You know that panicky sense-of-doom you get when it feels like your inner resources just won’t be able to fix the issue at hand? That’s the feeling I had when I slipped into my bridesmaid dress for an upcoming wedding—and it was four sizes too big. But, little did I know, there was no need to worry. Bushwick’s own bridal designer and seamstress Diana Deane, of Diana Deane Bridal Design and Alterations, was here, ready to save the day!
Diana Deane has been sewing since middle school, and her crafty mother and grandmother were definitely not a hindrance to her beginnings as an artist. She grew up in a wealthier neighborhood in Austin, Texas, and when she couldn’t afford to give her friends expensive gifts, she would just make them something. The habit stuck, and fast forward a few years, and Deane is still doing what she loves!
“You find something like that that makes you feel good, and so you keep going in that direction,” Deane said.
When it came time for college, Deane knew that naturally, she would pursue a degree in fashion design. She did just that, all while working at a bridal shop, completing alterations. She graduated with four years of experience and went on to study for a “snippet” at the Paris Fashion Institute in France. She says her time in Paris is where she found all of her inspiration.
Deane has been in the New York City area for four years now, with a year and a half of it in Bushwick at her apartment and studio on 298 Troutman St., right near the Jefferson L station. Her space is calm and bright, and as soon as I walked in the door, I was surrounded by beautiful fabrics, stunning dresses, and an air of dependability and true expertise.
She started in bridal salons, where she gained most of her New York City experience. It was when she was working in administrative roles at a few companies that she knew she needed a change. So, she decided it was time to sew again, this time on her own. And that’s when she found Bushwick.
“I feel like always meet pretty cool people over here. I love Queen of Falafel. That’s like a weekly thing that I always really enjoy,” Deane said.
Her customers have come from all over the city, even as far as Connecticut. And she loves the collaboration her work lends itself to with the brides who come to have their dresses altered, but even more so with the brides who want a custom design, one of Deane’s favorite requests.
She made her first custom bridal gown last May, and now she has ten custom dresses in progress. If you peruse her website or Instagram, you can see some of Deane’s one-of-a-kind designs, made of mostly materials sourced nearby from Manhattan’s Garment District.
“I try to get most everything in the same area. I used to order everything, but now I just go and hand pick everything,” she said.
The distinctness and quality her work exudes can be attributed to her creative process. “I just grab things that I like and…blend them together. I don’t ever feel like there’s a rhyme or reason. I like to…just kind of see what happens,” Deane said.
Other than bridal dresses, Deane has recently begun hand-dying ribbon, and creating intricate beadwork for dresses.
She’s also done some costuming, notably for a fluffy, insta-famous dog, and New York-based author and wine connoisseur, Mark Oldman.
So if you need alterations done, particularly for a bridal or bridesmaid dress, Diana Deane is your woman. Be sure to check out her site and follow her on Instagram for an inspiring feed! My only question: Do I have to be getting married to get a bridal gown!? Because this girl wants a Diana Deane original, stat.
