Tag: TheFashionBridesInterviews

FashionBride Interview with Kara Janx

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Aren’t we all fans of Project Runway? So there’s no need to point out we are all fans for Kara Janx and her lovely and elegant designs, not to mention we’d all want a gown signed by her. In order to find out a bit more about her and her fabulous designs I thought an interview would be more that appropriate.

Here you have  some of Kara’s thought on fashion,  work and life! Enjoy and don’t forget to check her fab site.

1. When did you decided to become a designer and why did you find this domain interesting?

 I finished my degree in Architecture at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and then moved to NYC to work as an architect. NYC has evening programs in a variety of subjects including fashion at FIT . Whilst working during the day as an architect, I would attend classes at night.

It just felt very natural. I never received any type of degree/diploma. I studied classes that I felt were relevant to what it took to understand the construction of a garment. I also made sure to learn every single machine and its possibilities, so that I know the limits or outer limits of what I could do with fabric and so that I could converse in the same language with the pattern maker, cutter & seamstress.

Within my first few months of part-time studies, I got a job as assistant designer at JCrew. It was also at the same time that stores started to place really decent size orders. It was an obvious as well as organic decision

2. Talk us trough the first years of you work. Maybe you could tell us what did change in time? Are your designs different from the very beginning?

I started out silk screening on fabric and converting the fabric into underwear and t-shirts, both received such an incredible response. Everything was done by hand. It was definitely a gradual revolution as requests for more styles come from buyers and customers alike that I broadened the fabrics and silhouettes into what they are today.

  

One really needs to find their niche in the marketplace, and it definitely took some trial and error before I, and the buyers knew exactly what they could expect from the brand season in and out. Now the buyer and customer buys the label specifically for the dresses and tops.

The brand has come a long way, but the journey has been if at times crazy, so much fun!

4. Do tell us a bit more about your inspiration sources for your collection.

Color and fabrication are always key when introducing trends into the collection. Traveling, my husband and gorgeous children inspire everything that exists in my work and my life. Living, breathing and working in NYC, one cannot help but be stimulated: the mind, eyes and ears. It’s the streets of Manhattan that really impact my designs

5. Have you got any piece you’ve created and that has a very special meaning for you? Can you describe it or can show us a picture?

The Dylan dress is my daughter’s name, when I named the dress I knew it would be a best seller, and IT IS!!!

6. From your point of view, how should a perfect bride look like?

I honestly think every bride is perfect, there is a confidence and radiance that a bride has that is almost contagious.

 I remember being a bride and thinking that my husband and I were in a kind of bubble, like we were floating.

It’s the dress, makeup, hair, nails, shoes, jewels, flowers…everything is so well thought out, for me that is as good as perfection gets

7. And tell us what would you give her and, maybe, other brands can’t.

The brand offers a package that is so uniquely different from all the other brands. It’s edgy, hip and progressive. The line also crosses the boundaries, whereas the dresses easily translate into bridesmaid dresses, rehearsal dinners, cocktail parties.

We have had so many bridal parties lately and the general comment is that every girl in the bridal party enjoyed there dress, as it wasn’t constricting & dated, rather youthful, chic and fun.

8. Last but not least, do you have any advice for FashionBride readers?

Yes, try and enjoy the process, it truly is a once in the lifetime experience, try and treat the planning as part of the fun of getting married. Take it in your stride and be the gorgeous gal you always dreamed of being

FashionBride Interview with Fred Hord from MyGlassSlipper.com

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We’ve focused so much on getting the right answers about the perfect gown that we almost missed the shoes :)! Not to worry, we’ve asked Fred Hord, the owner of  MyGlassSlipper.com, a couple of questions and now we know a bit more about bridal shoes. Not to mention we’ve decided that shopping online for bridal shoes will spare us time and effort that we can redirect to better wedding causes! Read, enjoy and don’t forget to check MyGlassSlipper.com.

1. When did you start to find this domain interesting?

After college I ran my Mother’s wedding gown salon. I invested some time in improving the shoe department and it really took off. Within a couple of years I had created MyGlassSlipper.com and had the entire inventory on-line.

Eventually, the shoe department and website were taking all my time so my wife and I purchased the department from my Mother and formed a separate business that only sold wedding shoes.

2. Take us through the first years of your work. Maybe you could tell us what did change in time?

The first year was shaky to say the least. We assumed control of the business six weeks before 9/11. After that, the bottom fell out and nobody bought anything for months. It was January before things picked up and many, many more months before we were out of the red. One year later we moved into a new location.

Another year later we opened a New York location. The next year we purchased our competitor, BridalShoes.com. The next year we opened a store in NJ. And finally in 2007, our fifth year, we purchased PromShoes.com.

Each of the first five years we saw 20%-30% growth. Also in 2007 we closed our Virginia store and distribution center and moved to Missouri where quality staff was more readily available and real estate was more affordable. The last few years have proved more challenging but we have become a better company because of it.

3. Why should a bride-to-be choose your products?

As any bride-to-be will find, there aren’t that many different bridal shoes out there. Most sites carry much of the same products. In addition to those styles, MyGlassSlipper.com works with designers to create exclusive styles that aren’t otherwise available.

