RI Beauty Expert: The Dress Whisperer – Ray Gardner Designs
Saturday, May 09, 2015
He went to the best schools: RISD, FIT, and Parsons but Ray Gardner settled here in Rhode Island to build his dress business and help women look and feel great. A true Renaissance man in that he not only designs gowns for young prom-goers and mothers-of-the-bride, he is also an artist, a sculptor, and a piano/saxophone/guitar-playing musician. But his true love has always been fashion and a single step into his Warwick lair, one can see why.
Ray Gardner Designs may be tucked away in an obscure strip mall, but it is a gold-mine for the woman seeking that one perfect dress, especially when she has exhausted all else. The shop is long and narrow but heavy on racks of stunning dresses in rainbow-bright colors. According to Gardner, navy is the new black and there are plenty of chic dresses in that color, but he states that the hottest blue right now is a magnetic Mediterranean one – the hue of tropical summer seas. It is even prettier when paired with sewn-in beads and sequins. Gardner’s dresses are not shy but stand out not only for the colors and bling, but for the unique styles. They feel like one-of-a-kinds because about 25 percent of them are designed with his own patterns cut from his own scissors. He selects the fabrics and ships it all to California to be sewn together. Every gown is completely made in the USA.
Per Gardner, Kate Middleton’s love of lace dresses has made them a desirable choice this season, whether in short or long styles - especially for the mother-of-the-bride who doesn’t want to risk too much bareness. His French lace gowns are alluring with feminine filigree bodices or head-to-toe floral tracery. Gardner’s couture dresses are for the woman who wants something truly singular and not to be copied. However, Gardner makes each of his other designs in sizes 2 to 24. The reason being is he believes every woman, no matter what her size or figure, deserves to have a dress she adores. He will happily add sleeves and alter necklines as requested, but if a woman falls head-over-heels for a dress in size 8, it will be available in size 12 too - just for her. She who wants, shall have.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Ray Gardner Designs also includes Emily Shoes, a tiny corner reserved for dress shoes and named after daughter Emily. A look can be rounded out with a profusion of evening bags and costume jewelry spotted on every flat surface in the shop – it’s truly a princess’s closet. Gardner’s idea is that every woman should be made to feel self-assured and attractive with just the right special-occasion frock and accessories. His personal touch extends to his staff who never hard-sell – they are also afflicted with the same passion for fashion and their desire to ensure that each client walks away feeling beautiful with the best dress and a big dose of confidence to wear with it.
Ray Gardner is a lucky man. He believes that the root of his achievement is in his love of artistry and that to be successful, one must do what they are really good at. He is obviously good at making women feel beautiful and confident, one gown at a time. And that…that is what makes him The Dress Whisperer. Ray Gardner Designs, 80 Lambert Lind Highway, Warwick
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