Evolving from its 1990’s origins, Brooks LTD creates memories to modern designs, transforming a treasured gown between mother and daughter.

This story beautifully illustrates the power of reimagining a piece of clothing for a new chapter in it’s cherished life. It demonstrates how quality garments can transcend their original purpose, adapting and evolving just as we do. Each piece carries memories while opening doors to fresh possibilities, bridging past and present in deeply personal ways.

This Brooks LTD custom dress bridges generations, read on for the shortened version…..

In 1990, the bride Carrie made a dramatic entrance on horseback wearing this stunning, custom-made gown by Brooks Luby.

Unconventional themes

While traditional venues were typical at the time, Carrie’s entrance was anything but conventional. This story likely resonates with those who appreciate unconventional wedding themes, venues, and attire.

Carrie circa 1990

Meet Zoe

Fast forward to 2023, and Carrie’s daughter, Zoe, got engaged. As athletic as they come, Zoe and her now-husband are avid travelers who seek out high mountain ranges for their adventures. Their lifestyle is exotic and always on the move, reflecting Zoe’s passion for health, fitness, and constant motion.

What you wear says alot about how you live and Zoe wanted this reflected in her gown with ease of movement in elegant fabric choices.

Fascinated by her mother’s wedding story, Zoe became enamored with the idea of wearing the same art wearable dress for her own wedding. Together with her mother, they opened the heirloom storage box that had preserved the gown for over three decades. To their delight, they discovered the original Brooks LTD label still intact, which led them back to me, the original wearable art designer.

Heirloom dress revealed

During our consultation, Zoe tried on her mother’s dress. It fit her like a glove, but she wanted to update it to suit her active personality and modern tastes. We lowered the neckline, removed the sleeves, took out the petticoat for a sleeker silhouette, and added a pocket for her vows – all changes that reflected Zoe’s style while maintaining the dress’s essence.

Zoe in her Mother’s gown after 30 years of storage, note the neckline, the fit and the sleeves, all about to change.

Transformation

New neckline, armhole and pocket details.

The Wedding Day

The result is captured perfectly in a photo that truly showcases Zoe’s personality. The image reveals the impeccable fit of the updated dress and her husband’s adoring look. Their smiles radiate joy and happiness, a testament to living a life together as a couple, the success of our collaboration and the dress’s transformation.

Wearable Art Clothing Designer

As the designer, I am forever grateful to have met Zoe after 30 years of knowing her mother. It gives me immense pleasure to help women attain the dress of their dreams. Working on my original dress was a treat, allowing me to appreciate its excellent construction from the inside out. The hand-stitched elements, luxurious fabric choices, and attention to detail – both in 1990 and now – make me proud to know that the dress has been passed down and worn with great pleasure.

For anyone inspired by this story or looking to breathe new life into a treasured garment, I encourage you to reach out. Together, we can transform any meaningful piece – whether it’s a beloved jacket, a family heirloom, or a vintage find – into something that honors its history while celebrating your present self. I specialize in creative transformations that break conventional rules, helping you showcase your authentic self through reimagined clothing that tells your unique story.

Zoe’s infectious smile

Connecting in a personal way

Zoe and I at the final fitting

Memories to Modern: Transforming Treasured Clothing

Quality garments can transcend any purpose, adapting and evolving just as we do. Maybe you’re entering a new phase of life and want your wardrobe to reflect who you’ve become. Whether you’ve embraced your natural gray hair, shifted to a more relaxed lifestyle, or simply want to express yourself differently, your clothing should be a true reflection of who you are.

For anyone looking to breathe new life into a treasured garment, I can help transform any meaningful piece into something that honors it’s history while celebrating your present self.

Together, we can create unique transformations that showcase your authentic self through reimagined clothing that tells your story.  I encourage you to reach out,

This concept includes any cherished garment, I’ve been known to recreate pieces into wearables that break the rules and let you showcase your true newly discovered self where authenticity takes center stage.

The post Memories to Modern: Transforming Treasured Clothing appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Everything “From the Vault ” is inspired by red carpet looks, bridal, social occasion dressing and guest list dressing.  Opening the vault is ready for you.

The Joy Dress

The Joy dress  is so springy and full of, well, joy. This dress features a bright, embroidered tulle overlay with an under slip and the rare full-length sleeve. The unique detail of a horsehair hemline also means the dress falls away from the body without creating a lot of movement or requiring an excess of fabric. The multi-color embroidery inspired this layered look, especially the decision to put the contrasting color underneath so the details on the overlay pop.

Moreover, the fabric inspired me to make this piece right away, but the dress found its name once model Joy Curtis , pictured here, put it on for a photo shoot. Joy, a talented actress, first modeled for me in the 1980s. Though we lost contact over the years, we reconnected thanks to social media. Seeing her in this dress was inspirational; how can you look at this and not feel JOY?!

