Entry No. 7: For the Bride, the Dreamer, and the Vintage Soul

Well, hello, Darling.

So—we’re going to be the best of friends.

No, for real. We’re gonna be best friends.

We’ll be having tea together.

We’ll be talking about wedding dresses and vintage stuff, and we’ll be talking about sewing and construction.

I’m going to be sharing so many things with you, and I really can’t wait.

I can’t wait—because I’ve never had a friend like you.

Someone who understands me so well.

You’re like me, because you love the color blue.

You love any blue—but you’re most partial to anything in the mid-range. A French blue, a vintage French blue, baby blue, light blue, sky blue, ice blue… any of those kinds of blues.

So, lighter tones heading toward the middle range.

You don’t really like a strong blue, like cobalt or electric blue, though you are partial to navy—especially when it’s got stripes or that coastal, sea, beachy, sailing, nautical vibe.

So yes—same favorite color. But it doesn’t stop there.

For you, fashion is actually about expression.

And you want to hear the stories behind the people who make your garments.

You may be getting married—and if so, congratulations, Honey.

I’m so excited for you.

But you also may have stumbled upon me because you saw something in my aesthetic that resonated with your spirit.

If that’s the case: welcome, welcome, welcome.

Or maybe you’re a person like me who loves a French toile… as I mentioned, nautical stripes, or prints with blue florals—or any kind of blue printed situation. You find yourself staring at wallpaper with a vintage vibe.

And speaking of vintage, you actually love vintage clothing.

Vintage style. Vintage everything—except the values.

If you’re like me, you love the ‘40s, ‘50s, and early ‘60s—a la Christian Dior and the New Look.

That nipped-in waist gets you every time.

But in general, you love vintage fashion. I’m talking even the 1800s.

You definitely watch Bridgerton and ooh and ahh over the fashion every time.

One more thing that makes you very, very unique:

You care about who makes your clothes. You want to hear the story behind every garment. And you love the idea of following along as a gown goes from idea to sketch to production.

You’re probably interested in fashion.

You find yourself watching TikToks and reels and saving Pinterest videos of people making clothes, talking about making clothes, and sharing their lives as a designer, etc., etc., etc.

Likely, you’ve either worked in the fashion industry—or you wanted to.

You may be a designer yourself right now, or maybe you’re just someone who has an appreciation for a well-made garment.

And this, my dear, is why we are going to be best friends.

So first off: I’m Dani Simone.

Dani is short for Danielle, and Simone is my actual middle name.

A lot of people assume it’s my last name, but it’s not.

My last name, through marriage, is Singerman. But I tend to leave that out when I’m designing.

The reason I created this blog—which is really more of a diary you get to read—is because I felt like the fashion industry has become a little bland.

You get moments of excitement… punctuated by stale assortments.

And a lot of the industry feels hidden.

Hidden in clothes. Locked behind doors.

You hear about manufacturers, but you don’t really know how they work.

You’re anti–mass produced, though you admit that yes, you have a lot of clothing in your closet that came from brands that mass produce. (Same.)

But you still feel like there’s a velvet rope.

One that says, “If you’re not part of the club, you don’t get in.”

It feels snobbish. Snooty.

And it’s being held up by the very people who fund it—by paying money and sharing viral videos.

It seems designed to keep you out.

Well, that’s not my desire at all.

I stopped posting on Instagram back in October.

I was in a program called the Q4 Accelerator.

As a businessperson, I’m usually in some kind of program, course, or class—right now, I’m in a few.

But this one focused heavily on deep reflection.

The creator of the program, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, is the author of several books. My favorite is 10X Is Easier Than 2X.

That book helped me cut the fluff—and see what was actually helping my business grow.

I’ve been a bridal designer since 2007.

Before that, and after that, I worked in the fashion industry.

I studied at Brooks College—a small fashion school in Long Beach, California. But for simplicity’s sake, I usually say L.A.

I spent a lot of time in L.A.—shopping at Michael Levine’s, pulling trims and fabrics, soaking in the garment district.

Eventually I landed a job as a design room assistant for a small fashion brand that sold gowns and sportswear to Nordstrom and upscale boutiques.

I wasn’t designing—I was basically a glorified office assistant.

Running errands. Talking to shipping. Assisting the patternmaker. Organizing swatches.

I sat in with the sample makers and the designers as they gave instructions.

I learned everything.

Then I moved back East—back home—and started working in New York City. Full-time with one brand, freelance with a few others.

I’ll go deeper into all of that in other posts, but for now, just know—I’ve been in this industry a long time.

And for just as long, I’ve wondered:

Why isn’t anyone sharing what really goes on behind the seams? (Yes, that pun was intended.)

I also used to teach bridal and eveningwear designers how to work with manufacturers. I had students who got their first collection produced successfully.

I now work closely with two manufacturers—on the sample room side—to create made-to-order wedding dresses.

Not mass-produced.

Made-to-order.

That means: we make one dress. For one bride.

It’s not the same as making 50 or 1,000.

Some people call 50 pieces “small batch.”

But I don’t even do that.

I only make one piece of every dress, and I’m part of the process from start to finish.

And I love that.

I’ll be sharing more about it here, because no one else is.

You, the bride, or the vintage lover, or the designer—deserve to know.

That’s why this blog exists.

Also—can I just say something?

I love high-quality manufacturing.

Even as a child, I was drawn to construction, to beautiful finishes, to craft.

I’ve spent years sourcing and vetting the best manufacturers I can afford.

And yes—many of them are in China.

And yes—I stand by that proudly.

Darling, there’s so much more I could say (and I will).

But if you’ve made it this far, comment and tell me your favorite shade of blue. Baby blue is mine. But French blue? Ice blue? Polar ice? I love them all.

This blog is the start of something sacred.

A place where illustration, honesty, bridal artistry, and vintage dreams all live together.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Welcome to The Blue Thread Diary.

Love,

🩵Dani