Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Heather Royal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Heather, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
The word ‘sustainable’ has become a fairly empty buzzword across industries, but from the start my aim has been to be as close to zero-waste as possible. I minimize my footprint by being as conservative with designs and materials as I can, purchasing from small-run, end-of-run or discontinued fabrics, shopping from low-inventory vintage suppliers and repurposing materials clients bring to me. I actually love to reinvent heirlooms and include elements that have meaning for the wearer- creating baptism gowns from wedding gowns, modernizing bridal headpieces, etc. Years working in corporate and larger bridal fashion houses, I was disheartened with the amount of waste I saw- rolls of paper patterns, fabrics- so much quality material is discarded in the process. Major brands have pressure to put out collections each season, with countless unrealized and unfinished pieces, styles unworn and discontinued, bolts of fabric and and bags of samples tossed out to free space for what’s next. For a global company, pushing out collections at a pace that keeps up with buyer demand and stays fresh enough to be relevant is impossible without generating significant waste; the time and labor needed for smarter solutions unfortunately comes at a high cost. As a much smaller operation, my impact is low, but I do what I can to keep those materials out of landfills and operate my business mindfully.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I have always been creative. I love tactile work and building something, where there is a clear lifespan with a beginning and end, and always expected to be some type of artist as a kid. I was introduced to fashion at a young age watching runway shows on tv with my mom, a former model. I was so inspired by the beautiful, sculptural pieces floating across the screen, and what I knew about the pace of the industry worked for my competitive, type-A personality.
My earliest bridal fashion education came from working as a sales consultant at a boutique while in high school- I was hooked on all the detail and energy that surrounds this momentous time in someone’s life. For many, their most photographed event, the pictures that will be displayed across families for generations, is their wedding day. It’s special to be part of that, to help guide someone towards what makes them feel the most confident and the most themselves as they celebrate the next chapter in their lives. And I love the process of making that ensemble perfect- the fittings, tailoring, customizations- all which used to be the norm, but has become a rarity with fast-fashion. Most people never experience having such care in their wardrobe, and there are so many traditional methods of construction that are employed; it’s satisfying work that forces me to slow down.
The business is more than bridal though- it’s custom apparel and accessories for special occasions, fine art commissions, interior design and decor consultations… it’s whatever I have to work with to create something beautiful when a customer’s vision and mine meet. I studied fine art and art history along with fashion and have a charcoal and oil portfolio (slowly adding mixed media there). My favorite work- my favorite way to spend time, is doing what is meticulous, has purpose, and feels personal- intimate even.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I had blinders on building up my own limited collection and custom business, and then briefly entering a partnership creating bridal separates for wholesale with presence on 3 continents. I felt like I was working under an arbitrary ‘success deadline’- that I needed to achieve specific milestones by a certain point in my life or career, and that intensity and drive left little room for me to enjoy anything- including the work I was so dedicated to. Eventually I became disenchanted by the designs, the industry, unable to be present in my personal life, enjoy holidays, take vacations or spend time with friends and family without bringing beading or specs with me.
While the separates company took off, the partnership was a true clash of characters and I didn’t have the savings to continue working for equity a business that still had a few years to become profitable. In fairly rapid succession I dissolved the business partnership, found my personal life upended, had to relocate my home and studio and rebuild who I was from the ground up. During that time I ran into a former colleague- an industry veteran about 20 years older than me who had worked with every major designer I’d aspired to work with. She told me it had taken her until that point to feel that she had enough security and freedom, finally, to begin the rest of her life. I took it as the extra validation I needed to step away to reevaluate where I was and what I wanted.
It‘s been a few years at this point, but I’ve been redirecting back towards what I love since that major pivot, and while I’m more cautious and light-footed at the moment I’m excited to take bigger risks.
Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?
I try to see NTFs as I would any art piece- who determines the true value? The monetary value is only what we attach to it, there’s no legitimate reason a painting should sell for millions of dollars, or a digital mockery of one, so I can’t grasp purchasing an NFT at an outrageous cost– but they’re both methods of housing wealth in a moving market. What I find missing from NFTs is the heart, soul, depth, expression, nuance of craftsmanship, story or any of the transportive qualities fine art can have.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heatherroyal.com
- Instagram: @heatherroyal
Image Credits
Ally Moy Meghan Garven Jill Sahner Alejandro Cerdena Marissa DeCinque Daia Fabrice Tranzer