NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: On Friday, July 7, Taylor Swift released 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)', a replaying of her third studio album from 2010. In the updated album cover art, she posed in a lilac outfit designed by Reem Acra, the same clothing brand that produced the instantly recognizable purple dress seen on the original 'Speak Now' cover. Having dressed celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Olivia Wilde, and Taylor Swift, the designer from Lebanon told Page Six Style that both fashion moments were incredible shockers because she had "no idea" Swift would be wearing her creation either time.
Reem Acra clothing has been chosen by Swift and her stylist, Joseph Cassell, on many additional occasions over the years. The 'Anti-Hero' singer collected the Milestone Award at the 2015 ACM Awards wearing an icy blue Acra dress with side cutouts, light shimmer, and a thigh-high slit. Let's dive deep into the world of Reem Acra.
Who is Reem Acra?
Reem Acra is a Lebanon-born couturier, who has a clothing brand of the same name. Acra is one of the most well-known bridal fashion designers in the world. She is a pioneer in the fashion world with her bridal and ready-to-wear lines because she fuses tradition with contemporary design. Brides and celebrities alike adore her and are obsessed with the romantic yet glitzy wedding dresses she creates.
Reem Acra, a Lebanese native born in Beirut, felt from a young age that fashion was her calling. She was introduced to the fashion and tailoring industries when she was 5 years old by her mother, who began taking her to the souks. A fashion editor who was a student at the American University of Beirut was astounded to learn that Acra had made the beautiful silk-organza gown she was wearing for an event out of her mother's tablecloth. The editor requested more of Acra's creations, and in just ten days, a last-minute fashion show was put together.
Following a successful career, Acra enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where she earned a magna cum laude degree in 1986. Then, before opting to return to New York, she worked on numerous fashion design projects in Paris, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Reem Acra's current empire
In 1997, Acra made a wager with a close friend who said that she wouldn't be able to create her wedding dress in under three weeks. After pulling it off, Acra sent pictures of the dress to various outlets, including The New York Times, and eventually launched Reem Acra New York in Manhattan. Her career took off after working with 89-year-old factory owner Max Kane, who served as Acra's initial mentor and supporter. Through this alliance, Acra was able to grow her company and establish her own manufacturing facilities.
An Acra gown is easy to recognize. The designer is noted for using opulent fabrics, a lot of texture, and handcrafted elements in all of her designs. She always adds glitz and refinement to each gown. Acra adheres to the maxim "where trend begins, and the tradition continues" and loves to characterize her aesthetic as multicultural European fusion with current New York. Today, some of the world's most prestigious stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, carry Acra gowns. Her designs are sold in over a dozen nations, giving Acra a significant global presence.
Acra remains busy in the fashion industry even when she is not creating gowns. She participates actively in the International Advisory Council of the American University of Beirut, the Bridal Council of America, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. She has won several other honors, including one that ranked her as the 7th most powerful Arab woman in the world by Forbes Magazine. She guided 12 aspiring designers while serving as a judge on the Middle Eastern reality competition 'Fashion Star'.
A-list celebrities who sparkled in a Reem Acra gown include songstress Taylor Swift, actresses Sofia Vergara, Kaley Cuoco, Halle Berry, pop queen Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and more.
'Big honor to see her in my creation'
Taylor Swift has been an avid client of Acra's for a while, and the designer calls the singer one of her muses. While it's difficult to choose just one look, she absolutely shone at the 2015 ACM Awards in a light blue cut-out gown. Swift also wore a blush bridesmaid dress ten months later, matching her best friend Britany Maack's wedding gown, another unique creation by Acra.
The 'Speak Now' singer is back again in another Acra creation for her latest 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)' album photoshoot. "I discovered it at the time of the [album’s] release," Acra recalled as she spoke about the 'Sparks Fly' singer's decision to wear a strapless violet ballgown from her spring 2007 collection for her original 'Speak Now' shoot.
She was just as "happily surprised" to see the singer wearing one of her creations more than a decade later on the back cover of her remastered version and throughout the album art, this time a pastel pleated tulle dress with a delicately embroidered bodice. Acra recalled, "I was thrilled to say the least. It is a big honor to see her in my creation 13 years later." The designer went on to say, "I love that she picked this dress in particular — it is very dreamy and modern at the same time."