Bridget Julia Interview

“Fashion is the art of dressing well,” says Bridget Julia when referring to her couture and evening wear brand that embraces the figure, accents, and details of every woman wearing them. Cliché had the opportunity to speak with Bridget Julia herself, and talk about the brilliance behind the brand, her hopes for the future, and her love for Beyoncé.
Cliché: When did your love for design and fashion begin?
Bridget Julia: I was born with a passion for art and fashion, which go hand in hand. I wanted to pursue a career in which I could express myself creatively. I started designing when I was a child. I found a Patrick John Ireland illustration book at Goodwill and taught myself to sketch. It wasn’t until college that I even learned to sew; I picked up a knack for quality and patience quickly.
What are the sequential steps to your designing process?
I always start by getting inspired, which usually comes very quickly. I look at what is going on in fashion and where it will be going by researching and reading fashion forecasts. From there, I start sketching and looking for fabrics. Fabric is incredibly inspiring and I adapt sketches to textiles I find. I set up a timeline for myself and begin with one garment. I make the patterns and sew everything together myself. There is usually over 200 hours of detail work by hand involved. I complete each piece before moving on to the next. My favorite part is the feeling of satisfaction as I put a finished couture dress away in a garment bag. From there, the model brings the dress to life and it’s no longer a garment, but a piece of art.
Who would you say is your target audience?
The vision of Bridget Julia is to provide quality eveningwear for women with exquisite style and taste. The dresses I design are intended to combine a high level of style with a hint of whimsical adventure.
Your brand is very high fashion. Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
I have so many muses and inspirations, so to narrow it down, I am grandly inspired by fashion designers like Elie Saab, Alexander McQueen, Marchesa, Zuhair Murad, and Christian Dior. These design houses set the bar for couture and I aspire to set that bar as well.  My muses include Brigitte Bardot and Beyoncé. These women are daring, confident, and beautiful. I have photos of them on my inspiration wall in my sewing studio. I couldn’t imagine designing a piece without them in mind.
What is your favorite dress that you designed?
My favorite dress I designed was the “Chanel No. 5” Dress from my “I Wanna Be Loved By You” collection. It’s everyone’s favorite, to be honest! It’s a stunning black body suit with a sweetheart neckline and long sleeve netting embellished with lace detailing and Swarovski crystals. The dress has a lace full-length skirt that shows off the legs in a sexy and stylish manner. I loved this collection, which was inspired by Marilyn Monroe. All of the pieces were exquisitely designed and meticulously detailed.
Where can someone purchase one of your gorgeous designs?
Currently, Bridget Julia designs are custom made to order. A personal consultation can be made for special occasion couture. My samples are always available to purchase. Feel free to visit BridgetJulia.com or send an email to [email protected] for more details.
What are your hopes for Bridget Julia in the future?
I want to continue to design and showcase my collections at fashion shows. I am involved in the fashion industry in other aspects, but I truly love designing for Bridget Julia. In the future, I see many Bridget Julia gowns hanging in Beyoncé’s closet!
Read more Fashion Interviews at ClicheMag.com
Bridget Julia Interview: Photographed by Brandi Boehm, Makeup by May Nguyen