Wedding Planning Decisions, This vs That with Kelly McWilliams

From 12 Dresses to Industry Leader: The Evolution of Morilee

• Kelly A McWilliams • Season 6 • Episode 5

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How does a brand evolves from producing just 12 dresses to becoming an industry leader, shaping the bridal world with a multitude of diverse collections? Join us as we delve into the awe-inspiring journey of Morilee, celebrating their 70th anniversary, with none other than Terry Eagle, the CEO, and Madeline Gardner, the Chief Design and Creative Officer. Together, they reveal how they've shifted from major department stores to independent retailers and navigated the evolving landscape of the bridal industry.

Madeline Gardner, a woman acclaimed for her dedication and deep understanding of the bridal domain, shares fascinating insights into the design process of Morilee. She highlights the significance of fit, fashion, and the unique 13-point boning construction in her designs. You'll also get an exclusive peek into a remarkable partnership resulting in a breathtaking couture collection!

We also navigate through the eclectic Morilee collections, from the core collection, the Blue, the plus-sized Giulietta, to the modern minimalist Amy and Eve. 

Special series season in partnership with Coded Agency

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After graduating from the Fashion Institute of New York City, Madeline Gardner's dreams of becoming a true Designer took shape and she has been the Chief Design + Creative Director at the NY-based bridal label, Morilee, for the last 25 years. With the studio in the heart of bustling New York City, Madeline Gardner continues to seek influences from all the latest fashions. While her style is always evolving, her designs continue to transcend time. 

Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/morileeofficial/

Places to go - People to see:

Kelly's Site: http://www.kellymcwilliams.com
Kelly's Blog: https://www.kellymcwilliams.com/blog
Instagram: @kellyamcwilliams


About Kelly:
Kelly knows how incredible a well planned wedding can be. Every moment counts and every decision plays a part. Wedding planning should be fun and as easy to do as possible.  Besides planning weddings, Kelly travels the globe as an industry speaker. Kelly is a  Martha Stewart Top Wedding Planner & this podcast won Brides magazine and WeddingWire's best podcast.

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Speaker 1

Hello and welcome to this versus that making wedding decisions with Kelly McWilliams. This podcast is for you if you're making a wedding decision and want to know what to consider before saying I do to all the things that will make your wedding experience a great one. I'm your host, kelly McWilliams, and I'm so glad to be a part of your wedding planning journey. In each episode, you can count on me and my expert wedding co-hosts to give you everything it takes to make the best decisions for the wedding that you're dreaming of. And we're back again from New York Bridal Market Fashion Week.

Speaker 1

This interview, I think I was probably the most nervous about, because Morley is. They set the pace for the Bridal Market. Terry Eagle and Madeline Gardner are who I interviewed. They are the CEO and Chief Design and Creative Officer from Morley. This was there in 2023. We celebrated, or they celebrated, their 70th anniversary. They came to be in 1953 back in New York and Gramercy Park. Can you believe that? So this was an incredible, like one of the shining star moments for me, where I was like I cannot believe.

Speaker 1

I'm in the room and getting to interview these people like just unbelievable, but I'm so excited because we learn about something brand new, and I'm just so excited. Okay, again, as a reminder, we're in the middle of Melange de Blanc, hundreds of people around, so it's going to be noisy. I just know that you're going to love this interview, though. Terry and Madeline, I'm so excited that you're here with me today, and I have to tell you why. I've been married 25 years and you guys were here before that. It's your 70th anniversary, isn't it? Yes, it's so exciting. Are there many designers out there that have been still under? Still?

Speaker 2

I don't think so.

Speaker 1

I don't think so either. I don't think so either, which is, I mean, it says a lot. You guys have really great quality and great designers, thank you.

Speaker 2

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1

So I would love for you to tell me a little bit about the history of Marley first, and then I want to talk about the new dresses and everything that you guys offer. There's so much.

