“The look on a bride’s face when she finds her dress – that is priceless and incredibly rewarding,” says Modern Trousseau designer, Callie Tein. It is this moment that fuels her passion for designing bridal gowns. Callie has been in love with fashion since her childhood in Melbourne, Australia, where her mum’s evening wear was given new life in the fashion shows Callie would put on, modeling the sixties- and seventies-era pieces. Callie marked important life events by the fashion that was associated with them: her first pair of high heels, her prom dress, and of course — her wedding gown.
Upon earning her BA in Fashion Design at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, she went on to design women’s wear for various Australian companies. Eventually, Callie landed a position designing bridal gowns, where she discovered her distinct talent for creating memorable dresses.
Callie’s youngest daughter, Maddie, recalls a story about her mom’s days designing in Melbourne, “she would walk around with her sketchbook, visiting boutiques to sell them her designs, changing her sketches on the spot to suit the store owner’s requests. She would then make the clothing pieces for the store to sell.” This willingness to modify designs to suit the wearer is apparent today in Callie’s brand, as a hallmark of Modern Trousseau is customization. Every gown can be changed to suit each bride’s individual vision, which makes each Modern Trousseau gown a one-of-a-kind, wearable work of art.
Additionally, Modern Trousseau’s couture designs are the ultimate in creativity and construction. Every gown starts as a two-dimensional sketch that is brought to life with the careful selection of fabrics. Callie loves the luxury of working with fine French and Italian laces, imported silks, and delicate beadwork. When the perfect fabric cannot be found, she will design the lace patterns and beadwork for production in the finest ateliers. She has set the standard of nothing-less-than-perfect for every Modern Trousseau gown, as she believes that when a bride remembers her wedding day, she should recall looking and feeling gorgeous. When asked about her favorite wedding gown trend, her answer is simple and reflective of the Modern Trousseau aesthetic: