Today we’d like to introduce you to Anabella Montgomery.
Anabella, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Fun fact: I am an Industrial Engineer from Venezuela. During my last year of college in Caracas, I had two amazing opportunities; I worked in marketing for Pepsi and also flew to Texas for an engineering competition. There, I met a Coloradoan whom two years later became my husband. I decided not to pursue my engineering career and moved to Fort Collins in 2009.
I always had a creative vein and a special interest in the fashion industry. Moving to Colorado allowed me to seek my true passion. I graduated from Colorado State University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design and was awarded overall best designer at the annual CSU Senior Fashion Show. Soon after graduation, I opened my own business creating custom made evening wear. A year later, I started a mentoring program where fashion design students from CSU could come and learn firsthand from a real-world scenario and apply the tools learned in the classroom in my studio. The original team that worked with me grew to not only make one of a kind wedding dresses, but also bridesmaids, flower girls, and mother of the bride attire. In the past five years, we have created the most original concepts for brides and their wedding party. It is a beautiful and organic collaborative process between my clients and the team.
In 2015, we took the studio’s work to the public, participating in the first Windsong Estate Bridal Fashion Show. We closed the runway with six stunning wedding gowns and a dozen flower girl dresses. After the show, I was approached by Kate Hanna, owner of Tula, a high-end boutique in Fort Collins, with the idea of creating a line of cocktail dresses. We held several design meetings where we discussed the DNA of the brand, we wanted to create and drew many sketches of the first designs. In April 2017, ELIZABETH, a ready to wear brand sold exclusively at Tula, was launched at a private party at the store.
Anabella Poletti Design House is my passion and working with my clients to achieve their vision is an honor.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The studio has seen more than a dozen design interns in the past five years. Having a mentoring program is invaluable. The hard work these students put into each project is amazing, and I love teaching them along the way. It is not always easy though; scheduling with their school work is very difficult as I make sure they prioritize homework over studio time.
Overall, the most difficult part has been balancing work and family. The beauty of this business is that it is a family effort. My workspace is in my home where I live with my husband and our two beautiful children. It is a combination of teamwork and a lot of organized chaos, but I would not have it any other way. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to pursue my true calling and raise my family under the same roof.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Anabella Poletti Design House – what should we know?
Anabella Poletti Design House is a fashion design studio that produces custom made pieces and a ready to wear label.
The ELIZABETH label is very close to my heart, as it is designed by my business partner and me and produced by our team in our studio in Fort Collins. We use the best materials and couture techniques in each garment. The label has been well received among the amazing Tula long-time clients; we have showcased six capsule collections of limited edition and one of a kind pieces, and we continue to work on future exclusive designs that are launched in the store every season.
People know Anabella Poletti Design House for our one-on-one interaction with our clients. We offer a personal well-curated experience. From the first meeting to the day of the event, we make sure our clients’ needs are met. In the first meeting, we discuss what the client has in mind. We meet with them again to discuss inspiration boards, materials, and sketches of the original designs we imagined. After we agree on a design and materials are selected, our team creates custom patterns, and a first garment is sewn. We have a preliminary fitting where we discuss any details or changes, and then the design is created to measure. We offer one of a kind designs and a one of a kind process.
One of my favorite things we offer is meeting the bride on the day of the wedding to get her dressed. This is an amazing experience for her and for us. It is an honor to dress our clients on their big day, and it is such special treatment for the bride to have her own designer there to make sure everything is perfect. If possible, we stay for the ceremony to guarantee the bride’s look is impeccable at all times. The opportunity to have your own piece created for you is an amazing experience.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Most of my success belongs to my family and amazing friends who have supported me immensely. Having an interior designer as a mother and an accomplished sculptor as a grandmother led me to develop an eye for style, color, and design. This artistic background created a desire to merge my engineering knowledge with a career in the fashion industry.
I combine attention to detail with a relaxed atmosphere in the studio. Our clients feel at ease and cared for. We go above and beyond to make sure their vision for their special day is fulfilled.
My clients have been my best advertisers; each one of them has come because a former client has sent them my way. However, I want to thank Jackie Matsuda and her family, owners of Windsong Estate Event Center for encouraging me to showcase my designs at their first bridal fashion show and for connecting me with many wedding industry professionals at the beginning of my career.
I have had the opportunity to work with amazing photographers, floral designers, and makeup artists throughout this journey. I believe in true collaborative work where we can grow together as a community.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 970 581 9744
- Email: anabellapoletti@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anabellapoletti_designhouse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anabellapolettidesignhouse/
Image Credit:
Joe Friend Photography www.joefriendphotography.com, Clayton Jenkins Studio, Miranda L. Sober, Six Arrow Photography, Lara Photography, Our Two Hearts, Kyla Chambers Photography
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