As a designer and co-founder of a company, it is normal to wear many hats each and every day and it is my personality to be involved, hands-on, in every aspect of the business from design to marketing to production and sales. Being a bridal gown designer is not always as glamorous as you may think, but it is a great career for those who are creative and enjoy taking on new projects, multitasking and problem-solving everyday of their lives.
At this moment, bridal gown designers are dealing with market season which is the point at which they showcase and sell their Spring 2011 collections to prospective retailers. At the same time, we are already thinking about and designing collections for the following year. It is a busy time of the year, with lots of juggling of press, sales, getting out samples to editors, traveling to markets, finalizing fit and patterns of styles headed into production, as well as researching trends and creating new styles for the following season.
Each designer has a different vision or “feel” to their styles and company. When I design wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses, I tend to bring a vintage charm into a fresh, elegant silhouette. My strength in school was pattern making and production, so my strengths are in fit and lowering costs for production to deliver a high-quality product at a lower cost to the consumer.
Liz Fields, NYC Bridal Gown DesignerAs a designer, interactions with retailers is a great learning tool as bridal consultants deal on a daily basis with the brides and their needs. I really value the face-time I get with retailers at market and brides at trunk shows I travel to throughout the country. If you have time, trunk shows are a great way to do research, get face-time with a designer or a company representative, and preview upcoming new styles. As a designer and a human being, I believe the most important thing is to continue to learn, grow and improve.
For next week’s post, I’d like to expand on the manufacturer-retailer-consumer relationships and how important it is to the overall process for all sides involved. The internet can be a great tool for research, but is not always a reliable source of information, so, stay tuned to next week’s post (register to receive my blog in your e-mail) for more tips on having a stress-free wedding dress search.
