Aimée Lauren launched her bridal gown business, Aimée Lauren Couture, in 2003. Demand for her custom wedding gowns has grown steadily, with year-long client waiting lists. Last fall (October 2006) Aimeé debuted her first collection for retail—the Aimée Lauren Collection.
A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA with a fine arts degree in couture design and art history, Aimée landed an internship with Georgio Armani headquarters in New York in 1995. While in New York, she worked as a fashion stylist for renowned photographers Jill Greenberg and Joseph Cultice working on major ad campaigns with celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwen Stefani, Missy Elliot, Creed and others.
Aimée creates gowns that are contemporary, understated, and luxurious. Her design philosophy embraces the ethical as well as the beautiful: fabrics are sourced from Fair Trade textile manufacturers and beading and embellishment suppliers don’t use child labor.
Her dresses reflect a couture-inspired approach with excellent construction and impeccable fit for the modern, young bride shopping in any market. The designer brings passion, clarity of vision, and a master’s skills (she is a master draper) to each gown in the 15-piece debut collection, helping brides achieve their ultimate personal beauty on their wedding day.
As a special blessing to each bride, Aimée sews a pink ribbon on the inside lining of the left breast as a symbol of her own survivorship and continuing hope for early detection of breast cancer for young women everywhere.
“Couture with a Cause” has become the cornerstone of Aimée Lauren trunk shows. When brides place their orders at trunk shows, a donation is made in her honor to the AVON Foundation www.avoncompany.com/women.
The Aimée Lauren Collection is a natural extension of Aimée Lauren Couture—both businesses were born out of Aimée’s creativity and success in designing for her custom bridal clients. As a child, Aimée was very influenced by her mother's sense of style and creative approach to life. Aimée’s mother, Ayisha, owned an antique store in Marin County, CA. It was there that Aimée learned about Maxfield Parish, Alphonse Mucha, Charles Worth, and many artists who still inspire her today. But Aimée owes much of her inspiration to her loving husband Michael and her family, who always stressed individuality and creativity as prized possessions.
Aimée Lauren’s atelier is located in Lake Ridge, Virginia. The fitting room is surrounded by the Occoquan River and beautiful trees. Her private clients not only enjoy the beautiful scenery, but also enjoy the company of Kinder-Lily (Aimée and Michael’s adopted Blue Heeler/Pit-bull mix) and kitties Franklin and Tortuga.
In her free time, Aimée devotes herself to helping local animal advocacy groups find loving homes for dogs and cats rescued from shelters and other sad circumstances. She also participates every year in the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer and raises money for the Young Survivors Coalition by throwing the yearly “Feel Them for Life” dance events at Club FIVE in Washington DC.
To date her efforts have raised over $12,000, all of which has been donated to these nonprofits.