The Prelude
From the very first day I started down the path of being a designer, I knew two things - that I wanted to have my own brand one day and that the name of that brand would be nordeen. The name stems from a family surname, passed down from my great-grandfather, Robert s. Nordeen. Having started out as an engraver for the denver mint, he eventually transferred his skills into his own jewelery company. No one in the family bears the name within their own anymore, but as it represents a creative side of my heritage, I wished to take the heirloom and breathe life back into it.
It was the day after my own outdoor elopement that I realized what nordeen would finally be. I had had trouble finding my wedding attire, including various pieces I wished to wear to accommodate the natural environment we would be in. My partner and I were four wheel driving along the side of some majestic mountain in Southwest Colorado on our way to a day after session with our photographers, Cedar & Pines, when I thought to myself, “What if I designed that collection? The collection of wedding attire I so feverishly looked for but couldn’t find?” When we finally reached the site of their airstream, I remember mentioning the idea to Megan, whose reaction met my words with unquestionable excitement.
This was it, the beginning of nordeen.
A few months later, I sent my Prelude Collection off to Morocco with the incredibly talented Megan & Nate to shoot in the Sahara Desert. Inspired by that very setting, these initial looks represent the soft, billowing winds that sweep across the copper sands. The delicate, natural silks create the same arched peaks as the curved sand dunes, rippling with the same uneven texture reflected in the crinkle chiffon. The raw edge hems flick off golden specks as the breeze whips them across the desert floor. Exuding desert warmth, each gown was handmade to be worn whilst barefoot, running across the sun kissed landscape. This is what I aim to achieve with nordeen - attire that echos the stories of the natural surroundings around us, that echo the stories around you.
Photo Courtesy of Cedar & Pines
It is wondrous the way life works. I look back and nordeen is the culmination of everything that led me to where I am today. A hopeless romantic with a fascination for weddings, I wanted to be a designer from the age of twelve. Having almost burnt out in the midst of fashion school, I took on an internship with a high end event planner in the hopes of learning something new and potentially swapping paths. Nevertheless, I persevered through and graduated with a focus on special occasion wear. The years after eventually steered me away from evening wear and into the existential grasp of sustainability - where I continue to learn how we can revitalize our native landscapes and remain humble towards the natural environment around us.
As the idea of nordeen comes to fruition, I suddenly hold in my hands a union of where I started and what I presently hold dear - a bridal collection inspired by nature and with each piece, a desire to preserve its beauty.
xx - Brenna