Hayley Paige on What's Next for Her Bridal Label: "I Want to Make Up for Lost Time"

The future is looking bright for Hayley Paige. On May 28, 2024, the prolific wedding dress designer announced a settlement with her former employer, JLM Couture, that allowed her to re-enter the bridal design industry. The landmark agreement marked the culmination of a nearly four-year legal battle, during which Paige was unable to create or design wedding dresses, professionally use her namesake, and access her social media accounts. Through the settlement, Paige was released from her non-compete agreement early, thus granting her the right to own her intellectual property (including her previous catalog of work).

So what does this mean for Paige? She can now design wedding dresses again, and her signature whimsical creations will be here before you know it. Following the announcement on Instagram—which was met with a flurry of excitement from fans, industry friends and former Hayley Paige brides—The Knot caught up with the designer to discuss the question on everyone's minds: What's next for Hayley Paige? "In this next chapter, I respect the journey I've been on. But more than that, I appreciate the support system I've had," she says. "And now, I just want to make up for lost time."

Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Paige

As teased in her Instagram announcement, which racked up over two million views, matching wedding dresses and shoes may be just one surprise fans of the Hayley Paige label can look forward to in the coming months. Those who followed Paige's story over the last four years (which she documented under the name "A Girl You Might Know" on the Instagram account @AllThatGlittersontheGram) know she didn't give up her career as a designer. Instead, she transitioned to the shoe industry under the label She Is Cheval.

"I love that shoes carry you places," she explains. "Physically, it's the first thing that walks into a room. Since I'm such an emotional designer, I like the symbolism of it. While being in a legal dispute, it was exciting to create a product where I felt like I was physically stepping forward."

Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Paige

The good news is that Paige's shoes aren't going anywhere. Instead, she'll continue designing for She Is Cheval while simultaneously dreaming up the future of her bridal label. "I want to provide my signature DNA and the aesthetic that connected me to so many amazing women—but there's been some evolution," she muses. "Should I bring back my original designs? Should I do a Taylor Swift remix of them? It'll be fun to play into the iconic signature of Hayley Paige while also carrying the brand forward."

A true creative at heart, the designer is finding inspiration just about everywhere these days, from the lush greenery surrounding her Florida home to the new generation of Gen Z couples who are just starting to get married. "This generation has so much self-awareness and dexterity in what they're looking for," she says. "I want to be part of this process [with them], so I'm approaching it from a collaborative standpoint."

One thing that's certain, though, is that she never lost her passion for design over the last few years. "I think I dream of dresses," she laughs. "I never, ever, ever stopped sketching and pushing the boundaries of design."

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Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Paige

Despite maintaining a positive outlook throughout her legal journey, Paige says she didn't expect to be reunited with the work that catapulted her to mainstream notoriety. (Before the lawsuit began, Paige was a frequent fixture on TLC's Say Yes to the Dress. She was also a go-to designer for celebrities like Kelsea Ballerini and The Bachelor's Lauren Burnham.)

Now, she appreciates the journey that led to her current destination. "A settlement is a positive thing. To say that I now have ownership of my entire intellectual property, including all the creativity of my designs and the signature DNA of my brand, is so heartwarming," she reflects. "I've got it. But what do you do with art? You give it away again. It goes to the brides, and it goes to the industry—and I'm so excited for that."

A representative for JLM Couture echoed Paige's sentiments in a statement shared with The Knot. "We thought settlement would be best for both parties and the wedding industry as a whole," they said. "As far as JLM is concerned, the settlement helps to simplify our position in the company's current Sub-5 process. The settlement helps both parties to look forward, not backward. We wish her well."

Of course, the biggest question lingers: How soon can you buy a new Hayley Paige wedding dress? The designer isn't holding herself to a strict timeline—but she does hope her gowns find their way to stores as soon as possible. "I don't want to make hasty decisions," she says. "I feel like I owe it to myself to take a beat. It's really hard for me to do that, though, because I'm so impatient. However," she says with a smile, "it would be so great to do it sooner than later."

As if there isn't enough on her plate, the designer is also ready to get back to planning her wedding to Conrad Louis, her fiancé of five years. "To go through what we've been through has made me so proud of our relationship," she raves. "It's front-loaded a lot of the things that many couples go through in different facets—we've just done it before we've gotten married."

In addition to creating new wedding dresses for her label, she's also looking forward to the day she can finally design her own. "It'll be pretty surreal," she says. "[Our wedding] seemed so far away for a long time but now I'm like, 'Oh, here we are!'"

Photo: @misshayleypaige | Instagram

Whether she's thinking about her own wedding or those of her clients, the designer's unabashed joy for working in the bridal industry is unwavering. "When I think of weddings, I think of the commitment and devotion of two people falling in love," she says. "It ignites and lights a fire in my soul. I don't remember a time when I didn't want to celebrate love."

That bona fide love and appreciation for celebration will propel the new era of the Hayley Paige brand forward in a way unlike ever before. "I have a genuine appreciation for things working out in a very positive way," she concludes. "I couldn't be more energized."