It has taken quite a few days to come back off cloud nine after landing in Chicago for one of the most incredible experiences of my life! We here at Essense Designs have been recognized by the bridal community for the second year in a row with three prominent DEBI Awards. And I could not be more proud of my team.
The DEBI Awards were held at the fabulous Field Museum in Chicago in conjunction with the National Bridal Market in early September. In a clean sweep, we won Bridal Manufacturer of the Year for Essense of Australia, Collection of the Year for Stella York, and Design Excellence in Bridesmaid for Sorella Vita! The winners were chosen solely by retailers based on design innovation and manufacturing and this is regarded as the highest honor in the bridal industry-basically our Oscars.
I feel so honored to be recognized. To see three of our brands nominated and awarded – with Essense of Australia and Sorella Vita for the second year in a row – is validation of all the hard work our team has put into creating a brand that our retailers are passionate about. By placing an emphasis on quality design and innovation, we have been able to do something no other manufacturer has ever done – come away with three category wins, in the same year, covering all the bridal wear divisions.
Winning Best Bridal Manufacturer for Essense, Best Bridesmaids for Sorella Vita, and Collection of the Year for Stella York, was just a very surreal moment. We literally could not have been nominated for, or won, another category. Every bridal category we won – no other manufacturer has ever won these three categories in the same year.
I just wanted to say a huge a thank you to my amazing team and my fabulous retail stores for believing in this journey. And of course, to all my brides out there, thank you for choosing our dresses for one of the most important days of your lives. It’s an exciting time for all of us here – writing a story that we never could have dreamed.
