012. STEVEN KHALIL [VIDEO]

The King of Couture: A Deep Dive with Steven Khalil

In this highly anticipated episode of Crew Table, we sit down with one of the most influential and celebrated couture designers, Steven Khalil. Steven has built a global empire in bridal couture, luxury evening wear, and ready-to-wear fashion, dressing some of the biggest names in the world—including Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Kris Jenner, Emrata, and Carrie Underwood.

From humble beginnings to Paris Fashion Week, Steven has made his mark as Australia’s leading couturier, with his gowns gracing red carpets, celebrity weddings, and international fashion shows. His designs are stocked in over 35 stores worldwide, including boutiques in London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles, South Korea, Canada, and Germany.

In this in-depth conversation, Steven opens up about the reality of dressing A-list celebrities, the high-pressure world of haute couture, and the painstaking craftsmanship required to create a true masterpiece. He shares insights into the business of luxury fashion, discussing whether couture is an exclusive privilege for the elite or an art form that transcends status. We also delve into industry controversies, from design duplication to the intense competition among high-end designers, and the constant battle to maintain exclusivity in a world where trends are copied overnight.

Beyond fashion, Steven reflects on the personal struggles and triumphs that have shaped his journey. He speaks candidly about balancing global success with his personal life, the creative challenges that come with leading an internationally recognized brand, and his relationship with fashion designer Ryan Patros. As someone deeply embedded in the wedding industry, he also offers valuable insight into working with luxury brides, navigating vendor dynamics, and what truly makes a wedding gown unforgettable.

This episode goes beyond the glamour, offering a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective into what it takes to build a lasting legacy in the world of luxury fashion. Whether you're an aspiring designer, a fashion enthusiast, or simply intrigued by the intersection of art and business, this conversation with Steven Khalil is an unmissable look at the price of perfection in haute couture.

HOSTED BY @GEORGEJOHNPHOTOGRAPHY

PRODUCED BY @DANIELJOHNMEDIA

Episode Transcript

(00:10):
Steven Kalil. George, how are you?
Welcome to the crew table. Thank you.
I'm great that you're here. Thank you for having me all.
Right, I've got a first questionto ask you.
Okay, What's Kylie Jenner address?
I wouldn't even know. No, the people wanna know.
I wanna know What's her address?I know you dressed her.
I know Christian is what? Your address.
And I need your address. I.
Actually would not even know heraddress.
To ask this question, I have to ask my.

(00:30):
People in LA I. Actually don't know people in
LA. Ryan, we're asking your people
to. I need the address.
Just kidding. Calabasas.
Calabasas. All right.
How's that go with that? I'm so excited to have you on,
man. Thank you.
This has like been, I feel like a a mountain to climb and I
don't know if it's the peak, butI feel like it's the peak.
It's all downhill from here. I'm joking my next peak because
they're going to get offended. You are to me someone in the

(00:54):
industry, especially Sydney, like wedding industry.
It's like nationwide, globally, someone who's reached the most
exponential growth of anyone that started.
No one has seen a business grow to your scale than than you.

(01:14):
No thank you. I feel like everyone around me
and you also like truly believe and understand it and it's like
so impressive to me how much youas a person and as a brand and
as a business have reached. It's incredible.
It's like the greatest reward toeven like.
No, you ought to affiliate with you because of like the level of

(01:36):
growth you've you've you've succeeded in.
Thank you. It's been a long slow burn.
And that's what I think success is.
OK. You'd rather that than a fast
burn. Well, yeah, you know, yeah.
I wrote I wrote the most like Incredibles film.
Well, I'll say that it's so biasand egotistical, but I'll say it
because I'm going to read it like forward, forward.
But I'm honoured to have someonewho has one of the most

(02:00):
celebrated names in the world ofcouture, Steven Khalil.
From humble beginnings to dressing some of the biggest
stars on the planet, Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Kris
Jenner, Emerada, Carrie Underwood, just to name a few,
Steven has built a legacy that transcends bridal fashion and is
known for his ability to create breathtaking custom couture
gowns. You've graced Paris Fashion

(02:23):
Week. You have your ready to make
collections that are stocked in 35 stores globally, which is
insane. And some of those, like,
countries, I was like trying to Fact Check with you couldn't
even, like, figure it all out. But it was like England.
You were all over US, Italy, Germany, South Korea, which
shocked me. Yeah.
Beyond. But on a personal note, you made
my wife's gown. I did.

(02:44):
And my daughter's christening. Gown, yeah, so special.
Thank you. You've always been an incredible
support to the brand. You really have.
Oh, it's so easy. Thank you, George.
And I think one of the things that kind of struck me the most
is when I was like a few months later, Alexia was like featured
in vogue because of you, becauseof the gown.
And I was like, so like, it's a full circle moment.
So it, it was incredible. But your journey is something

(03:06):
that's like built upon passion, I find.
And getting to know you on like a personal level over the years.
I feel like there's nothing elseI could describe you with other
than passion because you just don't stop.
Like you just you really give ita your your all.
It's a, it's my life's purpose, really.

(03:27):
It's like, you know, you're getting, you're born and you're
given a gift and you know, you're, you're left on your way
to do what you need to do with that gift, right?
And look, it's getting, look, it's a lot of work.
And I still feel like, can I do this till the end, you know?
But yeah, I think it's, I don't see it in myself ever, not doing
this kind of work. I see the brand evolving, yeah,

(03:51):
and me evolving. But it will always be in the
same line of work. Absolutely.
Did you ever feel like over the years you've looked back and
there was a moment in time and don't be shy to be honest about
this. You were like, shit, I've made
it. Was there like a person, a
moment or a year that you're like, this is all I dreamt of?
Yeah, look, you know, to be honest with you, the just the

(04:14):
fact that I could make girls their wedding dresses was the
moment for me because I just loved the whole process of
making a wedding dress. But then as the brand evolved
and it become, it became greaterthan me.
Obviously dressing the celebrities in Hollywood, seeing
the gowns on the red carpet, that's, that's a mind blowing
thing for a young designer to toachieve and all the way from

(04:37):
Australia. And you know, you always, I
always had a lot of stars in my eyes around Hollywood.
And yeah, so it was a golden, those are golden moments and
those are the moments that gave me those feelings for sure.
Do you? Ever.
Do you still remember your firstwedding gown that you've made
for a paid client or like, I'm sure it was paid, but at the
time, like, yeah, yeah. How far back?

(04:59):
Vaguely. Well, I used to sew in my
bedroom. OK.
And I was also working for a bridal as a head designer in a
bridal boutique. Yes, I remember.
But yes, I sewed. I don't know if I there's a
couple of girls and I don't knowwhich one was the first.
OK, Yeah. They can pull it back.
Yeah, like you can remember. Yeah, absolutely.
Are you still proud of that piece that you've made?

