Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear…

I had a friend round the other night.  She brought round some beautiful crochet blankets that she had made for my little baby girl.  I spent the rest of the evening extolling the virtues of 'Etsy' to her.  For someone who visits the Etsy website on an almost daily basis, I couldn't quite believe that someone had never heard about it. I tell everyone I know about Etsy but for the uninitiated, Etsy is the most AMAZING (and utterly addictive) online store where you can buy and sell a vast array of gorgeous handmade and often vintage style prettiness. 

Etsy has quite literally transformed the way small, home based 'craft' business is able to reach out to new customers; the talented creative who cannot afford hefty exhibition fees can now list their products on the Etsy website and connect instantly with a global market {$29.9 million of goods was sold by the Etsy community in October 2010}, and this means that people like me can purchase with confidence from the likes of the lone crafts person located in fields as far flung as Timbuktu.  Amazing!  Etsy is so simple and so genius all at once.

One Etsy designer I've been completely smitten with for a while now is Monique Martinez, the lady behind Ouma Clothing – who I first featured on Love My Dress back in August.  Monique works from her studio in Phoenix, Arizona, designing and creating enchanting tulle skirts and dress designs that she personally hand-crafts using delicate hand-dying techniques, and sells to buyers all over the world.

Monique recently got married and right now, you can see her beautiful, Halloween wedding over on the Rock n Roll Bride Wedding Blog.  Today, Love My Dress takes a more personal look at the Bride in the wedding photographs, and one of the Designers helping to push the Etsy revolution forward.

I would like to personally thank the super talented Photographer, Galaxie Andrews, who took all the studio shots featured below especially for Love My Dress

Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Galaxie Andrews

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...


"I started Ouma in 2004 and back then, it was actually just a hobby for me.  I went to a party with my brother and his friends and I met a girl who was wearing a DIY shirt.  I asked her about her top (a  tube top with stamped letters on it) and she told me about this venue where designers and models would hang out and network. I had no idea anything like that existed, so I was immediately inspired.  I remember I went home and made a one sleeved asymmetrical top, which was really cute.  Actually, I wish I still had that thing!

So I went to the place where all the creative people hung out, and these designers came up to me and asked if I had ever done any modeling and invited me to partake in a fashion show! And so I modeled in this show for a group of local designers. It was such good fun, but I had absolutely no interest in being a model!  I wanted to have my 'own' show!  From then on, I started buying fabrics that inspired me, dug through thrift shops for treasures to reconstruct and with the help of my awesome brother, who was in a hip-hop band at the time, I started to plan a show. My Brother has always been extremely supportive and is my number one fan :)"

 One of Ouma's beautiful tulle creations stands proud in her Phoenix, Arizona based studio…

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

"We put together this event called 'The Phunky Radio Show' – my Brother came up with the music and I came up with the clothes!  I focused on a staple t-shirt design that could be dressed up or down".

During this time, Monique also had a 'day job' as an Accountant, but after a few years, found herself out of a job after her employers relocated. 

"I remember telling myself 'I am never going to work for anyone else ever again – I HAVE to make this work!' And I got on with things on my sewing machine.  But fate was yet another best friend of mine; around the same time, a lovely lady by the name of Katie Walker moved in next to me.  She would make her Son the cutest clothes and we hung out a few times before she found out I had my own little clothing collection.  We ended up going to fabrics stores and designing kids clothes and womens dresses otgether.  It all happened so naturally.  She then told me about Etsy and I’ve been hooked ever since…"

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

These days, Monique spends her time producing made-to-order gowns for buyers all around the globe who have a penchant for her delightful and delicate tulle creations….

"I am extremely grateful I get to work from home and stay with my Daughters. I am so happy things worked out the way they did. I always wonder why me?  Why?  I absolutely LOVE my job! I truly feel like this occupation chose me.  And I’m so grateful…"

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Monique's signature style is captured beautifully in her 'A Whimsical Spring' design below – currently her most popular creation.

