Asian American Bridal Designer Brenna Simmons and Her Brand Nordeen
By: Caitlyn Garrity / May 5, 2021
May is the month of Asian American and Pacific Islander Hertigate and somewhat the start of an increase in weddings. Bridal designer Brenna Simmons as a biracial Asian American has created her brand, nordeen, and creates enchanting gowns every day with elements from both sides of her identity.
About the Designer, Brenna Simmons
Brenna Simmons, married to her childhood sweetheart from New York, has always had an appreciation for bridal gowns. So when she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she knew she wanted to focus on special occasion gowns.
After FIT, she worked for a high-end wedding planner, Tracy Taylor Ward as well as design for Cynthia Rowley’s dress license. She then worked for AMUR, a modern womenswear brand focused on eco-friendly materials.
This led to a fascination with the intersection of fashion to sustainability and nature. In 2020 Simmons got married to her wife, Sabrina, in an outdoor environment. During the time of searching for a gown to wear on her special day, she found it difficult to find a gown suitable for an outdoor venue. It was then that nordeen was conceptualized.
Photo: thecut.com
The name of Simmons’ brand, nordeen, stems from the surname of her great-grandfather, Robert S. Nordeen.
Photo: nordeen
The Brand “nordeen” and Its Gowns
Combining nature, sustainability with beautiful wedding gowns is what nordeen does best. Each gown is uniquely made with quality materials that reflect the beauty of the outdoors.
Photo: nordeen
Their website shows the variety of designs made by Simmons which incorporate classic elements with a modern feel. On their Instagram, they post pictures of the behind-the-scenes of the making of dresses and more detailed shots of the gowns.
Photo: @nordeen on Instagram
Gowns are available for pre-order on their website. With Asian American heritage month, it is so important to support culturally diverse designers that also have a mission to promote sustainability in the clothing-making industry.