Is Fashion In Its Bridal Era?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Is Fashion In Its Bridal Era?"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Let's Get Dressed
• Host: Liv Perez
• Episode: Is Fashion In Its Bridal Era?
• Release Date: July 14, 2025

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Introduction

In this special episode of Let's Get Dressed, host Liv Perez celebrates her one-year wedding anniversary and delves into the evolving landscape of bridal fashion. To mark this milestone, Liv welcomes Christy Baird, founder of Loho Bride, Los Angeles’ premier bridal boutique catering to fashion-forward brides.

Origin Story of Loho Bride

Christy Baird shares her journey into the bridal industry, highlighting the gap she identified in the market for fashion-savvy brides:

“When I was attending a ton of weddings, the dresses didn’t reflect the style and individuality I admired. I wondered, where would someone like myself go?” (06:13).

Starting with a pop-up shop, Christy realized the demand for unique, made-to-order bridal wear, leading her to establish Loho Bride. Her mission was clear: provide an authentic, curated bridal experience that emphasizes both the dress and the personal journey of each bride.

The Bridal Boom and Fashion’s Entry into Bridal

The conversation shifts to the recent bridal boom, intensified by the post-COVID surge in weddings:

“After COVID, all those postponed weddings happened in one year, creating an intense boom,” Christy explains (13:03).

This surge has attracted numerous fashion brands into the bridal sector. Christy observes that:

“Everyone wants a piece of it because they see how lucrative it is,” she notes (13:48).

Brands like Daniel Frankel, Vivienne Westwood, and emerging names such as Christopher John Rogers and Simone Rocha are merging ready-to-wear with bridal collections, catering to brides seeking styles that resonate with their personal fashion preferences.

Current Bridal Trends

Christy highlights several current trends shaping bridal fashion:

1. Reinvented Classic Styles: Traditional elements like drop waists are being reimagined with modern twists.

2. Unique Fabrications and Details: Designers are experimenting with textures, cutouts, and hand-painted elements.

3. Versatile Designs: Removable skirts and capes allow brides to transition seamlessly from the ceremony to the after-party.

“What feels fresh is designers like Danielle doing really interesting fabrications, like cutouts and textures,” Christy states (25:23).

Accessories remain pivotal, with veils and scarves being reinterpreted to add originality and personal flair.

Advice for Brides

Christy offers invaluable advice for brides embarking on the dress-shopping journey:

1. Preparation is Key: Brides should come prepared with inspiration, such as mood boards or Pinterest collections, to facilitate a productive fitting session.

“It’s a disservice to come in and not have any type of inspiration,” Christy emphasizes (17:30).

2. Stay Open-Minded: Being flexible allows brides to explore styles they might not have initially considered.

3. Limit Accompanying Guests: Bringing too many people can create unnecessary pressure. A trusted confidant is recommended to provide meaningful support.

Unique Offerings at Loho Bride

Loho Bride distinguishes itself through its made-to-order and demi bespoke services, ensuring each dress is unique to the bride’s vision. Christy emphasizes the importance of personalized experiences:

“We are looking to give a genuine experience. The pretty things are just the cherry on top,” she explains (06:13).

The boutique also hosts exclusive fittings in a private VIP area, enabling brides to engage deeply with the design process and access special collections not available elsewhere.

Anecdotes and Stories

Christy shares memorable moments from her career, including a particularly challenging fitting session with a bride who was heavily intoxicated:

“They were in a limo all day, completely trashed, and it turned into a boudoir shoot. I had to take myself out of the equation,” she recounts (35:18).

These stories underscore the unpredictable nature of bridal shopping and the importance of maintaining professionalism.

Conclusion

As bridal fashion continues to integrate with mainstream fashion, Christy Baird and Loho Bride remain at the forefront, offering brides a blend of style, personalization, and exceptional service. Liv Perez wraps up the episode by expressing her admiration for Christy's work and encouraging listeners to explore Loho Bride for their bridal needs.

“You are really passionate about finding and supporting new designers in the space. What does that look like for you?” Liv asks (29:35), to which Christy responds by highlighting rising stars like WED Studio and Varka, emphasizing the importance of diverse and original design voices in the bridal market.

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Notable Quotes:

• Christy Baird: “Bridal stylists have to cut through and be there for the bride. It's not about them in that moment. It's about the bride.” (09:43)
• Liv Perez: “Dress shopping is like killing the curiosity of a bunch of different versions of you as a bride.” (17:09)
• Christy Baird: “Our mission from the get-go was to give a genuine experience. The pretty things are just the cherry on top.” (06:13)

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Timestamp Guide:

• 06:13: Christy discusses the origin of Loho Bride.
• 09:43: Importance of bridal stylists.
• 13:03: Post-COVID bridal boom.
• 13:48: Fashion brands entering bridal collections.
• 17:30: Importance of bride preparation.
• 25:23: Current bridal trends.
• 29:35: Supporting new designers.
• 35:18: Anecdote about a challenging fitting session.
• 37:14: Conclusion and final thoughts.