"I think it does well because it’s a staple piece allowing you to style it in so many different ways and I think the price is also reasonable.  The fabrics are comfy, my brides want to get down and have fun on their wedding day…"

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear... Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

"But my striped carnival party dress is also a very popular choice with my buyers…"

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Monique tied the knot on 31st October this year – Halloween

"My wedding day was so chaotic at first!  My Husband John and I have two daughters together so I stayed at home to get ready with the girls whilst John went down to the venue to help set up.  I remember hemming my flower girl dresses that same morning.  My niece got oil on her dress so we had to make it shorter.   I had no time to get my nails done so here I was on the Sunday morning looking for a salon open at 10 am. I ended up running to a Target store, to pick out a shade I liked. 

Our Photographer, Galaxie showed up and started snapping away while I was getting ready.  My good friend Brooke who is also a hair stylist came with a bottle of champagne and we had a good time while she worked her magic.  And this was the turning point of the day for me – where I realized, I don't care if tings don't work out as planned, I don't care if my nails aren't perfect – I just want to have fun.  My friends and family are all laid back  genuinely cool people so I knew they wouldn’t care if I had a manicure or not!"

Monique's beautiful wedding dress…

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

"The dress actually came together the night before, and I'm SO  happy it did. I knew I wanted something asymmetrical, I knew I wanted a tulle skirt, nothing fancy – a modest, Spanish inspired design.  I had this obsession with antique hand crocheted textiles, so I searched Etsy filtering through hundreds of vintage crochet work and when I finally spotted the exact style/pattern my eyes actually welled up!

I guess that was the moment for me, instead of 'this is THE dress' it was like 'this is THE fabric for me!' 

I also chose silk tulle I had shipped in from London (which was held up in customs for a month – yes I was stressed!) and the under-layers were also composed from silk…" 

Monique also created her Bridesmaids dresses…

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

"The best thing about my dress was how many family members were involved; my 10 year old niece Alyssa (who knows how to sew, thanks to yours truly) laid out the tulle for me to cut. My grandma who supported my hobby when I was in high school and taught me a few things about sewing was in town and she put in a few stitches too.  My Sister in Law Adela was also around and pinned a few things here and there.  So it was such a pleasant experience bringing it all together.  I had imagined working on the dress alone in my studio. but when it came to it, I was surrounded by love, laughs and good times…"

Monique told me she doesn't plan on recreating her own wedding dress design for her Ouma brand, but that it has inspired her to incorporate more vintage crochet into her work…

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Galaxie Andrews, the Photographer who took the studio shots for this feature works closely with Monique in capturing all her exquisite designs on camera…

"I absolutely LOVE Galaxie.  She is so much fun to work with.  I bet you didn’t n she started off modeling for me?  She brought her camera along and snapped this photograph {see below}.  It completely took my breath away…"

'Clouds of Cotton Candy'…

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

I asked Monique what advice she would give the Bride to Be looking for that perfect wedding dress?…

"Pull photos that inspire you.  Write down elements that you like best – sketch ideas if you have to.

You don't have to settle for mainstream designer gowns; and whilst you might not be a designer, or a seamstress – learn what looks best on you and flatters you most. 

Learn to 'feel' fabrics and become familiar with textures that you love, then imagine being enveloped in them on your special day…"

Some of Monique's gorgeous bridal designs, including 'Blushing in Pink'

Il_570xN.185980544

…and the Savannah Prarie Gown

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear...

Of course, I HAD to ask Monique her opinion on the Royal wedding dress :)….

"Oooh, I imagine her choosing a simple neckline with an elagant dramatic and detailed skirt.  keeping it sophisticated and definitely MODERN.  She seems effortlessly stylish, so I can’t imagine her going over the top."

Ouma Clothing ~ Leading the Etsy Revolution in Enchanting Tulle Skirts and Bridal Wear - Photography by Galaxie Andrews...

Thank you so much Monique for sharing a fabulous insight into the mind and creative space of an Etsy super-star 🙂

The Ouma Clothing collection starts at around £110 and rises up to around £1100 for more delicate, hand dyed dresses…"I had to get into hand dyeing because I’m particular about color!"

Huge thanks once again to Photographer Galaxie Andrews for supplying the photographs for this feature :)  Now hop on over to the Rock n Roll Bride Wedding Blog to see Monique's beautiful Halloween wedding day celebrations.

You can see more from Ouma on the Love My Dress Wedding Blog here.

Much love,

Annabel xXx

Annabel

Annabel View all Annabel's articles

Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.

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