November 24, 2019 • 21 mins
From studying fashion in Australia to establishing her bridal company in the US, Callie shares how she crafted her brand and the evolution of her design process. We also delved into the expansion of the Australian wedding industry, and Callie’s inspiring tenure with Mariana Hardwick that ignited her love for bridal designs.
In the second part of our conversation, we got the scoop on the meticulous manufacturing process behind Modern Trousseau's stunning gowns. We get an in-depth look at how the choice of fabric often shapes her designs and the lengths she and her team go to, ensuring every dress is a finished masterpiece.
Another fun fact you’ll learn in this episode is how Modern Trousseau got its name!
Special series season in partnership with Coded Agency
____
Launched in 1986, Modern Trousseau is well-established as the preferred design house for brides worldwide. As the hallmark of the Modern Trousseau label, owner Callie Tein’s designs center around luxury laces and fine French and Italian fabrics. Her distinctive designs have been featured in many top print and online publications, including Vogue, Inside Weddings, People Magazine, Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Style Me Pretty and countless more.
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderntrousseau/
Places to go - People to see:
Kelly's Site: http://www.kellymcwilliams.com
Kelly's Blog: https://www.kellymcwilliams.com/blog
Instagram: @kellyamcwilliams
About Kelly:
Kelly knows how incredible a well planned wedding can be. Every moment counts and every decision plays a part. Wedding planning should be fun and as easy to do as possible. Besides planning weddings, Kelly travels the globe as an industry speaker. Kelly is a Martha Stewart Top Wedding Planner & this podcast won Brides magazine and WeddingWire's best podcast.
Need a little help planning your wedding?
The Getting Ready Room List (ON SALE NOW)
Wedding Song Ideas: Spotify Playlist Included! (ON SALE NOW)
Download the Wedding Spending Plan
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Hello and welcome to this Versus that making wedding
decisions with Kelly McWilliams.
This podcast is for you ifyou're making a wedding decision
and want to know what toconsider before saying I do to
all the things that will makeyour wedding experience a great
one.
I'm your host, kelly McWilliams, and I'm so glad to be a part
(00:30):
of your wedding planning journey.
In each episode, you can counton me and my expert wedding
co-hosts to give you everythingit takes to make the best
decisions for the wedding thatyou're dreaming of.
And we're back, so this one.
I love the beginning of thisepisode with Kelly from Modern
Trousseau.
(00:51):
We hit it off instantly and, oh, as a reminder, we're here at
Melange de Blanc at New YorkBridal Market Fashion Week and
it is noisy, guys.
You're going to hear it throughall of these episodes in this
mini series as we interview allof the top designers, and I just
(01:14):
want to make sure that you'relearning to that, if you haven't
listened to the last fewepisodes that this conversation
with Kelly was so cool becausewe learned about how the name
from Modern Trousseau came to be.
So I hope you enjoy this one.
I definitely did, kelly.
Thank you so much for coming intoday.
(01:36):
I'm so excited.
Thank you for having me.
This is quite the week here inNew York.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yes, it is, yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
And I'm so glad you're here, and we were talking
when you came in that you'refrom New Zealand, australia,
originally, but you're here inNew York now.
Yes, and we're here in theUnited States.
That's great.
So I'd love for you to tell ushow Modern Trousseau came to be.
I also want to know about thename, like how you decided on
(02:06):
that name?
Is there a story behind it?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Well, there is.
So I was struggling to come upwith a name and I found the word
trousseau in the dictionary andI saw that it meant the
definition was what the bridewears.
I thought, oh, it's perfect,but you can't trademark a word
like trousseau.
It has to be something.
(02:30):
So I came up with bridaltrousseau and different things,
and nothing.
In Australia, where Iregistered the name first, you
have three options, ok, and so Idid two, and I couldn't think
of the third one and my sistersaid, well, what about Modern
Trousseau?
So I wrote one trousseau on thepiece of paper and then a few
(02:52):
weeks later it came back andthat was the one they selected.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That is, oh, because they tell you yes.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
They tell you what it's going to be.
Yes, you give three options andthen they pick one Are you
excited when that one is.
I was, and I said to my sisterlook, I chose your name.
What were the other two thatyou put on?
I can't even remember.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You don't even remember, I don't even remember,
but I'm so glad that it wasoption three.
Yeah, that was my third choice.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh, that was a third choice.
That was a third choice.
I put my sisters down as thethird choice and that was the
one that was selected.
So, montreuseau, that's how thename came about.
And when was that?
Oh gosh, too long ago, too long.
Well, I mean no, before 2000.