Speaker 3

Right, right. Well, I think Madeline should kick off to share her incredible story, starting as a young talented lady at FIT, and I have such deep respect and admiration for her incredible artistic talents because she hand designs every gown you do, yes. So I'd love for Madeline Gardner to share the legacy of Madeline and her incredible designs with the brides.

Speaker 1

Yeah, and you've been doing it there for 30 years, 30 years. Or did you start in different positions before that?

Speaker 2

I started as an assistant designer in 1985. October actually, oh my gosh, this week is my 38th anniversary week. Oh, happy anniversary, thank you. And thank you, terri, for that introduction. And so the company, during my tenure, has grown from a tiny little brand where we made about 12 wedding dresses a season and a few bridesmaids.

Speaker 2

They were global, with multiple collections and different types of dresses as well. So not just bridal, but bridesmaids, kinsenghata, mother of the bride, evening wear, prom, and it just goes on and on. We have European collections. So when I started, the company was still family owned and they had started in 1953 with, I think, two or three dresses, a bridal, some bridesmaids, and they went from vendor to vendor and started selling dresses. And that's how it all began, oh my gosh. And here we are.

Speaker 1

What do you say, vendor to vendor?

Speaker 2

At the time it was, you know, bealtmans and Macy's, I mean when different department stores had huge bridal departments.

Speaker 1

Did you actually go into the departments, like into?

Speaker 2

Well, I wasn't there yet, but they said that's how they began. That's how it started, yes, and now we're doing this. Do you remember a company called Belk? Yes, south, I totally so they I think we still have Belk.

Speaker 2

Oh, you might still have Belk, but they, yes, I'm in Florida. Okay, so that was a huge southern company and it was just to come in for New York bridal market. That, at the time when I started, was more than two weeks long. Oh my gosh, everyone came to New York and it was, I mean, hundreds of people a day from all over the country and yeah, so it went really from the big department stores to transitioning over to all the independent stores and Teri can really speak so well to that, because she's so involved with the relationships with the customers now and how important that is to our business.

Speaker 1

Yes, I had no idea that that was the case. Yes, that's how the history. And now we're in something like this in Milan, sablanque, where all of these designers are in just a couple of different buildings and so many different people, it's like, and they used to go into the stores.

Speaker 2

Yes, and everyone had a showroom in New York. Everyone In the bridal industry.

Speaker 1

Yes and so, and that's where you kind of started, teri.

Speaker 3

Well, I actually have had the pleasure to work with Madeline for five years now. Oh, okay. I'm still the newbie Teri's our CEO.

Speaker 2

So she's heading the company now, yeah, but I mean that's kind of a big deal. It's a big deal, yes, it's a little scale.

Speaker 1

Yes, it's not like it's this little company. No right.

Madeline Gardner's Couture Collection for Brides

Speaker 3

So I love it so much. I, like I said, been watching Madeline and actually one day I went to her office and the reason why we're here is, I convinced Madeline she designs so many gorgeous dresses. I went to her one day. I said, madeline, I said you've got this and I would love for you to design a couture collection and partner with Coterie and Milanche de Laud. And there was a whole world of brides that I could see would love to have a dress design by Madeline Gardner. Oh yes.

Speaker 1

For sure.

Speaker 3

I think what's so special is Mori Lee has truly the most gorgeous dresses for every bride, the Mori Lee brand, the Mori Lee company, and we have a really beautiful range of price points and styling and collection. And Madeline loves fashion. You know, I watched her and observed her watch every runway show from you know, the Paris shows and New York shows, and she's just, you know, she just has such wonderful inspiration and I said she's so busy and her, you know, design direction. So I went in and I said how about this? Because I thought it could really be fabulous for the brides to have this wonderful woman designed for them, yes, this incredible couture collection. And that's why we're here. We've been here going on two years now and we have really some very special partners that have joined with us on this new venture for the business. Because, you know, Madeline and I 70 more years ahead, plus was my school.

Speaker 1

So we said why not?

Speaker 3

And you know we're talking, you know very beautiful fabrics, very beautiful design, and you know I'm really proud of what we have brought to the bride.