This dress could be many things, even a wedding dress for a non-traditional bride, and was created for a fashion show. Those in the know see fashion show pieces for the special treasures that they are—truly unique and one-of-a-kind. In this case, the fashion show itself adds an extra touch to the story of this piece because it was created for a nonprofit event near and dear to my heart.

Breast Cancer Models pieces from opening the vault

For five years, I was the exclusive designer for a fundraiser where breast cancer survivors were the models. As a survivor myself, seeing the empowered models strut down that runway in my original designs made my year.

The Joy dress  is not the only thing on sale. See what else we’ve pulled From the Vault  and remember: Once these lonely onlys are gone, they’re gone forever.

Dress: Joy by Brooks LTD

Model: Joy Curtis

Photographer: Tom Lupton

The post The Vault is Open: One-of-a-Kind Pieces On Sale Now appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

The wedding was this summer and I had the pleasure of dressing them and their mom for the festivities. Today I will concentrate on Erin, Megan’s sister who stood in for the bride as the only bridesmaid. I had a blast working with all three of them, and since we started several months ago, it helped to make the design process more relaxing and all about pure fun. That’s something I strive for when creating dresses of women’s dreams.

The color choice was based on the bride’s desires. Fun, happy colors that will look festive and bright in the urban industrial wedding venue: Moss Denver. Once you’ve chosen your wedding venue, picking colors for your bridal party is always important, too!

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

Erin fell in love with some lace pants at my atelier, so with that in mind and the turquoise color choice, I searched for the perfect fabric that would create a pant to go underneath a silk skirt in the same color. I tied all of the elements together in a hand-stitched decorated waistline of her wrap skirt. Note the touches of red to pull out the color of her shoes. No detail is left undone.

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

I believe that the back is just as important as the front. That is why I chose to decorate the center back with an exposed zipper. The sleeve detail is also visible front and back.

Here is a snippet from the actual fitting. I use Erin as the fit model to change up the original idea of a dolman sleeve to a set in sleeve. Things change as we go along. Yes, it’s me who does the designing, fitting, sewing, and cutting. One of a kind ensembles need that one-on-one special attention; why not work directly with a local designer you can trust?

One of the details I always prefer is to look toward the future. I wanted Erin to be able to wear these pieces again, not just for the wedding. I suggested she wear the skirt with other tops, maybe a tight fitting sweater with leggings when the weather gets colder. The lace pant would look great with a tailored white shirt and the lace bodice works well with a dark colored pant and jacket for a day into evening look. The choices are endless and makes this a sustainable ensemble that she will wear many years from now. For other fun, sustainable fashion designs, check out my lifestyle ensembles online!

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

Congratulations to everyone! I loved working with these creative ladies. Thank you for the opportunity.

And did I mention how much fun we all had during the process?

Contact Brooks LTD for a Custom Ensemble Designed Just for You!

Whether you’re attending a wedding as a bridesmaid or mother of the bride, or you’re celebrating your own wedding or other major milestone event, you deserve to feel stylish in a unique piece made with your personality and body type in mind. Reach out to me for a custom dress that fits you perfectly.

The post A Custom Bridesmaid Ensemble for Erin appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

This collection was black and red, with pops of pink to go with the theme, “Cityscape to Countryside.” Brooks LTD clothing is all about your attitude and style, no matter the shape of your body or your age. My design aesthetic is diverse and multigenerational, not just for one group of women. And this collection was made to bring this idea to life.

The art of custom making clothes takes patience, perseverance, dedication and skill. The original consultation is where ideas are discussed to determine the silhouette and the fit. A muslin is made based on these discussions.

Meet Keri, a beautiful woman who loves fashion as much as I do. I had a vision of creating the perfect sassy version of a stretch ensemble that was somewhat revealing, but tasteful at the same time. To carry out the theme of the entire collection I added a beautiful lace skirt that made the otherwise casual garment appropriate for the runway, or even a special event in your future.

My vision began with a muslin, a dress form and an idea.

After those adjustments I was ready to perfect the garment with the right zipper, elastic trimming and the adjustable neckline finish. This design has so many possibilities, as the lace skirt is removable and can be worn different seasons with the right leggings and sweater for winter or camisole for summer. The one piece romper would be a great summer party ensemble with or without the skirt.

Once the adjustments were done, we met at a coffee shop to evaluate the design. Of course I couldn’t help myself and asked her to take a fun practice walk in the hallway. We love bathroom meetings!

