Latest / Exploring Fashion Futures With Dr.HB / She Makes Your Wedding Dresses and Accessories From Your Mom's or Grandma's Wedding Dresses
Transcript
- speaker-1: Hi. welcome to my podcast Exploring Fashion Futures with Doctor H. B. This podcast is about explaining how many career opportunities, business opportunities are out there. I've been meeting with many different people in the industry, try to learn about what they do every day, what kind of problems they solve every day. Today I'm here in New York City meeting with one of our alumni. Her name is Lavelle. All right, Lavelle, let's start. All right, tell us who are you? speaker-0: I am Lavelle Cox. I'm the owner and founder of Lavelle Faye, where we are a bridal design studio in the New York City Garment District, which is also where we are right now. And we specialize in redesigning heirloom wedding dresses into modern day outfits and accessories. speaker-1: What does that mean redesigning heirloom dresses? Wow. Explain to me as if I don't know anything about fashion. I don't know anything about heirloom wedding dresses. Explain to me as if I'm twelve years old. So what are you doing? Tell us again. speaker-0: So brides will come to us when usually it's around they're getting engaged and they're talking about their family, you know, memories are coming up with their mom, grandmother, and they're going wedding dress shopping for their ceremony dress and they ask their family or their mom usually do you have a wedding dress? And that's usually when the memories spark and they remember, Yes, I've been saving this wedding drum. I still have my wedding dress from thirty years ago. Right. And so they'll go get it from the attic or wherever they're keeping it. Uh-huh. And they'll unbox it and try it on and have this great this just great memory of also them unboxing it together. Yes. That's when the ideas start sparking as far as, wait, we should do something with this. So that's when brides will reach out to me and they want to incorporate their mom's dress into their bridal wardrobe. Now it's really turned into a lot of accessories as well. Mm. I've gotten a lot of not just brides reaching out to me, but mother of the bride, aunt of the bride, grandmother of the bride, uh-huh. Or mother of the groom and they have their mom's or the mom has their wedding dress and they want to make accessories for their sons. speaker-1: All right. What what kind of accessories are you talking about? speaker-0: The most popular is the eight inch clutch we make. And then also I have a whole accessory list of different types of bags, headbands, pocket square is a really popular one for the guys. And then handkerchief and then we also do embroidery. So if you want something more customizable with a saying, the dates, there's a lot of different things we can do. Okay. speaker-1: So tell me, like what does that process look like? So I called you. I have this wedding gown of my mom and I want this to be somehow incorporated into my wedding day. So I called you. So then what happens? speaker-0: So from the beginning, it's kind of funny as the business has grown, I've realized that a lot of brides they didn't even know anything was possible beforehand, so they just start Googling what can I do out of my mom's dress? Or they're on Instagram, the algorithm is really starting to happen in the wedding industry since they're getting married. And they just start getting videos of different things you can do. And one of my videos will pop up of you know, one of my brides redesigning their mom's dress for their rehearsal or reception. Mm-hmm. And so that's when they're like, Wait, I have my mom's dress. I would love to incorporate it. Mm-hmm. So they'll reach out to me through my inquiry form. And then if they want to learn more then they book a call with me, a virtual design consultation, and we go over their exact dress. I get to see the pictures. You'd be surprised about eighty percent of brides have a really great vision of what they want to do with the dress, design wise. Okay. And they'll bring in inspiration pictures as well as far as what they want the dress to look like. speaker-1: By redesigning their mom's stress or grandma's stress. So then your job is speaker-0: So my job is to really it really there's a lot of different ways that I am incorporated into the full process. Some brides know exactly what they want and then it's very much me guiding the process of doing the full redesign as far as reconstructing the dress, taking the dress apart, putting b back together, and then really deciding Our process is very much I like to say the design process is very evolving. So we start with a sketch and then that's where we go off of and then I have built a process where they come in and we start deconstructing the dress and then essentially put parts back on it to get their perfect design before we finish the exact design. Mm-hmm. So yeah. speaker-1: So they physically come to you your studio to get fitted? speaker-0: I require three in person fittings. Okay. So first fitting they come in, we bring in the dress and this is after so after they book a call and if they purchase sketches, then we already have a vision that we're looking at. 