Danika - Navy Blue Convertible Dress

We love getting testimonials like this... 

Danika is the General Manager of Beaches of Broome who recently won the 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' award from WA Tourism's night of nights. She wore her Lucy and Loo Navy Full Length Convertible Dress... 

"I love, love, love my Lucy and Loo!"

"My little home of Broome, Western Australia, doesn't really offer much in the way of retail therapy - especially not when trying to find a formal dress for an awards dinner to be held in Perth. After a bit of research I decided that I wanted a convertible dress. There were so many companies that make these kind of dresses, all promising the world..and coming from all over the world! Being a bigger girl, I was nervous that I would end up with awful clingy material, the wrong shape, plus the worry that it wouldn't get there in time for my event....and then I found the Lucy and Loo site! After a few minutes of looking at the gallery of beautiful woman of all so shapes and sizes, I made a call to the lovely Leah who instantly put my mind at ease! Within no time I was completely confident with my choice - the dress would arrive on time, would be made in Australia in the quality fabric promised and would be suit my lumps and bumps. A few emails back and forth (whilst I tried to decide on the colour) and the dress was made and on its way to WA."

"In early November I stood in front of 900 odd people making an acceptance speech at the 2013 Western Australian Tourism Awards, dressed in my beautiful navy Lucy and Loo dress...and I felt amazing!!"

"From the first phone call, the emails back and forth, sharing my excitement and nerves leading up to the awards and the follow up afterwards, Leah has offered truly wonderful service, and I cannot thank her enough! The dress has come out a few times since then, each time a different style and getting more compliments....I absolutely love it! I'm already trying to decide which colour I want to wear for next years awards!"

Our new Lucy and Loo Studio in Maroochydore!

These photo's were taken by my gorgeous friend Shawn from 
Love and Water Photography

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"It's been a crazy long 3 years since Lucy and Loo was created.. but I finally now have realized my goal of opening a little studio here on the Sunny Coast.

... Lucky I have one very patient husband! Ha ha!"

(Left) The Violet A-line, Loo wears the Plum Full Length Dress and on the right, the Jade Green Cocktail Dress.

Lucy and Loo Creator
Leah Spender - aka 'Loo'

"The Lucy and Loo story began when I was trying to find bridesmaid dresses for my own wedding. I discovered the idea of the convertible dress online - one dress that could be wrapped and twisted into over 50 different styles. I thought "How perfect!" No more fussing around, now my bridesmaids could style their dress how they wanted!

I did some research and found a company here in Australia who made these dresses. But they wanted nearly $400 for their long dresses (which I couldn't afford). Curious, I requested a fabric sample anyway. When it arrived I was really disappointed in the quality. It felt really thick, it was really shiny and seemed to curl at the ends.

I found another US based business that sold the dresses online. After reading all the happy testimonials, I purchased 3 long gowns, with a total of nearly $600. I waited 8 weeks for them to arrive and was so very disappointed when I opened the parcel... I didn't cry.. I sobbed!! The fabric was really thick and heavy, the stitching was just TERRIBLE, the dresses were too short and the waistline had really thick and heavy black elastic sewn in that stuck out. I tried emailing them to get a refund, but no one answered me. I had wasted nearly $600 of our wedding budget on dresses that I couldn't return and that were just too horrible to wear! I honestly couldn't even donate them to vinnies.. they were that bad!

Never one to be defeated.. and realizing that there was a real gap in the market for good quality and affordable Convertible Dresses, I decided that I would have my own made. A seemingly simple task so I thought...but what did I know? After all I had no fashion experience what so ever, my career had been in Sales and Marketing, not fashion design!

Boy was I mistaken that it would be easy!!

It took 3 months, 4 different dressmakers and 6 sample garments before I found the right person who could properly handle a stretch fabric.

Then my (I kid you not!) epic 7 month search for the PERFECT fabric began. It had to be soft and lightweight but still glide from the hips and not stick to any 'self-conscious" bits. Lightweight without being see through. It needed a subtle sheen, but without being shiny and looking like swim wear.

..... Getting fabric manufacturers to pay any attention to you at all is not an easy feat either!! It was sheer luck that I came across the right person who believed in what I was trying to do.

Nearly 12 months later, I had the perfect dress for my bridesmaids - who debuted the Lucy and Loo Convertible Dress at my wedding at Ebb Restaurant in Maroochydore. Funnily enough, just down the road from our new studio.

