Belles Rêveries by Molefe: Bridal Designer
PSA: I love love. I’m officially at that age where my friends are either creating mood boards for their upcoming dream weddings or giving up alcohol because of a hangover they got from a happy hour from after-work drinks. I’m seeing this contrast so much because, yes, you guessed it, it’s that time of the year when there’s an invite coming in every other weekend; it’s wedding season. I look forward to tasting delicious appetizers, taking home creative party favours, and leaving my mark on dance floors across. It melts my heart to see couples together in public, sharing a moment. My heart skips a little when I sit adjacent to an elderly couple out for their morning walk. When I watch a bride walk down the aisle and turn back to catch a glimpse of a groom’s eager face, I feel so much secondhand happiness that I might actually combust. It’s no surprise that I love weddings as a hopeless romantic. One thing that has recently caught my eye is how much wedding couture has evolved over time. Dazzling embellishments, experimental textiles, and a poetic abundance of romantic textiles. There is no denying that the designers out there are storytellers of the perfect fairytales.
One such designer is Belles Rêveries by Molefe . I know the designer personally, and I am ashamed to say I almost did not believe in his dream. We would talk on the phone for hours whilst he doodled different designs, and I thought that this was just him decompressing from the pressures of being an engineer! As an ode to this season, I had to rope him in for a conversation to get an insight into who he is as a designer and what inspires him. Lo and behold, in 2021, he released his first collection. I could not believe my eyes! And from there, it’s been all the way to the top. Side note, keep an eye out for him at Nairobi Fashion Week this November!
So, personally I was not expecting it when this brand launched. I have to actually start by asking, how did this brand come about? Who is Belles Rêveries by Molefe?
Belles Rêveries by Molefe is a bridal fashion line from Harare, Zimbabwe, established by Molefe Mleya, a bridal fashion designer, in May 2021. The Belles Rêveries by Molefe dream started off as “just a daydream” - hence the name, French for “Beautiful daydreams”. The dream was not only about fashion but love, an unwavering dedication to work and professionalism. Bespoke, made-to-measure bridal couture is the backbone of Belles Rêveries by Molefe, with each dress tailored to Beautiful Daydreams (Belles Rêveries), bridal specifications and our sophisticated style.
What is the process you follow with the bride-to-be to make sure that her gown looks just like she imagines it?
When a bride-to-be gets in touch, the first step on our end is to get to know her better and show them how excited Belles Rêveries is for her big day. In most cases, we form a bond with the bride, which helps us to know and understand her, as the dress, or Belles Rêveries Doux Bébé (as we like to call them,) is a bold representation of her style and character. If the bride has inspiration pictures and elements she would or wouldn’t want to see in her dress, she shares these, and we get a better idea of what the dress will look like, and we work on a quotation. Once the bride-to-be commits, an initial sketch/ illustration of the dress is done by Molefe, and the bride and designer work hand-in-hand to perfect the design, and then production begins. The production of a design takes at least 4 months. Belles Rêveries by Molefe stops at nothing to produce products of high quality. We engage fabric powerhouses and seamstresses internationally to ensure we deliver the best products we possibly can, and payment for our dresses is staggered to make the load lighter on our brides.
Why are you passionate about the service you provide?
I did not only come into the fashion industry to make beautiful dresses but to introduce or implement professional values and love for the craft. I passionately and tirelessly work on maintaining four main values: relatability, quality, reliability and growth. By relatability, I mean that Belles Rêveries by Molefe is committed to being human and relatable. While it is a business, it is highly personal and committed to having personal relationships with those that engage with it. Regarding our quality, Belles Rêveries by Molefe stops at nothing to produce products of the highest quality. We engage fabric powerhouses and highly experienced seamstresses internationally to ensure we deliver the best products possible. At Belles Rêveries by Molefe, one of the most valuable precepts we will always observe is respecting our personal promises, doing as we said, and being reliable. Finally, Belles Rêveries, by Molefe's greatest competition, is its past self. We will always strive to do better than we did yesterday and strive to learn and grow exponentially.
How do you want your clients to feel when wearing your clothing?
I want them to feel like their dreams came true and they couldn’t have made a better choice! They should be moved and feel like our Belles Rêveries Doux Bébé is the most beautiful dress they will ever wea
What sparked your interest in wedding gown design?
I have always been a wedding head! I love weddings, and I used to draw brides and princesses in gowns from… as early as 5 years old. When I was younger, I thought I would become a wedding planner, but the dream faded away by 2007 as this was not a popular profession in Zimbabwe. I tried to be a wedding dress retailer in 2017 but was not too successful either. …fast forward to November 2019, I was helping my high-school best friend prepare for his wedding, and he wanted a sophisticated Indian-style suit. I could not get anyone willing to produce it until I approached a small wedding house in Tianjin, China. The lady there instantly fell in love with my sunny disposition, and I joined classes at her factory, where I began to learn more about cutting, design, corsets, and dress-making. I didn’t finish the course as I left China in January 2020, but I made lasting friendships with several seamstresses and designers now scattered worldwide.
Looking back, what were you most naïve about when you started off Belles Rêveries by Molefe?
I honestly thought that I would get instant recognition and that my work would market itself so much within a couple of months, thus making me booked and busy without the need for promotions or advertising. I also thought that social media wedding pages would tag my account when they posted my work, but they did not. I later learned that I had to pay them to have them tag me on the pictures with my work that they re-shared. I had to let go of some dreams I had when it came to the Belles Rêveries customer experience, cut down my profit margins to nothing and offer that as promotional pricing. So I had to invest in marketing too. I was also very naive about all the elements I wanted to include in the customer experience. From expensive champagne when they come into my lounge to mock hairstyles and make-up during fittings. In my earlier years, I had to scale down on this a lot, especially now. I will introduce these when I am more established.
Three words to describe your world?
Alluring, Artistic, Warm.
It is alluring - it makes you want to daydream and create more magic,
Artistic - I am constantly challenged to make dresses, that aren’t only dresses, but expressions of character and creativity,
And warm - It feels like home here, and I would like to believe that everyone who comes into contact, feels the same tingly feeling.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had while sewing or while with a client?
So, I was set to finish a wedding dress well in advance! I was excited about it and worked on the doux bébé - day and night. I ran out of lace and 3D flowers, which is quite normal, and I ordered some from overseas, and everything was going well. The package arrived at the airport earlier than expected, and I casually notified the bride, who had become more of a friend by then, that I would be done with her dress a month earlier than expected. We even set a date for a fitting where she'd see her complete bridal look. To my dismay, there were changes in how the revenue authority operates. They held all packages at the airport 2 weeks longer than expected without announcing a release date for the packages. I notified the bride of this, and we moved the fitting to a later date... Which was still 2 weeks earlier than the actual due date for the dress. I got a serious fever two days before the fitting and asked the bride to move the fitting again, but this time, she was not having it! This was my second postponement, and she said she would come for the fitting anyway, even though I was ill and not done. She was totally justified! I willed myself to work on the dress again day and night until I was done. I finished on time and had the fitting on the agreed date. When we finally saw the dress on the bride, everyone in the room was moved to tears (including myself - absolutely ill, shivering and in a mask), and we could not stop tearing up. She looked absolutely gorgeous.
In a room with 5 brides, how do we know which one is wearing your gown? What sets you apart?
The simplest way to tell is that I will be within 15 meters of my bride. I am detail-oriented in the production of my gowns and how they are worn and perceived on the day. Without a bit of professional help, brides tend to struggle with their dresses and maintaining their entire look throughout the big day; this is why my dedicated team of stylists and dress techs and I make it a point.
How does one get in touch with you?
