Written by Nicole Counts

Devin Pauley, a 22-year-old recent graduate from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, PA was featured in the Philadelphia Fashion Week Fashion Show.  Born and Raised in Indiana, Pauley took a liking for Philadelphia and its opportunities in Fashion.  Devin graduated with a fashion design major—her primary focus in structural design—and a textile minor. She now works for Kevin O’Brien, textile designer, as a production assistant, working mainly with pillows and scarves.

Starting around the age of 12 years old, Devin has always been very artsy. She jokes, “It was awful!” when discussing her work at such a young age. As she got older her fashion ability naturally got better. While in high school, she would buy 99¢ patterns from Wal-Mart and practice her skill. Years later, some of the pieces she made with such inexperience she still wears. By the time Devin’s freshman year of college came, she had started designing clothes that “actually looked good,” she says.

Devin’s influences are divided between a large spectrum of art. From the creative attire of Alexander McQueen and Rodarte, to the enchanting cities of Paris and Rome, and to the composition of Architecture, her inspirations have led her to create her own structural style. Weaving her style with untraditional elements, her belief that inspiration is everywhere, began the process to developing her passion, wedding gowns.

The structure and ability to add her own creativity is what attracted her to wedding gowns. They are one of a kind. It is normally worn once; therefore the individuality and intimate details that go into each one make creating them more significant. The summer before her senior year at Moore, Devin was asked to create a senior thesis. Her Spring 2011 Collection, consisting of eight pieces, and two more she is working on, is what she used as her senior thesis. (The dress feature in the Philadelphia Fashion Week Fashion Show was from this collection.) A collection full of white wedding gowns, it embodies her style of structure and glam. A Lady Gaga themed gown, which she likes to call “The Beast,” division of pearls, and Columbian lace, range of length; are all-apart of that make her untraditional gowns stand out.

“ I love using lace,” Devin says when talking about her collection. The lace in her collection is from a vacation she took to Columbia. She also loves using chiffon, silk, and beads that bring the gowns to life.           

When asked if she creates bridesmaid dresses, she says she feels as though it would be much harder to do. The bride is the center of attention and to mitigate these creations into simplistic dresses for the women surrounding the center of attention would be difficult for her to do.

When talking about her own dream wedding she describes her dress with buttons down the back, strapless, simple form fitting, and dazzled. “I’ve been planning my wedding since I was 5.” She jokes, also saying she wants to get married seven times to be able to have so many different dresses.

Devin wants to create a new theme. A mix between Hollywood glamour and the class Katharine Hepburn embodies. She wants to be different.

“I don’t want to do something that’s done before.”

In the past Devin has done Raw Fashion show in August, the Philadelphia Fashion Week Fashion Show, and several other fashion shows throughout Philadelphia and New York.  Devin is now trying to build her own website and promote herself while doing freelance work. “I really like making gowns—whether they sell or not.” Devin says.

Check Devin Pauley out on facebook!

www.facebook.com/morgiabridal

Photo Credit to James King Photography.