Kim Wadsworth: Tigerlilly is an established leader in the bridal accessory market. When and how did it all begin?

Mandy Greenan: I have always made jewelry.  I didn’t become passionate about it until I started thinking in terms of bridal jewelry and headpieces.  I actually hadn’t even gotten engaged yet, but I had met my husband and I was starting to think about getting married to him.  And that’s when I started thinking about headpieces and tiaras.  I know that a lot of bridal jewelry designers get started this way.  They say that they looked everywhere and couldn’t find anything they really liked.  I was completely the opposite.  I loved so many different things that I had to start making headpieces right away.  It seemed like for every design I made, I would think of 2 more to try.

 

KW: You are based in Richmond, Virginia. How have southern brides influenced your designs?

MG:Well, I didn’t grow up here, so most of my friends and family getting married are not southern brides.  However, there is definitely a vibe that I sense.  First of all, southern brides are gorgeous.  They know what looks good on them, they know how to take care of themselves, and on their wedding day they always look amazing.  There is a sense of tradition in the south, too, and I think a lot of brides do go the traditional route, but they bring their own style to it as well, which I love.  It reminds me that you don’t have to be totally avant garde to be original.  I made the Bloom tiara for a southern bride.  The coin pearls are luscious… the design is simple but stunning.

 

 

KW: What makes your bridal headpieces so unique?

MG: I love to use new and unexpected materials, things that you might not immediately associate with bridal jewelry.  Things like chandelier components and preserved flower petals, or hand carved Silver leaves from the Hill tribe in Thailand .  When I use the more traditional materials like crystals, pearls, and filigree, I try to come up with inventive ways to put them all together.  I collect a lot of different components and I love to sit down and just play with them to see what happens.  I’ll never edit until just before market season, that way even the “crazy” ideas can come through and sometimes they will shape an entire collection. 

 

KW: Tell us about your "Convertible Tiaras."

MG: Convertible tiaras came about when I was doing custom work with brides at the beginning of my career.  I kept hearing over and over, “I wish I could wear this for more than just one day!”  As it turns out, the length of a headband is about the same as a choker necklace.  So, if you use the right sort of materials to make the headband, it’s pretty easy to make the piece convert into a necklace.  This has become something of a trademark for us.  You can literally wear a convertible as a headband or tiara at your wedding, then as a necklace on your honeymoon without having to restring it.  As a category, they are our best selling designs.

 

KW: You offer brides different "Collections" with names like "Organics," "Ice," "Destination," and "Classic" to name a few. What was the genesis for these concepts?

MG: Every collection that I design is very different from the last.  It’s hard to define my style because each collection changes so much.  However, I think the glue that holds it all together is the commitment to the vision.  For each new collection, I have a very strong sense of what it will be before I begin designing.  Sometimes it’s a word, like Ice, or sometimes it is a concept, like “what would a fairy queen wear on her wedding day? (that became the Midsummer Night’s Dream collection).  Anyway, I get this idea and fall in love with it, but I don’t actually make anything for several months.  I’ll just walk around letting the idea develop, and I’ll think of materials that would be interesting to use.  Finally, I will take a few weeks where all I do is design.  These are the best weeks of the year.  Then everything comes together at the photo shoot – the vision that I had comes to life and it’s so satisfying.  As for where the ideas come from, I couldn’t tell you.  They seem to gradually come to me, sort of unnoticed, until one day it’s utterly obvious what the next collection will be.  

 

 

KW: You seem to strongly endorse color in 2008. What are some trends that you are excited about?

MG: Yes, definitely color – blues, champagnes, even black is great.  I’m also seeing a lot more gold and I think that will continue, both gold metals and also golden colored stones like citrine.  There’s a strong trend towards hair jewelry right now.  Brides are wearing brooches in their hair (part of the convertible wear-it-again as something else trend), also lots of hairpins rather than a traditional tiara.  As more couples opt for beach or outdoor weddings, natural materials like seashells, flowers, and vines.  Also, there is a vintage vibe in the air.  Birdcage veils are popular, as well as vintage inspired filigree pieces and feathers.

 

KW: Do you have a favorite colored stone?

MG: Aquamarine.

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KW: Your bridal jewelry seems to have such longevity. These pieces are made to go beyond down-the-aisle style, aren't they?

MG: Absolutely.  I hope that people wear Tigerlilly jewelry long after their weddings.  Most of the pieces would work at the office, with jeans, or a night out.  Just because it’s “bridal jewelry” doesn’t mean you can’t wear it again.  That’s part of my whole mission!