Deb Nations, Artisan Tailoress

As a child growing up in the Midwest working on her dad’s Singer sewing machine, Deb’s love of design and tailoring blossomed. Those skills later developed through her years at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she specialized in bridal and evening wear. After graduation, where she wore her own self-designed wedding gown down the runway for her senior thesis project, Deb landed her first fashion job in NYC at the bridal and evening wear house of Amsale. During her tenure, Amsale grew from a small collection of seamstresses to one of the most internationally sought after bridal designers with a flagship salon on Madison Avenue, all with Deb prominently at her side. Working as her technical designer, production manager and in-house fitter, Deb furthered her industry education and her passion for the intricate construction and elegance of special occasion gowns. This is where she first met and worked with Mark Ingram. When Mark opened his own bridal and evening wear salon in Manhattan in 2002, he asked Deb to collaborate and serve as an alteration specialist for his store, knowing her expertise on one-of-a-kind gowns from designers such as Caroline Herrera, Elie Saab and Vera Wang.