(05:21):
Yeah, definitely. Do they still have?
Them. I'd say so.
Oh. My God, can I ask you a question
that's not written? Yeah, just hit me.
What's your thoughts on girls who make their wedding dress
with you and then resell them? It's a question to ask this
early on into the podcast. You know, I, I, I, I actually
don't mind it at all. Yeah.
The thing isn't with me is once I've made that gown and I've

(05:42):
released it and it's had it's day and the bride's worn the
gown and all that, to me it for another girl to wear it and
enjoy that gown is really special.
That's beautiful. Yeah.
I don't have a problem with thatat all.
That's awesome. Not at all.
There's so many questions I haveto ask about like.
Your business growth and kind ofyour outlook and whatnot, but
I'm going to just touch on like the syllable a little bit to

(06:04):
start off. Sure.
Yeah, I don't know if it's just me or anyone else listening to
this, but I think that's where I'm most curious at.
Yeah, of course. But you've obviously you're
going to have been warned by like the stars that I've just
named. I'm sure there's so many that
I'm missing. There are equally as incredible.
You know, think of Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez.
Yeah, I feel like that's the twobiggest names to come to me.
And maybe Kris Jenner. Yeah, That's like the three, of

(06:25):
course. Right.
I'll throw it in there. Yeah.
But what's been the most challenging part and what has?
Tell me everything about that. So like, how did it happen?
Did they contact you? Did you know what's happening?
Yeah. What was the challenges?
I, I at the time I had USPR, OK,And I flew to LA and I met with
Mario, you know, Jennifer Lopez,a stylist.

(06:47):
So I'm going to get on fire. Yeah, she's hers.
Well, all of all of Jennifer Lopez's looks because of
Marielle and Rob Who? Maria and Rob, I love you.
I'm so sorry. Yeah, so and I ended up making
Marielle her wedding dress. Oh, bullshit.
Yeah. So she we were on her radar.

(07:09):
OK. And a lot of those pieces, I
think she also styled Emily Ratajkowski for her look as
well. So it started with that and
obviously it started with havingUSPR.
So did that person then reach out to your PR or did your PR
reach out to them and being like, listen, Kylie wants a
dress. What happens is the PR reaches

(07:30):
out to them and says we have thecollection.
If there's anything you want to see or need, you let us know.
Yeah, but I know with Kylie, shesaw that dress on the runway.
Yeah. And she was interested in that
gown and we had a call from her people and they said we are
interested in this dress. And at the time the dress was
with Jennifer Lopez, the one that Kylie actually wore.

(07:53):
And we said, look, we, the dressis with someone else.
So my PR team, they, it didn't fit Jennifer Lopez because she's
quite a unique shape. And that dress was shipped
straight to Kylie. That's how it happened.
Did you get like confirmation orwas it just like you just saw it

(08:14):
happen? There was no confirmation.
I remember waking up and my phone was buzzing and I looked
up the. I picked up my phone and I was
getting tagged in all the photosof Kylie wearing the dress.
That's mad. And Wendy, I remember Wendy.
Yeah. Wendy.
Where did Wonderland? Wendy?
She called me and she was screaming.
She's like Kylie Jenner's wearing your dress.

(08:34):
Yeah, it's insane. And I was, we were all just
waking up because obviously the Grammys was while we were
sleeping almost. And yeah, that's how it will
happen. Do they keep it or do they send
it back to you? No, we have the dress.
So you have it, we have it, can I have it?
Of course. Such a creep.
We're not such a creep. I'll leave it to you in my will.
I've got this. I've got this on video, by the
way. I'll I'll call my lawyers.

(08:54):
I'm getting stressed. It's mine due.
Paris Fashion Week. Yes, that was huge.
It was back. Here in Sydney, just just
imagine this. You're in Paris.
Yep. And then we're back here in
Sydney and we just saw it roll out through socials.
Yeah, right through your channels, other people there.
It was just like, whoa, this is massive.

(09:15):
It was huge. How do you even get there?
How does it like, what is that expenditure for Stephen?
Like this is crazy. This is coverage is huge.
Looking back at it, how was thatjourney?
Well, you know, we could have just taken the collection, put
it on mannequins and showed that.
I thought, if I'm going to do this, I want it to be proper.
So we were on schedule. We'd spoken to a company there

(09:38):
that talks with the Orcatua Foundation and they sort of they
pass you through to to show and yeah, and end up being an
amazing 40 piece collection. Do you feel like going through
those journeys? Sorry to cut you off.
Do you feel like going through those journeys have actually
shown success in the business? Has it like, you know,

(10:01):
absolutely. It's made me also really admire
the bigger brands and how they show those that amount of a
collection every twice a year and the manpower behind it, the
money behind it, the effort, thework, the the labour.
There is so much work. Behind the scenes, it's like the
the epitome. Absolutely.

(10:21):
Yeah. It's like a peak moving on.
You told. I've kind of figured fact
checked me that it's pre COVID 350 bridal gallons per year.
Oh my God. Proximate.
Yes, which is a lot. I'm not talking ready to air.
For those who don't understand Stephen, it's ready to air
global. Yeah.

(10:41):
And then he has couture, which is bridal.
Yeah, both domestic and and international. 350 per year is
like, I don't even know what themath is.
Yeah, two weeks and a year. I don't know what I'm going to
do on. Terrible.
And look, it wasn't, it wasn't afun time because you, you're
watching your staff working around the clock.
They're under pressure, they're under stress.
We were all it was, you know, itwas wild times.

(11:04):
Surely it was rewarding though, because you saw so many brides
roll out. Yeah, right.
Yes, it's rewarding to see so many brides.
Looking back, if you were to saythat you would do it again,
would you do it again at that scale?
If look if at this point in my career, no.
Yeah. But if you'd asked me when I was
younger and had, you know, the drive and the energy, I could do

(11:28):
it again. And of course, the team, it's
about having an incredible team behind you, you know, to achieve
that kind of that level of that capacity of work.
OK, you know what stage in the business when it comes to bridal
couture tapping on that topic, are you involved in all aspects
of it from start to? Finish even with our

(11:51):
international clientele, we, youknow, across the board where I'm
in touch with the gown in every step of the process.
That's awesome. Yeah, but.
So like, let's say like obviously I know from experience
through Alexia and like whatevershe's told me and just I've I've
even shot brides that do their feelings with you because they
want a journey photograph. So I've seen those consultations

(12:13):
naturally happen in the actual, like actual how it's supposed to
happen. But you're obviously there and
you're going through the decision making.
And I've seen it happen, but I'mtrying to keep people into
light, so I'll just paint the picture for that.
But you know, the bride will puton their dress at certain stages
and you'll say, do you want to do this?
Do you want to do this? Do you want this button, Join
this button? Should we go with this fail or
this fail? Yeah.
So I know you're part of that consultation process and doing

(12:34):
the tweaks, but back of house, yeah.
Are you actually there watching how it's like laced?
I don't know my team. Definitely, yeah, No, the team
are incredible. They or they are leading the
process, yeah, but I am they askme questions along the way.
Sometimes within the fitting, I'll do the draping or lay the
lace, OK, take photos, do videos.

(12:54):
And then I'll say to the team, this is the, this is the brief
and I'll carry on from what I'vestarted or most of the times
they will start from scratch andI will just manage and monitor
that process with my production manager.
Bridal couture and bridal custom.
What is your greatest challenge when it comes to that?

(13:16):
Bridal. Couture.
Yeah. Like your custom brides?
Yep. The custom gowns, right?
What's your greatest challenge when it comes to that?
Do you know, I think the greatest challenge is the bride
feeling confident in her choice.I think that's the hardest part
is we constantly are reassuring the bride because she doesn't

(13:37):
have the gun in front of her to see and she's over stimulated by
Instagram. She has FOMO in case she falls
in love with another dress. So it's a it's an emotional
journey to take that bride on. How involved are you in the
decision making when it comes towhat a bride?
Picks her dress. Are we we our guide?