'Cause it's really difficult to come in and you're trying on the dress, but you have no idea what's possible. You have no idea what can even be done. So it's really helpful to have a visual beforehand when we're having the the first fitting in person. So when we have the vision then that's when I can conceptualize I know, okay, what are we gonna start taking apart first? And then what can we have ready for the second fitting to know what you're trying to decide on different skirt silhouette or if you wanna remove the sleeves, things like that. speaker-1: Come on, so this is not a real full wedding ceremony dress. speaker-0: No. Usually it's rehearsal or reception. Rehearsal's the most popular 'cause I think it's more of an intimate setting. And they wanna make it a little bit more formal than a party dress. But and it's more of a intimate setting with your close family and friends, you get to have that kind of that conversation about this is my mom's dress. It's it's really sweet. And then if they're going for more of a party outfit, which would be the reception outfit, it's more fun and speaker-1: But the meantime the the maybe a lot of family member might have like pocket squares or something. Still part of the dresses is part of the ceremony. speaker-0: That's how the accessories really started. Brides were coming in to redesign their existing dress and there was we're usually making it short. So we're cutting off all the train. Yeah. And we have all of this great fabric and material to use. Yes. And they thought, wait, this would be such a great thing for me to make for a gift for my mom, my grandma, all of my siblings. Because they also have a part in this dress because it's our parents' wedding dress. That's right. speaker-1: And that becomes their keep safe and memorable. Wow, what a great idea. So how did you start all of this? Wait, when did you graduate? What did you study? Like tell us tell us about how you got here. I'm sure everybody wants to be a owner of their own fashion company. speaker-0: Yeah, so I have always had an entrepreneur spirit since I was really young, since high school. Well honestly, I would say I mean, I have distinct memories of me when I was seven years old, thinking like I want to be in New York City and have my own fashion to do something in fashion, something creative. Yeah. speaker-1: Seven years old, like how did she even access to fashion? speaker-0: I d well, my mom taught me how to sew when I was seven. So I had a machine. I grew up in a very creative environment. My mom was a huge hobbyist with sewing, always making outfits for me, having the kids come over in the neighborhood. We were always doing some type of activity and dress with the sewing, yeah, the hot glue gun. It was always a part of my childhood. And so I I really learned from a young age I loved to create. speaker-1: Make something. speaker-0: Make something from nothing. Essentially. Yeah. And then when I was in high school I actually had my own little business off Etsy where I would redesign old jeans. I'd go to thrift stores and I would, you know, make them distressed and then I would I would yeah, I would tear them. And it was it was really cool because after I Etsy shop, uhhuh, I also created my own website on Shopify. speaker-1: Eddie in high school? speaker-0: Yeah, when I was eighteen. Wow. It it's really cool to look back on that and see the different things I did at and how curious I was at such a young age. wow. Yeah. So then I went to college. I majored in textile apparel management on the product development track at University of Missouri. That's where we met. Yes. And I really learned the fundamentals of essentially product development, right? So pattern making, draping. How to create a fashion line. Right. As far as that goes. Because I remember for my capstone, I had a partner and we had to each have a own our own collection essentially. But there are different price points and age. Yeah. speaker-1: Different target consumers. speaker-0: And so I had to make all my samples and then we would show them in class and the class would give their input on which ones they liked and stuff like that. And the ones that we needed to make actual out of real fabric. Right. So speaker-1: So that's speaker-0: I still have those stresses. Really? Yeah. So speaker-1: You you so you graduated. Yep. And then what happened? speaker-0: So when I was at Mizzou I knew I wanted to move to New York City. speaker-1: New York like physically before. speaker-0: I I had been to New York a couple of times with my family and then I interned in New York from sophomore to junior year as a wholesale intern for just a ready to wear brand. And so I got to see a little bit about So Yeah in just the environment of New York was I was obsessed with it. I did. speaker-1: yeah. speaker-0: So then after I graduated I moved to New York and just speaker-1: Just came with nothing. speaker-0: Yeah, just nothing and I just told myself, I'm gonna figure it out, we'll see what happens. I I I really believed in myself 'cause I I knew from the past that my drive was really good. So I would eventually figure it out. speaker-1: Right, do something, right? speaker-0: So I had a mix of different jobs and then I had an internship with bridal designer Haley Page. And that's really I walked into her studio and just thought it was the coolest thing. I felt like I was in a movie scene. I I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I walked in and it's all the pattern maker the pattern maker and the seamtresses sewing her dresses and then I went to her office and there's just pictures of all her dresses just lined up the wall. What kind of dresses? Wedding dresses. speaker-1: So you were speaker-0: She's a wedding dress. She's a wedding dress, okay. speaker-1: Are you always interested in wedding? speaker-0: No, well so when I was in college I loved dresses. I loved my prom dress. I loved the construction and the intricacy of dressmaking. I d yeah, I did my three collection or my three capstone dresses. I mean they were short. It wasn't anything super intricate. Yeah. But I loved the speaker-1: Dress. speaker-0: Yeah. And so then when I came to New York I really thought bridal was gonna be limiting limiting on design. Because I thought, you only design in white. Or there's only so much you can do, but that's so false. speaker-1: Yeah. So false, I was probably wrong. speaker-0: