MIGNONETTE REUTILISER
“I realized fairy Godmothers do exist! I felt like the most beautiful princess. This dress was even more spectacular than I had ever imagined or hoped it could be! It was radiant. “
It’s no secret that I am a fan of all things vintage, especially clothing - I love the history of a piece, the stories woven into each seam, the impression left by the combination of a seamstresses’ sewing choices and a wearer’s body on the fabric. This is why I launched Mignonette Reutiliser (reuse in French) in 2015 to help brides who wanted to wear heirloom gowns find a way to modernize and personalize, adding their chapters to the story of a garment.
I’ll work with our brides to take dresses with personal or familial significance and transform them into modern designs with a vintage twist. We can make gentle changes (removing and rearranging the lace, shortening the sleeves, or reshaping a neckline will update the dress while keeping its original integrity), or we can do a radical overhaul that still honors the original wearer. Our team works closely with you to bring out the unique features of each dress. We love transforming these heirloom gowns and giving them a new life! This is an amazing and sustainable option when it comes to choosing a wedding dress, but don’t just take our word for it! See the journeys we’ve taken with some of our brides and then reach out to see how we can help with your dream dress!
“I just wanted to say thank you for all the incredible work you and your team did on my grandmother’s and mother’s gown! I felt so beautiful on my wedding day and I credit you for that blessing”.
Reanna: Where to start with the dramatic beauty of this gown? To use architectural parlance, we took it down to the studs. Using the original net and trim from her mother’s gown, we built a sheer corset and appliqued it with the original lace, adding layers of iridescent Swarovski and pearl beads, and built a new 8-layer English net skirt with trailing lace and beaded details, a lace hem, and a matching beaded lace cathedral veil. Featured in Modern Luxury Magazine. Check out their video here!
Lindsay: Lindsay’s gown is from the 1940’s and was worn by both her mother and her grandmother. We transformed the high-neck plain satin gown into a corseted off-the-shoulder a-line gown with Chantilly lace applique, button back, and a lace overskirt with long train. We also created a Cathedral veil with lace applique detailing.
“I felt like a total queen and working with you was so much fun”.
Jessica: Jessica’s mother’s 1980’s satin gown had a beautiful bodice but the overall look was dated and not the high-fashion effect she wanted to create. We reshaped the bodice to have a tighter, pleated sleeve and sharper shoulder, reshaped and built up the stand collar, removed the skirt and built a new silk satin mermaid skirt, and used the original skirt to create a removable Watteau train that attached at the waist.
Christine: Christine’s silk organza beaded gown had been worn by her grandmother and lovingly preserved, but the gown had some staining and was too small for Christine. We removed the original beading and reshaped the bodice into a plunging sweetheart neckline and changed the back to a deep v, added lace cap sleeves and lace applique detailing to the entire bodice, and trailed lace beading over the waist onto the hip. We also created a matching English net veil.
“I got married 10 months after my mom, my best friend, died. I was looking for so many ways to incorporate her into our special day, to honor her, to feel her presence, and to make her feel a part of such a milestone. Being able to wear her dress was one of the most meaningful things I was able to do to feel connected to her.”
Shailee - This magnificent gown was built using the original bodice and lace skirt of Shailee’s grandmother’s 1940’s gown, overlaid with 6 layers of English net that we hand-embroidered with lace and sequins and edged in organza ribbon. The high-necked, long-sleeved top was transformed into a corseted strapless bodice and embroidered with vine lace, beads, and sequins, and closed with satin buttons. The fluffiest petticoat we could dream up gave the dress enough volume to please any princess. Truly a dream dress for an amazing client, and such an honor.
Every gown we work on is special, but this one truly resonated because the bride, Lauren, was one of our original models, and is also an incredibly talented photographer, so when she reached out about designing her own wedding gown, it was both an honor and a bit scary. The fact that we would only get one fitting was even scarier, but in the end we transformed her mother’s amazing boho 1970’s full-skirted jersey gown with high neck and back into a fitted sheath with Alencon lace cutouts and sexy low neck and back. The best part was that we kept the lace hood her mom had instead of a veil. Truly an original.