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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Jules sews up multi-million dollar US deal

Bay of Plenty Times
18 Apr, 2005 05:09 PM3 mins to read

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Jules Bly started sketching dolls' clothes when she was four years old.
Now the Bay wedding gown designer has just clinched the deal of a lifetime that could be worth up to $5 million.
Her dreams became reality in the space of a few days this month when the Papamoa woman made
her mark at the New York Bridal Trade Show.
Kleinfeld Bridal - the world's largest bridal department - has just signed an exclusive deal with the former Otumoetai College student, securing her gowns a place in up to six stores around the United States by the year's end.
The company sells 16,000 wedding dresses every year - that's 43 a day, or just under two an hour.
Her exhibit of seven gowns attracted interest from the company and sparked the catch phrase - "for you, not your mum".
The risqu? designs are dubbed "extroverted elegance" by Mrs Bly, who returned from the United States on Sunday.
The first swings of big-business momentum began 18 months ago when the mother-of-one started selling her "destination" wedding gowns in Hawaii.
A bridal magazine published a feature on her work which was then distributed in New York. Within a few months, the feature had sparked inquiries from brides.
"Here we get engaged and go straight to a designer. In the United States they get engaged and go to a bridal salon, try on dresses and order off the rack."
Mrs Bly invested $200,000 in a themed suite at the New York Bridal Week Trade Show held 10 days ago.
She "wowed" American buyer Kleinfeld Bridal by going against the advice of how to set up her suite with a traditional runway.
"You know, typical Kiwi going against the rules. We were told they (Kleinfeld) wouldn't even look at us for three years and on day one they are buying."
The company will stock her designs - inspired by nature in the Western Bay - in New York, Texas and California, and another three stores could potentially do so by the end of the year, including one in Manhatten. The deal is expected to be worth $1 million this year and $5 million in two years' time.
She and her team - design assistant Rosemary Whitehead and business partner Mark Estall - and a New York event co-ordinator took on the task to exhibit at the show three months ago.
Real palm trees, tropical flowers, scented oils and even Kiwi artist Bic Runga's music set the scene.
So what next? A celebrity wedding - she suggested actress Cameron Diaz would be a good candidate.
And maybe her own wedding too after a nine-year relationship with fiancee Mark Pieterson? Maybe, when she gets time - and finds something to wear.

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