DEEP DIVE INTO
EDITH ÉLAN
We got to know a little about Lourdes Castañeda, the designer behind Edith Élan, in a previous post where we also learned about the brand. This time, we’ll go a little more in depth into the aspects that make the brand unique and learn about the brides that choose Edith Élan styles for their wedding day.
Who is Edith Élan?
“Who is Edith Élan?” That’s a question that comes up regularly in conversation. The name itself does not belong to anyone because Edith Élan is no one person. The name is an embodiment of the brand, its history, and a reflection of our brides: strength, style, vivacity, energy.
If you want to learn more about how the name came to be, the story is written up on a blog post over here on the Edith Élan website.
Who is the Edith Élan bride?
An Edith Élan bride possesses style and confidence, and exudes a joie de vivre. They are someone that knows who they are and what they want. They are unaffected by passing trends. And instead, they are seeking a design that speaks to their unique style and that will withstand the test of time.
What makes a wedding dress timeless?
A timeless wedding dress or bridal look is one that manages to stay relevant as the years pass. You can’t pinpoint exactly when it was designed. While trends come and go, a timeless design acknowledges trends but doesn’t necessarily follow them.
And when I say our bridal styles are timeless, I definitely don’t mean they’re “traditional” or boring. On the contrary, a lot of thought goes into the designs and especially into the details of the design because I believe that the details are what not only sets our designs apart but also what brides’ fall in love with. And from that love comes the excitement in finding the dress!
What is your design philosophy?
I strive to create timeless bridal styles where each is the perfect blend of past and present. The past is where I find inspiration. I find it in the shapes, embroideries, and fabrics. And it’s in combining those details with modern silhouettes that I am able to create uniquely timeless designs for the bride with élan.
There’s that word again: élan.
But what does it mean?
Élan is a noun and it means energy, style, passion, vigorous spirit, or enthusiasm for life. It is the concept on which the brand is built. I not only want our bridal designs to embody and exude élan, but I also want our brides to have élan.
Why are customizations an important thing to offer?
Customizations allow a bride to express their personal and unique style. Sometimes the bridal style is perfect as is. However, when a bride chooses to customize a dress it’s generally for one of two main reasons: comfort or vision.
If it’s comfort, I don’t only mean comfort in terms of fit, but I also mean in terms of personal comfort. I want our brides to be comfortable in what they are wearing. And, if it means changing a fitted skirt into an A-line so that they have a greater range of motion or raising a neckline for modesty, let’s do it!
If the customization is for vision, I mean it in terms of the style the bride sees themselves wearing on their wedding day. I recently had a South Carolina bride who fell in love with one of our best-sellers, Milly from the 2020 collection. She loved the silhouette, the billowing sleeves, and embroidery details, but she mentioned to her family that she wished it was in fabric that had more sheen to it (the sample is in crepe) because that’s what she envisioned for the wedding day. That’s when I showed her our charmeuse. It’s a beautiful fabric that drapes like crepe, but has the luster and sheen she was looking for. It was an immediate yes!
In the past, you’ve said that inclusivity, giving back to the community, and producing ethically are also important to you.
Why is that?
When it comes to inclusivity, I want brides to be able to see themselves in Edith Élan. I know what it’s like to not see myself represented in marketing growing up. Not only in complexion and ethinicity, but also especially in size. I’ve been in the bridal industry for almost 20 years. When I started in the industry I was a bridal stylist and it wasn’t uncommon for brands to have one price for “regular” sizes and a higher price for “women’s” sizes. It was heartbreaking to me when I had to tell a bride that the dress they love is actually going to be a couple hundred dollars more than what the price tag said because their measurements bumped them into a different size. I vowed that I wouldn’t do that when I had my own brand. So whether a bride is a size 2 or a size 30, the price is the same!
Giving back has always been a matter close to my heart (both in my personal and professional life). I also understand the importance of creative expression, and a person’s ability to have access to resources which allow for that creative expression. For these reasons, Edith Élan donates 5% of sales to HEART – An Inclusive Arts Community in Charleston, SC. They are a non-profit organization that provides inclusive music, art, and theater experiences to connect adults with special needs and their communities. They are a “creative and adventurous family of artists, performers, and all-around creative misfits!”
Ethical production is important because I care about the health, safety, and fair compensation of workers. Not only for employees, but also for workers in businesses we partner with for production because no one should have to die for fashion! I also care about the effects the fashion industry has on the earth. I know how polluting the fashion industry as a whole is, and I want to do what I can to cut down on waste. Therefore, we consciously produce. We reduce our fabric waste as much as possible when cutting patterns. Fabric remnants are either upcycled or recycled. And lastly, I believe that transparency is key for ethical production. From the production cycle, to the person who made the garment, to the origin of our fabrics and embroideries, I’ll be upfront about it.
Is there a quote that resonates with you?
There’s actually two. The first came from one of Edith Élan’s first brides, Mel. She said, “It’s Downtown Abbey meets David Bowie!” First of all, Downtown Abbey is one of my favorite shows especially with the detail that went into the period costumes. That aside, I don’t think there’s a more perfect quote to simply understand our designs. While Mel said this quote in regard to the style she chose (Tamarisk from our Classics collection), it can totally be applied to all of our collections. In saying that, Mel meant that she wanted something that when she looked at photos in 20+ years, she would still look relevant and not dated. She felt that Tamarisk was bridal fashion past, present and future all in one dress. Aka, that it was timeless!
The second quote comes from Diane Kruger: “What you wear is such an expression of who you are.” I wholeheartedly love this quote, which is why it’s in the footer on every page of the website! Whenever I am working with brides this is my biggest piece of advice. I remind them that they should choose a style that makes them feel like an elevated version of themselves. It should be a style that stays true to but also expresses their personal style because what they wear on their wedding day shouldn’t feel like a costume.
To learn more about Edith Élan, read her other article “ABOUT THE BRAND” here.
location
Charleston, SC
lets be social
IG: @edith_elan
FB: @EdithElanBridal