Tell us about the development of your brand from your first collection to now.

Even before I had graduated from fashion school, I knew I wanted my own brand. I have always loved the idea of working for myself; I began developing the brand’s image and how I envisioned it becoming even before we were a company. After graduating, I took an internship in London and learned a lot more about how a small brand is developed. Our very first collection was in my mind, though not a true collection yet. It was speedily designed, and was a way to get dresses in my first showroom. While I liked this first group of gowns, I wasn’t in love with them.

The brand has changed so much as I have grown into the designer and business woman I am today. From the very start, we have strived to present gowns that stand out as different from what we see other designers produce. However, our prices and construction techniques have greatly changed! In the beginning, we did lots of hand-sewing and whilst beautiful, it isn’t always the most durable or cost-effective production method. Today, while we still do a little hand-sewing, we choose to make more designs that need less. Finding ways to still make a classic Rachel Elizabeth style of gown while doing less hand-crafting was tricky, but I think we’ve finally got it down!

Now and Forever was our first collection that came out with more affordable prices, though unfortunately it did so in early 2020. As a result, we have yet to really get to show this collection to the industry other than online. Continuing on with these changes we have made as a brand, our newest collection, The Thought of You, has been developed!

What gown are you most proud of?

I get asked this question a lot, but I am never able to choose a favourite nor one that I’m most proud of, as I love them all. I may have a favourite from each collection, but no one dress beats another! From our 2020 collection, So Close, the Virginia gown is one of my favourites and is named after my niece. I love the combination of embroidered tulle and lace, as well as the classic silhouette: it feels as though it walked straight out of a fairytale. From our 2021 collection, Now and Forever, my favourite would be Wilhelmenia. I am obsessed with the lace and strappy back, perfect for a garden wedding. As we get ready to release our 2022 collection, I can tell you at the moment I love the Lorien gown or the Faelynn gown. While they are different in many ways, both gowns are absolutely captivating.

What is the inspiration behind your latest collection?

When I design a collection, I design from a unique place: my emotions rather than from my head. I have always tried to tell a story with our collections. In the past, the story was much more obvious, but now as we have grown as a company, that isn’t always the case. My story ideas are still very important to the design process, but I am more aware of the cost of production costs. This current collection is called the Thought of You, and is inspired by the thought and feeling behind finding the perfect life partner!

If you weren’t in the bridal industry, which industry do you think you’d work in?

That is a very tough call as I don’t know if I’d be 100% happy if I wasn’t designing. However, I do love baking and could see myself owning my own bakery, or my interests in the medical field may push me to become an OBGYN!

What are you looking forward to the most about Global Gallery?

I am extremely excited to be able to reach people from all different countries. One of my favourite things to do, that inspires my designs, is traveling and immersing myself in different cultures. I am hoping that being in the Global Gallery will bring those opportunities with other countries and influence our designs in a beautiful way. I also love the feature that will suggest perfect stores to us as potential buyers, and us to new stores as potential suppliers: it’s a little bit like a dating app! I think that it will give buyers and designers opportunities to develop new partnerships, expanding our reach to a worldwide market.

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