Tell us about yourself. Where are you from and where do you live now?
Hi, I'm Abbey. I live in Atlanta, Georgia with my husband, Christian and 80lb German Shepherd rescue, Juno. I moved to the South at a young age, both my parents are transplants from New York, so Atlanta was a big change. I've been designing dresses since I was 10 years old and had the Abbey Glass brand for 7 years! Our flagship store is in Buckhead Village District in Atlanta, we love to host parties, speaker series, and fundraising events to continue to engage in our local community. I still maintain a deep connection with my Northern roots, attending college at Rhode Island School of Design, and spending every summer with my family in Maine. I love to travel, I spent my first year of college in London and summer school in Morocco!
What did you do career wise before starting your brand?
My brand emerged very organically right out of college. I was awarded a sponsorship to show in Mercedes Benz Fashion Week after graduating from RISD, and after two paid internships at Calvin Klein Collection and Marc Jacobs Collection, and fashion week, I needed a break. I moved back to Atlanta and started making custom dresses for weddings and galas - next thing I knew I was building a sewing studio in the basement of a jewelry wholesaling office in Buckhead and taking on more commissions than I could handle.
Describe your brand. When did you launch? Where are you based? Why did you start it?
Abbey Glass launched as a custom made to measure brand in 2015 in Midtown Atlanta. I was pattern making and sewing out of my spare bedroom in my apartment while freelancing for a local Atlanta men's and women's brand on the Westside. I started Abbey Glass because of women's enthusiasm for modern clothing that was inspired by mid-century icons. There was so much missing from the market that had clean lines and celebrated luxe fabrics the way they did back in the 50's and 60's. Now, with that same design sensibility, our mission is to bring women effortlessly elegant dress-up clothing that stands the test of time and trend.
Congratulations on launching your latest collection! What was your inspiration? Favorite piece(s)?
Thank you! My favorite and definitely the crowd favorite (rarely the same design) is the Charlotte Gown. This dress is inspired by the glamorous day dresses of the 60's, but with a dressy, playful fabric that feels fresh and retro at the same time. The Charlotte comes in three fabulous colors that we handpicked to express a variety of moods and occasions.