Conquering her dream one dress at a time!

Growing up around fabrics, sewing machines and having the guidance of her mother who was also a dress-maker, Veronica Al Khoury seemed destined to become a fashion designer.

“I would play dress up dolls with these fabrics and I would design them as extravagant gowns,” she says.

The talented designer launched her fashion career 30 years ago in a small shop in Wollongong where she grew up. However, her family relocated to Sydney and she continued to work out of studios and from her home.

The self-taught couture designer says she did a few courses at East Sydney Tafe which included advanced pattern making and bridal wear.

However there have been a few bumps in the road for Veronica.

She says, “lack of funding at times, taking on too much and not having the time to be as creative as I would like, sourcing the ideal fabrics for my creations. There are so many assets to fashion that it is hard to choose which is going to be the most rewarding and because I've got so many things I want to achieve, sometimes I feel that I would love to do it all at once, but that is hard to juggle at the moment”.

Her duties as a mother and wife also mean that she needs to work out a way to have “a good work-life balance without letting either side suffer”.

Veronica’s love for fabrics, colours, beautiful clothes and art have helped to continue drive her ambition to be a designer. Also having a list of inspiring role models such as Valentino, Dior and Chanel certainly helps.

Her passion for designing gowns also comes from Lebanese designers, Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Tony Ward and Georges Chakra, who are leading the fashion world with their inspiring collections.

“I think that Lebanese designers are certainly leading fashion all around the world, and Lebanese people in general are very ambitious, naturally creative people and are not afraid to push the boundaries,” she says.

With the move from her store in Five Dock to Croydon Park in the pipelines, she also wants to produce a ready-to-wear evening gowns’ collection. Ultimately, she would love to keep her business in the family.

“I'm also hoping to pass this business on as a legacy to my three daughters and son. Hopefully they will be interested,” she says.