This is just one piece of the collection I made for all of the models to wear for the fashion show. Each design was made to fit these women according to their body type and style, and I loved seeing the whole collection come together for the big event! Here’s one of my favorite pictures of all of us:

All Runway Photos:  Hardy Klahold Photography

The post Behind the Scenes: Design Process for Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Show appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Special Events Call for a One-of-a-Kind Ensemble

Some of the most important events in your life should be celebrated in a way that makes the occasion truly memorable and completely unlike your average day. And your wedding isn’t the only celebration that calls for a custom dress, either!

Whether you are a mother of the bride, an honored guest at a red-carpet style event, or hosting an elegant gala or party, hiring a custom fashion designer can be one of the best ways to dress to impress!

Custom Dresses Are Made to Fit You

Rather than a handful of sizes that are made to fit a wide range of people, custom-made clothing is exactly that: custom-made for you and no one else. A custom-made dress can be made to suit your height, body type, and/or skin tone in a way no store-bought dress ever will.

Working with a Designer is Fun!

It’s a fun experience to collaborate with a designer who can create a vision with your ideas in mind and bring a unique ensemble to life. Although the process to work with a designer is longer than your typical shopping experience, it can be far more exciting, especially when you know the end product will be like nothing else out there!

More Personality

Hiring a designer also means you can talk about ideas that add more character, flair, and uniqueness in the design that is specifically suited to your individual personality and style. After your initial consultation, we can begin to sketch out a few ideas for your dress or ensemble’s design. 

Whether you are someone who absolutely loves all things shimmer and shine, or you dream of a more modern and minimalist design, you can brainstorm with a designer to create an ensemble just for you! You can even talk about specific fabrics and colors that go perfectly with the type of event you’ll be hosting or attending. 

Contact a Custom Dress Designer in Denver, CO

Whether you’re looking for a truly unique wedding dress, an elegant mother of the bride dress, a creative gala or party dress, or other artful ensemble creations, reach out to Brooks LTD for a design that suits you and fits perfectly! Contact me online or call 303-573-3801.

The post Reasons to Hire a Custom Dress Designer appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Not peach, not orange, salmon. That was her driving force for the entire wedding, from flowers, cake and everything in between.

The Process of Designing Karen’s Custom Wedding Dress

It was quite the journey for me to find the exact match from a color swatch. When I pulled out a color card of available laces, there was the exact color. Finding the undergarment color fabric was the challenge. I was thinking I may have to dye the silk to get the right color. Not only was the color important but the quality of the fabric needed to have body as Karen wanted a strapless dress. Boning and structure were eminent in this complicated task.

I like to take a photo of my client in her daytime clothing so that I can look at it during the creative process.

One thing I suggest to potential brides is to bring in their vision of what a gown for their day would look like. I find it so interesting that women have a vision of what they want to look like and sometimes the technical aspect doesn’t work with either the fabric or a body type.

Strapless dresses demand so much structure for the gown to stay up, the inside of the garment is highly constructed so that the wearer will be comfortable all night and not tug at her gown for staying in place. I love a challenge!

Here is the original vision of the gown Karen saw herself in:

Fast forward to one of the next steps in the custom-dress process, I create a strapless prototype for Karen to try on.

At the second fitting, not only does the prototype have the shape we are trying to achieve, but I use the exact kind of fabric for the sample. In order to see how something is going to fit, we have to first create it in the fabric we plan to use. 

You’ll see in photo below that I used the salmon duchess satin for the bustline fit. Although it looks odd, it gives me the perspective I need to continue to the next step.

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

It is at this point that I suggest Karen consider sleeves to hold the gown in place. It is still constructed like a strapless gown but has the extra security of a cap sleeve for beauty and function. Even small cap sleeves can help provide a more elegant aesthetic for any body type, especially since strapless dresses can often appear a little too snug around the arms/shoulders and upper back. 

Meredith also captured me fitting the lace overlay on Karen in my atelier so that the pattern is symmetrical with some extra movement in the back of the gown, mainly a subtle train. 

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

After this fitting, the details of the sleeves and the fit were the main concern. We needed to make sure she could move easily and feel comfortable on her big day.

Here are a few shots I took on delivery day:

The Day of the Wedding

At the wedding, Heather and Gunther of High Altitude Photography captured the dress in an elegant way. As you can see the dress fit Karen beautifully, she was able to move without restraint, and her venue, hair and other details blended together seamlessly. I am so appreciative of High Altitude Weddings to share the day with me through their creative photography!

It’s so gratifying to see ‘the day of’.  Thank you to Meredith Harris and High Altitude Photography for their work and Karen’s vision of an unusual dress in an unexpected color to complete her wedding dreams.

Yes, dreams do come true.

Contact Brooks LTD for a Custom Wedding Dress

Sometimes your vision for the big day requires a wedding dress no one else has worn! Reach out to me for a custom wedding dress that fits you and suits your personality perfectly.

The post Custom-Made Salmon Colored Lace Wedding Gown appeared first on Brooks Ltd.