From coast to coast, Happy Isles Vintage Bridal Salon has been sourcing gorgeous and rare pieces for every bride. Join Happy Isles founder Lily Kaizer as she shows off some of her favorite pieces, reveals the connections behind sourcing gowns, and the moment she knew her business would be a success.
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00:00 When I started seven years ago, people thought I was crazy that I was opening a vintage bridal
00:04 salon and had, you know, no idea what I meant when I said that.
00:08 Hi, I'm Lily Kaiser. I'm the founder of Happy Isles. We're a vintage bridal salon
00:20 in Los Angeles and New York. We source our vintage bridal just constantly. I have
00:29 all my channels. I've got people in different places in the country that are looking that
00:36 have their eye on estate sales. I have people that are coming to me with like their great
00:41 aunt's closet because they're like liquidating an estate, shopping auctions, and just scouring
00:48 all the time, all the places, all the ways. Right now we have a really fabulous Madame Grey
00:54 and it's the first one that we've ever had at Happy Isles. It's a gorgeous silk chiffon,
00:59 also with a sort of like around the neck scarf piece attached. The most special part about this
01:09 dress is actually all the interior work inside, the corset, just the construction is next level
01:17 and like we say all the time, they don't make them like they used to. My first job out of college was
01:24 at a fancy vintage store in Los Angeles called Resurrection Vintage. My entire fashion education
01:30 was from working there and seeing also how they operate a small sort of like family-run
01:36 establishment. After Resurrection, I was in event production. I was in New York and Paris doing
01:42 runway shows, store openings, dinners, things like that. I kind of had this light bulb idea of like
01:49 let's do elevated vintage but in a bridal salon context. We opened our first Happy Isles in LA
01:55 in 2016. This 90s John Galliano, it's a gorgeous classic slip dress from him with this sort of like
02:04 wet drapery thing going on and this one's super special because it comes with this silk chiffon
02:11 beaded scarf. We're really feeling inspired by a scarf over the neck moment so she's a good one
02:17 for that. Vintage itself is more and more visible. I mean when I started seven years ago, people
02:25 thought I was crazy that I was opening a vintage bridal salon and had you know no idea what I meant
02:30 when I said that. Honestly, the moment I knew Happy Isles was going to be a success was my first
02:42 bridal appointment. She bought a dress and the fact that my first appointment was my first sale
02:48 felt really good and confirming that what I was doing wasn't insane and that it was going to work.
02:57 So that's always a really nice touchstone for me. This Arim Acra, the skirt looks kind of short on
03:05 the hanger but it's actually like a very dramatic full length with this corset separate. This guy
03:12 is like really from that era, that just golden era of 90s American bride. So we're having a lot of
03:21 fun with this one right now. Honestly, opening in New York has felt so incredible. Immediately,
03:29 we've just been off to the races here. Just that meaning making in this retail environment just
03:36 gives soul to my entire life and ideally for people when they're here and for everyone
03:43 that's on our team. It's just such a special thing that we get to be a part of.
03:49 [Music]