I think it was sometime in the90s.
(03:38):
I ran a business in Australiadoing bridal gowns.
Oh, okay, yeah, and I had thatbusiness for a while and then my
husband got a job in the statesand you know how, about, if you
come over here and we, you know, set up a new business over
here and I Saw it.
Wow, that sounds great.
You were looking forward to it Iwas actually because I came
(04:00):
over to America and I realizedthat it's just, it's really well
run over here at the weddingindustry in Australia at that
time.
I don't know exactly what'slike in Australia now, but it
was much smaller.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
We didn't have a bridal market.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Oh yeah, there was no bridal market.
So I remember when I wanted tostart selling my gowns to the
stores.
I really should go throughtelephone book, which I don't
know if anyone has.
A telephone book is anymore.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
But I can't have these books.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
And the first one I found was Abby bridal and I
called them up and they saidI'll take a look.
And so I started wholesaling toAbby bridal, which is actually,
I think it's part of the MaggieCetero Lion yeah, but that's
was cool in Australia.
So I started selling versuswholesale there and and I was,
oh, this selling is great.
And so when I came to America Ithought, oh, you know, this is
(04:51):
such a wonderful market, is sucha great opportunity for me to
set up my business, and started,and I Started in the basement
of my house and I started myfirst collection myself, did you
?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
really did?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I did all the patterns, I did all the draping,
all the cutting, all the soul.
Did you go to fashion school?
Yes, Okay, I went to fashionschool in Australia.
I went to RMIT, okay, and I hadthree years of just having fun
and being crazy with fashion andI got out into the real world
and what am I gonna do?
But my mother said, you know, Ithink she was terrified that I
(05:26):
wasn't going to be able to finda job.
So she found a job in anewspaper and again, I'm not
sure people notice that jobsused to be advertised in
newspapers.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And I went for the job with a company called
Mariana Hardwick and the companyis still going in Australia and
I got the job and I just fellin love with bridal.
It wasn't something that Ithought.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Did you design anywhere?
I was Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I was designer, for we didn't have destination
weddings, we called theminformal weddings.
Oh, so I was the informalweddings designer.
Got it?
Yeah, so the gowns were kind ofsimpler, easier, and I loved it
.
I just fell in love with it andI've enjoyed it ever since.
Okay, so it was all my mother,all my mother, your mom, yeah,
(06:11):
my mom.
Thanks mom, thanks mom.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
So your husband said we're going to move to the US
and you came here and thenthat's when you were introduced
to bridal markets.
Like what would?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
you know, yes, yes, so like your, bridal market was
happening.
Yes, I got a job in a bridalstore because I wanted to see
how it worked, and they saidthey were going off to bridal
market.
What's that?
And they told me all about it,and sometime later I got the
opportunity to go to bridalmarket and see what it was all
about.
I thought this is fantastic andso I started.
(06:42):
I had two small children in themeantime, so I waited until
they'd rent me the garden.
I had some time and then Istarted playing.
I've been playing some facemasks and I was very lucky.
I was able to grow it and Outof your basement.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Out of my basement.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And then I found stores, okay, and I did trunk
shows and I started selling oneor two here or there and then it
just started to grow.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
And yeah, it was fantastic.
I love that and so, and now.
So, from a place where you arejust like going like direct
people, to being in a place likethis, melange de Blanc, where
they have bring all thedesigners and you can do the
shows and it's game changer.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Oh, absolutely Absolutely, Because you know,
when you're in a show like this,you get a lot of international
buyers.
I've had buyers from Brazil andJapan, all over coming to see
us, even Australia.
Some of them are Australianstoo, and it's funny because we
actually don't sell our gowns inAustralia at the moment.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Oh really Well, maybe now that could change.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
So it's just wonderful to have that exposure.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Well, so in those instances where you don't have
the gowns, like in salons, likesomewhere like Australia,
someone can still get yourdresses right.
Yes, so would they be orderingonline or they have to contact a
store that's in Govair?
They would have to contact astore, or?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
contact me directly because we did have a dress.
We did a short dress many, many, many years ago, before anyone
was doing short-way dresses, andit was really just for fun and
it just took off and we used toget calls from like people in
Poland and Ireland oh my gosh,can you send me this dress?
Can you send me this dress?
Okay, give it to yourmeasurements.
(08:34):
Yeah, we'll send you the dress,but usually if somebody wants
something to say, they can callus directly and we'll figure it
out and figure out a way that isso cool.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
That is so cool.
Okay.
So tell me about like yourcurrent life, like what we're
going to see, like I'm soexcited.
I can tell you're excited.
