Brand Spotlight: BespokeSoutherly by Sheri Turnbow

Our latest brand to launch is blowing in from Maryland with classic silkdresses made just for you in the USA. Get to know owner and head designerSheri Turnbow and what inspired her chic pieces that never go out of style.

How and why did you startdesigning?

As a lover of entertaining and parties, Ihave always struggled to find theperfect dress for every event. Whohasn’t shopped for hours in search ofjust the right dress, only to come upempty? I realized there was a lack ofbeautifully-made, quality items createdwith fine fabrics like silk, that weremeant to be worn more than once. Imagine that! So, having spent the earlypart of my career working in the fashion and retail industry, I decided I couldhelp fill this niche by designing what was missing in stores. I’m using my pastexperience and my love of beautiful clothing to create dresses of the highestquality right here in the USA. For our pre-sale on Nineteenth Amendment, Iam offering the most popular styles and colors for the holiday season atreduced pre-sale prices.

What is your fashion philosophy?

My dresses are all designed with flattering, classic silhouettes, so the focus ison the woman even when her dress makes a statement. Elegant, timelesspieces can be easily accessorized to look fresh and fashion forward. When itcomes to clothing and fashion, I think about quality over quantity. If morepeople did the math, they would invest in quality purchases. Think – severalinexpensive coats or a classic Burberry which will last you a lifetime andnever go out of style? So many people, including myself, care about theenvironment and sustainability today more than ever before. That concerncan translate to action even when it comes to fashion – which is why I believein investment dressing and love the made to order, fashion on demand modelthat Nineteenth Amendment offers.

How has your design changed over time?

Well, this is my first capsule collection, so you may want to ask that again inthe future! But, I will say that through developing this first collection, Ilearned a lot about the kinds of fabric qualities that I need to use to achievethe look I want. That learning has helped me focus my designs for the nextcollection. I want women to look unbelievably beautiful but also feelcomfortable in the dresses so they can really enjoy the event they areattending. For example, I don’t want a woman worrying about pulling up astrapless dress. That is why all my strapless styles have interior corsets withseparate zippers or significant boning – to ensure a great fit and no wardrobemalfunction! It took some time to get the right design for the Lily Dressinterior corset, but it functions perfectly – and the dress looks amazing onlots of different body types.

What inspired your latest collection?

My brand name and dress styles were inspired by my Southern upbringing inGeorgia and Virginia. Southerly means “a wind blowing from the South” andthe dresses evoke Southern elegance with timeless, classic appeal. I washeavily influenced by my aunt, an elegant and fashionable woman with greatstyle. Rather than following the trends, she invests in beautifully-made,quality items that she can enjoy from season to season. So, my collectionevokes that “Southern Woman”. Perennially pulled together, the SouthernWoman’s style is flirty, feminine, and elegant. And, I do take a lot of

inspiration from vintage couture which has a high level of construction andutilizes fine fabrics. That is in part why this first collection is all silk. Thebeauty and luxury of real silk is unparalleled. It has a depth and sheen thatcannot be duplicated by synthetic fabrics. And, it feels wonderful against theskin, which is why all my dresses are lined in 100% silk as well.

What is your biggest hurdle building a brand today?

I’ve encountered two equally high hurdles – finding skilled labor and cuttingthrough the clutter of available clothing. Reaching customers that willappreciate the design and quality of my dresses and are willing to purchase asmall brand, made in the USA, without wide scale name recognition, is achallenge. There is still a lot of competition in terms of pricing due tooverseas manufacturing and mass market clothing but they can’t compete onquality. Thankfully, there are a lot of people that enjoy discovering newbrands and appreciate well-made clothing. A platform like NineteenthAmendment is a great option for them! As apparel manufacturing in the U.S.continues to re-shore, it will help small brands find the skilled labor theyneed to really showcase quality and also support domestic employment.

What do you think about fashion today?

There is a lot of buzz about “slow fashion,” which is the opposite of mass-produced clothing found in most stores today and is typically made ondemand. Made on-demand, or made-to-order, means less waste in themanufacturing process, including using only the materials necessary to makeone dress at a time instead of creating large amounts of inventory that maynever be sold. And artisan products – goods made in small batches to reflecthigh-quality craftsmanship – are extremely popular among consumers rightnow. Fast fashion’s low prices and constant stream of new items meanspeople buy more pieces and discard them more frequently. Unfortunately,recycling is not the answer as such a small percentage of clothing is actuallyable to be recycled into new textiles. That is why I am proud to createinvestment pieces rather than throw away fashion. And made to order allows

a lot of brands, including mine, to offer customization. Who wants to go on anexhaustive search for the perfect dress every time you get invited to a party?Have a few dresses in your closet that reflect your personal style and lookgreat on you!

Where do you go and what do you do for inspiration?

Funny enough, I don’t really enjoy shopping. So, I get most of my inspirationfrom everyday life. I people watch wherever I go and I also watch a lot of films– including classic and foreign films. People in film are dressed really well!And, of course, Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration and you can seewhat is trending in your category. But, mostly I just think about what I wouldlike to wear and go from there.

Any tips and tricks of the trade?

Be nice to everyone! You would be surprised how often I run across peoplethat have a rather negative or rude attitude. Working in fashion is fun andshould make people happy. I decided I will only work with nice people and sofar, it is paying off!

What is your brand aesthetic and what makes your brand unique?

My brand is elegant, timeless and feminine. The fabrics are luxurious and the

dresses are beautifully made, inside and out. A Bespoke Southerly dress is adress that feels special whenever you wear it and will ensure you are puttogether and confident wherever you wear it.

Shop the new collection just blown in from the South.