The Bite Magazine - Summer 2019 - Issue 25

bite fashion tallic jacquard; Carine, an off-the-shoulder trumpet gown of Mikado with a neckline and a waist outlined with rows of sou- tache trim; the glittery Sasha, a beaded column dress featuring a sultry high-neck halter with geometric cutouts in the bodice and open back; and Mason, a sweetheart high-low princess seam A-line gown of Mikado. In 2014, Anne sold the business to her protégé Shawne Jacobs who runs the bridal brand with her husband Steven. But before all of this happened, Shawne started working for Anne Barge in January 2002 at the age of 24 in the shipping and receiving department. “I remember thinking to myself I have a college de- gree in Fashion Design and Marketing, what am I doing in ship- ping and receiving?” It wasn’t long before she had progressed from there to sales and marketing, contributing designer, exec- utive vice president and finally co-owner of the business. Before starting at Anne Barge, Shawne had spent some time travelling in Europe after graduating from American Intercon- tinental University in 2001. After running out of money, she re- turned to Atlanta to begin her job search in the fashion industry. “I honestly didn’t think I would have any luck since most of the job opportunities in fashion were in New York and Los Angeles. I heard about a part-time opening in the shipping and receiving department for a bridal designer in Atlanta through the fashion department at AIU.” Having worked in every department, from design and fabric sourcing to sales and production, Shawne is still amazed that Anne Barge is the only company she has worked for since grad- uating from college. “I have learned so much from Anne herself who was a wonderful mentor.” So much so, that the company became a part of her DNA. And as an extremely visual person, Shawne loves to surround herself with art, whether it is in the form of photographs, architecture, nature, or an everyday ob- ject, she is constantly inspired by the world around her. Using these artistic inspirations, she gathers a selection of col- our swatches, fabrics, and beading that she is most drawn to. “These samples are the first steps to creating my mood board for the new collection. Although I am a creative and a designer, I feel that it is most important to always have a business mind- set. I am constantly in communication with my sales and design team. This helps to put in perspective what styles and pieces do well for our brand and our customers, what the market might be missing, and where we can push the envelope creatively for upcoming collections.” The beauty of creating wedding dresses for women is to make them feel confident and beautiful especially when they wear an Anne Barge gown which Shawne admits she loves doing. “I think that my biggest accomplishment thus far is purchasing the brand from Anne in 2014. This coming October we will be cele- brating the 20th anniversary of Anne Barge at New York Bridal Fashion Week. As we look towards this milestone, we will cel- ebrate the evolution of the brand and its growth over the years. I am also very excited to announce some new surprises that we have in store!” The creative designer describes her mentor as a fashion and art historian who loves researching past fashions in beautiful books