Studio 125 isn’t the only recent addition at the Fisk Building: The White Room, a locally owned bridal boutique, recently moved its shop from a loft at the Sexton Building in downtown Minneapolis to a sunny storefront on the building’s second level. The new, larger space features three fitting rooms, lots of natural light (a must for any bride having a daytime or outdoor wedding), and rows and rows of gowns. Like their previous location, the new space features all the trappings of industrial-modern style: high ceilings, raw brick walls, and exposed metal girders.
When they founded The White Room in 2015, owners Anne McNulty and Carmen Duerr had set out to create something unique in the world of Twin Cities bridal: a shop specializing in a fashion-forward selection of wedding gowns from lesser-known, high-end designers. by smaller, independent labels. Labels include the edgy and modern Houghton, Norwegian designer Sadoni, ’70s-inspired line Yolancris, and the fashion-forward Suzanne Harward. Not only is the White Room the only place in the Twin Cities (and in some cases, the Midwest) to carry these lines, McNulty and Duerr also offer in-house alterations instead of sending them out, cutting down wait time. (Duerr is an experienced seamstress.)
“We get a lot of people who are here from California and New York,” says Duerr, “who could get the dress out there, but they tell us, ‘We love the experience shopping with you so much we want to buy from you.'”
“Our clients even send us wedding invitations,” says McNulty. “We’re really working with them from the beginning ’til the end. It’s a special experience.”
By appointment only @ Fisk Building, 1621 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, studio125.co, thewhiteroommpls.com
The White Room owners Anne McNulty and Carmen Duerr