Not true at all. There's so many different types of laces and ways to design layers of fabric. I mean, some dresses are ten layers of different materials. Layers. Yeah, to give you more texture. And so I w in college when I was thinking, okay, I either wanna I thought wedding dresses 'cause it falls under the dress category or evening wear. Yeah. Red carpet. But that's kind of a different Yeah, it they're really different. Because bridal You're really designing with a meaning behind it. Yeah. Because you're creating the most important dress of butt. Yeah. So I also love the human connection with the brides and the clients. Yeah. speaker-1: yeah. So you you did the internship speaker-0: Yeah, but that was it. speaker-1: that was it and so the wedding was your thing. And then what speaker-0: So then I ended up getting a corporate job. Uhhuh. working for a bridesmaid company. Uhhuh. It lasted for two weeks. Two weeks speaker-1: And then what speaker-0: And then COVID hit. Of course. And so I got laid off. It was such a as we all know, interesting March twenty twenty. Yeah. Which now looking back was a very large what's the word? Like speaker-1: Best thing ever happened to you. It gave you extra speaker-0: Hidden what hidden gem, I don't know. Yeah. So it was such a blessing in disguise. That's right. That's what I was trying to say. And so I ultimately decided to move back to Texas, where I'm originally from because New York was essentially shut down. And the th also the thought of me coming back and having to re re go through the whole process of finding a job when there weren't many jobs available. speaker-1: Wait, this is like about two years after? A year after No, so what year you graduate? speaker-0: This is March twenty I graduated May of twenty nineteen. speaker-1: So it's within a year, yeah not even a year. Not even a year. Now you're having to go back to your home, mm, your parents. And then you now have to restart all over again. Yeah. my gosh. speaker-0: Well so it was crazy because I had this New York energy, right? Yes. I was like, I need to reach out to every single bridal people in the bridal industry to find a job in Dallas because that's what I had to do in New York. I would look up all the shows happening for New York Bridal Fashion Week and I would email cold email every single one of them. 'Cause I just that's the way I didn't have any connections in bridal really. I don't know. speaker-1: Did I remember right a lot of wedding being cancelled or something at the time in May and June? speaker-0: Yeah. Wedding lots of weddings were canceled because we couldn't have more than ten people and a So speaker-1: In the same time, right? Okay. So speaker-0: the wedding industry in general was just there was a lot was going on. speaker-1: Now you're contacting everybody. speaker-0: I'm contacting everyone in Dallas for I wanted to stay in design or at least wedding dresses. Uhhuh. I didn't want to go into wedding planning or any of that. Like I really wanted to stay focused on dresses. speaker-1: Design part. speaker-0: There was only one there's really only one design bridal design house in Dallas. Okay. I reached out, they weren't hiring. Yeah. The next best thing was to go sell wedding dresses at a bridal store. So that's where I reached out. I mean, I looked up there's probably thirty wedding dress stores in Dallas. Okay. Dallas Metroplex area. So I mean, shout out to all of them. And it was crazy 'cause I I think I got a response from almost all of them. And so I was like, my gosh, wait, this is so crazy because I was just in New York and I wasn't getting anything. And then I've come back to Dallas with this New York energy ready to You know, go. Yeah. And so I ended up working for a bridal store or yeah, I ended up working at a bridal store selling wedding dresses for a family owned company in Dallas area. Yeah. And it was the most amazing experience that I could ever have. speaker-1: Wait, I never thought about being a retail like sales associate, but why do you think it was the most amazing it's we tell us about it? speaker-0: Because I got to beat the consumer or speaker-1: And a bride. You were t imagining what prize won. Now you're talking to them. speaker-0: Before I was on the business side. That's right. And bridal designers sell to bridal stores. That's right. So it's business to business. This was business to consumer. Right. And so I really now looking back, I learned a lot about the experience. You don't buy your wedding dress online. I mean you can, but the bride wants the wedding in itself is an experience. That's right. Right? So brides come in with their mom, their best friends. And they try on all these dresses and try to pick the one. Right. Say yes to the dress. There's a whole T V show about it. Because it's such a experience. speaker-1: It's speaker-0: Yeah. Time. Yes. Yes. And you're picking out the most important dress. Yes. And you're also, you know, putting spending a lot of money on this. Right. So you want it to be a great speaker-1: Right. So how long you've done that? speaker-0: So I did that for two years. Okay. But it was really great being at the bridal store because I got really close to the two girls, sisters that owned the store. Uhhuh. And they were so adapt they they taught me a lot and they were willing to teach me. Which I came in 'cause I also I didn't have a social media background. But I mean I'm a on the cusp of millennial Gen Z. I mean everyone's on social media. So I learned how to edit videos and stuff like that. So I also did some of their social media. I would look up the trending videos, stuff like that. I created their TikTok. So speaker-1: Goodness. speaker-0: and that really took off. I'll never forget when they said a bride came in because they saw one of the dresses on TikTok and bought