- Tess Mann of Couture By Tess presented a fashion show at L&L Market Ozari on July 17, 2022.
- The collections shows were a mix of nostalgia and new discovery.
- The line has partnered with New Delhi-based Tarak Nath Mishra Factory.
Local bridal gown line Couture By Tes hosted a fashion show July 17 at L&L Marketplace in Nashville, Ozari.
Tess Mann, the designer behind the label, presented two collections – one called Nostalgia: Travel through Fashion Time and the other New Discovery – at an invitation-only event. Models from Nashville-based Premier Model Management hauled high-end gowns down the runway.
Mann discussed the design process and customizable options with attendees during a question-and-answer session.
The exhibition was in preparation for two years, who said. The wedding dresses alone took approximately 18 months to complete.
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“We started planning the fashion show when the dresses were almost finished,” Mann said. “That was September last year, so it’s been a good 10 months.”
New Discovery includes Haute Couture dresses that Mann has previously designed but decided to show publicly for the first time. Nostalgia takes inspiration from a variety of styles from the 1400s to the 1970s, and adds a contemporary touch.
“Personally, I’m in love with fashion from past decades and eras,” Mann said. “I really got a lot of inspiration from the late Middle Ages to the Roaring ’20s.”
As anyone would say, Nostalgia is the more affordable of the two.
“The New Discovery collection started with dresses that I had originally designed and made but I wasn’t really happy with,” she said. “I didn’t have a proper factory to work with. I didn’t like the materials.”
Mann then began collaborating with the Tarak Nath Mishra factory in New Delhi, primarily responsible for the intricate embroidery on Couture By Tess pieces.
When she started creating clothes with Mishra, Mann said, “This brings my collection to where it needs to be. This will be in line with the Parisian fashion that I wanted to create in Tennessee.”
Indo-western inspired collections from the likes of Man and Le Jardin collections are also on display. Both are expected to be released in 2023.
