Ashley Redeker - Modern Dress

​Ashley Redeker is the owner of Modern Dress, a bridal and boutique store in downtown Boone. Modern Dress celebrated 10 years in August 2022 and is one of the premier bridal stores in Central Iowa. 
 
“I’ve always been interested in the bridal industry,” said Redeker when she presented at 1 Million Cups Ames in October. In high school, she worked at the bridal store that she eventually bought, but she did not jump into being an entrepreneur right away. After graduating from college, she worked for a production company that required a lot of travel. Although she enjoyed the experience, she ultimately wanted a career in Boone and purchased the bridal store.
 
Redeker understood early on that businesses evolve over time, so she rebranded the business Modern Dress to be able to include a diverse range of dress options. “I always had the vision that we would expand beyond bridal dresses, and I wanted the name to allow for that from the beginning.” Today, the business includes a full range of bridal and bridesmaid dresses, while also being a vibrant boutique store.
 
“The experience is really important to me and has been from the beginning. We are not high-pressure. We want people to make good decisions, feel good about it, and have it be a fun experience.” As a result, Redeker and her team of ten employees places an emphasis on quality over quantity of sales.
 
Part of that experience includes leveraging excitement through social media. The purchase of a wedding dress is a buzz-worthy moment for a bride with her family and friends. When a dress is purchased, each bride takes a picture at Modern Dress (without the dress, of course) and this Instagram post launches the celebration online.
 
On the boutique side of Modern Dress, Redeker and members of her team go live on Facebook each Wednesday as a way to build community and promote what is available on their Shopify store. Moving online was a pivot that Redeker had to embrace for Modern Dress in 2020 as the pandemic impacted the entire retail industry. Each week, with a casual drink in hand, her team goes live and uses it to reach potential customers. As a result, Redeker has become an incredible fashion resource for not only Boone, but beyond.
 
Modern Dress is located at 701 Story Street in Boone.

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