The
Artist
Everything about Carole Kenney Design embodies her personality and her personal touch.
“At a very young age sewing became my passion, and it wasn't long before I was creating pieces for many of my family members and friends. When the opportunity arose to go to a college that specialized in Fashion Design I was intrigued. When I found out I would learn to draft my own patterns I was ecstatic and completely sold!
Things began to happen for me that first summer after college...I got a job in the restaurant of the hotel at which the Oakland Raiders stayed during summer camp. I met many of the coaches and staff, and told them of my dream to become a Fashion Designer. At the time, I was selling drawstring pants on a custom basis to locals and made a pair for one of the coaches, who wore them into a team meeting. That night I got 20 orders for pants, quit my restaurant job and spent the summer sewing for the likes of Kenny Stabler and Ted Hendricks. It was a confidence building experience, and I knew this could be a career.
After graduation, still sewing seasonally for the Raiders, I landed a job with a Sacramento based company which manufactured uniforms. As non-glamorous as it was, I learned an immeasurable amount from the owner. An expert fitter, she taught me the true art of alteration and how to rectify the problem and not just put a bandaid on it. I stayed with her for 5 years, but I missed the Fashion world and knew I had to do something more with all my talent than designing choir robes.
My move to Canfield's & Company in 1983 at the age of 25 has had a long lasting affect on me, personally and professionally. Here I met women who expected quality and who could afford it, who presented themselves with grace and elegance. I started there doing alterations, and the clothes I worked on were lessons in themselves. Made exquisitely of natural fibers and stitched to perfection, it was always a treat to get inside to see what was there. I developed a reputation quickly and soon had requests for custom garments. It was here that I found my calling in Bridal. The beauty of my first debutante gown actually brought tears to my eyes and I knew my talents had finally found their home. And thus my career with Brides began over 20 years ago.
Over the years, I have created hundreds of wedding gowns, bridesmaids' dresses and Mother of the Bride ensembles, and I continued my couture work for many of my satisfied, loyal clients. My work in this regard is fun and creative and I love the happy reflections of my clients in my studio mirrors, whether clothed in the beauty and grace of a bridal gown or the artsy flair on a couture piece. My satisfaction is enormous knowing I have created something lasting and timeless, something that truly enhances the woman. This is the essence of Carole Kenney Design.”
