Monique Lhuillier (born September 15, 1971) is a Filipino-French

fashion designer Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...

and creative director known for her

bridal A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bride's future spouse, (if male) is usually referred to as the ''bridegroom'' or just ''groom''. In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid, bride ...

ready-to-wear Ready-to-wear (or ''prêt-à-porter''; abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for ready-made garments, sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing ...

and lifestyle brand. She launched her

eponymous An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

brand in 1996 and has since established

fashion house Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and plac ...

s in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, where she primarily works and lives, as well as in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the wes ...

Early life and education

Lhuillier was born to Michel J. Lhuillier, a French-born Filipino businessman and owner of the M Lhuillier chain of pawnshops, and Amparito Llamas, a Filipina society figure and former model. She grew up in Cebu City and studied at Saint Theresa's College, continuing on to the Chateau Mont-Choisi

finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the education, wit ...

Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR-74), ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

Career

After meeting her husband Tom Bugbee, Lhuillier began planning her wedding, which was her first foray on the bridal market, and thought it needed updating. She could not find any modern dresses, and did not like the excess of lace. She used her fashion degree to create dresses for her relatives and bridal party. After the wedding, there were business cards left for her. It was then when she realized she could make a business out of her beautiful bridal designs. Her husband Tom joined the company as CEO. She opened her first retail store in 2001. In 2004, she drew wide notice for her wedding dresses for

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

and Emmy Awards dresses for

Jamie-Lynn DiScala Jamie-Lynn Sigler (born May 15, 1981) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. Early life Jamie-Lynn Sigler was born in Jericho, New York, on May 15, 1981, the daughter of St ...

and

Allison Janney Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an Academ ...

, among others. She opened a Los Angeles "flagship" store on

Melrose Place ''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in ...

in 2007, and added a New York store in 2012. Her collections now include ready-to-wear, evening gowns, bridal, bridesmaids, linens, tableware, fine paper, and home fragrances. In 2016, in collaboration with Pottery Barn Kids, Lhuillier launched a line for babies and kids. The collection featured over 120 items of home furnishings for the nursery, bedroom, and playroom. Lhuillier has become especially known for her celebrity wedding and red carpet gowns. Her list of clientele includes

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Emma Stone Emily Jean Stone (born November 6, 1988), known professionally as Emma Stone, is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2017, she ...

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Lea Salonga Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga (; born February 22, 1971), known professionally as Lea Salonga, is a Filipino singer, actress, and columnist. Nicknamed "Pride of the Philippines," she is best known for her roles in musical theatre, for supplyin ...

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

Melania Trump Melania Trump ( ; born Melanija Knavs , Germanized as Melania Knauss ; born April 26, 1970) is a Slovene-American former model and businesswoman who served as First Lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021 as the wife of 45th president Do ...

, and

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...

Personal life

Lhuillier moved to Los Angeles to study design at the

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) is a private college in downtown Los Angeles. It offers degree programs in majors including fashion, entertainment, beauty, interior design, and graphic design. The college was founded in 19 ...

(FIDM). In Los Angeles, she met Tom Bugbee, whom she married in 1995.

Awards and honors

Lhuillier was invited to be a member of the

Council of Fashion Designers of America The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA), founded in 1962 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, and headquartered in Manhattan, is a not-for-profit trade association comprising a membership of over 450 American fashion and accessory des ...

in 2003. She received the

Presidential Medal of Merit President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...

from the

Philippine president The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...

in 2006. In 2021, Lhuillier along with nine others were featured in a Philippine postage stamp collection called ''Living Legends: World-Renowned Filipinos'' by

Philippine Postal Corporation The Philippine Postal Corporation ( fil, Korporasyong Pangkoreo ng Pilipinas), abbreviated as PHLPost and also known as the Philippine Post Office, is a government-owned and controlled corporation responsible for providing postal services in t ...

. Other personalities included in the collection are

Kenneth Cobonpue Kenneth Cobonpue (born December 16, 1968) is a Filipino industrial designer known for his unique designs integrating natural materials through innovative handmade production processes. He began his design career after his studies in Industrial D ...

Diosdado Banatao Diosdado P. Banatao (born May 23, 1946) is a Filipino entrepreneur and engineer working in the high-tech industry, credited with having developed the first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOS with silicon coupler data-link control and transceiver chip, the firs ...

Efren "Bata" Reyes Efren Manalang Reyes (born August 26, 1954), popularly known by the nickname "Bata" (English: "Kid"), is a Filipino professional pool player. Reyes is widely considered one of the greatest pool players of all time. A winner of over 100 inte ...

, Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno,

Eugene Torre Eugenio "Eugene" Torre (born November 4, 1951) is a Filipino chess player. In 1974, at 22 years old, he became not just the first Filipino but also the first Asian to qualify for the title Grandmaster. Torre did this by winning the silver meda ...

Josie Natori Josie Natori (born Josefina Almeda Cruz, May 9, 1947) is a Filipino-American fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Natori Company. Natori served as a commissioner on the White House Conference on Small Business. In March 2007 she was a ...

, Jordan Clarkson, and

Jollibee Jollibee is a Filipino chain of fast food restaurants owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). As of December 2021, JFC had a total of about 1,500 Jollibee outlets worldwide, with restaurants in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Asia ...

. Exhibition and Bridal Collection Monique Lhuillier creates wedding gowns for hopeless romantic brides looking for a statement-making gown. Monique Lhuillier's gowns are known for their bold ruffles, romantic florals, and clean, simple silhouettes. Monique Lhuilier's Grace Charity Events Monique Lhuillier took to Instagram to share a wonderful night she had with Baby2Baby. It’s her favorite nonprofit organization that provides basic essentials to children living in poverty. On that night, the organization was able to raise over $12 million for its cause as it honored Kim Kardashian. Monique looked stunning in her black, body-hugging velvet gown. She took photos with her superstar friends including some of the girls she dressed for the night: Maria Menounos, Alexandra Daddario, and Alessandra Ambrosio. The Brand: Her signature design sensibility has resulted in the launch of numerous licensed collections, including Monique Lhuillier & Pottery Barn, Monique Lhuillier & Pottery Barn Kids, and Monique Lhuillier & Pottery Barn Teen. Monique Lhuillier's contemporary collection, fine jewelry, lingerie, wedding invitations, signature and home fragrance, and signature and home fragrance have transformed the company into a luxury lifestyle brand. Monique Lhuillier products are sold in Monique Lhuillier stores, premium department stores, and specialty stores worldwide. Monique and Tom live in Los Angeles with their two children, Jack and Sophia. Monique's career in fashion is enriched by her strong dedication to family and commitment to philanthropic efforts such as Baby2Baby and BCRF, to name a few. The addition of her work, she also have an website that everybody is welcome to visit and check it out form more details about her arts and pieces. https://moniquelhuillier.com/pages/about

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lhuillier, Monique American fashion designers Filipino fashion designers American women fashion designers Filipino women fashion designers California people in fashion Wedding dress designers 1971 births Living people Filipino emigrants to the United States Filipino expatriates in Switzerland Cebuano people of French descent Cebuano people of Spanish descent High fashion brands Luxury brands Visayan people

Monique Monique is a female given name. It is the French form of the name Monica. The name has enjoyed some popularity in the United States since about 1955, and is less common in other English-speaking countries except for Canada although mostly used ...

Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines)