Don’t be intimidated by the notion of a custom-made wedding dress.
“Its easier than you think,” says local fashion designer Kelly Madden, whose entire business is based on bridal wear.
Indeed, many of Madden’s clients come to her just because it’s easy. They can’t stand the thought of spending endless hours shopping for, and fussing over, a gown. A custom design is often far less time-consuming for brides, some of whom are overwhelmed by the foaming racks of tulle, lace, chiffon and sequins spilling from most bridal stores.
Another advantage to custom design is that a bride can get what she wants, not always possible with pre-made dresses. Off-the-rack gowns may not work for brides who seek a simpler look. Women who fall outside of the average body type because they have a larger bust, or hips that are out of proportion to the waist, can feel hopeless digging through a raft of dusky pink bridesmaid dresses designed for their exact opposites. Custom design gives you the chance to mix and match design elements, too — a bodice from one dress, a train from another.
Also, Madden’s gowns are not crazy expensive. She doesn’t charge for consultations or fittings, and has created one-of-a-kind red bridesmaids dresses that range in price from $500 to $5,000.
“I can’t compete with the $200 knock-offs from China,” says the 33-year-old designer who studied at emcee College in Edmonton. “But I try to be competitive with the bridal stores.”
It’s a challenge to design lilac bridesmaid dresses, or any other original fashions, while living in Edmonton. The design community is very small, and it’s hard to get fabrics, lace and other custom touches.
Still, Madden, who began her career making mascots and designing attractive scrubs for nurses, had had success. She created her own line of clothing that was once carried by Awear Style Co. on Calgary Trail, where owner Leila Gumpinger was incredibly supportive. But Madden found it too difficult to make a go of ready-to-wear; it’s hard to be profitable when designing an entire line of clothing, from coats to tops, that aren’t mass produced.
She saw a niche, though, in developing expertise in custom wedding gear. (Madden also does bridesmaids dresses and graduation dresses.) In the last year, she has designed and sewn custom gowns full-time, producing about 10 wedding dresses and another 50 frocks for bridal parties.
Typically, clients come to Madden six to eight months before the event.
Sometimes brides-to-be have ideas gleaned from Pinterest or other online sites, or from magazines touting the latest trend (which is, by the way, bridal gowns in colours such as pale blush or soft rose.)
Often, Madden has to let customers know what’s possible, and what’s not, as some appear with imagined designs that are impossible to execute, like a deep backless gown with no obvious way to keep it up in the front. Lay people also don’t generally know a lot about fabric, how it moves, how it pleats or darts or dips. It’s Madden’s job to guide clients toward a combination of style, fabric and function that will result in a gorgeous dress for their special day. She doesn’t work with bought patterns, creating every look from scratch.
Madden has pictures of her designs, sample fabrics and some prototypes for bridesmaids’ dresses at her bright and professional studio, located in the trim basement of her Silverberry home. There’s a comfortable couch for clients, parents and friends, and a giant mirror against one wall.
The studio is where Madden learns whether she’s hit the mark for her brides. A sure sign is when the moms start to cry, or when the brides don’t want to take the gown off after a fitting. They twirl, and twirl again before the mirror, prolonging the moment. Loving the look.
“I love creating something from nothing, using my hands to create a product,” says Madden. “It’s satisfying to make people happy.”