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Final Thoughts: This episode provides a comprehensive look into the intersection of fashion and bridal wear, emphasizing the need for personalized experiences and innovative designs. Christy Baird’s insights offer valuable guidance for both brides and fashion enthusiasts looking to navigate the evolving bridal landscape.

Transcript

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[Liv Perez]

Hey everyone. Welcome back to welcome back to another episode of let's Get Dressed. It's your host, Liv Perez. I hope you all are having a great start to your week. Yesterday was actually Alex and I's one year wedding anniversary, which feels absolutely insane to say. I don't know where the year went. It went by so fast. We had a bunch of friends and family over at my mom's house at the beach yesterday. It was such a fun day. I'm one of those people that really believes that you have to celebrate everything. I will like plan a dinner if you have a really great day at work or something like that. I just love to commemorate things and I feel like the one year anniversary is definitely up there. So it was really fun. We had a great day and in honor of it being our one year, I wanted to bring somebody on the pod who was incredibly formative to me in my bridal Experience for maybe some of the fellow brides listening, but also someone who I think has created this really unique niche for her in both the retail, bridal and fashion space. I actually got tagged in a substack a few months ago where one of the listeners of this podcast mentioned that they would love for me to do more bridal moments. So here is your one for the quarter. This week I got to sit down with the founder of Loho Bride, the most sought after bridal shop in Los Angeles and a haven for brides who are true fashion lovers. Long before bridal became this moment. Down the Runway, Christy Baird created a space for a made to order fashion forward bridal experience and was even an early supporter of now iconic names like Daniel Frankel and Vivienne Westwood. We talk about the major bridal boom that we've been seeing over the last few years and this rise of the multi look wedding weekend. We also talk about why so many ready to wear designers are entering their bridal era with bridal collections and bridal inspired looks. We talk about the biggest trends in bridal if you're getting married. There's great inspiration in here from veils to the scarf dress. And of course her best advice for anybody shopping for the big day. Whether you are planning a wedding or someone who's just really interested in amazing retail spaces, I know you're gonna love this episode. Let's go get dressed with Loho Bride founder Christy Baird. I'm so thrilled to have you on the POD today. I've just like loved watching your business. Boom.

[Christy Baird]

Thank you for having me.

[Liv Perez]

Of course. How are you today? What's going on? You have this amazing outfit on. What did you wear to the POD today?

[Christy Baird]

Oh, I'm doing well. I'm wearing a dries coat and still here jeans. Kate, kind of translucent flats that I love because they're so easy to throw on with everything.

[Liv Perez]

Very cool. I haven't seen those.

[Christy Baird]

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, they had like flats like this, but I really liked the heel. It's like a nice.

[Liv Perez]

It's like a mesh over the like ankle. Not the ankle of your foot, the arch of your foot. Yeah, it's really nice.

[Christy Baird]

It's a little heel. They're just easy. And then Jill Sander earrings.

[Liv Perez]

Gorge.

[Christy Baird]

That's it.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Well, I'm so happy to be back here a year later.

[Christy Baird]

I know, it's crazy.

[Liv Perez]

It's time has flown.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

For those of you listening who did not know, I got one of my favorite bridal looks from Lego Bride. It was this Incredible. Richard Quinn that I got kind of sight unseen.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

I tried on the, like, original of it that was in different fabric and was able to like work really closely with you on that and bringing that to life. And I, from the moment I met you, I was just such a deep admirer of your business, I think.

[Christy Baird]

Thank you.

[Liv Perez]

As a fashion lover who went through the wedding process, there weren't a lot of places that really spoke to me in that sense. Like being able to walk into a place that had a lot of designers that I loved or would cater to kind of those more detailed touches. This really, I feel like, was a place where I got a lot of inspiration.

[Christy Baird]

So thank you.

[Liv Perez]

I'm finally, I'm so happy to finally have you on the podcast today to talk about how you grew this business and some things going on in the bridal worlds.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, thank you. I'm really excited. And it really never gets old to be able to have brides say to you, you know, you, I was finally seen, you know, through your curation or through the experience that you gave me. And that's honestly what keeps us running. It's just like that feeling.

