So this month is a very special month for me. This time last year was the catalyst for what Desirables is today! As a student at UNC-Greensboro, a student organization called Threads hosts a breast cancer awareness fashion show each year in October. As the VP of Design for the organization last year, I was eager to get to work on designing some looks for the show as well as for such a great cause. For this particular show, designers are allowed to be inspired by anything they want as long as they utilize the color pink in their designs. I decided there was no better thing to be inspired by than the thing we were there to celebrate-the woman's body! This is when I got the idea to first try lingerie.
Being the VP of Design meant I essentially ran the entire show, so designing, working, and going to school full time became a task and a half and I STRUGGLLEEDD on learning how to make lingerie. It may be cute and little, but dang is it hard to make! Once I finally figured out what I was doing (kind of) I came up with 3 different lingerie looks all including outwear such as a robe or night gown so I could keep the looks modest for a "family friendly crowd" for the school.
The outcome was great and ultimately is when I decided I really liked designing for this market and the possibilities seemed endless for me! I was off and running coming up with pieces that I could wear and test out. And that's when my good friend Brian asked me to be apart of his Savage Beauty fashion show. It was about 6 months down the road so I had time to plan, but I had no clue what the heck to design for it. Then God spoke to me and I immediately knew I should be doing the lingerie I had recently learned to love. As I began to create the styles, the pieces just fell into place so perfectly, I knew it was nothing short of a God-thing. That is about the time I decided, "why don't I make this a real business!?" And that is exactly what I did, so here we are!
I say all this to tell you that this is why October is so special for me. It is when I discovered my passion and my dreams. And now that I am able to stand here and live them out, I want to give back to the cause that started it all. All this month Desirables bralettes will be 40% off and some of the proceeds will go to finding a cure for breast cancer here in Greensboro, NC!
Every little effort counts, and I am so excited to be a part of the cause.
]]>I am super jazzed because I have always wanted to have a booth in the community for others to see Desirables and be able to shop in person rather than just online! While I am making the pieces to order right now, it is time to kick it into high gear to get some inventory made! We will have around 6 of our top styles in all size runs available for immediate purchase at the event, but you can always get your own favorites or special orders through the site!
Finding 15 models was the STRUG. Some models said they would do it and then would blow me off after setting fitting dates. Some right out the gate said no because they thought I was going to make them walk down the runway in a thong and see-through bra. I even had a few models drop on me after agreeing to it because they "didn't want to be seen in such risqué clothing on the runway" which I totally understand, and I am not here to make you do anything you don't want to, but man 15 models in the small town of Greensboro, NC is not the funnest of tasks to be dealt.
But any who, after that was finally worked out and the pieces were officially made, the show could not come fast enough for me. I just wanted to launch the brand and get to selling my pieces to everyone. I don't think I quite realized at the time just how much work I would need to do in setting up the business before it all went down, but let me tell you it was definitely a learning process and I am super happy it's over. The night went AMAZZINGGG and I love all my models who killed it out on the runway. The feedback for the line was phenomenal and I am beyond grateful to Brian for giving me that platform to showcase it. I could write for days about this night and how I got there, but for now we'll leave it at this:
God provides in abundance when you trust in Him!!!!
]]>It happened! I prepped for this special day for many many weeks. From searching for the right aesthetic, creating all the styles to be sold and deciding who would best portray my pieces, I was tossing and turning thinking about how these all would come to life. Above all else, the struggle I found was picking the perfect photographer. With a brother and a father and even my best friend's mom being a photographer, you would think the decision would be a no-brainer! But no, of course I don't know how to make these things easy on myself! I wanted to find a woman photographer who would see my pieces through a unique, modern and simplistic lens. I knew I wanted a woman specifically because I didn't want my girls to be sexualized in any sense of the word. Of course I know that is still possible to happen, but I wanted a woman who saw the beauty in the confidence exuding out of the pieces and could portray them in the most perfect light for me and my vision.
So that is how I stumbled upon Chelsea Clayton. If you don't know about her, you should. Her work is phenomenal. I can't thank her enough for bringing my vision to life. We were able to do the shoot in her own loft in Winston Salem, NC. With the modern aesthetic down, the perfect lighting dancing around the room, and the hottest of models in all of NC (I may be a little biased), the shoot was like a dream for me.
All the shots you see on the site are from that magical evening, but I can just never get enough of them, so sometimes I just like to reminisce. :)
]]>This is it, ya'll! The day I have been planning for almost a year now. I feel like a proud mom as I begin to launch the first brand that I can call my own. And to think, I just graduated from college! I may be crazy but hey, all the good ones are, aren't they?
I have dreamed of owning my own business since I was about 16 years old as I sold hair bows to my friends in school and at my church. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs it just seemed natural for me to dive right in. The moment I fell in love with lingerie was the moment I knew this brand had to be born. I wanted to share my love and passion with the world and let others love their bodies just as much as I love the pieces I make.
DESIRABLES was born on the principle of confidence and beauty. By naming each piece after women in the Bible, I want to not only put a spotlight on the magnificent women of that time period, but to bring a little knowledge your way as you purchase each piece. Women of the Bible are strong. They stood beside men both strong and weak and were able to do things with such faith and conviction. They are true symbols of beauty not only from their physical appearance but their strong faith in the Lord and their family's morals. Many of these women are understated or misunderstood. That is why I am so excited to showcase each beautiful lady who was able to contribute to the history of Christianity in their own special way.
Lingerie doesn't always have to be utilized in the bedroom with a sexual connotation. With the ever popular trends of bralettes having taken lingerie to a new market, undergarments can allow women to love themselves and feel confidence with these lacey little beauties underneath their oversized sweaters. Lingerie can give a women a special little boost that doesn't always need to be shared with the world or with their partner. It is called intimates for a reason! Be intimate with yourself and love yourself in every sense of the word. And if you cant love yourself first, no one else will ever be able to love you enough. Except God, of course. He's always got your back. :)
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