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Olia Zavozina is known for her classic and timeless bridal gown designs, but she definitely has more up her sleeve than white dresses.
The designer moved to Nashville from Siberia, Russia, at age 18 and started her career in fashion by selling ready-to-wear looks to shops in Green Hills. She began designing for brides after friends couldn't find their ideal wedding dresses.
'Nobody wants to wear the same [thing]. You don't have to fly to LA; you don't have to go to New York or Dallas to find something unique and different. You can actually come to us,” Zavozina says. 'We can custom-make a gown. You can mix and match; you can take the top of one dress and the bottom of the other and make it your own, so, you don't have to settle.”
To provide inspiration, Zavozina keeps her studio stocked with plenty of unique separates and pieces, including pantsuits, gray jumpers, tea-length dresses, dresses with removable skirts, and crop tops. A popular add-on option are freshwater pearl buttons that can be applied down the back of a dress. After the wedding, they can then be removed and taken to a jeweler to create a necklace, earrings, or a bracelet. Zavozina also sells jewelry, accessories, and belts made by her sister, along with veils and custom bouquets crafted by her mother.
Beyond bridal, Zavozina has designed apparel for other events, including red carpet appearances for stars like Clare Bowen, Maggie Rose, Rascal Flatts, and Chase Rice. She also makes custom menswear for grooms.
'If a bride comes, she can also get a matching suit [for the groom],” Zavozina says. 'Menswear is actually, in a way, harder than wedding gowns. The key is making sure the shoulder fits.”
Recently, Zavozina received some buzz for her menswear after the wedding of Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson was featured on the cover of Southern Bride Magazine. When she made the bride and groom's outfits, she lined the groom's suit with fabric from the gown. But Zavozina doesn't limit herself to formal wedding and red carpet looksshe has also created fighting gear for WrestleMania, as well as leather corsets for the female wrestlers of Total Divas.
'It challenges me,” Zavozina says. 'I like to be challenged.”
Zavozina releases new lines of wedding dresses twice a year, and she will showcase at New York Bridal Week in October. Her flagship store is located in Green Hills, but her designs can also be found internationally at Nordstrom Wedding Suites, private shops, and boutiques.