That's one thing about podcaststhat are so bad.
Is that the second I say thatto people, to the designers that
come in and sit in here likethey glow and they smile.
Immediately your excitement isthere.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Because you put your heart and soul into every
collection or at least I do andI'm so lucky because I have a
wonderful team of seamstressesand people that I work with who
can interpret my sketches and myway of thinking and my
aesthetic, and we all worktogether to make these gowns and
(09:27):
I think the collection isamazing.
I think everyone did a greatjob and they really pulled it
together.
There's always some last minutedresses and fabric that arrives
late that you're tearing yourhair out, but everything came
and everything looks great andwonderful and I'm just really
happy that it turned out so well.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Tell me, what your process is for like your, I mean
, because you've been doing thisfor a long time, yes, and you
know, I'm sure there's times andseasons where it comes really
easily to you.
But, like for this season, wasit that you were inspired by
fabrics that you came across orthings that you saw out in art,
or what it's really thought?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
because, I just recently moved to Washington DC
so I've been going to a lot ofmuseums and things like that.
So one of our dresses, willow,is very architectural Willow and
it's like sculpture.
So it's actually a reallyclassic, simple, strapless gown
and then it has these beautifulflowers that we made, giant
(10:29):
leaves, that kind of cascadedown the side and it just it
looks like sculpture, like whenyou're making this.
So basically, I was in theworkroom and I just wrapped a
whole lot of leftover fabric andI went in and I said, alright,
I'm going to sculpt this piecethat I want Because you can do a
sketch, but it doesn't reallymean a lot.
(10:50):
You have to really put ittogether and see how the fabric
works, because you can't fightwith your fabric.
You have to work with it,because the fabric always wins,
so it doesn't matter.
You just have to choose theright fabric and work with it
and see, as you're molding itand you're making things, how it
turns out.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So what do you do when you are sketching your
designs?
Do you have fabrics in mind forit already, or does it go the
other way around?
It goes both ways.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So sometimes the fabric literally talks to me and
directs me and I feel like I'mnot even there.
I'm just doing what the fabricwants me to do with it.
And that's a wonderfulexperience because you're really
in the zone and that just flows.
And sometimes those designsjust come really easy.
And sometimes you do a sketchand you think, oh, this is going
(11:40):
to be great.
And then you start trying toput it together and you realize
oh, that's great.
There are complications here andthis fabric just doesn't want
to do this.
So then again, I listen to thefabric and I let it do its own
thing, because you want thefabric to sit beautifully and
fold beautifully, so you justhave to go with it, and
(12:00):
sometimes that also is a way tocreate a really beautiful gown
and maybe something reallyoriginal that you didn't
originally come up with.
But here it is unfolding infront of you.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And that's also a great experience.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
So designing is it's challenging, but it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Oh my gosh, I can't imagine what it's like when you
actually I know you go from likeyou're just piecing it together
, like you said the flower thatyou did for this dress, when
you're, when you like, the firstdress of the line, like you
starting a new season.
Do you find?
Do you already have like allthe like you've sketched out for
(12:38):
all 12?
Do you find that, like, onceyou start one that you decide
you're going to change anotherone a little bit, or does that?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
ever happen.
Well, the sketches that westart with and all the sketches
we end up with, I had a.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
That's what I think.
That's kind of where it's going.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It's a very fluid process, because again,
sometimes something on paperlooks really good and then you
make it and it's like oh,actually that's not great.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Like, I'm not in love with that.
So we're very fussy and we willpull things apart and restart
them.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
That's part of the course, I guess.
And do those end up being likeyour, like your final moments,
usually on the runway?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yes, yes, they do, I think, because that's when the
magic happens, that's wheneverything just comes together.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
So when it comes to monitors, so do you guys just
have one line or do you havelike multiple?
Just one, okay.
And when someone like goes toor they find your brand and they
love it, is it just that whatis available online for just one
(13:47):
season, or can they go back andget?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
other ones.
Okay, we have some dresses thatare classics, if I can get the
fabric.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I'm gonna make it.
Okay, got it and I, fromsomeone else, came in here
earlier and they were like allthat fabrics on it was like
their favorite one, and theyfound it in the back of a room
from like 30 years ago orsomething.
It's like, oh, it was you and Iwas like that's sad.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I know, I know, sometimes fabrics get
discontinued and then you justhave to move on.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Oh gosh.
So um, do you go to likenormally they have like fabric
markets or something like that,like, what is that where you
start?
Usually no, or you start withthe sketches.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Well, a lot of fabric .
People send me things.
Oh, okay, but I do.
