The Dress : Volume 1

Making my wedding dress in partnership with Quite Bridal

So here’s the story - I was supposed to make my wedding dress with my mom. I got a slew of new opportunities for work and simply: there are not enough hours in the day for me to accomplish what is needed from me for the next 5 months for me to make my dress leading up to our wedding come August. Truthfully, I didn’t know I had this type of capacity until the last three weeks - I don’t think I have ever been this busy BUT I am happier than ever. Genuinely this is such a divine opportunity I still cannot wrap my brain around how lucky and miraculously perfect this opportunity is. I am just so happy. There’s a lot to that happiness all the way around in my life, I think, but that is for another lil journal entry later.

Now onto the good stuff!

To bring you up to speed I received a call from a bridal brand on April 2 offering to make my dress for me with the agreement that the dress will be in their next collection for the masses - oh so my dream? Took me about 2 seconds to say “Yes!” There were some caveats but the main one being I had to get them my inspo, and design ideas by the end of the week. The call came on Wednesday so I had to provide my thoughts by Friday. I got right to work putting together a deck for them immediately.

Transparently, I was so excited to put it all together that it didn’t quite catch up to me what I was putting together until after. Like how is this actually happening? I am sending my ideas, sketches, and body composition analysis….to a designer that will do it with me? I am still flabbergasted. But at the time it was literally one foot in front of the other immediately to get this through on time.

I went through my inspo I had collected over the years and started to put them into categories for myself they looked like this —

After putting my overall thoughts together I went ahead and edited down what I really wanted to bring into the dress conceptually which lead me to the next board -

From here I started sketching something to put them all together just to see it visually for myself..

From my perspective, I wanted to be sure I selected elements from dresses they already had in production for the sake of time but also just so I had a frame of reference to start. I knew I had seen a floral detail in their line I could use as a component and frankly this large floral detail is something I REALLY wanted so I was so excited it was tech they already had. I also wanted a basque waist like pictured and I did not include that in my own sketch so I wanted to be sure I mentioned it.

From here I moved to the skirt to do the same “within brand” tech.

Made sure to show another skirt I knew they already had so I could adequately communicate the volume I desire.

This next part was also something I was really excited about implementing but didn’t know if we would be capable considering the time restraint. Similarly to the floral detail I was dying to have a dress where the top came apart from the full skirt so I could wear the dress as a mini into the reception - our wedding will be entirely outside in Italy and all I have heard from EVERYONE and their step cousin’s neice is “it is going to be hot in Italy at that time.” Ok got it, but I shall not compromise for my dress. I simply will suffer to look the way I want to and that’s just period. However, I felt this “separates” idea would really work to my advantage while also being super sellable for the brand when they debut this gown in their collection. I definitely looked at this from a perspective of *if I was the designer what would I hope a bride like me would bring to the table* and acting through that lens. Perhaps that is just working in the industry - perhaps its a 21-year-old sitting in university Flat Pattern class dreaming of getting to think about a collection’s retail value someday. Maybe both. Nonetheless I wanted to help give them as many wins as I could through my dress.

(Not me realizing I spelled Separates wrong right this moment on this slide. Merp.)

The next slide was the last I submitted but self awareness felt imperative at a time such as this. I know from the brand’s perspective, they want the dress to be flattering so that my personal wedding will help sell it and also, hi, hello, I’d like to feel good in it. (lol) Since they didn’t get to take my measurements or really even get to see my shape, I decided I present myself in a lot of styles to show what works on me and what styles don’t do me any favors. Again - thank God for working in the industry and I had these random photos just laying around; don’t worry I know that is kinda weird af that I have so many photos in bridal gowns. However, it worked to our advantage because her sketch back to me was BEYOND and absolute perfection. I am so damn excited.

Are you ready to see her first draft???? HERE SHE IS

We have already added some finishing touches and other exciting elements but this is the latest draft before we send in the final revisions tomorrow. I will keep the updates coming and am loving getting to share the process!!!

Let me know in the comments if you think I am headed in the right direction <3 Cannot wait to continue sharing it all with you.

xx,

Lou