it right there. Wow. And even ordered it two sizes too big because it wasn't in stock for the other sizes. But she came in, she saw it on TikTok. She's like, I have to have this dress. So yeah. It's cool to see th those experiences play out in real time. Right. And at the bridal store. And I learned about so many different bridal designers. I mean, 'cause they had probably eight hundred wedding dresses. The designers would come in on certain weekends, that's how the whole trunk show. So yeah, there was a lot of different things I learned. Okay. Not just about bridal bridal store industry. Right. But also owning a small business. That's right. speaker-1: So then how did your Lavelle Fay is your official company name? Right. So how did that start? speaker-0: I it's funny 'cause I remember going into the interview at the bridal store and saying, you know, I've always wanted to have my own business but I just want experience, you know, learning about bridal and wedding dresses. Yeah. And thinking about it now, it's crazy because I actually have my own business doing my own thing, but at the time I had no idea what it was actually gonna be. which is redesigning early wedding dresses. So how it started. I from the beginning knew if I wanted I always thought of the long game, right? speaker-1: Right. speaker-0: Because I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Yeah. Like I wanted to own a business and be the CEO and create a team and everything like that. But that's so daunting when you think about it at the beginning. How do you even create an LLC? I have no idea. Yeah. So I really just went to Google and started just researching in the Dallas, Texas area as far as how to start your own business. Like how do you go about cre like I wanted a community of people. And so I actually found a college in Dallas, Texas Women's University. They had a whole entrepreneur what what at school? Yeah. Yeah, like a like a No, it was more of a Yeah. speaker-1: Degree or class? Incubator? speaker-0: Yeah. But I had I had I found that they were starting an incubator through a co working space in Dallas. And so I applied and I got it. And so it was me and five other women and we got a business advisor and we just learned about the first steps of even how to set up speaker-1: Panel. speaker-0: which gave me the confidence to eventually go out on my own. I just I knew I didn't want to go out on my own and not know anything. As in the sense of Not just like the legal component, but just I don't know. I wanted to make everything official. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I learned a lot through that. And I still talk to my business advisor today. And she was actually the one that sent me the grant that I just won. Uh-huh. Which is so full circle that I can't believe. Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: So I recently won a grant through Wedding Pro, not for fifty thousand dollars. Wow. And I basically had to submit an application, a video, kind of like where my business was at and what I also wanted for the future. Right. The next twelve to four twenty four months of La Belle Faye. Right. And so I applied and I won and now I'm just super excited. Yeah. speaker-1: I'm so excited. So so you've you learned the starting of your businesses from Business Incubator and I know you made a video or something that just took over. Tell us about that. speaker-0: So that's when I actually was doing when I was at the bridal store I was also doing custom on the side as far as I'll never forget when my first speaker-1: So speaker-0: custom design as far as wedding dresses, rehearsal dinner speaker-1: You are making custom design for somebody else on the side. Yeah. Outside of your speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I will never forget when my one of my good friends asked me to make her wedding dress and I I had never made a wedding dress before. I'll never forget that feeling of just she wants me to make her wedding dress. Like it felt so so honored, but also so much pressure. Right. It's like the most important dress of your life. And I haven't even made one before and you're trusting me to make your wedding dress. Wow. So there was that whole side of it. But I I had to trust myself and I was like, I'm gonna figure this out. And I did. And yeah, I would create wedding dresses, mother of the bride, different things like that. But I was doing everything, right? I was designing them, I was patterning them, I was making the samples, I was sourcing the fabric, I was making the final fabric, right? And when at this time when I was working at the bridal store, taking on custom projects, but also I would do some alterations. I had an embroidery machine that I would embroider. I was doing a lot of different things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had two family friends come to me and they had their mom's dress. And I thought it like a cute idea. They wanted to incorporate it into their wedding, but they didn't know how. I had seen brides make them short, you know, turn it into pocket square something small, like a bouquet wrap, something like that. And I was like, that's that's a fun idea. Like a cute idea. And then I redesigned. Both of the dresses for them, one was for the bridal shower. She wanted to turn the original skirt into pants, which I had never seen before. So I was like, this is like very clever. This is a new idea. And so then I made two compelling videos on Instagram and TikTok explaining the process of the before picture of the mom wearing the dress and me redesigning them. Every single step and then the after of what it looked like. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: On the daughter and also with the mom. So it was like a very heartfelt video. Yes. Story is a story. And so I posted them on Instagram. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: My business Instagram and TikTok. And it just caught the wedding industry by storm. And this was within I would say two months, two to three months, that it really started taking off. Well, 'cause at first I'll never forget. I like, if this gets ten thousand views, I'm so excited. Right. And then it got ten thousand views. And then it got a hundred thousand views. And then it got a million. I was like And then that's when the inquiries started coming in where where I didn't have my website set up to That I even specialized in redesigning wedding dresses. Right. So that's when I immediately I was like, we kind of make this look like this is what I do. And so we changed my inquiry form to look like redesigning wedding dresses, but I also do custom as well. It's like a I do both. You know, I do I do a lot of things. And then I started getting yeah, the inquiries, replying, just really taking on brides from I mean, people who were reaching out to me from across the country and I would say You come to Dallas, then I will redesign your mom's dress. And I was really building the process as I was going because I had just started a business. I had no idea what I was doing, right? As far as solidifying the process of how I wanted to go about redesigning heirloom wedding dresses. Right. And yeah, so I did that. speaker-1: wait, so when did this Good Morning America thing happen? speaker-0: So it was okay, so this was the summer of twenty twenty two. Okay, speaker-1: Okay, twenty twenty two summer. speaker-0: for Thanksgiving of twenty. speaker-1: Twenty twenty two. After Million Hit. Yeah. speaker-0: Which was crazy because it was the very beginning. speaker-1: Good morning America. What was it like to be interviewed? What was it a virtual interview? speaker-0: Yeah, it was virtual. So one of their senior producers had found me and she reached out through my inquiry form and it's just like I'll never forget the title of the email was What was that? Good morning America ABC News request. I was like, Woo Is this real life? What? No, speaker-1: Were you still working for the store? speaker-0: I had gone on gone off wait. I had I was on my own at that time. Okay. But I had gone out on my own and this was speaker-1: The first speaker-0: Bit it yeah. What at the same time. 'Cause I remember when I had stopped working at the bridal store. It was a risk, definitely. I tried I was like, Okay. we'll see how this goes. So I I literally immediately it was as if I speaker-1: Remember I remember getting an email from Dr. Parsons that Lavelle is on Good Morning America and then all my department or professors were like cheering. I can't believe it. And then we all watched your GMA episode and so how did that change your life? speaker-0: Yeah, it was it was crazy because it was at the beginning. Yeah. speaker-1: So you didn't even set up the process yet. speaker-0: I had nothing set up. I had I mean I had an email and I had a inquiry form, but I didn't have a full CRM system that I have set up now that where it's all automated. What's C so CRM is customer relationship management. speaker-1: To our system. speaker-0: So where now I have it set up, once you fill out my inquiry form, you receive an automat an automatic email with my process, pricing, everything, how to book a call. I don't do any of that. At the beginning I was manually I had A template of an email that I had with a pricing a pricing sheet and I would manually send that to every single email I got. And I remember thinking at the beginning that when people say, I want to personalize all my emails, I when it becomes to scale, you you just can't. And so especially for bridal, the quicker they can get a response, then they're interested, right? Because they don't want to They don't want to wait three days for you to reply on just their process and pricing because they're interested right now. Yeah. They filling out their inquiry form. Yes. So yeah, I was learning all of that while this was all happening. And I did the interview of GMA. I had no interview prep, nothing. So I I was and I was also twenty I can't remember I was twenty-five, twenty-six. And I was pretty now looking back, I was pretty young. And I did the interview and they They just said it was gonna be a social media piece. I didn't really know what they're gonna do with that. I was like, great, I'll and definitely interview. Yeah. They posted it on Instagram and TikTok and it just yeah, having that recognition and putting that on my website helped so much. This girl was interviewed by GMA. speaker-1: Gives you instant credibility. speaker-0: Instant credibility. Yeah. And I was also working on that just in the Dallas area. So the fact that a nationally recognized to speaker-1: Right. Okay. speaker-0: me it was just amazing for my small business of just me. Yes. At the time. And yeah, so then GMA reached out, I did their interview, had the instant recognition. And I at the time, so this was more fall of it's going into winter of twenty twenty three. Uhhuh. I was getting the itch to move back to New York. speaker-1: See. speaker-0: 'Cause first off New York was becoming more opening up op opening up and I would go up and visit my friends that still lived here and I just I missed it a lot. And I knew that if I wanted a career in New York City I was gonna and I wanted to work for myself. I needed some something. Custom wasn't what it wasn't what it was gonna be. Yeah. But then when I saw the redesigns, I was like this is gonna be this is what is gonna where I'm getting speaker-1: Such a speaker-0: part. Yeah. Made me different. Mm-hmm. And so then I told brides that I would redesign their dress if they were in New York. I actually had some that would come and meet me in New York and I would