We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angeline Brunk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Angeline thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

A little over two years ago, I left a 13-year career in couture formal wear design, feeling it was time to embark on my next journey, though I wasn’t sure what that would be. I took a leap of faith, sold everything I owned, followed my heart, and moved to Italy. Immersed in European fashion and art, I unexpectedly reconnected with my roots in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and my heritage, reflecting on the decisions made by my parents, grandparents, and their predecessors, as well as my own choices and experiences that led me to where I was.

I discovered groundbreaking technology and innovative resources that had more potential than I had ever realized. These discoveries inspired a vision to forge a new path in the fashion industry—one that I could dedicate my life to and give back with. My vision is to leverage technology to develop a new process for creating customizable garments in a sustainable way that has an empowering impact on my clients while providing pioneering new opportunities in my community.

Taking another leap of faith before I left Italy, I developed a small collection of bridal, evening, and suiting separates with a distinctive edge, and launched it back home in Washington State last February at an art gallery. Now, in my design studio in Queen Anne, I am dedicated to realizing this vision. It’s a long journey ahead to develop this new tech-driven process, but I am more committed than ever as I continue to design for clients and collaborate with creatives who, like me, are excited about a new approach to formal dressing.

Angeline, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Minsk, Belarus, and Nicosia, Cyprus, and lived in four other U.S. states before landing in Seattle, Washington, where I worked in couture for over a decade. Having such a diverse background and exposure to international cultures and experiences, including the experiences of moving around so much, has really shaped my commitment to service and influenced my design approach which is ultimately to inspire by celebrating creativity, individuality, and diversity.

I graduated cum laude from FIDM in Los Angeles in Fashion Design, which eventually landed me a job at Luly Yang Couture. There, I designed bridal, eveningwear, and suiting for a global clientele and was on the corporate design and development team where we created bespoke uniforms for companies such as Alaska Airlines, Amazon Prime, and the Washington Athletic Club.

My love for solution driven design grew into a kind of obsession with seeking creativity in out-of-the-box solutions for every aspect of my life. I learned that seeking extraordinary solutions goes hand in hand with taking risks which requires you to step outside of your comfort zone. I relied heavily on my faith to overcome the overwhelming bouts fear and anxiety to find clarity and peace, guiding me along the arduous path into the unknown. This led me to my recent experience in Italy, starting a business, and finding my soulmate in a Kirkland firefighter. I feel like I’ve gone through a complete physical, mental, and spiritual transformation in the last four years, and now, my main goal in life is to share that in every way that I can.

Because of these life experiences, I find value in design that takes an unexpected turn and perhaps makes you think about something you hadn’t before. Drawing inspiration from nature, my design aesthetic is to sculpt the body with curves, finding balance in asymmetry using fluid lines and contrasting proportions. I aim to incorporate unexpected elements that leave a lasting impression with a distinctive edge.

I design artful, body-sculpting bridal, evening wear, and suiting for women in their 30s to 60s who are looking for high-fashion attire for their upcoming events, are unfulfilled with traditional retail options, and seek an approachable solution that allows them to express their creativity and style in an inspiring way. These women are driven, confident in their individuality, and seek out new experiences in their personal and professional lives while being mindful of their impact. While opting for a custom design is appealing, traditional couture remains an unattainable option for many due to its taxing nature on their future plans. My goal is to disrupt this by offering personalized solutions that have more to offer than a single wear, with timeline and pricing structures that meet them where they are. This can only be a viable business endeavor if it’s also sustainable for both the environment and my team and me. That’s where tech integration comes in as a crucial component in helping us achieve this ambitious plan, eventually allowing us to offer our design services remotely and reach clients wherever they are in the world.

I’m so thankful for my clients and my small team who are taking this leap of faith with me towards an exciting opportunity to try something new. Im so proud of how far we’ve come and I can’t wait to see where it goes. There is, undoubtedly, tremendously challenging unknown territory ahead, but certainly the adventure of a lifetime.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

In my previous role, I managed the production of all of our collections and bespoke garments while also leading the sales team designing on demand for our clients. This experience taught me how to communicate effectively with all my teams and clients, manage expectations, and handle high emotions. I also learned to source materials, develop technical specifications, and coordinate logistics for both in-house and global production. These skills were crucial and took many years to refine.

