Meet the Designer: Tara LaTour

Sep 15

Written By Abby

Welcoming our newest “Meet the Designer”: Tara LaTour!

“Modern designs that won’t make grandma faint.”

Tara LaTour was founded in 2011 with a desire to change the ideas of gowns in the wedding industry. Rather than forcing brides into any old dress, Tara LaTour built itself around helping brides find dresses that are unapologetically them by introducing color, couture techniques, fine fabrics and textures that challenged the ideas of traditional bridal. In doing so, Tara LaTour has become the brand that cool girls flock to, helping them keep their cool on a day that’s stepped in tradition.

Let’s get to know the designer a little more, shall we?!

Q1: Where are you based?

A: Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Q2: Where do you pull inspiration from for your designs?

A: Inspiration for our collections really come from everywhere. For me personally, I have found that my inspiration is pretty multi-faceted. My family is a constant source of inspiration for me. But I am also inspired by all things vintage, impactful landscapes, women in history, or from something visual striking. As an example, the inspo for our upcoming collection starting with me having my eyes closed under palms trees and the shapes & shades the light was making behind my eyelids. Hahaha, like I said it can come from anywhere. After bringing that back to my team, that grew into conversations about duality and that concept has created maybe one of my favorite collections that we have ever made. (Which is being release in October of 2023).

Q3: When and how did you get your start as a designer?

A: I knew I wanted to be a designer from the time I was a kid. My grandma was an artist and a seamstress, and I used to watch her make clothes and paint with her. That had a significant impact on me. She is also the person who gave me my first sewing machine. So honestly, that is where I got the spark. I attended Parsons in New York and studied fashion design. That is really were I learned how to be a designer, trend forecaster and overall design badass {wink}.

Q4: What’s your favorite dress from your collection?

A: My favorite two dresses I have ever made are called Kelsey and Angela from my very first collection, which were inspired by and named after two of my sisters. When I got finished with both of these dresses, I couldn’t believe my hands had made them. They have color and texture and challenged the idea of bridal at the time. My personal favorites from our last few seasons are: Marigold (I have it myself in black), Adam (she’s a bombshell and is unlike anything else out there), Phillips (hahaha…my car is named Phillips because of Phillips), and Stillwater (she is so playful and I am sucker for a white and blue print).

Q5: What made you choose bridal? What brought you to designing?

A: I remember the first time I saw my grandmas making a wedding dress and I was hooked. During the making of that dress, I asked her why brides wore white? She told me and I immediately knew that was bullshit. That stayed with me and when I was older I explored the real reason behind “ the white dress”. I was right, it was indeed bullshit. It had nothing to do with religion or purity. That knowledge made me enthralled with the idea of bringing color into bridal. So if destiny is a thing, then I think I was a bit destine.

Q6: What do you love most about the design process?

A: I have really come to love the collaboration process I have with my team. They are all such creative brains and have a great understanding of how to create together while still being respectful of my vision for the brand. They inspire me to be by best, and I trust their opinions, and they trust me. It is a beautiful balance. Whenever we start a new collection, I take my team out for “creative breakfast”, where we talk about trends, concepts for the collection and what we want to create. It is one of my favorite days of the year.

Q7: What is your best wedding dress shopping advice for our Striking Brides?

A: Ohhhh, I love this question. I have a exactly 3 pieces of advice. Hahaha, ok I have more, but these ones are the best.

1. Personally, I think the word timeless needs to take 5. When you get married, I think your dress should reflect who you are at the time you are getting married. Every dress, regardless of what you choose, will be dated at some point… and that’s ok. I say, just celebrate who you are in that moment.

2. Wear what you want. A bride does not have to wear white or traditional fabrics to look “bridal”. Whatever a bride wears is bridal, so wear what reflects who you are. And don’t get wrapped up in “expectations” of others… just do you.

3. Don’t over shop. You will just end up confusing yourself and causing yourself more stress than you need to. Think of your dress like our soon to be spouse... once you found the right person, you stopped shopping. Do the same with a wedding dress.

Q8: What is your biggest accomplishment/“I made it” moment?

A: Hands down, was when my dress was on the cover of Vogue. I just about passed out when I saw it.

Q9: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our brides about you/your gowns?

A: I am really proud of our brand and how we produce our gowns. We have ethical production; All of our gowns are produced 100% in house in our studio in Minneapolis, so you know who is making your dress. Clothing manufacturing in the US is a scarce practice, so it really special and is a big deal to have dresses truly manufactured here. When you wear a dress from us, you can be confident that your dress was made with care by educated women who use your name when making your dress. No slave labor here. I am pretty proud of that.