redesign them and that's how I found the New York sewing center. Uh-huh. Because I was just trying to find a space that I could sew and meet my clients in New York when I was here. And The New York sewing center had ten dollars an hour. You could come and sew whenever you wanted during, you know, their operating hours. Yeah. And so that's what I would do. And then I would meet my clients. I had this other space that I found where you could rent out the whole room. huh. And so brides would come with their mom and family members. And I just know they would walk in walk in and be like, Okay, just kind of what's going speaker-1: Is this real? speaker-0: on? Well, 'cause Where I would meet them for fittings. It was more of a co working space for actors and Broadway. Yeah. And so there would be one person next door singing opera. And then I'm having a fitting in the next room. And I'm like, it's just part of the experience. So that's and then I would yeah, I would sew it at the sewing center. And after that I really took the leap as in, okay, if I wanna move to New York, how am I gonna make this happen? And so then I speaker-1: Release the sewing center. speaker-0: Yeah, and then well, 'cause I first moved to New York twenty twenty four, February of twenty twenty four. And then when I moved up here, I got an apartment and then I would sew out of there and then meet clients at the co working space or the sewing center. But it was a lot of what's the word? Like I I had to do a lot of planning in that chart. So I didn't have that many clients as far as that goes. And then yeah, I I just DMed the sewing center and said, I'm looking for a space that I can have my business out of. Yeah. This is what I do. speaker-1: Sewing center is like a shared workspace with shared resources. speaker-0: So their first there's a they're a sewing center. So they have different classes as far as beginner level or they have a boot camp you can go. It's for people that wanna learn how to sew. Yeah. And she at the time I at the time the lady that owns the sewing center, she r replied to my DM and said, Hey, I come by the sewing center, I'd love to show you some spaces. 'Cause I had first said in her building. And then when I came, she's like I She's telling me this idea, she's like, I would really love to take one of the spaces and break it up and sublet it for small designers. Gotcha. I was so excited. I was the first one. I went in there and was just really I just want to be here. Yeah. Like I would love a space. I just want to lock on the door so I can have a place to meet my clients, do all my sewing in one spot. Sure. And then it was also a community of sewists and designers. That could come in because she was also still doing the ten dollars an hour. You could come in sew. And that's how I started was the just coming in to sew for ten dollars an hour. speaker-1: You're gonna rent the whole that whole little suite because your business has grown so much. How many clies are you dealing with in any given day? speaker-0: So right now the capacity has definitely gone up a lot since accessories. People can now ship me their dress. I'm working with around fifty-five dresses at a time. my gosh. So the scale from this year to last year has speaker-1: Fifty five dresses on any given time in a different stage of speaker-0: Yeah, and that's what I've been really figuring out, especially this year, is the operating side. Operational side of everything. speaker-1: Why yeah. Serve more brides at one time to scale. speaker-0: Up right. because I also am not I'm doing all the designing but I'm not doing all of the sewing. speaker-1: Right. Right. speaker-0: When I was able to outsource well everything's done in house. So all of my sewing assistants, everything, we do it in the studio. Right. And so when I was able to hire people to help me do the sewing side of it, it freed up so much time for me speaker-1: For you to do something well. speaker-0: and me to really build the full accessory list. And make it more standardized. And that's what I'm also constantly working on. speaker-1: Good for you. No wonder you got this prestigious grant and that helped you your business grow. Yeah. Like they saw something in you. I mean what a what a journey, right? Yeah. So if you could go back to if you could send a one text message today to your college self at Missou in Colombia, what would you say? What would you speaker-0: I would say keep going and just trust your gut. So broad. But it is I did, but it's still so nerve wracking. Yeah. Yeah, speaker-1: Right. Can I really do that? speaker-0: exactly. 'Cause I remember when I was November of twenty twenty two when I custom designed my cousin's wedding dress and I was still Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: And I was at in well, we were in Missouri because that's where she was getting married. And I'll never forget telling my family No, I wanna have a studio in New York City. And that seems it seemed such a crazy idea. Right. Wanna have a studio. Yeah. But that's that's what I love to do is to think of things in the future that I think are so difficult or seem so daunting at the time and then looking back speaker-1: Right. speaker-0: and seeing how they came to life. speaker-1: What would you say that one thing that you learned from college time that still stuck with you and still helped you do what you do? Well, today? speaker-0: I mean definitely pattern making and draping the whole construction side because that's how I built my business. Yeah. Was because I was doing it all and I learned everything. I mean, I was still referencing my pattern making book. Yes. But I mean, even a couple of years ago. Yes. The one we had in school. Yeah, yeah. And things like that. So if I speaker-1: Teaching something useful? speaker-0: So hard. I mean, that's what I have to say. I it was really difficult for me, but it I think it is you need to know it if you want to be a designer. 'Cause how are you gonna know where seam lines should hit and the construction of garments? There is also the component of you trial and error. Yeah. Like you're gonna learn more as you do. Yeah. So and that's what I did throughout the years with the custom and the redesigning, but I definitely think, yeah. speaker-1: So you it seems like whether it's an external environment or your own internal desire, there's a lot of back and forth in in your career right now. I mean in the past because you came here, you worked for the corporate, you also worked for the the wedding designer, but then you went to the store little side of it. And like it's been a lot of things. And what would you say about that to to the next generation of somebody who wants to be like you? What did you learn? What would you want to say to them? speaker-0: Like what do you want to do? speaker-1: Don't know exactly. Like are you saying conceptually at all? Okay. speaker-0: Say I mean try everything. Yeah. I had no idea I was even gonna love wedding dresses until I did the internship for a bridal designer, you know. I had no idea. Because I would have I mean, I feel like I might have gone to an assistant designer role for corporate corporate, and I never would have found my real passion and love for bridal. Right. If I wouldn't have had tried it. That's right. Yeah. speaker-1: All right. So now I'm gonna do a little bit of a rapid fire, okay? What will be the one class that all students should take? Pattern. speaker-0: Making speaker-1: All right. What will be the one thing that everybody should have on their regiment? speaker-0: Well, I always say I mean, this is me going back to the whole development of clothing, but I would say clothes three D. I think it is the future. Okay. I'm not kidding. speaker-1: Clo three D is a three D virtual design software. So what you're saying is if somebody's resume says I'm proficient or at least like a n a knowledge of Clo three D, that will pop your what would speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: be the one thing that you don't want to see from somebody's resume. speaker-0: Don't wanna see. That's a great question. What are some examples I'm trying to think? speaker-1: You know, irrelevant experiences or do you like any experiences? speaker-0: I mean I like I mean, anything to show hard work I would say. I mean 'cause speaker-1: Okay. Anything to speaker-0: I I I I mean, I don't wanna say like just like a random show you worked at a runway or something. I don't know if that's really helpful for a resume. huh. But I remember at the time when I was trying to build my resume, it was very much like, I'll do I'll do all these like styling jobs or something like that. But I think that's more connection building versus resume. speaker-1: I gotcha. You know. All right. speaker-0: So as far as what I don't want to see on a resume, I mean I think now as far as when and maybe this was because when I was building mine as well, Word and PowerPoint I see that sometimes I'm like, okay, that's kind of that's anything outdated. Right. speaker-1: Yeah. Okay, that makes sense. Alright, do you like coffee or networking event? speaker-0: Coffee. speaker-1: Why? Tell us. speaker-0: Because well okay, let me change my mind. Okay. Rephrase it. Okay. speaker-1: Okay. You ca you are allowed to change your mind. speaker-0: As in like networking like a networking event versus going to get coffee with one person. Okay, never mind. speaker-1: Yeah, steal coffee, seal us. speaker-0: I would say coffee because you get to really know the person and hear their experience. speaker-1: Right. Yeah. That's that sounds good. Do you would you recommend internship or passion projects? speaker-0: I really think working under people has helped me a lot learn. And then always you can always do a passion project on the side. Right. And I think it always it helps build your portfolio. Yeah. Because for me, I mean, for my business right now, my social media is my portfolio. Right. Right. So at first it was a lot of passion projects. Right. speaker-1: Right. speaker-0: And that's what really built the momentum for what it everything has turned into. Yeah. So I would say speaker-1: do some yeah, both but still internship shows you that you know how to work with other people. speaker-0: Yes. Yes. Well and you learn you learn from a company that's already built. Or someone that's already built something. Right. speaker-1: So that you can make your business even speaker-0: Sure. speaker-1: better. speaker-0: And that's another reason I love the sewing center because I don't I don't work for the sewing center. Uhhuh. But I get to see everything that happens at the sewing center as far as the operational side of it, how the employees are you know, all of that. Uhhuh. And that has and seeing how the sewing center has been built over even the past two years has been really great. And I've been something that I just I could never take for granted 'cause who would get that opportunity to be in an environment like that. speaker-1: That sounds good. So what is your next what's your next stream? What's your next goal? speaker-0: My next venture. I would say since I am getting a larger space, building a lot around the experience of bridal, of the redesign process and also scaling speaker-1: Scaling means make more pro speaker-0: Yes, more products and having them available to the country. Like except speaker-1: Accessories like a clutch and handkerchiefs and the the haired accessories. speaker-0: Well and the accessories are great too, 'cause it's something that's always there's always a new type of accessory that's more popular than the other. That was something