CORE: Who do you want to wear your gowns?
MC: Everyone! I want to appeal to anyone and everyone! My gowns are a luxury good so the price point is very high...but a wedding gown is a piece that women ARE willing to save money and pay a high price for! It's a wedding gown that many women say 'make or break' that special day and really create a feeling for them throughout their day! It is the MOST photographed piece of "clothing" they will most likely ever wear...I want women of all income levels to feel that are always SPLURGING when purchasing a Morgan Cullen gown and they will 'know' that quality, craftsmanship, luxury and a completely dazzling experience is what they are paying for...
CORE: What is the Moto/Sloga/Mission of Morgan Cullen?
MC: A Personal Luxury.
A Morgan Cullen Wedding gown is one of the most personal and luxurious items that a client will ever purchase. I want every Morgan Cullen gown to truly create a feeling of beauty and glamour for each and every client!
CORE: Who all are involved?
MC: Morgan Cullen...what you see is what you get! Starting out as a small, I've done all the work on my own! I like the feeling of knowing all elements of the company but eventually, as I grow and grow, I will need an assistant and sales representative! Right now, I am the only representative for Morgan Cullen and I manage all accounts and aspects of the business.
CORE: Who inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
MC: Sitting in business courses in college, I realized almost immediately that these business skills came to me naturally because my extended family is FILLED with so many amazing entrepreneurs! We've all been taught the value of a dollar and how hard work can take a person very far!
Mowing the yard, doing the dishes, washing the family dog, doing your laundry... responsibility has been instilled in me at a very young age! I'd have to say, if ANYONE in my life has ever told me again and again that I was capable of being exactly what I wanted to be in life, it would be my parents! Their support and love and encouragement for me to take my craft to this next level have really been a motivating force all my life! The day to day support of being a smart business woman and helping me with critical choice making would also find inspiration and guidance from my husband, Walt Cullen.
CORE: What influence has the Virgin Islands had on your collection?
MC: The Virgin Islands has been a HUGE influence on my 2007 Collection...some of the gowns in my 30 gown Collection are named after townships on St Thomas. The beauty of the islands on a daily basis is just compelling and soothing like no other locale that I've lived in.
I spent hundreds of hours designing this first Collection. I can remember days and days where I would sit on our amazing balcony with the sun shining bright, the breeze swaying across the palm fronds, a light breeze every now and then and GORGEOUS blue water staring perfectly back up at me! It's these continually gorgeous Caribbean days that I'm even more thankful for where I live. I can truly say that I feel strongly inspired and greatly compelled to sketch and design and create on days like this. Living on St Thomas is not something that I take for granted. Many days, when I'd need a break, Magens would be my choice of refuge...I'd dip into the ocean, read a fashion magazine for an hour and then return home, reinvigorated and ready to sketch a new captivating creation!
