Did you really go to Greece if you didn’t take a famous ‘flying dress’ photo? I mean who doesn’t want gorgeous photos of themselves in a lavish gown with the wind blowing, their hair laid, a beat face and the beautiful view of Santorini in the background?
That is of course, if you can save yourself some money without flying halfway across the world to Greece. All it takes is a trip to Jamaica, and voilà! The flying dress experience on the beach will be posted on the ‘gram in minutes. While the pictures look like they could have been taken for a high fashion magazine, the photo shoots are relatively affordable and will have you cherishing them for the rest of your life.
While working as a wedding planner in her native Montego Bay, Jamaica, Chrisan Hunter saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend, while also bringing the experience to the many travelers who frequent the island. And the rest as they say, is history! HerDress Jamaica was born.
In this interview with ESSENCE, she shares her inspiration behind the growing brand, what’s next and what sets the Jamaica experience apart from its European competitors.
What inspired HerDress Jamaica? How did you come up with the concept?
After losing my job due to COVID-19, I decided that it was time to venture into my own business. Whilst this was a risky move, it was always a dream of mine. I first was interested in doing a flying dress photoshoot in Greece and after thinking about my many business ideas, I decided to start a photoshoot dress rental business. At the time we really didn’t have anything like that in Jamaica and I thought it was genius to bring that experience here. I knew women would love it as it was an opportunity to be captured in a glamorous dress along with the picturesque landscape of our island. It also helped so many women as it is so much easier to rent a dress for a photoshoot rather than purchase a dress only to never wear it again.
What’s been the reception so far?
The reception has been amazing — we are truly blessed. We are 1 year and 4 months in and we have shot over 300 clients. Our clients use our services for their birthdays, anniversaries, maternity shoots, or just as a means of celebrating themselves or a milestone in their lives. They always mention how empowering the shoot is and their desire to return for another shoot. Our clients always share their experience with others, which is one of the biggest reasons we have been growing so fast.
What sets Jamaica apart from similar European competitors?
Our team, the scenery and our people. We have a great team here in Jamaica. From the very first moment of contact, the HerDress Jamaica experience begins. We eliminate the stress of our clients trying to figure everything out themselves. We help our clients find the perfect dress depending on the type of shoot. They have a number of talented photographers to choose from. We provide transportation, locations, makeup artists and an assistant to get our clients dressed as well as provide direction right throughout the shoot. They always feel like celebrities because we go above and beyond for all of them. The HerDress experience is more than posing for the camera in a fancy dress. We ensure they all feel beautiful and have a memory that will last a lifetime. Secondly, the scenery is a lot different. We use locations across the island to capture the tropical beauty of Jamaica. Lastly, our people. Jamaicans are some of the warmest and friendly people you will ever meet. Our clients always mention how at home they feel when they visit and that really makes us special.
Do you plan on expanding your business offering in the new year?
Yes, we do. We will be releasing new dress designs very soon. I am very excited about those.
Are you still doing wedding planning services?
Currently, I am focused on developing the brand more before venturing into weddings. However, I do have something special coming for brides as an extension of HerDress. We will be releasing those later this year.