Speaker 1

I can tell you are. We're both like glowing here right now. That's my favorite part. That's the part I hate about podcasting is knowing can actually see us being so excited, but we all have these huge smiles on our faces. But when you guys are talking like, I can see it Like how much you have a passion for that.

Speaker 3

Right and I must say that Madeline understands the bride. I've watched her. It's not about just designing a dress for Madeline, she is all about the fit, the fashion. I've watched her with private sessions with brides and she's like very cautiously lovely and says why not try on this one? And they would have never thought so. And I'm like, wow, watch this. And I do get invited to some of her privates. And then when she does personal appearances, like look out, you know the line in the street at Madeline.

Speaker 3

Gardner and me, because the brides love to touch and hear from the expert and she's such a huge.

Speaker 1

It's true, it's a huge difference.

Speaker 3

This is not a dress off the rack. This is from the Madeline Gardner chief design officer. You know when I think about this. And she was just awarded to sit on the board of FIT. Yes, that's huge. My own, my own, that's right, that's what you say yeah, so that is such an honor and you know it's such. It shows her level of dedication to the bridal industry and most she loves the brides and that's why I get such a kick out of it.

Speaker 1

So you're really probably loving having the culture lying.

Speaker 2

Oh, I am, and I have to say and we talked about this yesterday it's amazing for me to have a CEO who understands and appreciates design. As you know so many people, they're just focused on, you know, business, business numbers and but Terry understands the beauty, the quality, what's important to the bride.

Speaker 2

So we partner on all these things together. So for me, I have great support for Terry and she's leading the company so well, and so to me that's very exciting. And all these things happening with couture and FIT, it's almost like surreal in a way, because I was trained in couture at school. Oh, so.

Speaker 2

I told the story where Oscar Diller into was my critic and yeah, yeah. So he would say, okay, remember, it's the inside of the dress before the outside of the dress. So I was trained that way. Yeah, that's what I'm bringing to these brides. So when they put that dress on, it's molded, it's incredible and it's really a piece that's far above most because of the construction and the fabrics. And Maury Lee is the same, like our Maury Lee gowns, right, terry?

Speaker 3

Lee.

Speaker 2

We put in 13-point boning.

Speaker 1

We use the best horse hair, Okay so I have to ask what that is, because I don't know. Okay, so if you were to work the If I don't know, they don't know.

Speaker 2

So I'm sure they're all familiar with Dolce Gabbana.

Speaker 1

I've answered the name.

Speaker 2

Yes, Right. So have you ever tried on a Dolce Gabbana dress?

Speaker 1

I don't know that I have Okay, but you need to Just try it on, because Maybe Maury Lee?

Speaker 2

Yes, it's something with the corseting and the boning. So there are 13 bones on that bodice, oh, okay.

Speaker 1

It does.

Speaker 2

It creates a shape and support that you've never felt in your whole life, and on a wedding dress that means so much, even on a sheer bodice. Like you can dance, you can run, your arms can be lifted, hug your friends and family Nothing worse.

Speaker 1

Wow, and everyone in the audience is going wait what?

Speaker 2

Well, 13-point boning, wow yes.

Mori Lee Bridal Collections Expansion

Speaker 1

I have to ask you something. And you started talking and I was like I'm imagining these girls walking in the door and so excited just because it's you. But when they walk in the door for the first time and you see them, are you inspired by them? Just when they walk in the door, I mean, do you, do they walk in and do you immediately see, oh, I want to do this, yes, or I want this fabric on, or I can see them in a dress.

Speaker 2

Yes, I know it's dress. I can't, you know, force anything, obviously.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

But when they come to a trunk show or an event they want us to, you know, be involved in the choice.

Speaker 1

They want your guidance, right yeah.

Speaker 2

So then I can pull for them and say, like Terry said, just try this one. Yeah, Usually when, when they get in and they'll say, oh my goodness, I would have never tried this dress and I love it, you know. So that's happened so many times and for me it's so exciting because our end goal is to please that bride.