I come into New York and I scowfabrics and people come with
fabrics and yeah, that startsthe process.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know what?
That just reminded me that yousaid, because you told me that
you actually manufacture here inthe States, which some of our
audience.
That's important to them, youknow, and I think that's lovely
that you do and that's righthere in Connecticut In.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Connecticut.
Yes, that's amazing.
It is amazing.
Like I said, I have an amazingteam of seamstresses and the way
we work is kind ofold-fashioned dressmaking.
So we will often make a twile,which is the dress in a cotton
fabric.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Not it to get the fit .
To get the fit.
Yeah, you can see them piecingit Okay.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
And that allows us to get the fit right.
Oh and then.
So the girls will come in andtry on the twiles and the stores
and then we send them back toConnecticut and they take that
apart and they use that as thepattern for the dress.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Oh, so that's how it happens, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Not for every single girl, something who don't need a
twile.
They might fit perfectly intothe sample, but for others I
think it's really essential.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
That is amazing.
Yeah, so it goes from that verysimple state Uh-huh, how long
does that process?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, I get asked that all the time.
It depends.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Okay, um, what's the shortest time frame you've had?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Oh, my goodness, I think, uh, four weeks, get out
of town and a girl who wanted anAudrey Hepburn inspired dress
and it was beautiful and shecouldn't find it anywhere.
So she came in and her weddingwas getting closer and closer.
I said, look, if you make thedecision today, I can do it.
So she said, okay, let's do it.
So, um, they made the patternin Connecticut.
(16:24):
They sent the twile or muslindown to me, I did the fittings
into photos, sent it back, justcame back.
I needed just a couple of smalltwigs and it was good to go and
she looked amazing and she wasjust so happy and thankful that
she could wear the dress shewanted.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah, yeah, how often is it that the girls, because
you have so is it that sometimesthey come in and they're
getting like more of a culturewhere it's you know, one-on-one,
like you're building itspecifically for them?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yes, yes, and you're like a part of a collection too,
is that right?
Yes, so people usually startoff with the collection and most
people just make small tweaksto dresses but there are some
girls who just want somethingvery specific.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
So we're trying to cater for them as well.
Okay, and do any of those everend up being part of a line?
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Sometimes, yes, we.
Once I was in the store and Ihad a dress and the girl said I
love the top, but I just I lovebig skirt.
And you know, we went throughthe whole collection and then
finally her father said can youjust put a big skirt on this
dress?
And I looked at him.
I said yes, we can.
(17:35):
So we took the original topthat she liked and we put on
this big skirt and it was sobeautiful that I ended up
putting it in the collection andit became like a number one
best-selling dress.
Oh my gosh, yes.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Was she like over the moon about that?
I think she was, and her dadwas great.
That's what I say.
Her dad was probably like andhe was just.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
He was not a design person or anything Like.
He basically just came there tohand over a credit card to pay
for the dress and then gotpulled into this whole
conversation and ended up.
He was the one who said well,just put a full on this top.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Well, he was like here, like an equation.
Yes, this is the problem, thisis the facts.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yes, I need to solve this for these girls.
Yes, it was funny because, yeah, I mean, and you know, we went
through a ton of differentdresses and then we she kept
coming back to the first one,and then we just decided to put
the full skirt on, and then Ilooked at the dress and I
thought you know what thisparticular dress is going to
work?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Not on every dress can that happen, but on this
dress it could work and it just.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
It was beautiful.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
What is that dress called Meadow Meadow, okay, so
now I have to go look at this.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Yes, the meadow dress , because the story is the story
anywhere, but like I don'tthink so, no, I don't think so
but it was just great.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is this the first time people are hearing this
story?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I think so yes, it's such a good story, such a good
story, and it was just yeah.
Then everybody startedgravitating towards Mr S, I
think, because it had a sheerlace back and that was very new
back then oh, okay, okay, reallyexciting it was great, so it's
fun.
I like working one-on-one withpeople, with brides, and being
(19:10):
in the stores and you get a tonof ideas and feedback.
That's great.
It's important to stay in touchwith your customer.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Oh, 100% agree with you on that.
100% agree with you on that,Callie.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You're so welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
See, it's just so fun to talk about wedding dresses.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
I know, I know and to get these stories that I
totally forgot about that story.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I'm glad it came up, I was excited about it, like
that's cool to me.
So I hope you have some more ofthose.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Oh, I'd like to write a book?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Oh, I'm sure no, but I mean like dresses that come
out of like like a problemneeded to be solved and to being
best sellers.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
That's amazing, so thank you so much.
