Meet The Designer: Leah Da Gloria

Can you tell us how you describe the brand's vision and aesthetic?

The vision for Leah Da Gloria has always been about creating gowns that feel both timeless and fashion-forward, pieces that are deeply romantic but still powerful and modern. I’ve always been drawn to balancing softness with structure, so the brand aesthetic really lives in that contrast: femininity with confidence, couture craftsmanship with contemporary sensuality.

How did you decide that bridal was where your talents were best served?

Meet Leah Da Gloria in our exclusive interview with the designer.

I began in evening wear, and I think that experience naturally led me into bridal because so many of the foundations overlap. But what drew me to bridal specifically was the emotion behind it. There’s something really special about being part of such an important moment in someone’s life.

How did designing your own (three!) wedding dresses change how you design?

I actually spent very little time on my own pieces because I was so busy with work, which in a way made the process feel really carefree and instinctive.

On your wedding day, you want to feel beautiful, but you also want to feel like yourself and be able to fully enjoy every moment and that perspective definitely continues to influence how I design for our brides now.

What's your advice for brides going into their bridal appointments?

Trust the designer and their vision.

You’ve come to a designer or boutique for a reason, so allow yourself to be open to the process and the expertise behind it. Sometimes the gown you fall in love with ends up being completely different to what you imagined going in and that’s usually where the magic happens.

I also always encourage brides to focus less on trends or outside opinions and more on how the dress makes them feel.

The right gown should feel like an elevated version of yourself, not like you’re dressing as someone else for the day. And most importantly, enjoy the experience. Bridal appointments should feel exciting, emotional, and special - not stressful

How do you continue to find inspiration for the new collections? Are you going on gut instinct? Do you have a research process? Do you look at the Haute Couture and ready to wear collections? Tell us about your process for coming up with new designs.

I do try to trend forecast and research myself, but it typically comes from aesthetics I am enjoying at the time. Whether that’s house interiors, my personal style, art, travel, or even what my algorithm looks like, it tends to be a culmination of everything I’m visually consuming at that moment. I definitely pay attention to Haute Couture and ready-to-wear collections because I love seeing how fashion is evolving globally, but I never want to design from a place of simply following trends.

Your latest collection featured some really gorgeous contrasts — the Fable's chic eyelet pastoral vibe to the Celestia's silver opulence — what can you share about how you approach fabric?

Fabric is always where the story begins for us. I love contrast, balancing softness with structure, romance with drama. With Fable, we leaned into lighter, more tactile fabrics like eyelet and textured lace because we wanted that effortless, modern pastoral feeling. Celestia was the opposite energy - rich embellishment, luminous silver tones, fabrics that catch the light and feel almost regal.

When I’m selecting fabrics, I’m always thinking about emotion first: how does this make the bride feel when she walks, moves, and sees herself in it? A gown can be visually beautiful, but if the fabric doesn’t create that emotional response or movement, it’s missing something.

Is there a trend or new experiment on the horizon that you can share with us? Something we haven't seen everywhere yet but you are hoping to see brides wear down the aisle.

I think brides are becoming more confident in embracing individuality over tradition, and I love that shift. One thing I’m really excited about is more dimensional styling. Brides want versatility without losing impact. And honestly, I think we’re moving away from “perfectly polished” bridal into something more emotional and effortless.

Last thing, you're a hair goals queen. Is there a tip from your routine that has been a game changer you can share with the girls?

Lack of sleep, haha just joking! Probably less is more. I used to think I needed to do the most with my hair, but the biggest game changer has been focusing on keeping it healthy rather than constantly styling it. Also silk pillows… I swear they actually make a difference.