(13:58):
That every bride is me guiding her?
You struggle when a bride wants to go a certain way and it's not
in line with what you are envisioning or what you are as a
brand. You know those.
Circumstances, you know, back inthe day, I would almost work
with what the bride wanted, but now I feel as though in order to
create a brand, you have to build, you have to have an

(14:19):
aesthetic and you got to stick to it.
You can't go and just be making every kind of dress for everyone
you've got. The bride that comes in to see
me has to want the Steven Khalilaesthetic, otherwise it's not
going to work. And in the past, I would fight
to just take that bride on, but now I'm a bit more true to
myself and I'm like, OK, is she the aesthetic of the brand?

(14:42):
Does she love what we do? Is she classic?
Is she romantic? Is she all those things?
Because that's what the brand is.
I've, I've, I've sort of narrowed it down to be really
classic and just really a beautiful timeless wedding gown.
Yeah, 100%. I always think that, like, you
know, from in my world, I kind of rock up to a wedding and it's
done. Yeah.
There's no input. That's yeah.

(15:03):
Whereas you have like, 6 to 9 months, whatever, maybe
sometimes 3, sometimes a year oflike, input.
Yeah. I'm always curious as if you're
like, Nah, that's the kind of work or we should really do
this. And sometimes, absolutely.
You know, you're dealing with somany personalities.
Yes, every bride's a different person, but you're also dealing
with whoever's with him on the day.
Yeah. Right.
Yeah. Look, I have a few power, yeah.

(15:24):
And I feel I'm super mindful because I'm like, OK, this is
her day, it's her dream, it's her.
Do I just give? Like just do we just allow her
to have what she wants or do we really?
Like sometimes I'll sit down with them and I'll say, look,
let's go in this direction. It's a better way to go.
It's more beautiful, it's going to look better.

(15:45):
It's anything that we need to say to take them away from
wanting bells and whistles all over their gown and feathers and
frills and all those sorts of stuff, you know, do.
You ever get like you or the bride?
Do you ever like suffer from hard question like regret when
it's finished? Like fuck, we should have done
this. Sometimes, OK, absolutely, yes,

(16:07):
because some, you know, you know, when you're rushing a
dress through, sometimes girls, something happens and you just
got to really get that dress made really quickly or they've
brought the wedding forward or something's going on.
We just didn't have that time tobrainstorm the dress and the
detailing. So we're just kind of giving it
the go with the one shot just toget it done and ready and out

(16:28):
for this wedding, you know? So yeah, there's definitely
regrets. OK, Absolutely.
Yeah. Well, you are human, you guys.
It's just like us. Just like you.
Just kidding of course. You're 1 of like the most.
Recognised names in Australia. How do you find the balance
between following what a trend is?
Because we all love trends, right?
Like we always want to run with them and, you know, stay hot and

(16:50):
fresh and, you know, Yep. And how do you then stay true to
like who you are as a person, asa designer?
I take my staples of what I, what I believe make up this, the
brand of the gowns, like the staple sort of ideas, and I'll
grow them and sort of and evolvethem.

(17:12):
I want to kind of relate it backto a Chanel handbag.
Like that handbag has stood the test of time for that brand and
people have gone back and back and back for that handbag,
right? So it's the same with me.
It's like when you have a classic staple, you offer
different elements of that dressuntil it cannot.
It might burn out or it might not, you know?

(17:32):
But I always try to create my brand around the longevity and
the success of a Chanel handbag.And that, you know, and that's
what I want for my brand as well, is that people come back
for that aesthetic and that feeling in that.
Vibe I feel like people enjoy from the people that I've spoken
with whether they're family or, you know, a whole lot of brides

(17:55):
yeah a lot of them really revertback to like their feeling of
the experience with you. Yeah obviously being positive
and, you know just. They missed the journey.
Yeah, Like, fuck, I wish I coulddo it again.
Yeah. So I guess I get, I understand
what you're saying with that whole journey being like an
aesthetic and and kind of tying into like that the whole kind of
spill of it all. But I'm going to ask this
question is. That what you meant though it's.

(18:16):
Kind of what I meant, OK, doesn't matter.
I'm going to ask. I'm going to ask one more
question. I I don't like this question.
I'm just going to ask it becauseI know everyone listening right
now is going to want this question, particularly brides to
be. Yeah.
Like do you see anything like a trend coming up or what do you
see in the next year to two years or three years?
Give insight to a bride that might be a Stephen bride or not
Stephen bride. How do you think like bridal
couture is going to look like in2026, 2020, 7/20/28.

(18:41):
I think we're in our classic eraof bridal.
A lot of the brides are wearing vintage wedding dresses.
A lot of brides are sort of returning back to old school
ideas for their wedding dresses such as classic, romantic,
elegant. They don't want colourful
dresses anymore. They don't want blinged out

(19:02):
dresses anymore. It's become a lot more soft and
almost pared back a little bit. And I feel as though that is
going to evolve over the next couple of years as well.
It's, you know, we went through a period where brides didn't
want white wedding dresses. And now I, you know, it's about
that purity in the wedding gown,that cleanliness of a white
dress and a young fresh bride, you know, in a beautiful white

(19:26):
off white gown. So I think the the trend is
going to be a stronger version of what we've got now, you know?
What do you see as coming out orwhat do you want?
Actually, you know what? Rephrase that.
What do you want to see as coming out?
Coming out. Yeah.
Like what do you? What do you sick of you Just
like this is a song. Too much beating.

(19:49):
OK. Yeah, I like elements, but I do.
I'm finding myself being drawn back to that's the way I used to
design 20 years ago when it was more about textures and fabrics
and Saturns and chules and and the beading were just soft
elements or using a lot more laces.

(20:10):
But yeah, heavily beaded, embellished, heavy looking
dresses. Wedding gowns maybe.
We find harder designing for your ready to wear collection or
designing for a bride or brides.It's actually harder to design
for a collection because when you have a bride sitting in
front of you, you look at her look, you look at her aesthetic,

(20:32):
you see her style and you can easily design for her.
Whereas when you're designing a collection, it's like you're
designing for, you've got to make one dress that 10 different
girls are going to love. So it's actually a lot harder.
Are you talking about like physique and stuff it's or
taste? No, it's taste.
OK. Nothing to do with physique,

(20:53):
it's just, you know, designing one dress that you want to put
on the market that five to 10 girls are going to be attracted
to rather than designing for onegirl where it's you're designing
to her taste and her style. So would you say you enjoy
couture more than ready to wear?In terms of like, I'm starting
to enjoy, ready to wear more now.
OK. Because I'm getting to know

(21:13):
myself as a, because traditionally I'm a couture
designer, so I'm getting to knowmyself as a, as a new designer
in the ready to wear market. So I wouldn't say you I'm
enjoying it. It was 15 years in London.
No, that's right, 15 years ago. Yeah.
With the ready to wear. That's not new.
You're very experienced. But that yeah, that was that was
a like a, you know, that we had that was in the background that

(21:35):
was going on from a while ago. I.
Actually have a question for thephotographers, so I'm going to
skim down and try to find it. I'm like jumping loop over here
because I photographed one of your ready to wear collections
last year, the Mason collection,yes, which was for me a big.
And, you know, photography and couture, I feel like complements

(21:55):
each other. Yeah, in my world.
What? What one?
What dress was that? The collection, Steven.
Oh, you've photographed the collection.
I'm talking about a bride as like for bride.
Yes, that was like an amazing. Shoot, and someone who works
closely with photographers. Yeah.
What do you think most photographers can get wrong when
actually photographing a gown? I would probably say, of course,

(22:20):
you guys want to take a beautiful photo, but when a
designer is looking at that photo, we're looking at
something very different, which is silhouette, shape, fit and
how the gown looks and how it's set in that photo.
So I think maybe if you're doinga a shoot from a ready to wear
collection, it's maybe more focus on on the silhouette, the
dress, rather than the aestheticof the shot.

