31 Mar Interview with Carol Hannah
Q: At the 2011 Charleston Weddings Magazine Spring Fashion Show your designs graced the runway again. This time some of your bridal line was showcased with Maddison Row and pieces from your bridesmaid collection with Bella Bridesmaid. For the finale of the collections you unveiled a stunning custom black gown. What was you inspiration to design this dress?
CH: I was so excited when Lindsey Nowak at Maddison Row asked me to make the finale gown for their show. As soon as we started talking about their Mad Men theme and color palette, we realized it would be amazing to do a black gown. I wanted to do something a bit over the top and editorial, and I had been saving these incredible black feathers for something special. I’ve been a little obsessed with feathers for a while now (something which has it’s roots in a PR challenge when I used them for the first time), but then Black Swan came out, so of course now they’re “cool.” I just love the depth and texture and whimsy that they can create without being flashy, which is basically what my aesthetic is all about.
Q: The dress was a huge highlight for the show, did you custom design it just for the Charleston Runway Show with Maddison Row or is it a glimpse at what is to come on the runways of your New York Show?
CH: I did indeed custom design it for the show. Allison from Bella Bridesmaid chose two of my dresses for the show (Pinckney Street in silver and Gadsden Street in charcoal), so it was nice for the show to have a balance of dresses that you can literally buy off the runway and a piece that is more for drama. That said, I immediately came home and made the white/ivory/gold version of the finale for my new collection, which debuts in a little more than a week here in NYC during bridal market!
Q: As far as New York, are there any insights that you can share about the inspiration behind your collection that will debut?
CH:This collection has been really fun to put together. I feel like my style has grown up a bit in the past year, and that’s certainly reflected in the pieces. I don’t want to reveal too much before the debut, but the collection does have a good bit of metallics and texture. It’s a little more sensual than last season, and I’m really excited to see the final pieces come together (they’d better come fast!).
Photographs by The Connellys
