Meet Elizabeth Hendershot of Elizabeth Leese in Addison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Hendershot.

Elizabeth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It seems unlikely that a small town ranch girl would ever have a pathway into fashion, but I was introduced to the arts through my mother, a studio artist. Rather than normal vacations of waterparks and fairs, she took the family traveling to art museums all over the country and it was the day we visited the De Young in San Francisco that I stood in front of the iconic Vivienne Westwood ROCK shirt and decided “this is it.” I had learned to sew from my grandmother and once I realized I could make a career of it, everything clicked. I wanted to use my gift for good, so I had decided pretty quickly I wanted to pursue bridal. Every bride deserves to feel special on their wedding day and I want to help women capture that in their dress. I wanted my dresses to be the permission women needed to feel empowered in their own skin, and as a result completely flawless. Not to mention, hopelessly in love!

With that hope in mind, I went on to earn a BFA in fashion design at the University of North Texas where I was taught every facet of fashion. While in school, I worked under a Dallas designer and fine-tuned my craft. I had begun as an intern and worked my way up to overseeing the Atelier department, so I was working with custom clients and brides and loving every minute. I never knew owning my own studio would come as soon as it did, but I did know I couldn’t get ahead until I got started. When the opportunity presented itself, I seized it. After I got married in 2016 I received a lot of attention for the bridal dresses I had made, so on the honeymoon I turned to my husband and told him I was leaving my job. Two months later, I opened the doors to my studio.

Has it been a smooth road?
At the moment, I’m doing the job of 7 people. I know it won’t always be that way, but I am thankful because I’m hopeful for the day that the learning curve will put me ahead. Running a business takes more than being creative and making well-timed moves, it takes GRIT. And it’s that grit that tells you to get out of bed and go to work when you’re sick and on holidays. And when you think no one’s understanding, watching, or caring what you do, you still get up and go to work to try and make a difference. Spending thoughtful time in prayer and quality time with clients helps combat the stresses because after all, the job is about serving others!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
What sets Elizabeth Leese apart in bridal is the experience. We specialize in creating dream dresses, and our brides get to see theirs comes to life. Reality TV has given many brides the wrong impression of finding a gown and I wanted to rewrite that. It is that mindset that has led us to make this a stress-free and unforgettable experience for brides. Our process begins with a creative meeting with the bride in which we pair fabric, colors, and help brides say “yes to the sketch”. We take it from there, cutting fabrics and laces by hand and sewing the gown in house. Everything takes place under one roof in Dallas!

It is our philosophy at Elizabeth Leese that good design is empathetic. This means our dresses are made with each individual bride in mind, taking into account their body type, comfort, and needs. Because everything is made in house, we are able to manage the quality more so than off-the-rack so that we can bring you a perfected, tailored gown. A wedding dress holds its value in the memories made wearing it, and every bride deserves to make those memories in the dress of their dreams.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’ve found Dallas to be incredibly competitive which has been both challenging and inspiring. Yet, even among the competition, I haven’t come across a professional that wasn’t willing to share their knowledge and pass along their encouragement. The Dallas fashion scene has a different pace and more personable aspect than NY, and I would gladly recommend it to budding designers.

Pricing:

• Wedding Gowns $1600-$5000
• Cocktail Dresses $600 and up
• Mother of the Bride/Groom $600 and up
• Flower Girl $150 and up

Contact Info:

• Address: 14673 Midway Road,
  Suite 100,
  Addison, Texas 75001
• Website: elizabeth-leese.com
• Phone: 4328945533
• Email: info@elizabeth-leese.com
• Instagram: elizabethleesebridal
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethleesebridal/

Image Credit:
Bahareh Ritter
Natalie Goff
Meshali Mitchell
Andrea Simon
Caroline Kunkel

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.