Hello everyone!
I’m finally back after some time off and I’m feeling better than ever! Not only have I spent the last few days in NYC for Bridal Fashion Week, but yesterday I got to meet the one, the only… HAYLEY PAIGE!! My Bianka Bridal team and I had such an amazing time at the JLM Couture Fashion Show on Friday, so when we went yesterday to meet more one on one with the designer reps to pick out the gowns, I had no idea I would actually be in the same room as Hayley. I have been obsessed with her designs for as long as I can remember and I just knew I needed to talk to her. When she agreed to let me interview her, I’m not joking, I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest it was beating so fast.
The first question I asked her was where she drew her inspiration from. I knew that the new Spring Collection that she was showcasing was inspired by the stars and the galaxy, but I wanted to know what else she was inspired by. “I was really into comic books growing up, I’m kinda like a comic book nerd, so I love doing a lot of quirky, fun sketch work– but I also get a lot from different personalities and drawings,” Paige explained. She showed me a small book of sketches that she created that were actually printed and handed out at the Fashion Show. I loved how she even wrote a poem to go along with it. She told me that if she weren’t a designer she would love to write children’s books, or comic books of course. Her comic book inspiration is apparent through many of the illustrations she shares on her Instagram (click here! to see for yourself).
With any dream comes a few ups and downs. I wanted to go deeper into Hayley’s struggles of getting into the industry and how she was able to overcome them. “For me, the hardest thing was the confidence to know that I was capable of delivering on a creative standpoint,” she told me. Paige went on to tell me how she majored in pre-med studies at Cornell while participating in a design program. “I didn’t really believe in myself enough to say, ‘Hey I’m going to be a great designer someday,’ so it really took me a long time to perfect my craft and convince myself that I was good at it.” I was so inspired by the fact that she didn’t give up on her passion. She told me that staying consistent with your growth is the most important thing you can do if you want to improve, which is exactly what I plan to do with my own goals.
Lastly, I wanted to ask her if she had a favorite gown from either this new collection or any previous collections, but she giggled and told me, “I feel like I can’t pick a favorite– It’s like picking a best friend over another friend.” I brought up how in love I am with one of her gowns from another season, but I understand how hard it would be to choose because they’re all so gorgeous. “It’s fun because a lot of times the dresses take on a different persona when they’re on different girls and it’s fun to watch them come alive,” she said.
It was such an honor getting to speak with a role model like Hayley Paige. I was smiling from ear to ear for the rest of the day! I can’t wait to share with you some sneak peak photos of her new collection because I know you’re going to love them all! Stay tuned 🙂
xoxo
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