[Liv Perez]

So I'd love to hear from you what the starting point was. I know that, you know, you were obviously a bride yourself, but what was this moment for you of being like, okay, there's a need for this in la, there's a void in the market. I'm not really feeling spoken to. What was that kind of origin story for loho?

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, so it really started when I was attending a ton of weddings when I was younger. It started, I think I was like 24 and a lot of the really cool fashion brides were like, whoa, this was not what I had hoped for. I couldn't find these really interesting names that, because Pinterest was just coming out and social media was just coming out and, you know, couldn't get their hands on certain designers. And so it just kind of, you know, it's just one of those weird moments. I never thought I would own a bridal shop, but it just got my curiosity going and it just because I wasn't married at the time, it made me wonder where would someone like myself go? And so just like kind of a low risk way to see if I was crazy or not. We did a pop up and all these women showed up. It was a one day pop up and they were getting naked behind room dividers. It was so not thought about because I had never been to a bridal shop. So I kind of just did it. And just was like, let's just learn through this whole madness. And I, it's like when you see the brides come in, just kind of like desperate to be seen and to be represented. That's when it clicked. I was like, okay, I have to do this, I have to open this shop. There are a lot of really cool Australian designers that like no one was bringing in yet. It just felt like I was at the brink of something exciting. And it was, I think frankly an industry that was like ready to get a little disrupted. So not only myself, I think a lot of designers, I think other stores since have really noticed that brides needed more option. And that was my mission from the get go and to give a genuine experience too. That actually I, I always say to my team and to people in general, that's like number one is the experience. The pretty things are, you know, just the cherry on top.

[Liv Perez]

I'm curious if you think that the industry is still ripe for innovation.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, I do. I think it's just a slower paced industry than regular fashion. I think things just take more time to. Also, there is still something so precious about it being in person. While there has been a lot of disruption online and I think that's great, there's still something that I think brides wanna experience in person and they wanna feel taken care of and understood and listened to. And that's just something that online can't totally replace. But yeah, I think there's always room for disruption. I think if we just think that we have it all figured out, then we'd all be retired by now.

[Liv Perez]

You know, it's interesting. I completely resonate with what you're saying about, you know, brides just were in this room getting naked behind the dividers. In my experience, there was one vintage store or like vintage kind of pop up in LA that's gotten really popular over the last like few years. And I did end up getting one of my bridal pieces from there, but they had done like a bridal week of short sorts in their showroom. And I can describe it as feral. Yeah, I can only describe it as feral. Yeah, like we were in little tiny blow up tents in this person's living room and everyone was like trying on everything they could get their hands on and they were there with their mom and their sister and it was, it's just, I completely agree that I think one, there's the appetite for more. But also you are working with a consumer who's in a very like fragile state and needs kind of a lot of Guidance and is really looking for that personal touch. Like, they don't just want to buy. This isn't a dress that you just buy online. A wedding dress is not something that you're like clicking checkout on online. Everybody wants to have that moment where they put the dress on and they're like, oh, this is it.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

And they want to feel something, you know, And I think that a really great stylist can listen and be a therapist and even help manage maybe the different dynamics that are going on in the room with other people that you brought there. I mean, stylists are amazing. Bridal stylists. I mean, I think all stylists are amazing. But I think bridal styles have like another layer that they have to kind of cut through and be there for the bride. And it's really not about them in that moment. It's really about the bride. And I always tell our staff, like, you can't take that hour back. Like, you have to be able to give them 100 because they deserve that. And they're going to remember that forever.

[Liv Perez]

Once in a lifetime fitting, it's something.

[Christy Baird]

That every time I enter a fitting, I feel that honor. And I also, something I really believe in is even if that bride ended up not being a loho bride, but you gave them the experience of a lifetime, they're gonna bring their friend. That is maybe more of our aesthetic. Cause we are a specific aesthetic. It's not gonna land with everybody, but they're gonna remember the experience. And that's the most important thing.

[Liv Perez]

Was there a specific bride in your early days or kind of moment or event where you felt it? You were like, everything. This has changed everything for me.

[Christy Baird]

One of my first big brides was. And I was in San Francisco at the time. So it was really editors and Angela Tafoya, who was an editor of the Refining 29 at the time, she was my first big bride. And it really. I remember going home and getting teary eyed because I'm like, oh my gosh. Like she's it like in San Francisco, like to get her as a bride, like that is. And she was in Haughton, which was a brand that really inspired me that there were going to be more of this type of aesthetic coming out. It was like a very cool girl brand.