Speaker 1

Sure.

Speaker 2

And this is a moment. It's not a buy that you will ever forget, not a dress you will ever forget. It's the most important dress you'll ever wear, so I want them all moments to be magical and memorable. Straight through.

Speaker 1

I mean, I'm a loving lover.

Speaker 2

We all love this.

Speaker 1

You see me like grass. I don't have my pearls on.

Speaker 3

I did.

Speaker 1

It can. Just, you know it's everything that you're saying makes me say I know you can see it. Do you see my love podcast, into which it's just getting to talk to people about weddings? Is this is so great, this is so great. So I want to talk quickly about, like, all of the different collections you have, because, I mean, I've known the name Marley for ages, of course, but I didn't have. When I went to go over the website, I was like, oh, they do all of these things now.

Speaker 3

Yes.

Speaker 1

Because back when I got married, I think it was just point, you know and now there's like all these little brands, so tell us about all the different ones that you guys have now.

Speaker 3

Okay, I love to Okay. So it takes a while after here, a few years, to get it all together. Because I madly teases me because when I, when we get to go to the dress review, it's after she's designed everything that come in and then we do a selection meeting with Madeline that she hosts and some of the salespeople, me, the, you know, some assistant designers in my room and sometimes some top retailers and some salespeople. Okay, so it's a really great collaboration and Madeline shows her line and I just I like everything which gives us the same thing.

Speaker 3

Wait, we have to take something out. I'm just wondering. It's so funny. And then I do my hearts, because I love hearts, and so I put hearts. I go Madeline, there's five hearts here, there's four hearts, and you're right, we're supposed to like take all these, because she'll come with quite a few dresses, and then what? Now, what do we do? But Mori Lee is our, you know, core heart of the company, the Mori Lee collection. Is that well stated now.

Speaker 1

Yes.

Speaker 3

So it's like the heartbeat of the company and the Mori Lee. So when Madeline, when I watch her we haven't even talked about this together but when I watch her, she's like you know, she's got the. This is the Mori Lee dress, and then Madeline will tell you why Cause she has her vision, what that Mori Lee means for that styling. And then we have the blue collection. We also have a Giulietta, which is a gorgeous collection.

Speaker 1

And that's for plus size. Yes, yes.

Speaker 3

And, oh my goodness, this season Madeline designed 15 amazing dresses for the Giulietta and expanded.

Speaker 1

Okay, so here's like this means so much to my heart because it's just been I mean, it's something that's been missing for so long that attention to be there Like I'm excited. I'm like I'm emotional about it because I think to like all of those bride to walk lenders who were never able to try dresses on and response and I know it's hard, even you know, for some of the bridal shops to like get them in there, but when they do like just it changed the game for so many people. So thank you for doing that.

Speaker 3

And I just think it's and Madeline wanted to do that because we would come, sometimes with a smaller collection and then with our top stores. They're like you know, this is what they're saying, and Madeline always listens to the brides and we want the full opportunity to have the selection. So there's 15.

Speaker 1

That's new ones. New ones, just right here, yes, yes. So they have so much juice for us. That's amazing.

Speaker 3

And then the Madeline Gardener collection. Oh, okay, which is within you know, because the Maury Lee, the helm of Maury Lee, is the Madeline Gardener signature collection. Okay, and that is where Madeline gets to go wild with her fashion, oh, okay. And you know gorgeous styling and we let her loose on that one.

Speaker 3

She's like okay, you know, sit back, get ready for this, grab some glides, that's amazing, so she saves that as the grand finale, and then we have a new collection I'd like for you to share about Amy and Eve, because that's a nice story to do.

Speaker 2

Oh, look at that. So Amy and Eve is targeted towards that kind of more modern bride who loves the minimalist look Okay Once. Beautiful fabrics, great construction and they're priced really well, so they sit in a great place in the market and it's really fun because it's a little bit edgier than everything else. So it's that bride that really gets a certain look and is looking for it and I've been hearing so many times. You know I can't find this. I'm looking for this. I can't find this.

