Julia Engel, longtime Collective influencer and mastermind behind Gal Meets Glam, has launched an exclusive collection of charming Spring dresses. Her collection is inspired by everyday adventures and special occasions. In anticipation of her launch, we sat down with Julia for a quick interview. Check out what she has to say about breaking into clothing design and shop her new collection full of playful pastels and bow-and-ruffle details. Julia’s collection is sold through Nordstrom and available on ShopStyle Collective.
1. What was the inspiration behind this collection? And what do you want your community to know about it?
I designed this collection with a timeless romance in mind. Feminine and refined, soft and delicate, with a vintage vibe while still feeling modern, fresh, and relevant. A recurring theme is pretty pastels that work for the everyday woman. Spring is the season for dresses and these pieces fill every opportunity to wear one.
I personally work side by side with my talented design team to create every dress being released. This is my debut collection and it truly defines my style and desire to have women wanting to wear dresses. My hope is that Gal Meets Glam Collection will be the first brand customers think of and go to when looking for a dress. This launch is only the beginning, with new limited edition dresses being released each month.
2. What was your thought process when selecting the colors, textures, and fabrics?
Just in time for spring, these dresses have a fresh take on pastels for the season, with vintage-inspired silhouettes and thoughtful details like bows, ruffles, covered buttons, beautiful prints, and dreamy fabrics. I was inspired by the colors in spring flowers — from the purple hues of lilacs, the soft blush of a garden rose, the crisp blues of hydrangeas, and the creamy white of magnolias.
3. What are your favorite pieces from the collection and why? How would you style them?
It’s hard to pick favorites because they’re all my babies, but there are a few standout pieces like…
The Hillary Dress in Lilac- Every time I put this dress on, I never want to take it off. The fabric flows in such a wonderful way and feels amazing on. Such an ideal dress for a warm spring day! This can be styled casually on the weekend with a pair of flat sandals and a straw tote or dressed up with some nude heels and statement earrings for a wedding.
The Hanna Dress in Pink: this is one of the first pieces we designed. I wanted to do an elevated version of a cotton shirtdress. The statement bow really makes this dress pop and I love this shade of pink (it also comes in white). This dress is great because it can go from work to play with just the switch of a few accessories. Throw a blazer over the top for work and style with ballet flats, then change into some heels and pull your hair back for a dinner date.
The Shelby Dress in wild blue/wild rose: to me, this dress is the epitome of spring. The combination of the climbing floral print and maxi silhouette make it so romantic. Like the other two dresses, this piece can be dressed up or down, a common theme in a majority of our dresses. I can’t wait to pack this one in my suitcase for some travels this summer — a great dress to slip on for a relaxing holiday evening.
4. How do you want women to feel when wearing these pieces?
I want women to feel beautiful and confident, and ready to take on new adventures and opportunities. The dresses are designed for a variety of occasions, with a large focus on everyday dresses. Dresses to wear to work and on the weekends. They are meant to be simple and easy to style — pieces you can grab, slip on and go, while still looking put together.
5. What advice do you have for style influencers who want to break out into designing clothing?
Everything starts with “Why?” Ask yourself why you want to design clothing. Where does your passion lie? What is your reasoning behind your desire? For me, designing dresses was a lifelong passion and a dream come true. My “Why” was to create dresses that women want to wear, that speak to them, infused with feminine details from my own personal style. And to do it better than anyone else. Your reason should remain constant, acting as your guiding compass to make it easier to stay true to yourself. Patience and persistence are key. It took me over four years to get here. There needs to be a passion and desire to create and a willingness to overcome any obstacles that may get in the way, as there will be many.
Shop her entire collection here.
xo
Emily
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