It's crazy good.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Okay, thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
I'm so glad to be able to sharemy wedding experiences and
expertise with you, and that myco-hosts are so giving of theirs
.
We truly do want you to havethe best time at your wedding,
and our hope is that thispodcast is helping you to make
your engagement time whileplanning your wedding that much
(20:14):
easier.
May I ask a favor of you?
If this is the case, would youjust take a moment to leave a
review of this podcast on yourlistening platform?
It helps people just like youto find the podcast and to also
find out their answer so theycan make decisions.
I would also absolutely lovefor you to give this versus that
(20:35):
podcast a shout out on yoursocial media.
You can find us at this versusthat wedding podcast on
Instagram, and if you would likeme to help you with a specific
question, a wedding decision,please by all means ask, send me
a DM.
I would love to hear from youand maybe, just maybe even have
(20:56):
you as a wedding cast on afuture episode.
How fun.
Here's to another great wedding.
Hello and welcome to this Versus that making wedding
decisions with Kelly McWilliams.
This podcast is for you ifyou're making a wedding decision
and want to know what toconsider before saying I do to
all the things that will makeyour wedding experience a great
one.
I'm your host, kelly McWilliams, and I'm so glad to be a part
(00:30):
of your wedding planning journey.
In each episode, you can counton me and my expert wedding
co-hosts to give you everythingit takes to make the best
decisions for the wedding thatyou're dreaming of.
And we're back, so this one.
I love the beginning of thisepisode with Kelly from Modern
Trousseau.
(00:51):
We hit it off instantly and, oh, as a reminder, we're here at
Melange de Blanc at New YorkBridal Market Fashion Week and
it is noisy, guys.
You're going to hear it throughall of these episodes in this
mini series as we interview allof the top designers, and I just
(01:14):
want to make sure that you'relearning to that, if you haven't
listened to the last fewepisodes that this conversation
with Kelly was so cool becausewe learned about how the name
from Modern Trousseau came to be.
So I hope you enjoy this one.
I definitely did, kelly.
Thank you so much for coming intoday.
(01:36):
I'm so excited.
Thank you for having me.
This is quite the week here inNew York.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yes, it is, yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
And I'm so glad you're here, and we were talking
when you came in that you'refrom New Zealand, australia,
originally, but you're here inNew York now.
Yes, and we're here in theUnited States.
That's great.
So I'd love for you to tell ushow Modern Trousseau came to be.
I also want to know about thename, like how you decided on
(02:06):
that name?
Is there a story behind it?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Well, there is.
So I was struggling to come upwith a name and I found the word
trousseau in the dictionary andI saw that it meant the
definition was what the bridewears.
I thought, oh, it's perfect,but you can't trademark a word
like trousseau.
It has to be something.
(02:30):
So I came up with bridaltrousseau and different things,
and nothing.
In Australia, where Iregistered the name first, you
have three options, ok, and so Idid two, and I couldn't think
of the third one and my sistersaid, well, what about Modern
Trousseau?
So I wrote one trousseau on thepiece of paper and then a few
(02:52):
weeks later it came back andthat was the one they selected.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That is, oh, because they tell you yes.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
They tell you what it's going to be.
Yes, you give three options andthen they pick one Are you
excited when that one is.
I was, and I said to my sisterlook, I chose your name.
What were the other two thatyou put on?
I can't even remember.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You don't even remember, I don't even remember,
but I'm so glad that it wasoption three.
Yeah, that was my third choice.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh, that was a third choice.
That was a third choice.
I put my sisters down as thethird choice and that was the
one that was selected.
So, montreuseau, that's how thename came about.
And when was that?
Oh gosh, too long ago, too long.
Well, I mean no, before 2000.
I think it was sometime in the90s.
(03:38):
I ran a business in Australiadoing bridal gowns.
Oh, okay, yeah, and I had thatbusiness for a while and then my
husband got a job in the statesand you know how, about, if you
come over here and we, you know, set up a new business over
here and I Saw it.
Wow, that sounds great.
You were looking forward to it Iwas actually because I came
(04:00):
over to America and I realizedthat it's just, it's really well
run over here at the weddingindustry in Australia at that
time.
I don't know exactly what'slike in Australia now, but it
was much smaller.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
We didn't have a bridal market.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Oh yeah, there was no bridal market.
So I remember when I wanted tostart selling my gowns to the
stores.
I really should go throughtelephone book, which I don't
know if anyone has.
A telephone book is anymore.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
But I can't have these books.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
And the first one I found was Abby bridal and I
called them up and they saidI'll take a look.