(22:42):
OK, if that makes sense. That's where your eyes go to.
Yeah, not just like the whole image.
Focus on the work. Yeah, absolutely.
So I'm going to touch on more for I'm going to take like the
team for like the the wedding industry right now.
I'm trying to get this much, youknow, for us, there's no lying
about it. And I'm a very open and honest
person. So I'll say the truth.
Yeah, it's good business when wealign with brands that are at

(23:05):
your calibre, right, and your level of luxury because that
cross affiliation is reassurancefor our clientele, right?
So if Stephen believes in GeorgeJohn, the bride believes in
George John, absolutely, right? They're just naturally human
kind of behaviour works, right? What like kind of how can I
really word this? What advice would you give to us

(23:28):
when it comes to like breaking into the luxury market or
tapping into like alignment? I hate the word collaboration so
I'm trying to avoid it. What's the OK SO advice to
photographers only or just? Anyone that wants alignment with
like a luxury brand? I always think, what do you?
Look. For you know, I always think
with any brand, it's about, it'sabout #1 knowing who you are as

(23:52):
a brand and your own aesthetic. And really, you know, it's about
creating a luxury around what you do.
And then luxury will, luxury will follow.
So it's a kind of hard question.It's a very hard question, but
I'm trying to get to the crux ofit because I'm trying to like
kind of give people who are trying to tap into that market a
little bit more insight from your belt, right?

(24:15):
Because if I was to give advice about like working with you,
it'd be my experience, but you have experienced in so many
people. So I'm trying to get to the crux
of like, what are you seeing people when it's presented in
front of you? So let's say you're, I'll paint
the picture. You're you're you're hosting a
shoot and you're looking for makeup, you're looking for hair,
you're looking for video, you'relooking for photos.
Are you looking for venue? You're looking for model.
Yeah. What are you looking for in

(24:37):
those people? Obviously talent and skill.
An eye for detail. Yeah, yeah, just an eye for.
It's just a creative eye. John.
George. John.
Sorry, George, it's just a creative.
It's just that creative eye, Yeah, that ability to see, yeah,

(24:57):
magic in something. And that's the simplest.
So you just like me, from what I'm gathering, you just trust
your instinct when like you're kind of searching?
For those people, yeah, definitely.
OK, Yeah. Do you ever stay true to certain
people for a long time, or do you try to switch it up?
I've just started to switch it up.
OK, yeah, But I was very, I stayed true to who I was working
with, but now I'm starting to switch it up a little bit more.

(25:19):
Do you feel like competition in the industry, and I'm talking
about your industry, not in general, improves the industry
or creates unnecessary tension? I think within a market like
Sydney or Australia, we are a small market, so it's a lot more
fierce, the competition. Whereas when you, let's say

(25:41):
you're in the United States, you're dealing with triple the
amount of humans of people. OK.
So I think when it's a small group, competition is a lot
harder and it's a lot harder to be relevant and and you know,
show your brand. So you think that it can
sometimes cause more tension than good?

(26:02):
Well, not necessarily. It depends on how confident you
are with what you're doing. OK, for me it's OK.
In your line of crap, I'm like firing you with questions.
No one can pick up on this, but this is good.
I have guys, I have like 47 questions before I get to like
the public's questions. And I really want to like, no,
this is good. Take use of your time.
I know you're a busy person. So I'm like really trying to get
the most out of yeah. For myself, Yeah.

(26:24):
And for everyone else listening.In in simpler terms, competition
is very healthy. Yeah, for any business.
Keeps you on your toes. It's good to see what other
people are doing. Definitely.
Like it's not a bad thing. OK, absolutely.
If you were to like set the record straight in the world of
fashion of something that's kindof miscontrued, what would you
want to set this record straighton?

(26:45):
Like what do you feel like there's a misconception on?
You know, I just think at the end of the, what I think is
people pigeonhole brands into they, they don't allow them to,
you know, become more than what they.
I know what you're talking. About, you know, so it's just I
think it's a pigeonholing thing.I think, you know, we as a as a

(27:06):
designer, as a photographer, youcould move into every other Ave,
but everyone's always going to say George done the wedding
photographer. 100% right. Yeah.
So I think it's about just creating diversity and just
allowing the the US as creativesto be to move in any direction
we want to move in. And that support would be there.
You know you. Hit the nail on the head.
Yeah, you couldn't have said that any better.

(27:30):
Drum roll for the listeners speaking.
I'm going to ask the question that I feel like has been on
everyone's mind. This was definitely part of the
million questions that people popped in, you know, running
Steven Khalil, being the face ofSteven Khalil.
This whole business and the monstrosity of it all comes with
this whole notion of massive dollar figures, right?
Everyone says, oh sure, we'll Stephen Cleo and automatically

(27:53):
people in their mind are thinking, fuck, that invoice
would have been huge. Do you feel like this?
I don't know. I don't even know how to word
this nicely like the correct way.
But do you feel like the public notion of what you are perceived
as in a price point correlates to where you actually are?

(28:13):
Look, we're probably not as expensive as people think we
are. You know, we went through a
period where the gowns were veryornate and very detailed and
prices were just through the roof.
You know, we were making weddinggowns for $45,000.
We were, you know, it was wild times.
And then we also went through a period where the starting price
to even enter the door was $20,000.

(28:37):
And now you the starting price is like below 7 if you want like
a shorter gown or a beautiful simpler Mercado gown Mercado
gown. Can you explain the fluctuation
as to why previously it was maybe at the 20?
Yep, I decided to do a complete overhaul of the brand and start
to reassess everything about thebrand, the labour, the

(29:01):
everything. So we started to make gowns that
were a lot more cost effective. OK.
Yeah. All right.
Amazing. It's really good to know, yeah.
Because I feel like there's a because when you enter the
luxury market, right? And it's like you still want to
be approachable and attainable. Yeah.
And it's like, how do you managethat?
Well, you know what? You can walk into any luxury
brand. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior and

(29:23):
you can buy something for $400. True.
It's the same thing with me. If I don't evolve, I'm always
going to be unattainable. So if those brands are evolving,
I have to evolve. That's the reality of it.
You have to make things affordable.
And it's not about, it's not about the luxury market is not

(29:44):
all about overpriced things. It's, it's just about
accessibility and brand alignment and people's, people's
dedication and you know how, how, how much they want to be
part of your brand. There's so many random
questions. I'm so not taking control of
this table when I'm chopping andchanging.
But you know, I don't really care to be honest.
Alright, just go with that. I see sometimes you do like