[Liv Perez]

She's an og.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, she's the og. And so I remember seeing her at market and then that's the designer that Angela ended up picking. And so it just. The dots started to connect and I'm like, okay, I'm Onto something because I was in a. I was in a fitting room or my whole store was like, probably the size of this room. It was me two racks. And I had someone helping me on the weekend from time to time, but it was really me, so I had to believe in it because it was. I had everything in the line to make it work.

[Liv Perez]

What year was this?

[Christy Baird]

This was 2000. We're turning 11 this year. Wow. So what is that, like 2012?

[Liv Perez]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah. Something around there. Is that right? It's just been, like a slow progression since then. You know, like, we opened the LA store and then I really fell in love with the LA bride. And I didn't have to. I didn't have to change my curation down here, which I think was really important. And that's why we decided to really double down and just become a destination here.

[Liv Perez]

So when I walked in earlier today, we were talking about this idea of a bridal boom. And I feel like we've been in one in the last few years. And maybe my idea of a bridal boom is that I'm just seeing more designers lean into bridal. Right. Like Cult Gaia just came out with a bridal collection. I'm seeing more and more people want to partake in the bridal industry. But when I had brought that up to you earlier were like, you know, people in the bridal industry would not say, we're in a bridal boom. People would say, maybe post Covid, we had this major moment. How do you feel about that now? Do you feel like it's decreasing? What's your take right now on the bridal market?

[Christy Baird]

Like, kind of what I was saying earlier, I think it's just kind of leveled to what it was before. But the. It was such an intense boom after Covid. I mean, because all those weddings essentially got pushed back. Yeah, pushed back. And then it was like, double, triple the amount of weddings that would have happened that year happened. And so I think everyone was just trying to. To kind of, I don't know, hold on for dear life because it was so extreme. So that's leveled out. So that's. I think my definition of the wedding boom is. Was like the post Covid, where there was just so much business and so many weddings happening and vendors were charging a lot more, and it was just. It was just a crazy time to be getting married.

[Liv Perez]

Okay, I'll rephrase the question. Do you think that fashion is in a bridal boom?

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, I think everyone wants a piece of it, for sure. I think that they See how lucrative it is. I think that they understand that people are willing to spend more money on an item, you know? But it's funny. One of our designers, Cortana, she has always had ready to wear and then broke into bridal, and she said, I'm not changing the prices just because it's in champagne or ivory. But I don't think a lot of people see it that way. I think that they're seeing it as, oh, if I just make this in white and ivory, I can just sell it and. And say that it's bridal. And so I get it. There's, like, an opportunity there.

[Liv Perez]

I see that with a lot. I mean, I think of brands like Victoria Beckham, who doesn't have a bridal collection, but I see a lot of her pieces being made in this, like, beautiful ivory white. And I'm like that personally. I think every major designer right now should have at least one or two bridal pieces in their collection, whether they're marketing it as bridal or not.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

I just see so much opportunity and so many former brides, current brides that were kind of in my position that were looking for pieces from brands that they love that would work for their wedding weekend.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

And they didn't want to just buy from, you know, the 10 biggest bridal brands out there. They wanted something that felt a little bit more true to their personal style.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Now when I look at certain designers, I'm like, you would do so well with a bridal collection.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Like, it just well.

[Christy Baird]

And I think it's also like, I know Christopher Esber just got into bridal as well, and it's, like, so smart.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

Like, beautiful pieces that people go to for resort wear or just in their normal life. And it's like, of course that mental connection to that brand would want to cross over into bridal. So I think it's great. I mean, I think the. We need more options. And, you know, there's a lot more events now that people consider. And there's a lot of things to fill in, to be honest. I mean, totally about how many looks you wore, you know, and, like, that was, like, different vibes, different places, different energies. And so I think having brands show, you know, this kind of new era bridal is amazing.

[Liv Perez]

I wonder for you how that's impacting your business, because I'm sure 11 years ago, when you first started, a bride was coming in looking for just their wedding dress. Are they coming in now with a whole different kind of set of requirements or things? They're looking for. And how has that changed the way that you're buying for loho?

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, it's changed a lot. It's crazy. I. I didn't know if it was just a wedding boom thing for a while, but it's kind of just stuck and so, yeah, you're right. I. 10 years ago, it was very rare that a bride was coming in looking to spend thousands of dollars. I think they'd be like, oh, I'm just gonna get like a whatever after party look. And now I think with just how things are featured and social media and just what now they've seen be like become a norm. And it is so common now to be wearing numerous different things. I would say at least three to five looks for the weekend is what I'm hearing. So, yeah, we definitely, you know, look into brands that we believe. I do have to be careful because obviously if it's all over the Internet, it's a little more difficult. I still want to be made to order. That's something that I feel really passionately about. And if you can just get it online easily, then what's the point of coming here? So, you know, brands like Line, I, I love having because they're really special side looks and it's just something where you can only get it at a store for the most part at this point.