Speaker 3

And very affordable, very affordable. Oh, that's really good to hear.

Speaker 3

So we have that affordable, hot fashion, cool dress that I designed. And then you go all the way up to the high scale of the Madeline Gardener signature. So we're Madeline over there. So we have something for everyone we do and that's something I'm so proud of to watch. And you know just the element of surprise that she brings to the market. And you know everything has touched her hand, with her hand, and that's unheard of in our industry. We have the designer. She is hand sketching and drawing, and then her vision, you know, comes to reality. And when I walk in here at this beautiful show and it touches me deeply because I really sat back and just admired Madeline's work, and then we walk in here and it's Madeline and that is the name I had to convince her Are you sure, are you sure?

Speaker 3

Yeah, I said it's you, it's Madeline. And this is like the highest of high, most gorgeous fabrics, all of her fitting, all of this gorgeous design and by looking, it just touches me in the most special way, because I'm so proud that she's here as well. So there is not a bride, no matter you know, whatever age, whatever you know lifestyle, wherever they want to be, whatever their dream is, madeline is a lover of pride.

Speaker 2

She just so is there. We have a really good time, you know, working on all this, this collaboration together and putting it all together to present to our brides each season Right.

Speaker 3

How long? I'm sure we did, because you mentioned something Madeline did as well. I'm sorry, but you know we don't have retail stores, so we mad.

Speaker 1

No, I was gonna say I didn't think you were having a nice day.

Speaker 3

Yeah, the independent stores are our world and when Madeline mentioned, like they're our extension to show this beauty and I certainly you know I'm chatting with you and Madeline, they're our friends and family in the world and they love up those brides too. So it's just really a pleasure of and I really wanted to be a certain with the Madeline collection just to be in the best of the best of the best, because it's a brand new collection of those that really understand and understand Madeline at the couture. Yeah, so it's a whole new opportunity for the retail partner for us to talk to the couture bride as well. And then we had this beautiful distribution for the Mori Lee, the blue and our heartbeat of our company. What was blue?

Speaker 2

Blue is. It's similar to the Mori Lee gowns and look but what it is. It has this like kind of simplified romance. So Mori Lee encompasses all brides, for instance, so you'll have mermaids and all the bits of the silhouettes and all that Blue becomes more ethereal, lighter, airier, so it's all silhouettes included as well, but it's kind of a total different look than Mori Lee. But if you were to look at them together you could see a common thing.

Speaker 1

Got it. Which is you when it comes down?

Speaker 3

to it.

Speaker 1

Ladies assessment. I'm so excited. I just I love the passion that you have in this and it really comes through. It comes through like all of the lines and I'm just, I'm so excited that you like, after all these years, your name is on it. I know, I think that was like yeah, I mean you've had all these wonderful things come to you, but something like that, I feel like it's a really big deal.

Speaker 3

It is it is, it is, it is. I see walking and it's like battling.

Speaker 2

Yes, believe me, I appreciate it every day. I'm a daggers by. I pinch myself.

Speaker 3

And for the brides, we have a website just for Madeline.

Speaker 1

It's pretty exciting, so website Madeline, madeline Couture.

Speaker 3

And then we have our Mori Lee dot com website.

Speaker 1

Okay, yes.

Speaker 3

But please also check out the Madeline website.

Speaker 1

It's pretty incredible. Yes, we'll link to both on the issue that they get. They can look at both. They have to see the solo, know where to find and see.

Speaker 3

This is so we'll ask you. And the history of Madeline is on there too.

Speaker 1

Oh, good Cause, I feel like that's important and you know they're listing now, so now they they're going to feel like they know you and you know but how does that work? Cause the Madeline is not going to be just sitting in salons anyway.

Speaker 3

Right, Like Bill, it would have to be there's like a traveling kind of thing, or you know it'll also be in stores, it will be.

Speaker 1

Okay.

Speaker 2

Okay, and the stores are listed on that site.

