Randy Fenoli

Randy Fenoli – Hello Beautiful!

Q. What was the driving force, that lead you into fashion and moved you to New York?

A. Lots of things, when I was nine years old my mother bought a sewing machine because she wanted to learn how to sew.  She literally couldn’t put a hem in a terry cloth. She placed the sewing machine in my bedroom and told me not to touch it.  One day I was looking at the machine and it looked pretty simple to me, I couldn’t understand why she didn’t get it.  She had a McCalls pattern, so I got it out.  My mother use to wear a blue and white outfit to work, so I got some material and made her an outfit and put it on a hanger.  When she came home she asked where it came from and I told her that I made it.  She loved it and ended up wearing it to work the next day and brought me home another pattern to make!  I have always loved clothes. When I was an entertainer I use to make my own costumes. I moved to New York and enjoyed entertaining which helps me today being in front of a camera.  I have been in thirty-three states across the country and have been on the Joan Rivers show.  Randy to the Rescue is all about the bride, not me.  I want to be a role model, a guiding voice to help people, to be the person to ask the right question of and help tell your story.  There are three very important points that I try to communicate. Educate about style, Elevate your self-confidence and Empower throughout your entire life.  I came from living on a farm, believe you can be anything!

Q. When did you know that was the direction you wanted to go in?

A. I always knew arts and theater was something I wanted to be a part of. I am the last of seven children and I think acting was helpful to me. I loved the arts and use to use twine to make plant holders when I was young.  I sold them, I also like to cook, bake cakes, paint and draw. I like to put myself in someone elses shoes to realize how they feel.  When someone says to me a bride is being fussy, I say “no such thing”, it’s her vision of her wedding day.

Q. Who was the designer you most admired while in design school and why?

A. There were a few, Valentino, always showed such great restraint.  He never forced fashion on women and wanted them to look beautiful. Bob Mackey was another one, even with his flashy designs on the Carol Burnett show.

Q. You have helped create and teach so many brides what the right look is for them.  What does this give back to you?

A. Right now I am having the time of my life!  I am enjoying every moment of what I do.  I’m not a brain surgeon, I don’t save lives, I take someone and put them in front of a mirror and make them feel beautiful.  It makes me feel good. I actually get choked up when I watch “Randy to the Rescue” because I know how much each of the brides have gone through and I am so proud of the show.  When I took the idea of  the show to TLC, I wanted to show a positive side to reality shows, since there are so many negative ones out there. The filming schedule is grueling, but well worth the
effort.

Q. Your book “It’s All About The Dress” hit the shelf last year.  I hear that it is doing well, is there another book in the future we can expect?

A. I hope so even though I hate to read and write.  It truly was a labor of love, but I have  always believed that if you keep doing what is comfortable for you all of the time you won’t learn. You need to push yourself  outside of the comfort zone to grow.  Someone said to me Randy if Shakespeare were alive today he would have a hard time selling a book, but since you are on a reality show we will sell thousands! Every bride shares a common emotion, and that emotion is anxiety.  There is something for every bride in the book, from twenty years old to sixty years old.  From size two to twenty-two, it shares a common thread,
that they all can look beautiful!

Q. Do you think a bride at the beginning of her planning should buy her gown first or wait until she has more of an idea of what her theme and colors are going to be for her wedding?

A. I definitely think you should not buy your dress until you know the look you are going to have for your wedding.  Have a vision, start off with the story of who you are. Everything you do at your wedding will show that to your guests. The moment you step out in your gown it will tell them what type of wedding it is going to be. Know your  venue and take into account the season.

Q. Randy, do you think you will start designing your own line of wedding gowns again?

A. I don’t see that currently in the future. I did design for fifteen years and had my own line. I feel that not having my own line currently makes the brides able to trust me more because they know I am not trying to sell them my design of gown. My goal is to make sure that they look good in the dress they are going to wear on their wedding day, and that they absolutely love it! I have considered designing men’s wear though, so that may be a possibility.

Q. Your demeanor and personality seems to calm brides down on the show.  Is this something that was learned or does it come natural to you?

A. A little of both I suppose, and a lot learned during life by feeling what they are going through.  When we were filming “Randy to the Rescue” in Cincinnati there was a bride named Robin. She was a powerful woman, her business was empowering women.  She was afraid she was going to look weak and had to learn to let go.  She wanted to see every single dress we had brought with us, all two hundred of them before she was satisfied. When she saw them all she felt better.  Some people would have thought she was being fussy, but I try to feel what they are feeling and ultimately it is all about making her feel beautiful. Sometimes brides need a little reality check, I have had them say “what if I buy my gown today and something better comes in tomorrow?”  I have to tell them new gowns come in everyday!

Q. Coming from a relatively large family, there was probably a lot of sewing needing to be done. Did your mother teach you how to sew at such a young age?

A. I learned myself, I read the pattern and instructions for the machine. One day I heard my father screaming about breaking a zipper and I fixed it. It just came naturally.

Q. I have read your 7 tips to brides, would you like to add an 8th. one?

A. I would just like to add that there was a time when brides would wear whatever the trend was at that time. Now you can express yourself more freely to let everyone know who you are as an individual.  Brides are becoming more and more creative, I see it even in their engagement photos.

Q. In closing do you have any advice for our Florida Bride Magazine readers that you would like to share?

A. The great thing about Florida is its beautiful scenery and beaches, take advantage of it.  There are so many luxurious hotels for your wedding venue, feel lucky that you have so many resources, like the ocean and palm trees, embrace it all. I love destination weddings, they’re not just a day of activities because you get to spend quality time with your loved ones.  There are so many sports such as beach volleyball, wind surfing, etc. to enjoy.  Florida is so culturally diverse, you are exposed to its different cuisine and its fashion forward style.  Florida is truly a happening place.