You know what sucks? Being forced to shell out a large sum of $$$ on a bridesmaid dress that A. Is probably not your style, and therefore B. You're likely only going to wear once. We get it, and we may have found your solution: an under-$300 gown that can be worn more ways than you can wrap your head around (or, at least, more than 10), and is being marketed as one-size-fits-all.
Created by London-born Radhika Perera-Hernandez, the designer behind the brand Lois London, the problem-solving Roxy dress is completely customizable. From hem to silhouette and size (which, in a single dress, ranges from 0 to 16), everything can be tweaked by the pull of some sneaky strings and a belt. And if that doesn't convince you (we promise, this isn't an infomercial), the brand's site displays the dresses on a variety of women to show how versatile they really are.
Ahead, we spoke with Perera-Hernandez on her journey from working the front desk to the design room at House of Deréon (shout out, Bey), and now her own brand.
How did you find your way into design?
"My grandmother taught me to sew when I was 14. She was my first insight into this world. She saw in me a yearning to create with my own hands, so she taught me the art of using them. I was obsessed with vintage and Indian fabrics and blending the two to create a style of my own adolescent expression.
"In my early 20s, I suffered the loss of my father, brother, and beloved grandmother all within the span of three years. To put it plainly, I was lost in every sense: I had lost my faith and my path, so I turned inward and began heavily following Buddhism to make sense of the things I had experienced. With no clear career path, I followed my instinct and left London, where I had been born and raised, to pursue a career in New York. I had never studied fashion, nor worked in the field, but within six months I was given the opportunity to be the receptionist at Beyoncé and Tina Knowles’ company. After eight months, that first opportunity led me to the design room where I worked for five years. Beyoncé and Tina fostered my raw ability to sketch and sew. In 2012, after having my son, I resigned and launched my own line, Lois London.
Lois London Roxy Dress in Silver, $295, available at Lois London.
Photo: Courtesy of Lois London.
"I wanted to create garments that would make women feel like goddesses, and I think my love for reconstructing vintage brought me to this point of creating a dress that could be worn and styled 10-plus different ways. I used to take vintage pieces and change their wearability, so I used the same ethos when I created the Roxy dress. I wanted it to be a piece that women would want to invest in. Instead of a $30 dress you may wear once, you invest in something that has many arms and can make you feel luxurious over and over again, no matter which way you wear it."
Lois London Roxy Dress in Blush, $295, available at Lois London.
Photo: Courtesy of Lois London.
How did you come up with each way to wear it?
"I think it was a natural process for me. It began by draping and playing (something that is instinctual to me). I had to alter some things along the way for production, like the plunging neckline, as I had to be realistic about how many people could really wear a dress that plunged down to the navel (that's the '70s-lover in me)."
Lois London Roxy Dress in Navy, $295, available at Lois London.
Photo: Courtesy of Lois London.
How do you feel about sticking to one product that does well and building a brand off of that, versus creating a full-blown collection from the get-go?
"I feel strongly about utilizing the tools we have in front of us, gauging what consumers like through your own social media platforms. As a designer, we can test the waters through our Instagram, for example, and that is genius for startup brands.
"The Roxy dress has been a hit; we have taken customer feedback and perfected it and now we can offer our consumer a dress that can be in their wardrobe for years no matter if their body or style changes. From that point we can create collection with the same brand ethos and be known for something."
Lois London Roxy Dress in Black, $295, available at Lois London.
Photo: Courtesy of Lois London.
Have you noticed any buying trends? The site says the dress is good for bridesmaids. Do people buy in bulk often for this purpose? Or is it more one-off gifting?
"It’s definitely a mix of bulk orders and one-off purchases. Although I will say that once a customer buys one of our pieces they tend to be repeat customers, which is awesome."
Lois London Roxy Dress in White, $315, available at Lois London.
Photo: Courtesy of Lois London.
How important is body diversity to you and your brand?
"It's everything to us; to create styles that all women can feel amazing in is such an uplifting edge to our brand. I've had women tell me that they don't look like our models and they will never look as beautiful as the models do in our dresses. Those same women have then tried on one of our dresses and been floored by how amazing they feel. They are in the same size that the model was wearing and they look just as beautiful."
Lois London Roxy Dress in Cobalt, $295, available at Lois London.
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