that I when you you know, you asked what's something that you're surprised about in your career. Yeah. I would say becoming an accessory designer. And everyone would have thought I would become an accessory designer as well as a clothing speaker-1: Yeah, the speaker-0: bridal designer. But yeah. speaker-1: Why do you think it was a surprise to you? speaker-0: 'Cause accessories are so different. As far as structure goes and the inner workings, you're not anyone can wear an accessory. A garment. Yeah the garments are made for the one person. So it's a speaker-1: I see. So speaker-0: whole different speaker-1: mentality and customer service, customer demand for it. Mm-hmm. speaker-0: And a lot of the accessories are gifts too. So the clients will ask me different questions. speaker-1: So the so what you're saying is it's the gift industry have a totally different mindset than a dress for a person, which is a bride. It's totally it's just totally different customer service and demand and brand identity and all of that. So that's fun. Yeah. All right. So since you have your own business, I feel like in here we can talk about your company name officially and your social media. So how do we find you? speaker-0: So if you can go to my website, Lavellefey dot com. speaker-1: Awww. speaker-0: Uh-huh. My Instagram handle is at Lavellefey. TikTok is actually Lavelle Fey Bridal. And then yeah, those are the most popular. speaker-1: And then we can Google Good Morning America speaker-0: Google GMA, Laval Faye, heirloom wedding dress redesign and the interview will pop up. Or it's on my website. Yeah. speaker-1: All right, that sounds good. I've asked you a lot of question. We talked about a lot of journey. I'm sure you had some like reflective moments going on right now in your life. Is there anything that you didn't get to say but it might be really important or helpful speaker-0: For speaker-1: students, college students, high school students, middle school students, or even young professional, whether they're in fashion or not, is there anything you might wanna say? speaker-0: Mindset is a huge on just speaker-1: Mindset anything. speaker-0: anything, but also I'll never forget in college, senior year, when we have the young alumni come and speak and they're speaking about New York and everything. And I knew I had wanted to go to New York and just sitting there thinking, I have no idea what I'm gonna do, but it's gonna be something great and I'm gonna figure it out. And so always having that mindset in the back of my mind of it's gonna be a journey and I know that and I I'm ready for the journey. speaker-1: Where do you think you got that I'm gonna figure it out? I speaker-0: I don't know. I speaker-1: said speaker-0: such a young age I've always been like that. I've just been really ambitious and I I knew that good things take time. And I I have listened to so how I built this is one of my favorite podcasts to listen to 'cause it talks about how I built this and so he interviews entrepreneurs and how they've built their businesses essentially. And each time it's It's not an overnight success. It takes years of just hard work and figuring out how you're gonna make the next thing happen and being on the forefront of your industry and what you're doing. And so that's something I would listen to those podcasts all the time as 'cause I just wanted to hear the the journeys and the stories of other people and it really helped me put in perspective of where I was at and where I want it to be in the future. What speaker-1: You just told me, remind me that typically when you're in the interview and things like interview questions or whatever, how do you assess this person and to see if This person might be good for your company or a position that you're looking for. In the past, a lot of like typical question that you should be prepared for when I teach my students. And was they like, What you know, what books are you reading recently? What recent book like that you read and inspired you? Nowadays it feels like what podcast are you listening? What's your favorite podcast title? It's the fact that I'm obsessed with and I listen to how I built this podcast all the time. That already tells you this person is driven to build something. Yeah. And that tells a lot about that person's character and mindset. So maybe that is a cool thing, like a what kind of podcast are you? speaker-0: I never thought of that, but yeah, I totally agree. Because whenever I'm with a lot of entrepreneurs or small business owners, we always talk about that stuff because we wanna know what are you reading and to help with the next stage we're at. Yeah. So and I've gotten good book and podcast recommendations from speaker-1: That sounds good. So All right. So thank you so much. I had a great time and I got to know you so much. I hope to visit your studio next time. Yeah. In your stud especially when you took over the whole area. I would love to come back to you and if I could even s you know, record the way you interact with actual garment and dresses. That would be really cool. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: But for sure. You know, how you set up the processes. It's not just a lot of people think, I'm I wanna be on my own entrepreneur and I wanna have my own design or whatever because people think about designing it only, but the reality is there's you're setting up the processes and businesses of designing, right? So then like how do you deal with the customer, how do you organize your businesses and how do all of that is the true work behind it, right? speaker-0: Totally different things. And that's something I have learned as well. Right. Yeah. speaker-1: So I would love to learn more about it. Thank you so much and we'll see you next time. speaker-0: This was so fun, Dr. H. V.