We also keep good sellers in production for as long as brides continue to buy them. We offer custom shoe dyeing as well. Our staff is familiar with the bridal industry where as the phone reps at the giant shoe websites cannot help with or answer bridal related questions.

4. How do you help your clients make the best decision?

Unfortunately, no matter how many angles of the shoe you photograph, the customer will have to try the shoes on in order to make a decision.

We have recently launched video reviews so the customer can see the shoe in motion and hear how the person wearing the shoe felt about it.

5. Last but not least, do you have any advice for FashionBride readers?

I will stick to the bridal shoe topic for my advice, “Don’t over analyze the shoes”. Don’t examine the shoes under a microscope to ensure perfection or you will always be disappointed.

It is easy to find a flaw in a shoe made of white satin. Your wedding shoes really take a beating during the wedding so keep in mind what you are going to do to these shoes before you try to find a flawless pair. How long do you think it takes Gallagher to choose a watermelon?

FashionBride Interview with Galit Levi

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Luxury, creativity and incredible sense of style … these are the first three (ok, seven) words that come in mind when thinking of Galit Levi. Her collection presently impressed me, and so I’ve decided to ask some questions . The hardest part was to decide upon the questions, cause Galit constantly gives us reasons to wonder how she can create such wonderful designs. PS. I’d even say she manages to create lucky gowns, cause in one of her dress Dana International managed to get the Eurovision trophy … imagine what a wedding gown signed by her might get you …

Tell us why did you become a fashion designer?Since I was a young girl I enjoyed looking for special fabrics and create clothes for me and my friends. I loved the opportunity to wear my original designs. My girlfriends complimented me on the clothes and wanted to wear my special designs, so I decided to become a fashion designer. During my military service I took fashion design courses In order to become a professional fashion designer. 

Galit Levi

 

And why the interest for the bridal industry?

I got exposed to the bridal industry when I was planning my own wedding.

I was looking for a unique design for my wedding dress but the designs at that time were more conventional, so I decided to design my own wedding dress. I used pink lace with gold threading for my dress and it had an extraordinary look. At my wedding I got many compliments on my dress and within two months of my wedding day, I had dozens of orders for bridal dresses, so I decided to establish my own bridal couture business in Tel Aviv.

Today, I have a show room in New York and a store in L.A for bridal and evening wear. On October this year (2008.) I’ll open another store at the “Manhattan Plaza”. 

Talk us through the process of making a gown.

When I begin to create my seasonal collection I think about a concept and a meaning for the collection. I get inspired from people I meet, places I travel, special fabrics that I import from Paris and Milan, and even from my dreams. After I choose the concept I start playing with the fabrics until the image of the gown is created in my head, and then I sketch the design. The design is passing over to sewing and cutting department, and with the help of my expert seamstresses, weaving and twining artists, the gown is being created for fitting.

After several fittings, the gown is ready to wear.

Do you have a favorite gown? One that you’ve created and have a special meaning.

I will always cherish my first wedding gown that I created. That was, like I mentioned before, my own wedding gown which lead me to open my business and be a part of the fashion industry. This dress actually made my dream of becoming a fashion designer come true. 

How do you see a perfect bride? What should she wear?

My perfect bride is wearing one of my designs that fit her body curves. If she feels comfortable in the dress, then she will have a natural glamour. I tend to like the royalty look and believe every bride is a princess on her wedding day, so she should dress like one with a white gown made of delicate lace with swarovsky crystals in a mermaid shape. 

Do you prefer a more conventional style or go for the avant-guard?

I like the glamorous look like we see on fashion productions, catwalks and style magazines. My designs are well known as avant-guard and unique followed by an exquisite handcraft and elite couture, so even when I design a classic collection I add good stones, pearls and anything that can create an exclusive look. 

What about white, should a bride consider having a different color for her dress rather than the old fashion white?

Of course she can. I got married in a pink lace gown, so I recommend to each one of my bride costumers to follow their imagination and taste when it comes to choosing a color and design for the dress. But it’s also important to choose a color that goes well with the skin tone.

Although white is the common color for a bride gown, there are many brides who prefer cream or pearly color for their dress. I also had Several orders for pink, yellow, silver and gold gowns.

Tell us some more about your 2009 collection.

My new collection is based on the romantic decade. I combine between handmade delicate imported laces, beautiful pearls and sparkling swarovsky crystals, in order to create a total vintage look. The tone of the 2009 collection is based on champagne color scale.

What where your inspiration sources, what did you opt for as materials, shapes etc.

I get my inspiration from visiting fashion shows and design exhibitions all around the world. It doesn’t have to be an exhibition about fashion, I can look at a painting, a statue or an artistic photo and get inspired by the color or the shape of it and translate it to a gown. This season I prefer the traditional A shape rather than the exaggerated dresses with a “creamy” look. The classic shapes create a more elegant look closer to an evening gown, but yet glamourous. 

Last but not least, do you have an advice for FashionBride readers?