When I considered starting my own business, I knew that sourcing the right manufacturing partners would be critical to my success. While living in Italy after leaving my job, I was already familiar with the challenges of finding new manufacturing partners, but it was even more complicated since I had no known connections in the Italian industry, nor was I currently employed by a known brand at the time.

I attended a series of trade shows and learned about the groundbreaking potential of tech in the industry. Despite meeting incredible companies from around the world, I struggled to find a clear starting point. One day, I discovered a particularly interesting trade show on tech in apparel in Milan. It was expensive and selective, requiring proof of industry experience. Determined, I created my LLC, updated my website and managed to attend. The event was both incredible and intimidating, and I initially felt out of my element. However, with support from a mentor, I approached the final day of the event with curiosity and began to enjoy the experience of simply learning and talking to people in the industry.

The turning point came when the very last person I spoke to as the event was closing shared his own transformative experience similar to mine and offered to help. To my complete surprise, he ended up provided me with a list of potential manufacturers and suppliers across Italy. After reaching out to about 20 of them, I heard back from 3. The first one turned me away quite harshly, but it taught me how to better approach the next meetings. The next two became my partners, and I was able to develop my collection with them under a tight timeline given my previous years of experience in handling complex designs with new teams.

The key takeaways are 1). You never know where your next opportunity is going to come from, and 2). You have to stay open, positive, and continuously take action.

Building these partnerships is a risk for both parties and requires relying on each other’s expertise. It’s essential to be open about your expectations and what you don’t know. Manufacturers don’t expect you to know everything; they can be better resources if given the freedom to leverage their strengths. The best partnerships form when there’s mutual trust and a willingness to explore creative solutions together.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

When I returned from Italy, I faced the challenge of finding a starting point for my business without investing in a retail space. Inspired by the fashion museums I visited in Europe, I decided to launch my collection in an unconventional way. In a small pool of bleak options, I found a beautiful, naturally lit art gallery in a great location and struck up a relationship with the owner that resulted in a flexible rental agreement. Although it initially felt impossible, with the help of friends, family, and my firefighter fiancé, who heroically hauled 13 dress forms, furniture, our TV to use as a monitor, and other retail equipment, we transformed the space to showcase my 14-piece collection, drawing a larger crowd than I ever imagined. We served champagne and put illustrations of the collection up for sale that made enough profit to host a series of 3 more pop ups at the gallery.

These pop-ups weren’t nearly as successful as the launch, but each provided valuable learning experiences that led me to establish a small space in my ideal neighborhood in Queen Anne, a studio where I could design, develop, and host consultations and fittings with clients. From the pop-ups, I acquired these first few clients and to my greatest surprise, I also connected with creatives across various industries which led to the introduction of my first team members whom I would not have been able to continue without and because they too were looking for an unconventional path in the fashion industry.

I’m grateful for the support of my friends and family and the resources I gained from this experience. As I face new challenges, I continue to draw inspiration from the audacity it took to put myself out there initially. This experience continues to remind me, even as I reflect for this interview, of the importance of taking risks and being open to unconventional approaches in reaching my target audience in a way that feels authentic to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angelinebrunk.com
• Instagram: @angelinebrunkstudio, @angelinebrunk
• Facebook: @angelinebrunkstudio, @angelinebrunk
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-brunk-5ab655a/
• Other: I sell my fashion illustrations on Etsy and accept custom orders which have become fun gifts for bridal showers, anniversaries, to celebrate expecting mothers, loving pets, and decorate new homes: https://angelinebrunkstudio.etsy.com

Image Credits

Corinne Catania, Andria Lindquist, Jonathan Adams, Logan Westom, Briseida Espindola-Calderon, Angeline Brunk Studio