Loo's Sister Kate was her Maid of Honor
wearing the Violet Purple Lucy and Loo Full Length Dress

Throughout my journey I was told repeatedly from people in the industry "It can't be done" or "You can't manufacture in Australia" or "Why don't you just buy in China like everyone else?" But I was determined to keep control of the quality of our dresses and keep them Aussie Made.

I can tell you now I have nearly given up several times! Ha ha! (oh my poor husband!!) But I knuckled down and figured it out. After trialing many different Australian manufacturers and the quality not being at my OCD perfectionist best, we decided the best course of action was to bring everything in house.

So, with the help of all the experts and friends I met in my journey so far, I learned to cut fabric.

It's strangely therapeutic to lay thousands of dollars of fabric out and slice through it in seconds! Ha ha! All of our garments are now cut in the studio and sewn by a fabulous friend of mine, right here on the coast.


Lucy and Loo now have 6 stockists in Australia, we sell online and ship daily within Australia and regularly ship internationally. Our plan is to triple our stockists by June 2014.

My best piece of advice for anyone out there who has a dream is.. don't give up. Don't listen to anyone that tells you that you can't do something - because mostly, it's because they couldn't. But if you believe in yourself enough... you can. You can do anything that your stubborn little mind thinks!

(My second piece of advice is.. Don't try to build a business and plan a wedding at the same time. Only insane people do that! Lol!)

The best part of all of this, is I have an amazing and rapidly growing business that I love.. and I get to pick up my little man from School everyday."

Location: 

Shop 2, 43 Duporth Avenue 

Maroochydore

Queensland

Open hours:

Tuesday to Friday 9.30am - 5pm

Saturday's 9am - 1pm

Appointments are recommended particularly for bridal parties. This way, Loo can spend an hour with you, personally finding the perfect wrap style for each of your bridesmaids. 

Contact: 

Leah Spender - aka Loo

0450 504 675

leah@lucyandloo.com.au

Visit www.lucyandloo.com.au

Brooke's Maternity Shoot - Jade Green Convertible Dress

"There are so many reasons why I love my Lucy and Loo dress but in particular Its fantastic for maternity. I purchased the dress initially to wear on my cruise at 16 weeks pregnant. I have since worn it countless times to birthdays, events and to my maternity shoot at 35 weeks. People have not realized its the same dress most of the time because I have been able to tie it so many ways, as well as dress it up or down depending on the occasion. Not only is the dress amazingly comfortable but it will still fit me after I have my baby. Finding a dress that would fit before, during and after pregnancy is definitely a bonus and one of the main reasons I purchased the gown in the first place. Although the dress wasn't designed specifically for maternity I found it to be the only dress I have been comfortable in my whole pregnancy. The material is not heavy or hot and flows beautifully over my belly but most of all it doesn't make me feel or look frumpy like every other maternity dress I tried on. "

"My Lucy and loo dress makes me feel beautiful every time I wear it.
Thank you Leah your dresses truly are amazing."

"Thank-you so much for my beautiful dress, everywhere I go people always ask where I got it from. I was thinking I should almost walk around with your business cards every time I have it on haha. When I originally ordered the dress in such a panic that I would have nothing to fit my growing belly on my cruise you were so helpful. It was express posted and I had it with in two days which is amazing customer service."

Brooke wears the Jade Green Lucy and Loo Full Length Convertible Dress. 

Photography: Erin Honsa Photography
Dress:   Lucy and Loo Convertible Dress in Jade Green.

Brodies Wedding - Plum Purple Convertible Dress

Maid of Honour: Susan. Bridesmaids: Rikki, Danni, Lauren. Junior Bridesmaids: Tegan & Shanii 

Mr and Mrs Seals xx

How did hubby propose? "We were in Fiji on holiday for my 30th Birthday. Brendan flew me out to Tokoriki Island as a surprise to stay for the night. We had an amazing dinner down on a private deck right near the ocean, after dessert one the staff members brought out an iPad Brendan told me to press play, he had put together a presentation with photos and videos of our relationship, he has also recorded a cover of one of our favourite songs to go in the background. After watching all that and turning into a crying mess he proposed with a ring that he had spent 4 months designing himself. The ring has two 'B's' in the diamond setting for Brendan & Brodie.

Brendan and Brodie were married in October 2013 at the Outrigger on the Lagoon, Coral Coast Fiji. They had 36 guests who had flown from Perth and Sydney to attend. 