[Liv Perez]

What's your best piece of advice for somebody who is walking in the door and maybe hasn't prepped for the made to order process? Like, do they need to have a vision ahead of time? I feel like that's one thing that I wasn't mentally prepared for at the time and people ask my advice now. It's like, what do you have to think about if you're going into doing a custom dress?

[Christy Baird]

Custom or just made to order in general?

[Liv Perez]

Made to. Let's start with made to order.

[Christy Baird]

Made to order. So for made to order, it really is a disservice to come in and not have looked at anything or have any type of inspiration. It's a bit of a pet peeve when someone comes in and they say, I don't know anything. I don't have a venue, I don't know what the vibe is and expect me as an expert to just understand them immediately and their style. I mean, I think our team is very good at reading and, you know, trying to piece that together. But it's so nice when the bride fills out the questionnaire and like, really gives us something to work with. Cause then I now have to spend the next 15 to 20 minutes to like decode the aesthetic and the style. And, you know, it really isn't. It just isn't like a productive meeting when a bride comes and is prepared. And I mean, I love a mood board. You know, showing a Pinterest board, anything of that nature and. Or this bride's wedding really inspired me. Like, I can do so much more with that. So I think before coming in, really do a little homework, even if it's that I'm just curious about this. I always say dress shopping is like killing the curiosity of a bunch of different versions of you as a bride. And so I just want to know those things because it can really help me think of what I can put in front of you or even something that I don't have right now that I know is coming or a trunk show that's coming to town. There's all these things that can get unlocked if you come with that work done already. It just helps everybody.

[Liv Perez]

And what about for custom?

[Christy Baird]

For custom, that's a different game. So I think right now I'm mostly doing custom, where we're customizing on top of an existing style. Cause I think it's a lot easier to digest.

[Liv Perez]

I think that's the way to go. 100%.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Like building a dress from a ground zero, like literally coming up with the entire shape unless you have an exact reference of something you want to copy.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

It's so hard.

[Christy Baird]

It's really, really hard. And I think it creates some anxiety sometimes because the bride wants to know, like, that it's gonna all work out and you're basically going through a big period of time figuring that out. Or I think it's working with like, we did a pop up with like one of in New York, who I know you worked with too. Right.

[Liv Perez]

Love. Patricia's coming on the podcast. So if you guys are interested in hearing more about one of that will be out soon. I'm obsessed with her. And I also. My favorite part of the space that we're in right now is your one of custom mini.

[Christy Baird]

Yes, I know, I know.

[Liv Perez]

I think that's smart.

[Christy Baird]

I love that you got that because I feel like only fashion girls understood what the Muslim were and stuff.

[Liv Perez]

But really, before you continue on, I want to explain what it is. So in the VIP area of Loho, there is a. I'm staring at it right now. There's basically a wall of muslins from one of. And then what would you call, like fabrics that can go on top of the muslin? Muslins.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, it's like, different. It's like different beading.

[Liv Perez]

And so, like, I'm looking at, like a feather one. I'm looking at, like a lace one, a beaded one. And if you're someone who wants to make your own bridal mini, you can. Here, you can customize it. Yeah. Genius.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

And that's like. But even then, that's kind of like demi bespoke. Right. Because the bodice exists and.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

But I mean, I got the privilege of sitting into a few fully custom with her, and it's a true craft. And so that's something where we would rather more point someone in the right direction or like I said, customize on top of something existing. Because what she does is magic. And just like the references that she has to vintage silhouettes and the dead stock that she uses, like, that's like, that's your, like a whole other business. So we really want to, like, support brides in getting into the right hands where we're maybe supporting from the side or we're doing more Demi.

[Liv Perez]

Do you know who I think Ritley did a good job of in fashion of doing bridal? And I think maybe you and I have talked about this before. Christopher John Rogers.

[Podcast Guest]

Yes.

[Liv Perez]

I think did an incredible job of having a standard, ready to wear business, not having to create an entire new side custom bespoke world of bridal, but taking his most iconic pieces and turning them white.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Like, he has the iconic strawberry dress, which really, I feel like launched the brand. And I then in the following year saw a few brides wear it all in white. And I thought that was such a great way to bring in a new customer to Christopher John Rogers, but then also be able to expand your offering in a way that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, I'm looking for him to do a bridal collection.

[Liv Perez]

Christopher, if you're listening, please come out with bridal. I think you and I have talked about that for over a year.

[Christy Baird]

I'm interested.

