Got it, got it, got it.

Um, but we basically have this incredible partnership and team, um, with relaunching Hayley Paige.

And again, when they were like, "You have creative freedom," it was amazing to see so many of my team members, sales reps, you know, tech design, everybody saying, "I wanna rep, you know, Hayley Paige." And so we were like, "Let's do this." Like, so-

Um, can I ask what your definition of love is?

My definition of love, um, is, ooh, it's definitely a, a realization of someone who emphatically will have your back for the rest of your life.

So how would you explain that kind of loss to somebody who's never experienced that? What did it, what did it feel like?

It definitely is something that's relative in with respect to when you're going through an adversity and, it's about your experience in it and the tools that you have to handle it and kind of where you choose to focus your energy.

And if I was to explain it, it would feel like a misappropriation in some kind of way, just because it was, well, I was first to market with this name, you know, and like I spent X number of years as this person and putting goodwill into this name and But that didn't really matter because what was being said in a contract and how it was being interpreted in a court system is ultimately what the decision would be.

And so I kind of had to relinquish a little bit of control and also a mindset of injustice because that helped me move forward and also survive the period because I felt like if I came from a position of, oh my gosh, I'm so victimized by this, I would feel like I'm not really in the driver's seat of my own life.

And I guess from an artistic standpoint, I saw that there was an opportunity to kind of rebrand, you know, and I've always pulled a lot of inspiration from music and how artists take on different egos and like their album is really like this world that they live in and create.

And so I, I pretty quickly said, I need to find a different genre.

you know, method and how I represent myself and how I'm identifying myself.

So tell us how you've become an advocate for creators rights.

And, like, what did success look like to you then?

Success definitely came in the form of high visibility really for me, especially in my first chapter as a designer, because I experienced growth over time, but there wa- there were some pretty big moments as a designer where, you know, we had this dress go viral, and then I felt like I had this really unique aesthetic that no one else was really addressing, and I was on a television show, and then my Instagram was growing.

And so there were these points you can really think about in terms of, wow, like, this is really happening, and it's always so exciting.

But I would say now that I've [laughs] kind of been on the journey I've been on, I don't really feel like I've made it.

I feel like I am just in motion.

You testified in front of Congress, and at what point do you feel like you realized that this was bigger than just you, that you could help t- like, educate women on what, what is happening?

I felt a little victimized in moments of my journey, and how can you not when circumstances are just not, you know, working out in your favor? But I've never been somebody that really operates from a place of victimhood, because so much of my work has been about serving women, and, like, that connection to them and feeling this, like, amazing responsibility to be a part of somebody's day in this way.

And that is something that that mindset has really helped me through moments in life.

So talk to me about how you went from these little moments to becoming one of Vogue's top 10 bridal designers globally and helping build a brand that generated 220 million in retail sales between 2017 and 2020.

I never thought about it in this way of, like, flash, skyrocket to the moon.

You know? N- nothing like that.

There was a slow burn to it in the beginning because I got my first, you know, ring lead of a collection when I was 25, and it w- it felt like the opportunity of a lifetime, but it also came on the heels of almost a five-year stint at another house of brands where I learned oversee development and tech pack design and international sourcing.

And then at fr- but prior to that, I worked at Jill Stuart, which was, uh, all made in New York City.

So you have a sample room, and you're running cutting tickets and pulling fabrics from New York.

And so this new company that I was at at 25, you know, I just felt, you know, the wind beneath my wings because I was so excited to have this moment, you know, have my name on the dresses and then feel like somebody really believed in me to be able to do this.

How can you break down the difference between the public court and the legal court, and why both of them are so important?

Yes.

And then all of a sudden I couldn't even say it at Starbucks, you know? So it was like, whoa, that's ...

Like I, I didn't even know what to do with it at that point 'cause it was so bizarre to me.

And then the third part, uh, was really just a matter of I'm not gonna be able to work under this kind of duress.

And so I actually resigned, and I was still technically under contract 'cause there were two years left on my non-compete.

And so it was just so complex.

There was a lot of nuance to understanding the lawsuit.

But Saie is the real version of it.

It didn't.

And it didn't tarnish it.

And even in the thick of it all, you know, I still always just want, you to find your dream dress.

Like that is the goal, right? Is to be kind of an advocate in that way because it is such a big deal and it is such a big moment.

And it's the time in your life where you get to feel like you are the it girl, you know? And there's not this barrier to entry as there is sometimes in high fashion where it feels like if you're not cool enough or you're not...

skinny enough.

You're not these things that you, you can't get into the club, you know, whereas like anyone can be a bride and that's your moment to really shine.

So what advice, what one bit of advice would you give to a bride when she's starting on her shopping journey other than buy a Hayley Paige dress? I