Issue Date: July 22, 2007

Behind the veil

Wedding dress designer Monique Lhuillier's growing empire

Bridal dress designer Monique Lhuillier leapt into the wedding business on a whim. Having had a difficult time finding her own gown, Lhuillier, a 23-year-old newlywed at the time, decided to begin sketching her own line of dresses. Her husband figured it was little more than a hobby, one that she would tire of soon enough. "He thought I had the wedding blues and eventually I'd get over it," she says, chuckling warmly.

That was a decade ago, and Lhuillier (Lo-lee-ay) is still not over it. In fact, she's now regarded as one of the premier designers in the bridal industry, and her "hobby" has become a thriving enterprise that grossed more than $20 million last year. Her wedding gowns, ranging in price from $2,000 to $25,000, have been worn by the likes of Christine Baumgartner (wife of Kevin Costner) and the rock star Pink. After sporting jeans and a tacky midriff-baring top for her first walk down the aisle -- an embarrassing quickie in Vegas -- Britney Spears chose a lace Lhuillier creation for her second marriage, to Kevin Federline.

"I took 30 of my gowns to a secret location, because I didn't want Britney to miss out on the experience of shopping for the dress," the designer recalls one recent afternoon in her Los Angeles office. "She was so excited. She tried on two dresses, and she knew."

In 2002, Lhuillier launched a line of evening wear (red-carpet numbers) as well as ready-to-wear clothes that are perfect for power lunches and charity events. Both have been big with boldface names like Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson. "I look at what void I have in my closet and try and fill that," says Lhuillier, whose designs are available in high-end stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. "Usually, if it strikes a chord with me, it strikes a chord with the customer."

That was certainly the case several years ago, when Lhuillier decided that she wanted to bring a splash of color to her wedding gowns. Sashes in hues like celadon and copper, rose and periwinkle quickly followed. "It became hugely popular, and that became her signature," says "Modern Bride's" Antonia van der Meer. "It's a beautiful touch and allows for personalization. You can have a traditional dress, but the sash adds a little kick."

Lhuillier is as much a businesswoman as she is an artist. Her father, a French mogul, introduced her to the idea of entrepreneurship. Born and raised in the Philippines, she says much of her fashion sense comes from her Filipino mom, a former model, who dressed her four children in matching outfits. After attending boarding school in Switzerland, Lhuillier studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A. She met her future husband, Tom Bugbee, while she was a senior; he was an accountant. Once his wife's hobby began to take off, he left his job to become her partner professionally, too.

The business grew quickly. The first year, she was showing at West Coast bridal stores; a few years later, she was in Saks. "Her gowns were taking a modern classic, like lace, and making it young and fresh," van der Meer says. "It really caught on. She is always one step ahead."

The Lhuillier brand keeps evolving. The designer will team with Royal Doulton in October to launch a fine china and stemware collection. In September, she'll open a new bridal boutique, a sprawling space on bustling Melrose Place.

And yet, it's a business collaboration from a few years ago that still makes her giddy. Mattel invited Lhuillier to design her very own Monique Lhuillier Bridal Dress Barbie, and she was given full creative license. For the designer who spent many an afternoon in Barbie-land, "it was really a dream come true," she says. One of her dolls now sits prettily in a glass case in her office. "Looking at her," says Lhuillier, smiling, "I feel like I've really come a long way."

Lhuillier's tips for wedding gown shopping

2. Don't shop with too many people. You'll just get confused, because everyone has an opinion. Listen to the little voice inside of you.

3. Fit is key. Be as comfortable as you can in your wedding gown. The better it fits, the happier you will be on the big day.