A series of beautiful models draped in colorful, flowing silks strut down a prestigious South Florida fashion runway. Each is wearing a beautifully designed kaftan that moves gracefully with each step, drawing applause from the well-dressed audience at the end of the show. This happy event is the designer’s first public showcase highlighting her creations–a significant milestone in her lifelong enthusiasm for fashion and design. It’s the story of a local girl in the midst of achieving her dreams–none other than longtime Powhatan resident, Dawn Bradbury!
The road Dawn has traveled is full of twists and turns. As a young girl, she was drawn into the world of fashion while perusing the pages of Vogue magazine. Her fascination wasn’t just with the appearance of the garments; she wanted to learn every detail about their creation. So, on her own, she researched leading designers and, for a time, even had the opportunity to learn all aspects of the industry while working for high-end designer, Nicole Miller. However, with a daughter to raise and bills to pay, necessity dictated she set her dreams aside and take a series of regular jobs to cover expenses. In the meantime, this designing diva and her husband, Jason, oversaw and designed many elements of the architecture and decor of their own home, prompting visitors (impressed with what they saw) to urge her to pursue design as a career. That encouragement, and a friend’s sudden tragedy reminded her how short life can be. She quit her 9-to-5 career and hit the ground running. That was four years ago.
After much deliberation and prayer, Dawn began creating an opulent line of jewel-toned decor pillows and purses made from the finest materials she could source, importing Italian Nappa leather, ostrich skins and feathers, exotic snake skins, and iridescent peacock feathers, to name a few. After reaching out to the president of HGTV and receiving valuable marketing tips and advice, she began offering her pieces in the Dallas market but with limited success. Still, this small-town girl did not give up. After pounding the South Florida pavement with her own luxurious resort collection of washable silk kaftans, dresses, and tops, Ms. Bradbury impressed several boutique owners enough to carry her line in their prestigious shops across multiple states, including the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota. Finally, she was on her way!
It was at this time our tenacious local girl received the invitation to be featured in the Palm Beach Fashion Week runway show hosted at Mar-a-Lago (mentioned at the outset). Since then, a few celebrities have shown interest in her designs. Dawn’s lovely creations are
available in Luna Lotus Boutique on the island of Aruba, and even locally at Sassy Sisters in Farmville. And the list is growing.
Ms. Bradbury loves the Caribbean, loud prints, and animals—all of which are reflected in her work. Every bright and bold pillow, purse, and flashy garment she creates is backed by extensive research and careful planning. Instead of outsourcing production to foreign factories, Dawn has stuck close to her roots–everything is made right here in the Richmond area. She employs skilled local artisans and seamstresses to handcraft each piece with exceptional quality.
Surprisingly, with all her recent success, this lovely lady isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Just recently, she’s been handed an UNBELIEVABLE opportunity: an invitation to jet over to Monte Carlo later in May and be featured in the high-end runway show held during Monaco Fashion Days, an exclusive event taking place during the Cannes Film Festival. A new chapter of this happy saga is about to be written. Who knows how it might end? With much success, I suspect!
Editorial by Kim Amboy; May 2026
