To start the festivities, we are happy to share an exclusive interview with Leanne Marshall, aka the Season 5 winner of Project Runway, who debuts her first bridal collection this season... Leanne chose our friends at Lovely to carry her beautiful new line in New York City, and Merci New York as the first media outlet to showcase all her beautiful gowns {Merci, Leanne!!}. Here are some excerpts from our chat with the Project Runway star...Give us three words to describe your collection this season.
Ethereal. Elegant. Sophisticated.
What will make us want to buy your collection?
First off, nothing is mass produced. Every dress and gown is lovingly made by me and my small team right here in New York. I use only the highest quality silks and trims. The pieces that I created for this line are also not the same run of the mill styles that seem to be recycled year after year. They are as unique and beautiful as the bride who will be wearing them.
What are some of your favorite trends this season? How are you incorporating them into your line?I try not to follow trends too heavily because I want my collection to have a bold distinction from all the other lines on the market. I also believe that following trends makes for gowns that go out of style faster and I like to design pieces that are timeless. I make what I feel is beautiful. I feel that there is a desire among brides for pieces that have a classic feel but are at the same time feminine, elegant, ethereal and unique. I like to achieve a balance between innocence and sophistication. For this line, I created 12 beautiful pieces I would love to wear.
Who is your ultimate customer?That is a two fold answer. First, my ultimate customer is the bride who cares not only about the design but also where her garment comes from. Mass produced items are usually made of low quality materials in factories where people are over worked and not fairly paid. All of my garments are impeccably sewn using the highest quality silks and laces by a small team who are all respected and paid fairly. From a design perspective, my ideal client the woman who wants the elegance and sophistication of a classic but wants it to be distinctly modern and unique at the same time.
What inspired you to develop your brand/product? After I made my first wedding gown, I saw my clients reaction and knew just what the dress meant to her. That moment was more impactful than anything else I had ever made or shown anybody prior.
What is missing in the market that your brand/product fulfills?
I make hand crafted dresses and gowns in high quality materials that are never mass produced. Many other hand made gowns look pretty in pictures, but in person the unfinished hems and edges look rough and unpolished. Aside from the occasional petal detail, all of my gowns are professionally finished They pay tribute to the classics while still being completely new. I believe a bride can be ethereal and effortless while still having a perfectly crafted and finished dress.
When did you decide to begin this line of work? What do you like most about it? Where do you draw everyday inspiration from?After Project Runway, more than 70% of my custom requests were for wedding gowns. I quickly found that I loved it. I guess the path chose me. As I said before, I love the overwhelming feeling of pride and satisfaction I feel when I make a woman the dress of her dreams. I also find it very challenging. I find inspiration in everything. I have designed pieces based on waves, flowers, graphic design fonts and even paintings.
Where did your company begin? Where is it located now? Where are your products sold? Where can we see your site, partner sites?I originally started in Portland, Oregon. Soon after Project Runway, I moved to Brooklyn and have been based here ever since. For the longest time my pieces were only available on line but I am just about to make them available to a very select number of boutiques. I want to be sure that the demand can be met and my high standards always go into even piece. In New York, my collection is only available at Lovely. All of my previous collections can be seen at www.leannemarshall.com. My one of a kind ready to wear is available online {www.etsy.com/shop/Leanimal} and I have a blog I try to keep up with {http://petalsandwaves.blogspot.com}. I am also on Facebook and Twitter and I welcome friends on both sites!
Why should we tell readers to wear Leanne Marshall?We are a very small company of people who pour our hearts and souls into everything that we do. We make our garments with love and our brides will love to wear them. We also only partner with boutiques who have the same standard of care, quality and respect that we hold ourselves to.
What more should we know?
Since my win of Project Runway I have been designing almost exclusively for private clients and celebrities. Five of my most recent pieces were worn by Paula Abdul on the X Factor. This collection is really the first time that I can make my pieces available on a broader, but still exclusive, scale. I am very excited about it!
All photos courtesy of Leanne Marshall
These gowns are gorgeous! I especially love the short gowns!
ReplyDeleteI'm very confused by bridal week - i is fall 2012 or spring 2012 that everyone is showing now? - Meredith
What a beautiful piece. Merci Beaucoup, Merci!
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough to wear a Leanne Marshall dress for my wedding and it was the best decision I made during the whole process! Her designs are lovely and will make any bride feel special.
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