Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Collection
Born Diane Monique Lhuillier to French, Spanish/Filipino parents, Monique was raised in the southern part of the Philippines called Cebu. As a child, Monique was very influenced by her mother's glamorous sense of style and was exposed to the importance of style because the family traveled extensively. Her favorite destinations were always Paris and Los Angeles. At the early age of 15, Monique left home to attend the prestigious Chateau Mont-Choisi boarding school in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was while she was in Switzerland that she decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a designer. She decided to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and move to Los Angeles.

At FIDM, Monique excelled and received a merit-based scholarship to attend the advanced program. During her studies, she decided to focus on the luxury market and specialize in bridal and evening gowns. It was also during this time that Monique met her husband, Tom Bugbee.

When Monique graduated and began looking for a job, she realized there were very few couture quality companies based in Los Angeles. Unwilling to leave for New York, Monique took a design and production position at a small French firm that specialized in better eveningwear and separates.
Shortly after her engagement, Monique decided to take some time off to plan the wedding. During her dress search, Monique's focus on the wedding business was reborn. She was determined to be part of it and to do it better.

In 1996, Monique launched her first bridal collection. It was very well received by retailers and by magazine editors. In the next year, Tom took control of the company and turned Monique's vision into reality. The collaboration has proved to be very successful. In 2001, Monique designed her first evening collection, which has now developed into a complete ready to wear collection.

Monique received the 2001 Glamorous Bridal Designer Award, the 2002 Avant Garde Bridal Designer Award and the 2003 Designer of the Year Award from Wedding Dresses Magazine and the bridal industry members. In 2003, she was also inducted as a new member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Collection galleries and retailer information is available at Monique Lhuillier.

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