Designer dresses women of all sizes
Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman, owner of DressHaute, tries on one of her wedding gowns at her store in Oakdale.
DressHaute, a bridal boutique, specializes in dresses for plus-size women.
DressHaute has a variety of shoes that are decorated with beads and stones.
Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman, owner of DressHaute, works on one of her designs at her store in Oakdale.
Lehrman holds a belt that she has designed at her store in Oakdale.
One of Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman’s custom-designed dresses at her store in Oakdale
Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman, owner of DressHaute, designs custom dresses and accessories. Her bridal boutique, it specializes in dresses for plus-size women. Lehrman tries on one of her wedding gowns at her store in Oakdale.
Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman, owner of DressHaute, tries on one of her wedding gowns at her store in Oakdale.
Sketches of DressHaute custom gowns by Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman
Carrie Ann Newhouse Lehrman is on a mission.
Her goal is twofold: become the area’s primary source of all things bridal, and restore confidence to women of all shapes and sizes.
“Embrace your curves. Love yourself for who you are,” Lehrman said. “It took me 40 years to love myself. I want to work with real women.”
The CEO, dress designer and owner of DressHaute, an Oakdale boutique specializing in custom gowns, opened the store after her own wedding-dress shopping experience.
Engaged in 2008, Lehrman purchased her gown a year later. Because the store only carried a size 4, the Bethlehem-Center graduate had to order her dress without trying it on. When it came in, the dress was not what she expected or wanted.
“This is what every girl dreams of, and it was a horrific experience.”
After being stuck with a $6,000 dress she never wore, Lehrman wanted to give brides of all sizes the positive experience she didn’t have. She took knowledge from 18 years in retail and opened Carrie Ann’s Bridal in Canonsburg in 2010.
The business was thriving, but Lehrman struggled to find her niche. As a shop owner, Lehrman had to purchase a certain amount of brand dresses monthly – whether they sold or not.
She wanted to offer something no one else was offering. She needed a specialty.
After moving her shop to Oakdale in 2012 – taking her closer to Pittsburgh – she heeded her husband’s advice and started designing custom gowns.
“I decided to go back to what I learned from my career: 90 percent (of sales) is private label,” she said.
Her first creation was made for a plus-size bride having a winter wedding. After listening to the bride’s description of her ideal look, Lehrman created “the snowflake dress.”
Both Lehrman and her bride walked away from the experience satisfied.
“I knew this is exactly what I wanted to do,” Lehrman said. “Listening is the key to this whole thing.”
Lehrman allows her clients to describe the dress of their dreams. She then offers her expertise, providing suggestions on cuts, styles and materials.
One of her proudest accomplishments was creating a gown for a mother whose son was to be married in just three weeks. The mother came to Lehrman, thinking it would be nearly impossible to find a dress in such a short time.
Lehrman created an off-the-shoulder dress her client loved.
“Moms aren’t frumpy anymore. They’re hip,” Lehrman said. “Moms want to feel sexy and look good, too.”
In addition to wedding dresses, Lehrman creates dresses for mothers, bridesmaids, flower girls and for formal events, like homecoming and prom. She also creates accessories such as headpieces, belts and shoes.
While she caters to all sizes, her focus is on women who couldn’t previously walk into any shop and try on a dress.
“No matter what your shape and size, I want you to feel the energy from the shop,” she said.
The transition from “Carrie Ann’s Bridal” to “DressHaute” emphasizes Lehrman’s focus on one-of-a-kind designs. The rebranding will culminate with a grand reopening Nov. 10 in the Oakdale shop, which includes a design studio with swatches of lace and fabric. Customers will be able to see and handle fabric and beading selections when creating their gowns. Lehrman will offer discounts and dress-naming rights to customers in November.
“My clients can have something made that nobody else has,” she said. “How many girls want to say, ‘I designed my own dress’?”
Lehrman designed 26 dresses for this year’s Pittsburgh’s Fashion Week. Every dress she sent down the catwalk was modeled by friends, family and employees.
“It was very emotional. (The experience) brought the spark and life back to me,” Lehrman said. “Through all the struggles, I have stayed afloat. I truly believe this is my direction.”
In a quest to be a “one-stop shop in Pittsburgh,” Lehrman provides other wedding services, like event planning, disc jockeys, invitations and tuxedo rentals, but unique dresses remain her specialty. The formula of one-on-one service plus customs gowns for all sizes has added up to a great success.
“I want to accentuate your best feature. Every girl deserves to feel beautiful,” Lehrman said. “If I can make them feel beautiful for one day … you can’t put a price tag on that.”
For information, call 412-788-1224 or visit www.dresshaute.com.