Cami Leavitt didn’t set out to design mother of the bride and groom dresses, but once she connected with the 50+ customer, she knew her brand, Camilyn Beth, had found a core audience in need.
“There are already so many great options for bridesmaids,” Leavitt said, speaking from her store and design headquarters in Sarasota, Florida. “I’d rather have the moms who truly value quality and service.”
Today, Camilyn Beth is a fast growing direct to consumer brand that takes a bridesmaid approach to design — with a more mature, discriminating customer in mind. That means clean, simple styles available in high quality materials, a multitude of colors, sizes 0 to 22.
There’s also a “Build Your Own” option, which starts with a classic strapless sheath as the foundation and offers a menu of sleeves, bows and other flourishes that can be added.
“We do get a lot of requests for sleeves,” Leavitt says. “We always listen to customers. At the same time, we know people trust us for not having matronly designs. Sometimes, sleeves don’t make sense. We never want a dress to look random. It’s all about balance.”
Two Camilyn Beth best sellers are sleeveless: the Amelia, a satin sheath with rolled neck front collar and a bra-friendly back “V;” and its sister design, the Alexandria, a stretch crepe gown with ruffle neckline. Both styles are priced under $500.
Early Inspiration
Leavitt started her design career working for other fashion brands including a couture house in Stockholm, Sweden. The inspiration to create her own line came in the form of 16 wedding invitations in one year, which prompted her to design her own dresses. Very quickly, friends, cousins, strangers began asking where she bought her dresses. A year later, in 2012, she launched Camilyn Beth. In the early years, cocktail dresses were her specialty. The line grew quickly, and was soon sold in nearly 100 stores.
But the pandemic brought sales to a screeching halt as few people had reason to get dressed up. “Every boutique cancelled their orders. I was so scared,” Leavitt says. As she was coming to terms with the possible end to her business, her landlord asked if she was interested in a street-level storefront.
“I didn’t think 2020 would be the year I jumped into retail, but I had a lot of inventory, and a lot of people were still coming to Florida,” she says. Only, the customers were different. Older. A bit more discriminating. And interested in floor length gowns. Leavitt set about lengthening several of her best selling styles. She focused on classic silhouettes. She listened to what her customers said they wanted: clean lines, no prints, minimal embellishment. “They want to look understated and elegant.”
“So many women haven’t dressed up in a long time. They don’t know where to begin,” Leavitt says. “They want to feel special.”
Advice for Mothers Of
Leavitt offers these dress shopping tips to mothers of the bride and groom:
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Sometimes women have an outdated idea of what looks good on them. “Stop focusing on what you used to wear. Come in with an open mind. You might surprise yourself.”
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A wedding is not the time to wear something you’re uncomfortable in. “You want to be yourself, just a little more dressed up.”
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Don’t forget the back! “A lot of times, especially at a wedding, your back is the first impression.”
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A simple dress lets your personality shine through. “You can always add embellishment in the belt or jewelry.”
Photos courtesy of Camilyn Beth