And so I started wholesaling toAbby bridal, which is actually,
I think it's part of the MaggieCetero Lion yeah, but that's
was cool in Australia.
So I started selling versuswholesale there and and I was,
oh, this selling is great.
And so when I came to America Ithought, oh, you know, this is
(04:51):
such a wonderful market, is sucha great opportunity for me to
set up my business, and started,and I Started in the basement
of my house and I started myfirst collection myself, did you
?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
really did?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I did all the patterns, I did all the draping,
all the cutting, all the soul.
Did you go to fashion school?
Yes, Okay, I went to fashionschool in Australia.
I went to RMIT, okay, and I hadthree years of just having fun
and being crazy with fashion andI got out into the real world
and what am I gonna do?
But my mother said, you know, Ithink she was terrified that I
(05:26):
wasn't going to be able to finda job.
So she found a job in anewspaper and again, I'm not
sure people notice that jobsused to be advertised in
newspapers.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And I went for the job with a company called
Mariana Hardwick and the companyis still going in Australia and
I got the job and I just fellin love with bridal.
It wasn't something that Ithought.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Did you design anywhere?
I was Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I was designer, for we didn't have destination
weddings, we called theminformal weddings.
Oh, so I was the informalweddings designer.
Got it?
Yeah, so the gowns were kind ofsimpler, easier, and I loved it
.
I just fell in love with it andI've enjoyed it ever since.
Okay, so it was all my mother,all my mother, your mom, yeah,
(06:11):
my mom.
Thanks mom, thanks mom.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
So your husband said we're going to move to the US
and you came here and thenthat's when you were introduced
to bridal markets.
Like what would?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
you know, yes, yes, so like your, bridal market was
happening.
Yes, I got a job in a bridalstore because I wanted to see
how it worked, and they saidthey were going off to bridal
market.
What's that?
And they told me all about it,and sometime later I got the
opportunity to go to bridalmarket and see what it was all
about.
I thought this is fantastic andso I started.
(06:42):
I had two small children in themeantime, so I waited until
they'd rent me the garden.
I had some time and then Istarted playing.
I've been playing some facemasks and I was very lucky.
I was able to grow it and Outof your basement.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Out of my basement.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And then I found stores, okay, and I did trunk
shows and I started selling oneor two here or there and then it
just started to grow.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
And yeah, it was fantastic.
I love that and so, and now.
So, from a place where you arejust like going like direct
people, to being in a place likethis, melange de Blanc, where
they have bring all thedesigners and you can do the
shows and it's game changer.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Oh, absolutely Absolutely, Because you know,
when you're in a show like this,you get a lot of international
buyers.
I've had buyers from Brazil andJapan, all over coming to see
us, even Australia.
Some of them are Australianstoo, and it's funny because we
actually don't sell our gowns inAustralia at the moment.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Oh really Well, maybe now that could change.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
So it's just wonderful to have that exposure.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Well, so in those instances where you don't have
the gowns, like in salons, likesomewhere like Australia,
someone can still get yourdresses right.
Yes, so would they be orderingonline or they have to contact a
store that's in Govair?
They would have to contact astore, or?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
contact me directly because we did have a dress.
We did a short dress many, many, many years ago, before anyone
was doing short-way dresses, andit was really just for fun and
it just took off and we used toget calls from like people in
Poland and Ireland oh my gosh,can you send me this dress?
Can you send me this dress?
Okay, give it to yourmeasurements.
(08:34):
Yeah, we'll send you the dress,but usually if somebody wants
something to say, they can callus directly and we'll figure it
out and figure out a way that isso cool.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
That is so cool.
Okay.
So tell me about like yourcurrent life, like what we're
going to see, like I'm soexcited.
I can tell you're excited.
That's one thing about podcaststhat are so bad.
Is that the second I say thatto people, to the designers that
come in and sit in here likethey glow and they smile.
Immediately your excitement isthere.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Because you put your heart and soul into every
collection or at least I do andI'm so lucky because I have a
wonderful team of seamstressesand people that I work with who
can interpret my sketches and myway of thinking and my
aesthetic, and we all worktogether to make these gowns and
(09:27):
I think the collection isamazing.
I think everyone did a greatjob and they really pulled it
together.
There's always some last minutedresses and fabric that arrives
late that you're tearing yourhair out, but everything came
and everything looks great andwonderful and I'm just really
happy that it turned out so well.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Tell me, what your process is for like your, I mean
, because you've been doing thisfor a long time, yes, and you
know, I'm sure there's times andseasons where it comes really
easily to you.
