Since I was young, I had a passion for all things craft. Through my creative obsession, I believed that anything could be fashioned into a work of art and I simply adored making people smile as they were gifted with my many pieces of work. This is what made the time and effort I put in all worthwhile.
As I grew older, my obsession for craft and a refined end result only got stronger. Alongside my craft affair came my passion for the material kind – dresses aplenty! Through their varied deigns and playable patterns, vintage dresses started to become a favourite of mine.
I love to dress up, frock up and take the time to polish my look from top from toe. My mission is not to be the most beautiful woman in the room, I’m happy to leave that chore for the likes of Jennifer Hawkins, but to feel the most glamorous I can, and to radiate a sense of confidence.
This is where the idea for Ashley and Ilona was born; an innovative mix of fashion and craft!
There are a lot of women like me who want to feel elegant and amazing in their special event dresses, without an abundance of unflattering slimming undergarments. As an alternative to the over-produced dresses you can land at the major chain retailers, I also wanted to limit my designs to maintain some originality. My crafting obsession shines through with each dress design neatly presented in a matching packing box. Our boxes are pieced together by hand using natural, sustainably sourced fibre papers of Mulberry and Lokta, and garnished with stunning silk flowers. This handmade process ensures that no two boxes are ever exactly the same, and ensures that my crafting fix is taken care of.
* Ashley and Ilona handmade box to match our vintage dress design and pattern
So, with the craft and uniqueness nailed, I wanted to introduce some tech for a real touch of finesse. Enter our magical three-dimensional holo-trend app. This idea means that you can view our vintage dresses and catalogue in third dimension. To coincide with designs that we aim to update every few months, our tech team update the app so you will never miss out on our new vintage dress designs as they come to fruition.
Ashley and Ilona is a dress obsession that manifested from a love of quality craft, to make people smile and feel great about themselves. Our vintage dress designs are born from passion and worn with sass, and we can help to make women of any make or model look and feel great.
If you’re feeling the vintage vibe, check out the various events we have coming up. Our exclusive Ashley and Ilona events present the perfect opportunity for you to get your vintage on! And if you need a cocktail dress for your next big event, take a look at the unique patterns and designs we have available online. So, go ahead and radiate girl.