(30:06):
mother of the bride and then sometimes you don't.
And like it's so sporadic. And I feel like the times where
I've shot a wedding and you've done like the mother of the
bride or like someone else, like, you know, the sister in
law that was a past bride and, you know, there's certain
selective kind of clientele. Is that a choice, or is that
just like they're just choosing not to spend that much on an
evening gown? We, I often say to the brides, I
say, look, we don't do mother ofthe bride, but if we have a

(30:27):
bracket or a window where there is a, there is time for us to do
it, we will do it. So we probably do 5A year, OK,
Not even. Yeah.
So it's just, it's just, you know what?
It's the luck of the draw. OK, if we.
Can do it, yes. OK, If we can do it, I will do
it. Yeah.
But if we did, you do it. Really.
Well, and I always have thought like, why it's not more frequent

(30:49):
than what I see, but I try to work out like, is this
purposeful? Right.
Yeah. Like, is it?
You're well, you know, selective.
We don't our team. Obviously we have a big team,
but we have to pull them off a wedding gown in order to make
that dress, so it's got to be really well thought out so.
I'm going to change the pace because I feel like I've grilled

(31:10):
you enough that your brain probably hurts.
No, it's good Pan. It on everything for you don't
worry that I'm going to do everyone's Q&A's so they kind of
sure it's kind of narrowed it down because I'm not going to
lie to everyone listening I did remove some silly ones that were
just like they just don't make sense at all The question was
worded correctly but I'm going to make this rapid fire all

(31:31):
right so just keep that in mind but if you wanted to share a
story share a story no particular order literally as I
was sent in you're scaring me yeah you'd be scared yeah just
just kidding do you prefer the wedding industry pre Instagram
or post Instagram? Pre.
Why? There was a there was a little
bit more innocence to the to, you know, making a girl her

(31:55):
wedding gown. It's now become more about, you
know, showing the world rather than showing the.
People, I'm actually surprised by your answer because I feel
like post Instagram would have like showcased your work more.
I thought On the contrary, yeah,but I, I.
Well you got to remember I was making wedding gowns for 15 to

(32:18):
20 years pre Instagram. Yeah, 100%.
And it was all about the people's agendas were different
in a way. You know, no, I believe you.
I get it. What was the first wedding gown
you ever made? I asked you this question
without thinking. The first wedding dress I ever
made was my wedding dress that Imade in college and it was a

(32:40):
corseted full skirt gown with brocade and all these panels and
my cousin actually wore it on her.
Wedding day? Do you have a photo?
We do some way I'm. Going to make you find it.
And I don't know where that dress is now.
That's what the saddest part of it is.
She gave me the dress back. Dress.
We can. I told you, just kidding,

(33:02):
Calabani, just go there and justI'm not.
Going to drop out these jokes, these jokes going to be that
joke that's just like overdone, like get over it by now.
What's your least favourite partabout being a designer?
Least favourite part about beinga designer is, you know, you do
one thing and you've got to justreinvent yourself and keep

(33:24):
going. There's no breathing space.
You know, you design A collection, then you got to go
OK the next collection. So just a little bit of, you
know, reprise would be nice, butthat's about it.
It's like constantly, yeah, Going, going, going, yeah.
How did you meet Ryan? How did a lot of.
Ryan well, you know what? This is the this is the true

(33:44):
story about Ryan and I, we, I used to watch videos of him on
Instagram and I saw that he was showing at New York Fashion Week
and I dropped him a little message on Instagram and I said
I love the show looks amazing, congratulations.
And it took a couple of days, but he responded and then we got

(34:07):
chatting and then he was say, I didn't even know Ryan.
His middle name was Sharbel. And then he start, he said to
me, you know, I'm Lebanese, my middle name's Sharbel.
And it was just, we just evolvedfrom that and we haven't stopped
talking since. Is this true, Ryan?
Ryan's in the room with us. Guys.
Yeah. Fact checking.
This cool guys is verified. Tell us.
You should talk to Ryan about his side of the story.

(34:28):
Yeah, I know. Kind of like we just get a third
Mikey and put Ryan on. But this is a weird question and
you don't need to answer this. Tell us about the most toxic
bride you've had. You know, I struggled to talk
negatively about the girls because there is such a bigger

(34:50):
thing going on for them. So I wouldn't say I've had a
toxic bride. I would just say that there's
been a lot of brides that there's a lot going on for them.
And you know, we can only just do, do our best.
And that's the that's the truth.And I, I wouldn't say I wouldn't
say toxic is a is the right word.
You are all. Class well answered my friend I.

(35:12):
Would and that's the truth. I would have played and that is
honestly the truth. I would have played the 5th for
that question. Yeah, I just don't want to.
I honestly, I'll be honest with you.
I don't want to be that person. Yeah, that hammers.
You aren't that. That slams into these girls
because it's not fair on them and it's just not who I am.
That's very sweet of you. Yeah.

(35:35):
Next question I really want to dive into.
I like, I want to tap into that,but there's so many more as you
can see. But what's your ideal target?
Market Ideal target market is almost like that classic Sofia
Richie kind of girl. Loves beautiful things.
Elegant, classic, sophisticated.Sofia Richie is a great word.

(35:58):
Very, you know, just quiet luxury OK and you know the the
the epitome is the girl who is confident with who she is OK,
and that's that's the epitome for me if.
You were to. This isn't someone's question,
this is their mind. If you were to vocalise a dream

(36:20):
celeb, you'd want to see where one of your pieces.
Who would it be right now, let'ssay this year?
Like manifesto? Yeah.
Adele. Oh, that's a good one.
Yeah. Adele, listen to my podcast,
someone everyone like tag Adele needs.
I'm gonna make that a book. How do you do with a competitive
market? I feel like if I addressed that,

(36:41):
is there anything else you've touched on about that?
You know what, I just think we should all stick to our lines,
do what we do best and allow there to be diversity within our
industries, within Australia. I think the one thing that we
are lacking is so many things just bleed into each other
because it all starts to look the same.
You know, Ryan even said to me there's a point where when he

(37:03):
was in LA, he said I didn't evencouldn't even tell which dress
was which because everyone was just doing the same thing.
So I think it's important to show individuality and stick to
who we are as designers. We don't need to be.
Ryan's perspective would be, like, such a interesting
perspective to have because for me, I feel like I can definitely

(37:27):
tell without even seeing A tag. I can almost pinpoint it.
I don't know. He's just me.
No, he can, like, he can talk, but he's seeing someone who
would have seen our world from another, like from the other
side of the globe. I mean, so interesting.
It is. Yeah.
Like, understand. Yeah.
This is a funny question. Are you over making wedding
dresses? Definitely not.

(37:48):
OK. I thought that would definitely
be the answer. I just want to put it out there.
Yeah. Where do you see Stephen Clue in
five years? I would probably say a bigger,
better version of who we are now.
Oh, well, I love that. And yeah, just.
Yeah. Stop pre reading my questions.
I'm not reading. I can't read upside down.

(38:09):
What's the most expensive wedding gown you've ever made?
We did a bride in Saudi Arabia about five years ago and it was
45,000. Why was it 45,000?
Very extravagant. Like the actual work, the
labour. Or the actual, the labour we we
designed, the actual beading we had, it was all hand fully,

(38:30):
fully hand beaded. There's a lot of labour and a
lot of materials really. That's awesome.
Yeah, but I also saw an article saying you made a gown for
100,000 though. That was a runway OK, but for
client it would be 40. Five.
So would that gown that was thatwas 100 grand be the most
expensive gun you've made? Probably, yeah.