But, like for this season, wasit that you were inspired by
fabrics that you came across orthings that you saw out in art,
or what it's really thought?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
because, I just recently moved to Washington DC
so I've been going to a lot ofmuseums and things like that.
So one of our dresses, willow,is very architectural Willow and
it's like sculpture.
So it's actually a reallyclassic, simple, strapless gown
and then it has these beautifulflowers that we made, giant
(10:29):
leaves, that kind of cascadedown the side and it just it
looks like sculpture, like whenyou're making this.
So basically, I was in theworkroom and I just wrapped a
whole lot of leftover fabric andI went in and I said, alright,
I'm going to sculpt this piecethat I want Because you can do a
sketch, but it doesn't reallymean a lot.
(10:50):
You have to really put ittogether and see how the fabric
works, because you can't fightwith your fabric.
You have to work with it,because the fabric always wins,
so it doesn't matter.
You just have to choose theright fabric and work with it
and see, as you're molding itand you're making things, how it
turns out.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So what do you do when you are sketching your
designs?
Do you have fabrics in mind forit already, or does it go the
other way around?
It goes both ways.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So sometimes the fabric literally talks to me and
directs me and I feel like I'mnot even there.
I'm just doing what the fabricwants me to do with it.
And that's a wonderfulexperience because you're really
in the zone and that just flows.
And sometimes those designsjust come really easy.
And sometimes you do a sketchand you think, oh, this is going
(11:40):
to be great.
And then you start trying toput it together and you realize
oh, that's great.
There are complications here andthis fabric just doesn't want
to do this.
So then again, I listen to thefabric and I let it do its own
thing, because you want thefabric to sit beautifully and
fold beautifully, so you justhave to go with it, and
(12:00):
sometimes that also is a way tocreate a really beautiful gown
and maybe something reallyoriginal that you didn't
originally come up with.
But here it is unfolding infront of you.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And that's also a great experience.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
So designing is it's challenging, but it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Oh my gosh, I can't imagine what it's like when you
actually I know you go from likeyou're just piecing it together
, like you said the flower thatyou did for this dress, when
you're, when you like, the firstdress of the line, like you
starting a new season.
Do you find?
Do you already have like allthe like you've sketched out for
(12:38):
all 12?
Do you find that, like, onceyou start one that you decide
you're going to change anotherone a little bit, or does that?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
ever happen.
Well, the sketches that westart with and all the sketches
we end up with, I had a.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
That's what I think.
That's kind of where it's going.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It's a very fluid process, because again,
sometimes something on paperlooks really good and then you
make it and it's like oh,actually that's not great.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Like, I'm not in love with that.
So we're very fussy and we willpull things apart and restart
them.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
That's part of the course, I guess.
And do those end up being likeyour, like your final moments,
usually on the runway?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yes, yes, they do, I think, because that's when the
magic happens, that's wheneverything just comes together.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
So when it comes to monitors, so do you guys just
have one line or do you havelike multiple?
Just one, okay.
And when someone like goes toor they find your brand and they
love it, is it just that whatis available online for just one
(13:47):
season, or can they go back andget?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
other ones.
Okay, we have some dresses thatare classics, if I can get the
fabric.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I'm gonna make it.
Okay, got it and I, fromsomeone else, came in here
earlier and they were like allthat fabrics on it was like
their favorite one, and theyfound it in the back of a room
from like 30 years ago orsomething.
It's like, oh, it was you and Iwas like that's sad.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I know, I know, sometimes fabrics get
discontinued and then you justhave to move on.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Oh gosh.
So um, do you go to likenormally they have like fabric
markets or something like that,like, what is that where you
start?
Usually no, or you start withthe sketches.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Well, a lot of fabric .
People send me things.
Oh, okay, but I do.
I come into New York and I scowfabrics and people come with
fabrics and yeah, that startsthe process.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know what?
That just reminded me that yousaid, because you told me that
you actually manufacture here inthe States, which some of our
audience.
That's important to them, youknow, and I think that's lovely
that you do and that's righthere in Connecticut In.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Connecticut.
Yes, that's amazing.
It is amazing.
Like I said, I have an amazingteam of seamstresses and the way
we work is kind ofold-fashioned dressmaking.
So we will often make a twile,which is the dress in a cotton
fabric.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Not it to get the fit .
To get the fit.
Yeah, you can see them piecingit Okay.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
And that allows us to get the fit right.
Oh and then.
So the girls will come in andtry on the twiles and the stores
and then we send them back toConnecticut and they take that
apart and they use that as thepattern for the dress.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Oh, so that's how it happens, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Not for every single girl, something who don't need a
twile.