[Liv Perez]

The first time I met you, we talked about it.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Christy Baird]

I. I mean, I have a crazy discovery list where I, like, track.

[Liv Perez]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

Dream people or. I mean, Simone Rocha is definitely one that I harass regularly.

[Liv Perez]

It needs to happen.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Liv Perez]

And you should have seen the body language I just had just now. It means, like, it was a visceral response.

[Christy Baird]

I have her veil out there. I have her shoes out there. Like, I. I'm manifesting that she will be on my racks. I've also. I'm. No shame. I wasn't When I was in London, I'll like go into the store and I'll drop my card and say, hey, if she ever gets into bridal, let me know. The store manager's like, okay. Sometimes it takes like years. Like, I've had some people come around that I reached out to like years ago, and they're like, okay, we're finally doing it, you know, so. Or like we finally were a fit for them. Because obviously when I first started, no one knew who I was. And so it was like, hey, like, I'm this new, you know, store, like, take a chance on me. And. And so. So yeah, it's just always good to like manifest like designers that you believe that you can bring a voice to.

[Liv Perez]

You know, I love that you're like physically going and leaving your card. I think that's like, that's, that's how you run a business. That's how you get in front of people. Truly.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Christy Baird]

Who knows if it ever got passed? But you know, you gotta try.

[Liv Perez]

You gotta try. When brides are coming in now, what do you think is driving the biggest bridal trends? Is it, you know, celebrity weddings? Is it ready to wear Runway shows that you're seeing? Is it trends in fashion? What has been the biggest indicator when you're where you're seeing multiple brides come in the door and ask for this one thing.

[Christy Baird]

If you're talking about a more fashion forward bride, like, you know, a lot of ours are, I think vogue weddings definitely play a part. Yeah, Celebrity weddings. There's just endless content though. And so I think having brides, once they make a decision, try to chill out on that. I don't think anyone really just stops following everybody, but I think just like relaxing on it a little bit and maybe taking a breather because it's constant. And I feel bad for these brides. You can just see them, their wheels turning, you know, overstimulation to the mouth, overstimulation. And then the bridal markets are releasing collections that won't be available for those brides, you know. Cause it's not for their season.

[Liv Perez]

Yeah, it's a full year in advance.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

So it's tough. I actually, I genuinely feel bad for brides. Cause I could see how much it's like tearing them down, you know, like, so you just gotta own it and know that honestly too, there's a lot of beautiful dresses that you could wear. But you know, you chose this one and that's that like. And I know this might sound silly, but if you are planning to change, know that you can also get different things out. So I was so happy that all my looks were so different. Cause I feel like I got to fulfill a different version of myself as a bride. In those different moments, I felt very fulfilled. And I still look back and love all the different things. And I feel like just watching the, you know, your wedding and the looks that you served, like I felt the same way. It's like she got to be vintage, she got to be sparkly lace, like, you know, and that's fun. So if that is something, maybe it will take the pressure off a little bit.

[Liv Perez]

What are some trends you're seeing right now? Speaking of lace and capes and all the things? Like, what are some. What are some of the biggest bridal trends that you're seeing this summer?

[Christy Baird]

I think a lot of people, we're still seeing so much bask and drop waist. Cause again, I think in bridal, they are slower trends. So. But what's exciting about this season is I feel like people are really wanting to reinvent them. And so just even I love, like the exaggerated hip trend that's going on right now, but it's still drop waist. And I do see capes coming back a little bit, but more like attachable, more feminine. Not like over the shoulder. A lot of removable stuff still. But again, just reinventing it because I think there's only so many trends that can go down in bridal before they start repeating. And if it. What does feel fresh to me now though is like Danielle doing, like, really interesting fabrications, like cutouts, like textures. That's where I think most people could look at that and say that is so original to her and what she brought this season. I love all the hand painted stuff that she's doing. Just like unique fabrications, I think is what our brides are getting really excited about. And then like I said, if it is, you know, a style that we're seeing a lot of the drop waist, but like, what's that twist on it is what I'm looking for at least.

[Liv Perez]

Danielle Frankel is an enigma to me.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Unbelievable. I'm so impressed with what she built. Truly.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Because it's high fashion bridal, and I almost sometimes am like, wait, can you make that in a ready to wear version? You make that in a different color.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

And it's a lot of pressure to keep topping the previous season and then it'll get released. So. And this latest collection was truly mind blowing.

[Liv Perez]

What about accessories?

[Christy Baird]

The next scarf is still. This is what I'm Talking about where the trends just keep.