Speaker 1

Okay, perfect. Yeah, perfect, this is so exciting it is, and I'm so glad that there's all that history, but I feel like there's so much more to come.

Speaker 2

There is For sure. I'm so excited.

Speaker 1

We're always, our wheels are always spinning Every morning you've got to shut down. They probably, just as always, come over.

Speaker 3

No, our team calls us the ever ready bunnies.

Speaker 1

Yeah, we do, we do, we do.

Speaker 3

We really can't keep up with us. They can, they can.

Speaker 2

I said Terry, last week we were there until I don't know, seven, seven, 30 in the office and I said we do more in a day than most people do in a week.

Speaker 1

I believe it and I said, yeah, nobody keeps up with us.

Speaker 3

You know what.

Speaker 1

I mean, is it? I have a feeling, because it's probably the same that it is for me Like I'll put into my office and all of a sudden it's dark outside.

Speaker 3

Right, exactly, it didn't feel like I was in there for 12 hours Because you love what you do.

Speaker 1

Yeah, now it's like you know when it's coming, it's coming.

Speaker 2

Right and you can't stop. Yeah, I mean there's no time limit on your day, because your day just keeps going. And we always laugh. We say do you ever leave your desk saying I'm done Because I never do?

Speaker 3

No, no, no, no. We have a deal. She does have to take a vacation.

Speaker 1

At least I've got something here. I'm really forcing her now. It's like she just came back from Greece.

Speaker 3

Finally, and she came back as an adolescent, here's a gold tan, your gorgeous face Looking great so you can have your creative mind flowing.

Speaker 1

And that's the thing. I'm a break the prerogative of time off and because you go through burnout once or twice and that's all it takes. So but I find when I do take vacation and I actually take vacation when. I come back, the juices are flowing and my best creative work comes at that time.

Speaker 2

So yeah, take the vacations. When Terry tells you Exactly, and she forces me, which is a good thing, I appreciate it. Yeah, I think Greece is great. Where did you go? We did Crete, mykonos, santorinian asses. You did a lot. I have a lot too.

Speaker 1

Two weeks.

Speaker 3

I would say that was in a four day trip.

Speaker 1

Yeah, no, no, no.

Speaker 2

We were off the ferry on the plane. Oh, that's so cool, but it was so much fun.

Speaker 3

Yeah, so much fun. Yeah, she walks off the plane and within a few days she's honored as part of the FIT board. Tomorrow night, the big 70th anniversary celebration, global teams in town, and then more surprises to come, yeah, so 2023 is a really good year for you.

Speaker 2

Yes, congratulations Next week.

Speaker 1

Back to the sketchbook for next season, next season, and so that would be like what? April? Is that March? March, ok, march, so exciting. Thank you for inviting us.

Speaker 3

Oh, actually isn't that fun.

Speaker 2

Yes, yeah, it's so fun Just talk about all the fun things like wedding dresses all the time, and we want to wish all our rides good luck finding their dreams.

Speaker 1

Yeah, and they should start like Reddit, morleycom or Madalinger.

Speaker 3

Or Madalinger.

Speaker 1

Couture. Oh, Madalinger Couture.

Speaker 3

Yes.

Speaker 1

We'll get it right in a second. No worries.

Speaker 3

OK, thank you. Thank you very much.

Speaker 1

I'm so glad to be able to share my wedding experiences and expertise with you, and that my co-hosts are so giving it theirs. We truly do want you to have the best time at your wedding, and our hope is that this podcast is helping you to make your engagement time while planning your wedding that much easier. May I ask a favor of you? If this is the case, would you just take a moment to leave a review of this podcast on your listening platform? It helps people just like you to find the podcast and to also find out their answer so they can make decisions. I would also absolutely love for you to give this Versus that podcast a shout out on your social media. You can find us at this Versus that wedding podcast on Instagram, and if you would like me to help you with a specific question, a wedding decision, please by all means ask. Send me a DM. I would love to hear from you and maybe, just maybe even have you as a wedding cast on a future episode. How fun. Here's to another great wedding.