They might fit perfectly intothe sample, but for others I
think it's really essential.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
That is amazing.
Yeah, so it goes from that verysimple state Uh-huh, how long
does that process?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Well, I get asked that all the time.
It depends.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Okay, um, what's the shortest time frame you've had?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Oh, my goodness, I think, uh, four weeks, get out
of town and a girl who wanted anAudrey Hepburn inspired dress
and it was beautiful and shecouldn't find it anywhere.
So she came in and her weddingwas getting closer and closer.
I said, look, if you make thedecision today, I can do it.
So she said, okay, let's do it.
So, um, they made the patternin Connecticut.
(16:24):
They sent the twile or muslindown to me, I did the fittings
into photos, sent it back, justcame back.
I needed just a couple of smalltwigs and it was good to go and
she looked amazing and she wasjust so happy and thankful that
she could wear the dress shewanted.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah, yeah, how often is it that the girls, because
you have so is it that sometimesthey come in and they're
getting like more of a culturewhere it's you know, one-on-one,
like you're building itspecifically for them?
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yes, yes, and you're like a part of a collection too,
is that right?
Yes, so people usually startoff with the collection and most
people just make small tweaksto dresses but there are some
girls who just want somethingvery specific.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
So we're trying to cater for them as well.
Okay, and do any of those everend up being part of a line?
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Sometimes, yes, we.
Once I was in the store and Ihad a dress and the girl said I
love the top, but I just I lovebig skirt.
And you know, we went throughthe whole collection and then
finally her father said can youjust put a big skirt on this
dress?
And I looked at him.
I said yes, we can.
(17:35):
So we took the original topthat she liked and we put on
this big skirt and it was sobeautiful that I ended up
putting it in the collection andit became like a number one
best-selling dress.
Oh my gosh, yes.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Was she like over the moon about that?
I think she was, and her dadwas great.
That's what I say.
Her dad was probably like andhe was just.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
He was not a design person or anything Like.
He basically just came there tohand over a credit card to pay
for the dress and then gotpulled into this whole
conversation and ended up.
He was the one who said well,just put a full on this top.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Well, he was like here, like an equation.
Yes, this is the problem, thisis the facts.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yes, I need to solve this for these girls.
Yes, it was funny because, yeah, I mean, and you know, we went
through a ton of differentdresses and then we she kept
coming back to the first one,and then we just decided to put
the full skirt on, and then Ilooked at the dress and I
thought you know what thisparticular dress is going to
work?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Not on every dress can that happen, but on this
dress it could work and it just.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
It was beautiful.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
What is that dress called Meadow Meadow, okay, so
now I have to go look at this.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Yes, the meadow dress , because the story is the story
anywhere, but like I don'tthink so, no, I don't think so
but it was just great.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Is this the first time people are hearing this
story?
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I think so yes, it's such a good story, such a good
story, and it was just yeah.
Then everybody startedgravitating towards Mr S, I
think, because it had a sheerlace back and that was very new
back then oh, okay, okay, reallyexciting it was great, so it's
fun.
I like working one-on-one withpeople, with brides, and being
(19:10):
in the stores and you get a tonof ideas and feedback.
That's great.
It's important to stay in touchwith your customer.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Oh, 100% agree with you on that.
100% agree with you on that,Callie.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You're so welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
See, it's just so fun to talk about wedding dresses.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
I know, I know and to get these stories that I
totally forgot about that story.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I'm glad it came up, I was excited about it, like
that's cool to me.
So I hope you have some more ofthose.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Oh, I'd like to write a book?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Oh, I'm sure no, but I mean like dresses that come
out of like like a problemneeded to be solved and to being
best sellers.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
That's amazing, so thank you so much.
It's crazy good.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Okay, thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
I'm so glad to be able to sharemy wedding experiences and
expertise with you, and that myco-hosts are so giving of theirs
.
We truly do want you to havethe best time at your wedding,
and our hope is that thispodcast is helping you to make
your engagement time whileplanning your wedding that much
(20:14):
easier.
May I ask a favor of you?
If this is the case, would youjust take a moment to leave a
review of this podcast on yourlistening platform?
It helps people just like youto find the podcast and to also
find out their answer so theycan make decisions.
I would also absolutely lovefor you to give this versus that
(20:35):
podcast a shout out on yoursocial media.
You can find us at this versusthat wedding podcast on
Instagram, and if you would likeme to help you with a specific
question, a wedding decision,please by all means ask, send me
a DM.
I would love to hear from youand maybe, just maybe even have
(20:56):
you as a wedding cast on afuture episode.
How fun.
Here's to another great wedding.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!