[Liv Perez]

I can't believe it's still going. Nikki Campbell, who's. If you follow Nikki Campbell, he's a red carpet commentator. And it's so funny. He will, like, see people come on the red carpet with a neck scarf. And every time he's like, could we have just paused for a second and decided if you really needed the next scarf? Did we need it?

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

I do think, however, for bridal, I think it has more of its place than I think it has on a red carpet.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

There's such a romance to it. And I think seeing a bride walk down the aisle with the scarf or anything kind of blowing in the wind, I think is really beautiful. But, yes, I think we're almost at It's. I think it's hard to get ready to retire.

[Christy Baird]

So it is such a game changer. I have brides that have said yes because the next scarf went on. So I totally understand. I think that I would just want maybe people to get a little creative. Like, I think it'd be so cool to, like, embroider it with something or do some type of interesting, you know, detailing on it. Just something that maybe, like, makes us think, like, oh, she really thought about how to, like, zhuzh the next scarf trend right now. So that. And then I just think the veil is being thought of more then, like, more and more. I feel like the veil is really being thought of as, like, the full picture and just interesting detailing. Again, I can't, you know, I have to talk about Danielle Frankel's, like, the painted veil. You know, like, things like that where it's like, oh, I actually should invest in this. Like, it really is a point of interest. And there's something about it that I think just really makes the whole look and makes, like, women feel like a bride. And so I think just getting creative with that, though. So I'd say that, I mean, again, a lot of, like, trend, like a lot of removable skirts and capes and it's. It's kind of the same thing, but just what's the twist on it?

[Liv Perez]

I also think that's more of, like, an affordable way to do it. If you're buying one piece that can serve for both moments. I think that's a great way for brides who don't want to be buying a ton of different dresses. Like, finding one where you can either, like, take the skirt out or take a cape off to serve as your after party moment is so fun.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah, yeah.

[Christy Baird]

But I mean, now having been in this for over 10 years. I've seen the cycles. Yeah. And so it's hard sometimes to always feel like you can peg new trends every year because it, you know, like, you've seen it before and you're like, okay, they're back now, or like when the big sleeves were and, you know, like, that lasted like, three years.

[Liv Perez]

Yep.

[Christy Baird]

So it just. It doesn't feel as like, on the spot trend as, like, what you feel with, like, Fashion Week and stuff.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Obviously, with this new space that we're in now, you're really targeting that fashion lover, someone who wants to work maybe one on one with a designer. And I know that you are really passionate about finding and supporting new designers in the space. What does that look like for you? How are you finding them? And is there one that you think everybody should be paying attention to right now?

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

I would say my rising stars right now would be WED Studio. They're really cool duo out of London. And then Varka, she's based out of Chicago. I think they're really cool. Have, like an edge to them. Really flattering silhouettes. And I. It's kind of one of those feelings where you feel like they're just getting started, they're shaking things up during markets. It's like all the things that you kind of look for. Something that's so important to me is I want people to come in and really see the difference in designer on the rack. So if I already feel like we are representing a certain aesthetic, I'm not gonna duplicate it. And I think that's something that people have admired about our curation. Sometimes you go into bridal shops, and I've just had other brides tell me, oh, there was just a lot of the same. And that's fine. To each their own. I just, for me, it's so important that you see the difference of voice and originality. And, yeah, that's basically what I'm looking for. It's just is. Do I feel something different? Have I not seen something like this? And what are they looking to say? I started with Danielle seven years ago. You know, Vivian Westwood really has only been doing made to order for the last, like, five, six years.

[Liv Perez]

Crazy.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

So they've probably made more on that dress than they have in the entire history of Vivian Westwood. Yeah, right.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

It's. I mean, it's truly an iconic dress and clearly not going anywhere. Danny Lovato just wore it.

[Liv Perez]

I'm not. Look, I think I love the brand. I think the dress is spectacular. I am still shocked to my core, I know every time I see it.

[Christy Baird]

Hey, it feels good. I think you tried it on, right? I mean, there is. There's, like, a feeling to it.

[Liv Perez]

My mother was like, can I dye this purple and wear it for your wedding? I was like, it's a bit too recognizable, Mom. They do sell it in colors now.

[Christy Baird]

Always on the red carpet, every year in color.

[Liv Perez]

It's so crazy to me. Yeah, it's so crazy. I was like, mom, it's a little too recognizable for you to wear.

[Christy Baird]

But, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, I mean, like, I'm. I'm starting with them there, right? Like, I'm not. I'm not picking people up, really, when they've already blown up. Blown up. And so that process is so rewarding, and it's so cool to see, you know, to even have them say things like, oh, the feedback you gave me was so useful. And that really helped fuel this. And so it's. I just. I love it. I just love being a part of the whole process from between the bride, the designer, all of that.

