“Every fiber is really full of love and care and intention … and that’s a beautiful feeling knowing where everything is coming from and how much love + energy is being put into the fabric.” –Alix

We talk A LOT about the wedding dress in the media and of course, in conversations with our family and friends.

What does it look like? Who is the designer? How much does it cost? How does it make you feel?

You get the idea.

Rarely do you hear the question, WHERE was your dress made? And even a more unusual question, UNDER what working conditions was your dress made?

Those are questions many of us don’t naturally think of when consumed with wedding fever, right?

If you are a bride who cares about voting with your dollars and supporting a design company that is Fair Trade - and provides healthcare, safe working conditions, regulated hours, etc. for their employees (all stuff many of us take for granted) - you’ll fall in love with the wedding design company, Celia Grace.

In today’s show, I chat with the Head Designer behind Celia Grace, Alix Kivlin, about why Fair Trade is so important to the wedding industry, how to find your dream wedding dress, and the stories behind the Celia Grace seamstresses in India and Cambodia.

“If only our dress labels had full descriptions of where and how things were made.” –Alix

In this show we’ll cover the following:

• Alix’s story: how she transitioned from designing sportswear to wedding gowns
• What is Fair Trade exactly? Why is it important in the wedding world?
• How can brides find Fair Trade companies to support?
• How to pick natural gown fabrics
• The process behind creating natural dyes from coconut husks, hibiscus petals, and onion skins
• The fascinating stories behind the seamstresses in India and Cambodia
• What inspires Alix’s bohemian dress designs?
• What are current wedding gown trends?
• How can brides find their dream gown?
• Why shopping for your dress with your entire bridal party might not be a good decision
• How Celia Grace can help you find your own Fair Trade dress – they will ship dresses to you to try on in your own private fitting!
• What happens with wedding gowns after the wedding?
• Sell your dress post-wedding via Weeding Recycle

About Alix Kivlin: Alix grew up with a creative family and at an early age began designing and sewing clothes for her dolls, which eventually led to designing for herself and her friends.  After graduating from F.I.T. in New York Alix began designing for an array of known fashion companies for 10 years but never felt fulfilled to climb the corporate ladder with a company that didn’t match her values of human rights and environmental protection.  She found the perfect fit with her friend Marcie and Celia Grace, designing beautiful gowns with talented and ethical partners and traveling to far corners of the globe to work one on one with these small Fair Trade producers.

 “There’s nothing wrong with knowing that you found your dress and it’s only the third dress you tried on… or even the first one. Go for it.” –Alix