Summer wedding season is in full swing and so is award season for theater nerds.
You’ll want to hit the dance floor looking your best, but we totally understand that not everyone enjoys shopping for formal outfits (cue dressing room montage).
This is why we enlisted the help of Don O’Neill, Creative Director of THEIA Couture.
Want some tips from Don and some red carpet inspiration from Broadway’s most fashionable leading ladies? Well, we've got you covered.
Don't forget to watch the 71st Annual Tony Awards this Sunday, June 11th, at 8 p.m. on CBS!
Please describe your design aesthetic in three words.
DO: Elegant, Modern, Sophisticated.
What do you keep in your styling kit for fashion emergencies?
DO: Safety pins can fix a multitude of issues.
How can someone approach the outfit selection process if they don’t enjoy shopping?
DO: A wonderful stylist will work magic for you as they're aware of everything that's available and will find the perfect gown. Should that option not be available, a quick tour online can quickly uncover many wonderful options that can be delivered right to your door.
At THEIA Couture, you can browse our gowns and purchase the perfect one for you.
What trends can we expect to see this summer at the Tony Awards?
DO: I’m expecting to see ruffles and cascades, along with flowing gowns in weightless fabrics with wonderful 3-D embroideries.
Who was your first Broadway client? Do you remember the dress she wore?
DO: In 2011, Tony Award nominee for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Elizabeth Rodriguez was our first client.
She wore a champagne silk lame one-shoulder gown cinched at the waist with a crystal embroidered brooch from which a cascade skirt gently wafted to the floor. I came across her wonderful thank you note the other day.
Finding options that aren’t a sample size can be difficult. What recommendations do you have for women who don't wear sample size clothing?
DO: We've always made a point of helping girls who aren't a sample size. Long before it became a publicity opportunity for designers to reach out to larger girls, THEIA was dressing Oprah, Gabourey Sidibe, and Rebel Wilson to name a few.
2016 Tony nominee and Orange is the New Black star Danielle Brooks
What are the five pieces of clothing every woman should have in her closet?
DO: An easy-to-wear jersey dress, a pair of navy blue jeans, a great shirt, a great sweater, and a hand-beaded THEIA cocktail dress.
What’s a trend you would never recommend to your clients?
DO: Slits that are slashed all the way to the waist.They’re dangerous on the red carpet revealing way more than just a flash of upper thigh.