[Liv Perez]

So for brides who are listening, can you share a little bit about the space that we're in right now and what that offering looks like? Yes, it's super unique. You don't find it anywhere else, that's for sure.

[Christy Baird]

Yeah, we really wanted. I think some brides love being around other brides, and there's, like, a cool energy to that. But I also find this experience to be extremely personal. People can be having body things come up, and, you know, again, there's family dynamics. Like, so many feelings come up about a lot of different things. And so we wanted people to be able to book, you know, a very private experience. Also, we're in Los Angeles, so that comes in handy. But it's not just for famous people or anything like that. It's truly, you know, if someone wants to pay for the fitting fee and they want to be with me, and they want to really kind of take it further than just what that's on the rack. I love that exploration, and I love to introduce them to things that maybe just wouldn't come to mind by just visiting here. So it's kind of hard to describe, but it's so much just like taking it another step further, really wanting extra guidance from someone that's really in the thick of it and is constantly looking at all this stuff and. Yeah. So if it. If it ends up being a match to where I can introduce them to a designer or bring in a special request or, like we talked about earlier, Going demi bespoke. That's what I wanted to be able to give access to. I don't take a lot of brides every week, but I really take them with care. And, you know, it's fun. Cause it's. Somebody is gonna get something different from it depending on who they are and what they're looking for and what the fashion vibe is really.

[Liv Perez]

On that note, what's your biggest piece of advice for brides who are walking in the door and don't know where to start?

[Christy Baird]

I would say again, what I said earlier, which is, like, really do your homework a little bit. It just. It will get you so much further in the fitting. And then I know we also said this too, but, like, staying open. I would say if you can come with. Not a lot of people, at least the first time.

[Liv Perez]

Cosign.

[Christy Baird]

Yes.

[Liv Perez]

Big cosign.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

I see that really go wrong. And what's nice about maybe coming back is saying, hey, I've already favorited these dresses. They're ones that I love. So it kind of sets the tone with the group of, like, okay, she's already, you know, designated these as favorites. Like, why don't we chill a little bit and see what her response is first? A lot of barking. It still shocks me to this day, after a decade of doing this work, how people just can't be happy for people or they can't just, like, let them have their. Their own opinion first. So I would be mindful of that. I would not bring too many people to your first fitting, especially. Cause you're learning. You're learning in the beginning. So be mindful of that.

[Liv Perez]

100%.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Have you had any, like, crazy stories of, like, people who have come in or, like, you know, maybe their dress hasn't made it in time? Like, what are some, like, things that have happened that you're like, don't do this, guys?

[Christy Baird]

I think I was the most shocked by someone bringing. And this has happened numerous times, but this particular incident was a wine cooler, and they were in a limo all day, so they were already completely trashed. Came in, photographer comes out, they're taking pictures. They're drinking more from the cooler. And this is my last appointment, so I'm, like, real spent. I'm like, oh, my goodness. And then it turned into, like, a boudoir shoot. So I finally had to, like, take myself out of the equation. I'm pretty sure they were blacked out at that point. And so I'm like, hey, our time is up. We're gonna have to wrap this up. I have to go home. So the fact that people see it as, like, almost a bachelorette is. I think that's what's crazy. Cuz I'm like, we're taking our job so seriously right now in giving you this time and really wanting you to find something. But some people view it that way.

[Liv Perez]

Also, guys, no colored liquids around the dress.

[Podcast Guest]

Yeah.

[Liv Perez]

Like. Yeah, the wine.

[Podcast Guest]

The wine. Yeah.

[Christy Baird]

So it was. It was like, if you see somebody with a wine cooler, do not let them in, Kick them out. Now if I see the cooler, I'm like, oh, God, who knew?

[Liv Perez]

I know. Thank you so much for coming on. Oh, my gosh.

[Christy Baird]

Thank you.

[Liv Perez]

This is super fun hearing all about this again. I'm such a big fan and love everything you do, so I can't wait to see more from you in the future.

[Christy Baird]

Thank you. Thank you, Liv. I appreciate it.

[Nicole Byer]

Hey, everybody, it's Nicole Byer here with some hot takes from Wayfair. A cozy corduroy sectional from Wayfair. Um, yeah, that's a hot take. Go on and add it to your cart and take it. A pink glam nightstand from Wayfair. Skull holding hot. Take it before I do. A mid century modern cabinet from Wayfair that doubles as a wine bar. Do I have to say it? It's a hot take. Get [e-mail] and enjoy that free shipping, too.

[Christy Baird]

Wayfair.

[Liv Perez]

Every style, every home.