"I bought my dress back in Perth from Hobnob, the designer is "Brides Desire" from Brisbane. I absolutely fell in love with the dress as soon as I put it on."

My shoes were handmade by an amazing designer in Byron Bay, www.foreversoles.com, they were so incredibly comfortable I didn't take them off all day even though we trekked through the bush and the sand on the beach. They even lasted the dance floor at the end of the night!

Brodie walked down the isle arm in arm with both her Mum and Dad, while a song her brother recorded played in the background. 

Brodie Says:  "The girls loved the versatility of the dresses, being able to each express their own taste and comfort in the way they tied them up (some actually had a different look for the ceremony and reception). All were extremely comfortable no matter their size, they were all also comfortable in the humidity we experienced on the day. The colour also suited all their complexions, I absolutely loved the colour - it was a fantastic contrast to the tropical green surroundings of Fiji. They are definitely able to wear them post-wedding as well!"

"My favourite part was probably the entrance we planned for the reception. We had asked all our bridal party to give us their favourite dance floor tune or their 'theme song'. Brendan's brother mixed together all the songs for us (he's a music producer) and we wrote a funny little bio for each of the bridal party to run in after. We had two incredible friends as our MC's for the night and they did a fantastic of introducing each bridal party member, they ran in to their 'theme song' and then flanked the entrance ready for us to come in. We had a mix of our two favourite AFL teams theme songs for us to run in to and my sister had made us a banner saying "please welcome Mr & Mrs Seals" that we ran through."

"We have a lot of creative people around us, mostly musicians. So all the music for our wedding was done by our friends and family, my brother pre-recorded the guitar I walked down the aisle to and singer/songwriter friends of ours did a beautiful duet cover of the song Brendan used to propose as our first dance song.

We took over a heap of musical instruments with us to get everyone involved with a song a friend of ours played live at the end of the ceremony. All our wedding guests then came on a village tour with us the next day and we donated all the instruments to the children of the village. Very surreal to hear them all playing and singing as we left the village that day."

What a Gorgeous Cake!

Brodie and Brendan used the services of a Sydney based wedding planner to coordinate their destination wedding. "Chelsea Jayne Weddings, were our wedding planners. They were absolutely essential for us, planning in Fiji is near impossible without some who knows there way around 'Fiji Time'."

Brodie and Brendan's Bridal Party

Click the image above to watch the wedding video highlights

Wedding Gown:          Hobnob Perth
Bridesmaid Dresses:    Lucy and Loo 
Photographer:             Malia Johnson Photography (Fiji)
Videographer:             Nicklin Visual
Wedding Planner:        Chelsea Jayne Weddings

Deshani's Wedding - Violet Purple Convertible Dress

Stunning Deshani getting ready with her Bridesmaids. 

How did Alex Propose? 

"He took me to Marriners Lookout in Apollo Bay and proposed to me there. We then had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants Chris's at Beaconspoint"

Deshani and Alex were married at the beautiful St Patricks Cathedral in Ballarat. 

This amazing building was built in the early 1850's.

Deshani says "The church ceremony was my favorite part of the wedding. It was a lovely ceremony, very emotional. The Church looked amazing and with everyone all dressed up the place was glowing!!"

Deshani's Bridesmaids: Anthea (sister in law), Dilani (sister), Virnushee (sister), 

Shiromie (Cousin) and Shobha (Cousin)

The Bridesmaids paired their Violet Purple Lucy and Loo Convertible Dresses with Silver shoes and Lucy and Loo Silver Frost Diamante Bling rings. 

"The girls loved their Convertible Dresses. They found them very comfortable 

and easy to wear"

Deshani's stunning gown and Lucy and Loo Convertible Bridesmaid Gowns were purchased at 

Melissa E Boutique in Ballarat. 

I love this pic!

The most amazing vintage cars took the bridal party to Ballarat Lodge where they 

celebrated with 400 family and friends. 

Deshani's gorgeous purple theme echoed throughout her Bonbonnieres, 

Invitations and Stunning 3 Tier Cake. 

I love these invitations! 

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Makings!   xx

Photographer:                                  Dezine by Mauro Melbourne
Florist:                                             Leanne Reus in Ballarat

Wedding Gown:                              Melissa E Bridal
Convertible Bridesmaid Dresses:      Lucy and Loo