(38:51):
And look, I'll be honest with you, I think the media like
fluctuated that figure on that particular dress.
Do you archive? We do.
Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, absolutely.
We won't disclose any other dress session.
About anything, I'm just curious.
This is the dumbest question ever.
What's the cheapest dress you'veever made?
Oh. My God, I'm going to tell you a
story where? Did you ever say my daughter's
Kristen gown? I will.

(39:11):
Are you joking? It better be a joke.
It was like, like, it was like. Look, I'll never forget my
cousin was getting married and OK, this is a story.
This is a story and they my auntie, it was her grandson.
It was my auntie's grandson, right?
And they were look, she might have been maybe pregnant and

(39:35):
they needed something really quickly and but they wanted she
wanted the dream dress and neverforget my auntie hands me $20
and says make her a wedding dress.
There you go. And I did it, 20 bucks.
She did a, we did a, it was a Saturn bodice with a full skirt.
But I went to obviously, obviously we blew a budget, but

(39:56):
it was a, it looked beautiful. It was a, it looked like a
$20,000 dress. There you go.
But you know what it's it's yourskill and how you do it.
Fuck it. And that is an absolutely true
story they wrote in brackets. Positive.
Just so you know. Most unforgettable bride you've
ever had. Take your time.
Unforgettable. About this one.

(40:16):
It's so hard to put to say one. There's been so many.
And I, you know, I don't say that.
I don't say that loudly. It's the truth, you know,
There's been so many. Has there been even like a few
that you were like, this was a really memorable story because
like, listen, if anyone hasn't picked up on by now into the
episode, I'll describe it. And I'm, I'm not here to kiss

(40:38):
arse or like fluff, but like to me, you come across someone
who's very emotive, like you're a very emotional person and
you're, you're very soft hearted.
Like you have a lot to give. You're very generous.
Like, even when I've lived with you and like, you know, if I'm
trying to go above and beyond because like I'm trying to
impress you, you're like, George, send me the invoice for
that. And I'm like, no, no, no, you're
like, and you press on like you're very like you're generous

(40:59):
with your time. You're generous.
It's like, you know who, who's around you.
So you have a lot to give. So I'm sure there's a lot of
stories that would have connected with you.
Was there anything that you kindof can reflect on?
And like that, just like, reallyreminded me of why I do what I
do. I think the the thing that with
that, with that side of it, I think it's my compassion to
anyone that owns a business. And I think it's because I know

(41:21):
how hard it is and I know how every dollar counts and, you
know, so it's, you know, you just got to be really mindful of
that, especially amongst your peers.
Yeah, or your the people, I mean, just like.
Curious. They're like, how has life not
toughened you up in the sense oflike not changed you, but as it
has absolutely. Really.

(41:42):
And you're still this like kind and like, you know, giving after
all these years. Because I'm sure like, you know,
I know, I know. And I'm sure a million people
who listen to this run of business or their dads have run
businesses or mums have run businesses and, you know, they
know that the the kind of stressit kind of puts on someone and
the struggles, Yeah, it toughenssomeone.
Someone absolutely look, I've had to overcome that.

(42:03):
I've been through you know, and it's made me a little bit like a
little bit hard on the outside. Like, I think sometimes I can be
a little bit, I can appear to bea little bit cold and like, OK,
well, that's happened, whatever.But yeah, look, I still have
compassion in me. I only see that side.
It's been a tough, it's been a tough journey and internally I

(42:26):
have to constantly keep that, keep that alive.
Listen, I always go back to my mother in law.
If she likes someone, I know that they're a good person and
she's obsessed with you because she's a hard person to crack.
Yeah, like if she likes, she will call us.
She's gorgeous. She like, I was like, OK, this
is a good person. What's the average spend I'm I'm

(42:47):
assuming time money on a weddingdress by Steven Khalil?
I would say in the past it was very different, but now I would
probably say anywhere between 15to 20.
OK, but there are girls that spend 12, there are girls that
spend 10 and there are girls that spend 8.
OK, It's, it's very diverse now.It just depends on the gown and

(43:07):
what's involved. Very broad question, Where do
you draw your inspiration from? From my past, like my past
gowns, I work on what's worked, what goals have loved.
I also draw inspiration from anything vintage.
I love. I love old school.
I often look through old patterns, you know, the dress

(43:30):
patterns. Yeah, Yeah.
Love things like that. I'm saying.
Yeah, like I do not like books. Ryan would know.
Whenever we travel, I'm like, oh, you know, we go, we always
love to go to old churches and see old buildings and we that's
awesome. You know, we we both get
inspiration, the same very similar thing.
Last question from the people. This is not coming from me.
I'm not this intrusive. Will you ever get married to

(43:50):
your partner, Ryan? How do you know we're not
already married? Are yous married?
You know what? We would be the type that would
be married and I would. Not we're asking genuinely
because I feel like he's would be and no one would know.
We're not yet, but we are. We are planning it yet,
Absolutely. But we're both so low key.
Like yeah, we both are very low key and would probably get

(44:11):
married in Italy, just the two of us or the South of France.
And. And you feel like you will do it
in a way that no one would know.Absolutely.
Would you? Purposely keep that private,
yeah. OK, we we would obviously tell
friends and family, Yeah. But I I kind of see I wouldn't.
Share it publicly, No, like on your like work page or anything
at all on social media? No Why?

(44:33):
I'm not second guessing it. I'm not like disagreeing with
that. Number one with it's some look
that part of me is so I'm super private.
It's there's so much behind it. There's just, there's just some
that's just one thing that I don't feel comfortable floating,
flaunting. And it's really personal and I

(44:56):
don't know what it is. I don't know why, but it's just
it's a sacred thing and it's between us 2 and I don't think
we don't we need to share it with anyone.
You know it's a stupid question to ask.
I don't share much on social media to begin with though.
Yeah, you don't. You know I've never been if you
were to. Tell me that he's got married
already or would not have been surprised at all the sliders.

(45:18):
But I'm glad I'm getting that information here on the podcast.
Let's be real bad. But then again, look, if Ryan
had said to me it's important tohim to have a big wedding and do
all that, I would do it. There's no doubt.
But I know that he also Ryan's also very private so.
Yeah, Aligns. Yeah.
How has the journey been findingyour soul mate?

(45:41):
It's been amazing. Yeah, yeah, we are.
So we are so happy. It's Ryan and I have been, we
have a similar family, like we have one of four children,
single mums. Their their similarities are
just crazy scary. And, you know, we, we have that
as our foundation that we both, you know, was so similar and

(46:01):
things like that. Yeah, it's just, it's been
amazing and. I always get curious, sorry.
Ryan has a twin as well, so. He Are you a twin?
Ryan is a twin. OK, I thought, I'm like, there's
no way you're a twin. Ryan's a twin.
Ryan is a twin identical. Holy moly, yeah, that's crazy
it. I always think that it would be
like, not a problem, but I'm always curious how it works

(46:24):
behind closed doors in terms of like having a partner who is a
designer that's very established, like Ryan's dressed
Beyoncé. Absolutely like Ryan's dressed
the biggest celebrities than I'm.
Like it's, it's like, it's not like you're just getting it like
someone who who's a dressmaker, a designer.
You're like someone who's reached that level, right.
Yeah. It does it marry in a nice way
or has ever conflicted? Ryan and I are absolutely not

(46:46):
intimidated by each other's success.
And we the one thing that is most important for us is ours as
a family and everything else is just our careers and things like
that. But we are not into any, all of
his successes. I, we celebrate, he celebrates
mine. I celebrate his.

