Meet Nisha Dortch of Heirlume Couture in Central Dallas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nisha Dortch.

Nisha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started designing when I was 10. For Christmas, I received my very first sewing machine. I was so enthused! My father would give me his old work shirts to use as material and I use my adorable little cousin as my first model/muse. I would put on a fashion show at family gatherings which often resulted in laughter but my creativity was still encouraged. I didn’t have patterns to work with and no prior experience, but I had the feeling that this was what I was supposed to be doing.

Over the course of 12 years, I dabbled in styling, modeling, and TV, but none them brought me joy like creating wearable art. When I got to college, I was sure my designing days were over until I met a young lady who shared the same interest I did. We started sewing together after classes and name ourselves Style Junkeyz. Thinking back, we should have come up with a better name. We did a few shows but nothing came from it. It ended with us going separate ways. I felt like I was back at square one.

In 2015, I created Heirlume Couture. My first collection catered to streetwear with a twist of couture and high fashion. I always pictured celebs like Rihanna or Lady Gaga wearing my designs casually as they pass through the streets of LA or New York. To this day, I continue to aspire to dress that perfect celeb and fashion elite that can see my vision and talent, and LOVE IT!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been so many challenges but you learn to navigate quickly in this fast industry. For me, my first challenge was learning to sew correctly. Learning to sew takes patience and often you need to brush up on your skills and purchase new equipment like machines. It can get costly as well as time-consuming. Sometimes I create an entire look then have to stop and start over because of a vital piece was missing. I would tell someone wanting to be a designer to take different classes or watch tutorials to help to stay updated.

Another hurdle I had to jump is choosing the right Fashion Shows to associate my brand with. At one point, I had five shows in one month. Most where small shows, but preparation is still needed. I really wanted to get Heirlume Couture out there but with that pressure to pull off shows came a lot of headaches and some didn’t fit the vibe I was creating for Heirlume. Often times, fashion shows wanted the latest and greatest from your collection and as we all know, it’s hard to please everyone. It also took away from the authenticity of Heirlume. I try to tell stories on the runway but I found myself designing for to compete and no longer focus on the audience. As a result, my collections was not fluent on the runway. Sometimes garments would not even match the current collection because I was worried I would get cut from the show. The audience was not impressed and some shows I walk away with no sales. Yikes! My advice, choose shows that highlight your brand and target audience. Work with people who want to see you win and not just themselves.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Heirlume Couture – what should we know?
Establish in 2015 by Nisha in her senior year of college, Heirlume Couture focuses on luxury lifestyle wearables destine to stay in fashion frontier. Each piece is made with premium fabrics with limited accessibility to each collection. Heirlume Couture designs for men and women, usually unisex. We are most known for our versatile on-and-off-the-shoulder white kimono. It’s usually the biggest hit every fashion show.

What sets us apart from other designers and collections is the fluidity, the style cut, and the color of each piece in our collection. In the blooming collection, you will notice a vibrant tropical pattern using non-traditional Kimono styles. We often refer to our collections as lifestyle wearables and associate ourselves as a luxury and lifestyle brand.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Issac Birdlong inspired me in so many ways. His years of experience in the fashion world is remarkable! He has pushed me to take me designing to another level by offering kind words of wisdom as well as industry experience and connections.

J.Clay was one of my inspirations for the latest collection. With Blooming, this collection tells a story growth and boldness, both things I admire about him and his journey. I feel like I can open up to him tell my fashion ideas and he offers realistic feedback I can always work with. He also helped me develop a better business plan.

Tiffany Jackson is my best friend, sister and all-around cheerleader. She sends me fashion show applications and connections she meets. At my last fashion show, my assist could not make it last minute. Tiffany showed up and done an amazing job as a fashion stylist for Heirlume. If it wasn’t for her, I would have had an extremely hard time.

Pricing:

• Blooming Collectons ranges from $50- $250

Contact Info:

• Website: HeirlumeCouture.com
• Phone: 972-325-8434
• Email: info@heirlumecouture.store
• Instagram: instagram.com/Heirlumecouture
• Facebook: facebook.com/Heirlumecouture

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