HelloInterview: Meet Kirsten Kuehn, The Bridal Designer Women Turn to on Pinterest for …Kirsten Kuehn is a free spirited bridal designer with a passion for sparkly things. Kirsten received a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, and launched her first collection in 2009 at just 20 years old. She now runs Kirsten Kuehn Designs, an ecommerce website that features her wildly popular bridal accessories. Currently, Kirsten resides in Chicago, where she hopes to open her own bridal shop.
If you are one of the millions of women who turns to Pinterest for wedding and event inspiration, chances are Kirsten Kuehn has helped plan your dream wedding! With nearly 700k followers on Pinterest, Kirsten has quickly established herself as one of the top tastemakers in the wedding world.
HelloInterview: Meet Kirsten Kuehn, The Bridal Designer Women Turn to on Pinterest for Wedding Inspiration.
You run your own Bridal store — why weddings? What made you decide to start your own business?
I was never the little girl dreaming of her wedding day, so it’s funny to me that I’m a bridal designer now. Growing up I figure skated competitively, and my mom is an amazing seamstress who made all of my costumes and loaded them with crystals. I think that’s ultimately what sparked my love for fashion design. I chose to design for brides specifically because I love the combination of fashion and sparkle that the wedding industry has to offer, making it the perfect creative outlet for someone like myself. I originally started making headbands in college and decided to list a few on Etsy. Soon I had brides requesting I design sashes, and the rest is history!
Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
I primarily pull inspiration from Hollywood starlets of the 50s and 60s. Every girl loves Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and of course Audrey Hepburn. They all evoke such glamour and beauty in their own individual ways. Another source of inspiration is photographer Tim Walker’s dreamlike work. I’m always motivated to create beautiful things after viewing his photographs.
When did you start using Pinterest? Would you say it has been a huge resource for your business and growth?
Everyone was talking about Pinterest so I finally decided to join about a year ago, and sure enough I was immediately hooked. I kept hearing jokes about how addicting it is, but it truly is hard to stop. I would go on to browse for a few minutes only to look up at the clock and realize two hours had gone by. I’m always checking my website’s analytics and it’s amazing how much traffic we get from Pinterest. Most importantly, it’s a great way to create buzz about your brand. I would recommend that any company use Pinterest to their advantage as much as possible!
What are some of your favorite wedding trends/themes you’ve discovered on Pinterest?
I’ve recently fallen in love with boudoir photo shoots, which I wasn’t really familiar with prior to joining Pinterest. I love lingerie – it’s too beautiful to hide and this gives you the perfect opportunity to show it off. I love the idea of surprising your future husband with an album full of sexy pictures the morning of the big day. It will drive him crazy before he walks down the aisle!
Do you have any favorite wedding pinners or blogs that you like to follow?
I always find myself re-pinning from Pretty Plum Sugar’s boards! In addition to having a fantastic Pinterest account they also sell adorable wedding loungewear and robes. For blogs, Style Me Pretty is an obvious choice for the best of the best in wedding inspiration. A friend of mine runs Studio DIY, which is a fabulous blog based solely around do-it-yourself projects and crafts. I’m a big fan of home decor, and I’d love to go back to school some day for interior design but until then I love to read Copy Cat Chic. It’s a great resource to find cost efficient alternatives to expensive furniture.
What’s your dream wedding?
I’d like to have a small and intimate yet beautiful wedding with only my closest friends and family. Brides tend to get caught up in all the stress of planning a perfect party that they forget what weddings are about in the first place. As much as I love a good party, the focus should be on the union of two people in love. My dream wedding gown is the Reem Acra that Olivia Wilde wore to the 2008 Emmys or anything by Marchesa. As for decor I love combining rustic and romantic elements, I’d love to have an outdoor ceremony and a barn reception. I recently made a dream wedding board on Pinterest that I’m constantly drooling over. Now all I need to do is find Mr. Right!
HelloInterview: Meet Kirsten Kuehn, The Bridal Designer Women Turn to on Pinterest for Wedding Inspiration.
What does the future hold for Kirsten Kuehn Designs?
Within the next few years I’d love to open up a store in Chicago. It would be amazing to have a place for brides to come in and try on my accessories since it’s quite hard to decide what looks good via the internet. I also plan to sell wedding gowns from indie designers, little white dresses for the bachelorette party or reception, bikinis and coverups for the honeymoon, as well as bridesmaids gifts and decor – basically everything you could possibly need for your wedding! I’m always online looking for a location with the perfect shabby chic vibe, tin ceilings, brick walls, chipping paint, etc. – I haven’t found one yet but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
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