(47:07):
That's awesome. And there's no like, it's not
like that. It's not about that at all.
Use feed off each other like. Definitely creatively.
Yeah, has it ever clashed? Sometimes, yeah, sometimes, you
know, he won't agree with what I'm saying or vice versa.
But yeah. But we, there's a level of
respect there, you know, that, you know, he's very established

(47:28):
within himself, as you know. And I think the, the one biggest
thing is that we both really setboundaries around that, you
know, and we come first before anything.
It's our, you know. That's so beautiful.
Yeah, it's good to know. I don't imagine, I don't
wouldn't, wouldn't picture you guys.
Yeah, we don't. We put us, we put each other

(47:48):
first before. We don't feel like it would be
so awesome to like kind of, you know, bounce to each other and
like, hey, I'm thinking about this.
What are you thinking having? Someone.
Yeah, we do. That, you know, I think he's
work on the floor a little bit, yeah.
But like, you know, it's obviously different when you're
in front of people, whether it be like, you know, a colleague
or a client, right. So always get curious about
that. Touching a little bit back on

(48:10):
business, do you ever feel like there was a big risk that you
took that paid off or didn't payoff, like both?
And can you share a little bit of light on that because it's
been so many years and there's been so many moments where you
absolutely invested a lot financially and emotionally and
time wise? There was a period pre COVID
when we were investing in ready to wear, not bridal.

(48:32):
It was fashion. We created the collection, took
it to Paris, showed it, showed it to the buyers markets and
everything like that. And then that COVID hit and
things like that. But I still never was 100%
comfortable in that Ave and there was a bit of an expense in
that and we lost that. But that was, that was one thing

(48:53):
I remember. I just, you know, I remember
after that I just decided to stay focused on what I'm good at
and what I know, and that is bridal.
You have a lot of hearts that you wear, so you have like
couture ready to wear. There's other stuff that I
haven't even mentioned. There's perfume, there's rugs
collection with designer rugs. Designer rugs.
Yeah. There's christening gowns.

(49:13):
Yeah, there's that are like ready to wear christening gowns.
Yes. Is there anything else that I'm
missing? Jewellery.
Jewellery. I knew there was something.
Yeah. Is there a stage where you're
like, I'm not you're going to continue this anymore?
You're like very content with managing all of these kind of
branches of your brand. Well, you know, where it's now
I'm in a point in that period where I'm going to, I'm

(49:35):
thinking, do I consolidate and what's what's working, what's
not, what is important and what isn't, you know, so what's.
Worked the most. That surprised you?
The ready to wear bridal. OK, yeah, I would have thought
perfume. Perfume's good, too.
Like it's a massive hit with. You.
Yeah, Perfume's good. It's my perception.
Yeah. No, no, it's going really well.
No one would really know. But that's a, you know, again,

(49:56):
that's a branch of me wanting tocreate something that is, you
know, accessible to the mass market.
Mel asked you a a question that I was surprised when she asked
you this question. I like this.
She was. I love Mel.
She was recorded before you. The question was if you were to
choose one charity foundation todenote donate to for the rest of
your life, what would it be and why?

(50:18):
Yeah, right. That's a good one.
It is a good one. Yeah.
And she came up with it like that when I was asking a
question for Steven. Yeah.
I would have to say I would it would be women and domestic
violence and women that have to flee their homes.
Nowhere to go. I just, yeah, look, there's so

(50:40):
many things. There's so many charities and
why that one? You know, I suppose because I
was raised by a single mom and it's the importance of children
having a solid stable mother, you know, and our solid stable
home because that, you know, thethe ramifications of all of that

(51:03):
on children is huge. So you've got to kind of get it
at the top so that. How's your relationship with
your mom? Very good.
Yeah, yeah. That's awesome.
It's a simple relationship. It's good.
Yeah, I'm sure she's so proud ofyou.
She is. How was your, like, childhood?
Not really childhood, but like Idon't know what how old you were

(51:24):
when you were starting in terms of like becoming a designer.
How was that transitional phase going into like becoming a
designer? Well, it's only like at the very
beginning for you. Well, I started.
I did textiles and design in high school and I was sewing at
home from the age of 6. OK, so it's always been there
machine. Where you using it at six?
That's crazy. I was hand sewing the dresses

(51:44):
and then my mum brought me a little sewing machine.
Oh, that's awesome. And then I got I finally got at
at about 11. I got a proper sewing machine.
That's sick. Yeah, that's awesome.
So it was. Very innate at a young age they
kind of felt that yeah, if you. But obviously when we, when I
started to go to college and, you know, by the age of 19, I
had a job, I was working, it ramped up in the industry.

(52:05):
Yeah, a little bit more seriously, I guess, like.
Well, got got a kind of foundation to work.
If you were to give a message toyounger Stephen, what would it
be? The message to younger Stephen.
There's so many messages. What would they be?
My God, I don't know. I can't even.
I'm trying to think. It would probably be just.

(52:30):
I don't know. I would probably say rethink
your earlier decisions. OK.
Yeah. Do you think if you had a time
capsule and you were to go back in time so I could, I'd say
maybe. I don't know.
You pick the edge. Yeah.
And looking forward into a glassMirror Now you would have
reached. You would have thought you would
have reached where you've reached.

(52:51):
Yeah, I had, yeah, you know, I was very, I was doing it very
naive. I was just doing what I love to
do and I had to learn along the way as well.
So you don't think you're destined to be at like?
This level of I wished for it, yeah.
It was what I wished for and what I wanted and I was working
towards it. Yeah, absolutely.
It was a conscious decision. But in my heart, I felt like

(53:17):
because nothing came easily, I was like, oh, is this going to
happen? Is this going to work?
But as time went on and you know, things happened and you
know, all these little miracles along the way, and I call them
miracles because they were. And those those little miracles
made me believe that I was beingguided in the right direction.

(53:40):
What do you mean by little miracles?
Just little things that happen and you're like, my God, how did
that happen? And put me there, OK, It's like
a little miracle. It's awesome.
It's like so many little, littlethings along the way.
I got it. If you were to kind of pinpoint
attributes to success, what would it be?

(54:02):
Consistency. Just mastering that one thing
and being great at it, and then let that be your success.
And then once success is with you, you start to then branch
out and experiment more. OK.
Yeah, if you were to kind of give insight to a bride who just

(54:23):
got engaged, I'm so choppy with like these questions, but it's
so good. It's fine.
It's good. If you were to give inspiration
or like kind of some insight, noinspiration insight.
So like a bride who just got engaged just listening to this
and like, advise you or just curious to like kind of get that
full blown insight without a paid consultation.
Yeah. I'm such a smear.

