Before her own 2011 wedding, Ladies of Lineage owner Natasha Duff-Cole left her wedding gown order until the last moment—and with the designer unable to ship her chosen dress to the United States in time, her future father-in-law ended up transporting it, on his lap, on a flight from England just weeks before her ceremony. Ironically, Duff-Cole had been distracted from shopping stateside by her day job: launching an online platform (and later, an in-person boutique) for designer wedding gowns sourced from lines like Mira Zwillinger, Amsale Couture, and Dana Harel.
Still, despite the hurried ending, Duff-Cole’s shopping experience was personal, memorable, and gratifying. At a small boutique outside London where she found her gown, she was the only bride in the showroom; as she admired the dress in front of the boutique’s bay windows, smiles and thumbs-up from passersby sealed her choice.
It was this experience—what she calls “the yes moment”—that Duff-Cole wanted to recreate for her own customers. As her company, Lineage Bridal, expanded (and rebranded itself in 2013 as Ladies of Lineage), Duff-Cole built a shopping experience reminiscent of her own. At her Charlotte, North Carolina, luxury salon, stylists help each bride choose favorites from their collection of high-end bridalwear; then the brides step into cleverly designed dressing rooms that allow them to see the gown in a full-length mirror before they show it off to their friends and family members.
When a bride can look in the mirror with utmost confidence and see herself walking down the aisle to the person she loves most, that minute in time is invaluable.
Once the bride has a top contender, she moves into the center of the salon, a space flooded with natural light, for her own “yes moment.” While she may not be within view of passersby to offer a smile or a thumbs-up—staggered appointment times mean that brides won't ever share the special mirror with other brides—it’s still a powerful experience. “When each bride steps into our ‘yes moment,’ she transforms from a woman in a beautiful gown to a bride. There's a shift in the energy, and the intimacy and individualism of each moment is why we do what we do,” says Katelyn Strickland, director of operations. “When a bride can look in the mirror with utmost confidence and see herself walking down the aisle to the person she loves most, that minute in time is invaluable.”
The team takes a practical approach to wedding dress shopping, too—which can be just as invaluable for brides who find the process overwhelming. “While it's a big decision, it should never get to a point where it becomes stressful,” says Strickland. “Honestly, don't overthink it. Think about the time of year, the venue, the wedding ceremony formality, and the overall aesthetic. Trust your gut, and lean in on how you feel in the gown, not just how it compares to what you envisioned. Your confidence will be what makes your gown come alive when you wear it on your wedding day.”
Details
Years in Business: 11
Number of Designers: 8
Size Range Available: 8 to 24
Appointment Type: By appointment, with other shoppers in the salon at the same time
Number of Guests: 1 to 3
Appointment Length: 90 minutes
Average Dress Cost: $7,500 to $10,000
Additional Offerings: In-house tailoring, veils, additional accessories, and pre- or post-wedding outfits
Designers Available at Ladies of Lineage
- Amsale Couture
- Dana Harel
- Lihi Hod
- Mark Ingram
- Mira Zwillinger
- Nouvelle Amsale
- Sassi Holford
- Suzanne Neville
Upcoming Events
Ladies of Lineage is hosting the following events over the next few months. Please check back for more and/or confirm these dates with the salon.
- May 15-24: Dana Harel Trunk Show
- June 6-14: Lihi Hod Couture Trunk Show
- July 11-19: Mark Ingram Trunk Show
- July 25 - August 2: Mira Zwillinger Trunk Show