My advice for FashionBride readers is to clear enough time in advance in order to plan properly your wedding dress. When coming to choose the dress designer, make sure he or she is a professional at the bridal industry and familiar with different shapes of dresses. Also make sure to choose a design that helps emphasize your body assets while hiding the less flattering parts.

My last advice is try to enjoy the whole process and listen to the designer’s comments and suggestions because it’s our job to make you happy and look great in the wedding photos.

FashionBride Interview with Maritza Buelvas

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To be a bride these days is a hard thing to do. Since we need so much time to find the perfect dress it would be a good thing to finish quick with all the rest. Therefore a had a quick talk with Maritza Buelvas, who happens to be a bridal beauty expert and designer of the Honeymoon Bag TM. 

Tell us a bit more about Beautygram.com, what’s the magic concept behind it?  

Beautygram.com offers all your beauty cravings in a great bag!  The site is based on the concept that every purse has a distinct purse-onality comprised in part by the woman who carries it and the products she chooses to carry.    

I’ve since evolved my business to focus more on the bridal industry since I’m also the co-owner/co-stylist of BrideStyle- a professional hair and makeup service catering to Chicagoland clients.  My love and knowledge of the bridal industry led me to develop the Honeymoon Bag TM, a chic travel tote designed to take honeymoon essentials from the plane to the beach. 

The Honeymoon Bag TM is sold independently or as part of unique gift sets that one can purchase as is or individually customize through our “create-your-own” shopping feature.  

When did you first think of having your own business?  

I’ve always been entrepreneur minded.  My mother is an entrepreneur and so I guess it’s genetic.  I first came up with the concept for Beautygram.com in 2002, followed by the Honeymoon Bag TM in 2006.

Why do you think your products respond to the demands of the bride-to-be?  

The products I sell are solution based in addition to being fashionable.  All of the beauty and accessory products I sell are affordable, attractive and user-friendly. 

Beautygram beauty packages make great gifts for the bride-to-be and bridesmaids.  In fact, lots of my brides like to purchase our beauty bundles (known on our site as Beautygrams) and individual products for their bridesmaids as thank you gifts. 

The Honeymoon Bag TM also makes a great gift for the bride to give to herself and for others to give to her-it’s a must-have for today’s modern bride.  The Honeymoon Bag TM is an over-sized cotton tote with the “honeymoon bag” logo tactfully written on the outside (proving to be a subtle way to get those special perks from flight attendants and hotel staffers).  The reversible bag is created with two top string closures and comes in the unique color combination of “Something Blue” and “Honeymoon Tan”.  A removable zippered mini-purse snaps to the interior and is the perfect size for small valuables.  The bag is large enough to fit beach towels, a sundress, bikinis, magazines, etc.  When the honeymoon is over, the tote can easily be flipped inside-out to transform into an everyday bag. 

What does a bride need (and doesn’t know yet)?  

The Honeymoon Bag TM of course…it’s the gift that keeps on giving because it’s reusable and reminds you of your special trip for years to come!  

Can you give us the essential kit for a bride-to-be?   

Hmm…I think it’s a mental thing-remind yourself that no wedding is without glitches…little things do go wrong and that’s okay.  At the end of the day…it’s still YOUR special day recorded in time.  Stay focused on being happy and in love and let any nonsense bounce right off-it’s so not worth it! 

Why do you think that brides need to look their best on their wedding day? 

So they feel pretty, look great and timeless in photos and drive their grooms crazy waiting for the wedding night! 

How was your own wedding day?  

It was magical and full of love from beginning to end.  I had everyone that I love with me on my big day so that made it extra special!  It was a day my hubby and I will always remember and treasure. 

Can you give the Fashion Bride readers a piece of advice? 

Be sure to hire a wedding coordinator for your big-day! 

If you’re not hiring a wedding planner for the planning process, then hire a coordinator for the big day- it’s a must.  A day-of coordinator will take care of all the small and large details so all your months of planning will transition into a smooth ceremony and reception and you won’t have to be bothered with any of the details.  Your wedding is made for relaxing and enjoyment not stressing about the small stuff. 

Any packing tips you’d like to share in reference to the Honeymoon Bag TM? 

With all of today’s carry-on and check-in restrictions, the space in your bag is prime real estate.  It is important to pack items that are going to lighten your load, uplift your mood and add to your honeymoon experience. 

Three quick tips are: 

Think beach chic.  Find a carry-on, that’s a carry-all and acts as a travel tote and beach bag. A good rule of thumb is to fill it with everything you need for your flight and your first escape to the beach. Should your check-in luggage get delayed, your first trip to the sands won’t be compromised. 

Channel your inner glow.  Mascara, concealer, blush, lip gloss and a hydrating face spray is all you need. Your inner bridal glow will take care of the rest. However, this is the perfect excuse to buy a new lip and blush set that speaks to your ‘honey-mood’ and travel destination. Many spring color stories feature color palettes inspired by hot spots like the Mediterranean.  

Think date night.  Now’s the perfect time to show-stop with stilettos that make you look and feel your sexiest, but can’t be tolerated for long periods of time. You know the pair you purchased for a romantic dinner date, but never seem to wear-the moment has finally arrived…dust off the dinner heels… its date night!