Today, we’d like to introduce you to Camille Alexandria Herrera.
Hi Camille, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Camille. I’m a fashion designer here in Kansas City. I create bridal and evening gowns for unique and nontraditional brides. Since childhood, I’ve always been super into playing and frolicking in dresses! Every year for Halloween I would always ask my mom to make me a princess, bride, or fairy costume, so fashion design was a natural career path for me. I went to college in LA, earned my degree, then shortly after, moved to Washington. There, I got married and worked as a coffee artist while perfecting my sewing craft and figuring out how to start a clothing business. I moved a few more times that year, and then decided to move to Kansas City on a whim! This is where my custom dress business began to bloom. I now make beautiful gowns for my wonderful clients.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It certainly has not been easy getting to where I am today! I faced a lot of rejection during and after college, while on the job hunt. The jobs I was offered were far less creative than I had anticipated, and the jobs I wanted passed me up because of my young age. I was told over and over that I would have to “pay my dues” doing desk work and stay 10 to 15 years at a company before being offered a designer role. I didn’t, and still don’t have the time for that!
When I was nearing the end of college, I was offered my dream design job, but my so called “mentor” went behind my back to make sure that job offer was rescinded because she felt that, “(I) had not paid my dues”. That was a big let down, but ultimately, I decided that I would rather work on my own dreams than someone else’s anyway, so that is what I have been doing ever since.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is my gowns! Bridal, eveningwear, and red carpet… anything beautiful and luxurious. I love to use amazing fabrics like drapey silks, velvet, and heavily beaded textiles. Fabrics that are extremely difficult to sew but have show stopping results! I put a lot of time and labor into my craft, and I hope that people will notice and appreciate the small details.
I love all florals and I spend lots of time developing different three-dimensional embroideries to incorporate into my designs. The design I am most proud of is my latest gown, “Portal”. It features dozens of large 3-D silk flowers and is totally hand beaded! It also helped to raise $15,000 with Bra Couture KC last April to help local uninsured cancer patients receive care.
What does success mean to you?
I feel most successful in my life when I am creating. Whether that be dresses or drawings, a successful day is a day where I brought something into the world. But success to me also means living life unapologetically and without regrets. I try to live my life like this every day. Life is too short to wait for things to happen for you, you need to make them happen for yourself!
Contact Info:
- Website: Camillealexandriadesign.com
- Instagram: @camillealexandriadesign
Image Credits
Camille Alexandria, Taylor, Dwan Miller Photography, and Crush Model Studio
Popular
-
Kansas City’s Most Inspiring Stories
-
Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know
-
Portraits of KC
-
Gift Guide: Services Spotlight with Morgan Kuchynka of Pinnacle Gymnastics, Dance, and Ninja
-
Small Business of the Day: Conversations with Jamelle Zablow-Moloney of Bare Roots Energy
-
Small Business of the Day: Conversations with Morgan Kuchynka of Pinnacle Gymnastics
