When bridal designer Hayley Paige got the rights to her brand back, she “danced around her apartment to the Beach Boys.”
“Inspiration for dresses is limitless,” she said. “It can come from so many different outfits. Sometimes I listen to music and I get into rhythm. But other times, I just tap into personalities or textures, and I get inspiration a lot of times through research, because I meet so many brides.”
Paige, famous for appearances on TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress,” is debuting her newest collection, Twice Upon a Time, after winning the rights to her brand and likeness back from her previous employer, JLM Couture, in July 2024 [1]. She’s touring the country to promote the new collection, starting with last night’s Cocktails and Couture event at Mt. Lebanon’s Bridal Beginning.
About 120 people gathered at Bridal Beginning, 450 Cochran Road, Thursday evening, featuring local Pittsburgh wedding vendors. Influencers and legacy Hayley Paige brides were invited to enjoy light bites, signature cocktails and a question-and-answer session with Paige.
Paige said the design process for a wedding dress is “like a love language,” using the words whimsical, wide-eyed and welcoming to describe the new collection.
“I take my creative approach, especially on the development side, very seriously,” Paige said. “I like to think about storytelling and different textures coming together to kind of almost communicate through the dress. I always start with inspiration boards. I love baking from scratch when it comes to my fabrications”.
Paige’s advises creatives to stay consistent and keep showing up for yourself on bad days.
“Consistency is key,” Paige said. “On the days where you just feel kicked in the knees and you’re like, maybe I’m not good at this. Those are the days when you’re being tested, and those are the days to keep showing up for yourself and knowing that its part of the journey. Never lose your head when you’re in the clouds and never lose your heart when you’re deep down at the depths.”
Pam Olivo, owner of Bridal Beginning, also spoke during the moderated Q&A.
“I want to thank my staff — my team at Bridal Beginning is the best and so committed to helping each and every bride that comes through the door and really feeling special and wonderful, and this is also what Haley is about,” Olivo said.
Paige told the crowd she believes creative ruts can be a good thing.
“The real test of being in a rut is: can you maintain your passion, and can you still find joy and whimsy in your work? Because no matter what, there’s going to be times where you just don’t feel creative, or you have doubts, or something is, you know, actually physically setting you back, you know. And if you can maintain, you know, your pilot light for your creativity, it’s really powerful, like a little superpower to have.”
Olivo also spoke highly about Hayley Paige’s new sizing system that replaces numbers with flower names.
“A lot of our brides are always concerned about this number. We just want to say this is what you need and order it. So, I think Hayley has brought a big change to the industries,” Olivo said.
After her stop in Pittsburgh, Hayley Paige is traveling to Chicago and California.
“I’m so grateful to have this incredible community to keep pulling inspiration from and communicate in the way that I do, because the art form I do is all about the follow through. It’s about the bride saying yes to that dress and then it becomes hers.”