate cakes made to look like antiques! Stunning! Since then, our inspirations have run all the way to Wonderland and the world of rock’n’roll! With her jet back hair, endearing Yorkshire accent, beautiful clothes, inspirational drive, I am delighted to introduce you to the Couture Cake designer Debbie Wingham.

Where are you from? South Yorkshire between Sheffield and Doncaster originally but I have lived in london almost half of my life now, I did spend a fair few years in Los Angeles though as well.

What inspired your journey to bring you to being such a wonderful Couture Cake Designer? I have always been creative all my life and the only TV I watch is creative. The shows Cake Boss and GBBO inspired me alot, I would watch them and try out things I had seen on the show with my girls. It turns out fabric and fondant are not that different and I took to it very quickly. Been known in the fashion industry as also progressed my cake artistry opportunities because I have an interesting set of friends and connections meaning I get to be a little more inventive on the cake front!

With such a talented role and experience in the fashion industry your cake making is very exciting both on the taste buds and visually! What has been the highlight for you so far? I think the edible runway installation which was based on alice in wonderland and every outfit the models wore was from edible materials such as modeling chocolate, bubble gum, rice paper flowers etc

Did you grow up baking cakes as a child? No I didn’t really, infact until about 6 years ago I could burn a pan of water let alone bake.

What is your most popular cake? Chocolate ganache I would say because I have a top secret ingredient that takes it to a new level!

What sort of response have you had from people so far with your work? A very good one, most clients don’t even want to cut their cakes because they say they are more like art which is a lovely thing to hear.

We love your magazine. What will we be seeing in here? The first edition is mastering the basics with family projects and second edition becoming abit more advanced and so on….. All editions are lead by art and fashion though and read more like a lifestyle publication with some creative projects.

Best piece of advice you could give anyone starting out in a solo career? Believe in yourself, network like crazy and keep reinventing yourself.

If you were a cake, what would you be? Lol an untraditional stacked one with avant gard details I imagine.

Thank you so much Debbie Wingham, it is such a pleasure to know you and we are all really excited to see what you are creating.

As for gem & debbie’s creative collaboration, now that is going to be very exciting.

You’ll have to wait and see to find out what we’re up to!

Until then….

Peace, Art & Rock’n’roll

x gem rey

Below I have picked out some photographs from some of the latest events and photoshoots I have done with Debbie Wingham and Louis Mariettte. Featuring the front cover of her magazine, and an Alice in Wonderland themed “Edible Fashion Show” at Stoke Park! The clothes, books, and tea pots were quite literally good enough to eat! We do love a bit of mad hatter style! Enter the wonderful world. It’s unlike any other….

Enjoy xx