Dream a Little Dreamboat Lucy
When we first met the talented duo behind Dreamboat Lucy, Hilary and Louanna were hot off an invitation to show their line at LG Fashion Week (now World Mastercard Fashion Week). Not to be gals that throw all their eggs in one basket, the two decided to hold off on showing until they felt their line was more established and so they could be sure that DBL would be ready for it. Well, they do say that only fools rush in and even though we were sad not to see DBL grace the runway that season, we couldn’t be happier for them in their decision to wait. In just about three years the two have gone from selling in one shop in Halifax to be carried at over 8 stores across Canada as well as being featured designers to walk the same runway as local heavyweights like Caitlin Power in the Mercedes-Benz Start Up 2012. Not to mention getting some serious fashion kudos from Flare Canada, and Fashion Magazine might put the cherry on top of a great year. We’ve always been smitten with their bold prints, chic styling, and amazing accessories and the fall/winter 2013 collection is absolutely no exception. We caught up with the two stylish ladies on their evolution as a brand, inspiration, and their fall must haves.
Tell us about your upcoming collection. How does it differ from past collections?
Our Fall/Winter 2013 is probably the boldest collection we’ve created in terms of colors and patterns. We tend to use a softer palate and color scheme but we amped it up a notch for this collection.
Who is this collection for? What kind of woman? What inspired this collection?
We always design for women who want to stand out in a crowd. This collection was inspired by the woman in Roy Lichtenstein comics. We used really graphic prints and our shapes have a retro flare.
When we talked last, Dreamboat Lucy was just starting out in a sense. How do you feel you have evolved (personally and/or professionally)?
The past three years have been a huge learning curve for us! We’ve gone from selling to one shop in Halifax (Biscuit General, who has supported us from day 1!) to being carried in 9 stores across Canada. Being involved in the Mercedes-Benz Start up Program has pushed us in a lot of ways as well. Most importantly, it forced us to really think about who we are and who we want to be as a brand.
How exciting! What has been your favorite part of your journey so far?
It’s hard to pick a favorite but there are definitely a few things that stand out. Showing at Fashion Week, rubbing shoulders with Jeanne Beker, and having East Coast Rapper Kay rock some of our duds in Flare would be up there for sure!
What is inspiring you lately?
Barbie, Hawaiian vacations, and tropical fruit… you’ll have to stay tuned to see what it evolves into!
What are you looking forward to the most this fall?
Definitely showing our Spring/Summer 2014 collection at the Mercedes-Benz Start Up show at Toronto Fashion Week in October!
canadian designers, dreamboat lucy, local designers, shopping local, style, women in business