(54:44):
George is doing it for the girls.
For the girls. I love it.
What would you kind of tell her?Like what advice would you give
her? My advice would be to any new
bride is stay true to who you are and find that.
Find your personal style and youknow, of course there's going to
be so much to say on Instagram and so much visual content, but

(55:06):
it's about being true to who youare as a fashion.
What you would wear in everyday you would you would instil that
into your wedding gown. If you're a classic kind of a
girl and everyday you're just really, you know, a classic in
how you dress, I'd say keep yourwedding gown really classic and
beautiful. Just consistency in style and
know who you are as a bride. I would never, ever, ever want

(55:30):
to understand the stress or likeanxiety around what they go
through and what you go through because you know, like you're
kind of pre planning something that's like at least nine months
in advance, not knowing if you're going to change your
mind. You know what?
I mean, like, and can I tell you80% of the girls, they come in
and they're set on. They know what they want.
Oh, really? They yeah, they're confident in

(55:52):
who they are. That's exactly.
What? I thought, yeah, we get very
classic girls. Yeah, my the girls that that we
attract are very classic and they know who they are out.
Of curiously, did you ever get abride that's like halfway
through completely flipped the switch and it's like, I'm so
sorry to do this here. We have to start fresh, but is
that not even an option? Look, it's probably happened OK

(56:13):
once or twice, but no, it doesn't happen much.
Did you allow? For it.
It depends. It depends on if it's such a big
flip, you know, or not. Yeah, it just depends on how how
much of A flip we're talking. Oh, OK.
Because if it's something we cando with the current gown that
we've got, we're, you know, we're there for them.
I'm saying decisive. If I'm like, Nah, let's do it
again. Every minute.
Back to the drawing board we go.I've.

(56:34):
Got a question for you? What's your favourite wedding
dress of all time like? What is your style?
Oh shit fuck. Are we talking about like what
I've shot or just in general? Just like if you were to say if
you were to like your, if you were to create a perfect bride,
what would she be wearing? It'd be Princess Diana's

(56:57):
sleeves. The pop sleeves, yeah.
That would be what my wife for. Yeah, nice. 100%.
She looked amazing. I loved her second look.
Yeah, it was stunning, Yeah. Fun fact for anyone, before I
really answered this question aswell, I offered Steven Cleo
$10,000 to send me her sketch because I'm so nosy and he
denied it. As if I'm gonna take, as if I'm

(57:19):
gonna not deny that. No, and I was like fuck, other
than my wife, I think Princess Diana's was like the most
iconic. Did you see that, that bride
that got married recently in thebig massive puff sleeve?
Yes. Yeah, It was beautiful.
She looked out as well. Yeah.
To be honest, I feel like they could never be a favourite for
anyone. That's the Honest Tree answer.
I feel like the favourite is what works well with the

(57:41):
wedding. Do you know what I mean?
Like you kind of look at brides and it's a really cool look, but
it doesn't suit the wedding, whether it be like the venue or
the overall aesthetic or like, you know, what kind of vendor
she chose. And then sometimes you look at a
bride that's like, oh, that was really surprising and
unexpected. Yeah.
Like to be honest, in the nicestway possible, like Tammy Hembor
really surprised me. Yeah.
And she got married definitely the whole wedding aesthetic and

(58:02):
her whole look. Yeah.
In the. I thought she really surprised
me. I was.
Yeah. I love a pink.
I never have picked. I know that.
I said her hair that way, her tolook that way is so same.
You know, like you look at moments like Daniel, like that's
really well done. Yeah.
Like Sofia Richie's wedding, really well done back in the
days. I feel like Kim Yang's wedding
was like the most insane when George Vinci like that was like
like incredible. Like the back.

(58:24):
It's hard to pick, but there's so many brides of wheels that
I'm like, now this is a favourite.
But I love pink. But I need wedding dresses
because I know that we spoke about colour before.
Yeah, but we're in a, we're in awhite era.
But I do love a. Pink wedding I like when you do
like your your like nude or likebeige dresses.
Oh, the latte sort of tones. That's my favourite.
Oh really? Yeah, yeah, I had AI, had a

(58:46):
phase with those, but now I'm loving.
I think that's a real lace for. Always cleanliness of a
beautiful. White Wedding, like your Grace
Kelly vibes are always like, hitreally well for me, yeah.
Yeah, for sure. You always kill it.
I'm always excited when you're on the job.
Thank you I'm. Going to move on to this that
you picked up before Oh yes, guys, Stephen picked up this
before didn't look at the questions I stopped him this is

(59:07):
like a random card game by the way, thanks for coming on Yeah,
you're. Welcome.
Thanks for having me. Was that good?
Busy. It's been great.
Yeah, some questions. You let me know if I asked him
good questions, if I, if I didn't ask him enough questions.
Honestly don't even bother listening to my podcast anymore
because I feel like I've asked him so many questions.

(59:28):
I'm so rude. I love your.
What am I doing? Pick a card and just hand it
back to me. It's going to leave it OK.
What emotion do you try to avoid?
What emotion do I try to avoid? Irrationality.

(59:51):
Why are you afraid of letting goof yourself to feel that way?
Isn't that cool Be? Wow.
No, like I just think that's, you know, you got to try and
stay rational in any scenario. So I'm very conscious of that.
OK, I wouldn't have expected that emotion.
For me, it's always like tears. Yeah, it takes a lot for me to

(01:00:12):
cry. No way.
Oh my God. You seem so emotive to me, like
so. Emotional.
Yeah. And I'll, I'm the type of person
I'll just cry alone and no one will know about it.
See. OK, It takes a lot for me to
cry. Oh wow.
Yeah. Why?
I don't know what. I do I do get a block.
I feel like something blocks me when I when I'm about to cry or

(01:00:33):
feel that kind of emotion because I've always had to be
put on a front. Yeah.
And I've had to be a brick. Wall so I think I see I was
saying pre recording before we were on aired that I feel like
you don't have the stress streakin you from what I say, I think
I've only seen you stressed onceyeah.

(01:00:54):
And that's because we spent like15 hours shooting the collection
and those moments where you're like like, you know, like you're
stressing about like something small as you would right.
Yeah. Do you feel like you're a
stressed person or you're not a stressed person?
I'm a tornado on the inside, OK?Like I'm, you know, I can get
very stressed, but I just try towork through it, hold it

(01:01:18):
together and internalise it. Internalise it.
Yeah, OK, But I've also learned to manage stress as well.
How do you manage your stress? I think over time it's just
about, you know, not worrying about the things we can't
control and just doing the best we can do.

(01:01:40):
And I think a lot of the stress is worrying about things we
can't control and dealing with things when they come cross that
bridge, when we get to it. A lot of it's, you know,
worrying about the future when we, it hasn't even happened yet.
Obviously, I worry about my business and my team and
everyone, you know, collectivelyas a group.
And obviously everything that comes with running a business is

(01:02:02):
stressful. Yeah.
But I just feel like I've learntto live with being stressed.
Yeah. So if I do put on this Compass
owner, I like that. Fuck you.
Put on a compass. Thank you.
Whenever I see you at a bride's house, you're always bubbly and
happy and I'm the stressed one. And the amount of times at a job
you're like, George, what's wrong?
I'm like what? Do you know what's wrong like?
Give it time, it comes you want.To start the list, Steven.

(01:02:24):
Give it time, it comes with age.But OK, alright, I'll give it
time. I'll just have to deal with it.
But thank you for coming on. Thank you for having me.
That's been. My honour, thank you.
I hope it wasn't too hard on you.
No. Not at all.
Alright. Cool.
Alright, mate. Yeah, that's alright.
Yeah. Happy time.
I'm very happy. Thank you.