We sat down with Chelsea, COO of our sister brand BISBY, to discuss the inspiration behind this style as her flower girl's dress at her wedding!

"When planning my wedding, I knew I wanted my bridesmaids and flower girl to be my “something blue.” I asked my bridesmaids to chose their own blue floral dresses and with the ceremony being held in my mother's garden, I thought that a classic, cotton dress for my flower girl, a niece with strong opinions, would be seasonally appropriate for my outdoor July wedding.

As I struggled to find the style I had in mind amongst the selection of more formal, silk dresses in the market, I turned to Shannon, the Founder and CEO of seguridadindustrialcr and Dunn, the COO. 

The dress was inspired by a dress of my mother’s that her grandparents bought for her while on vacation in Jamaica in the 60s. It has a gorgeous geometric smocking pattern and the sweetest peter pan collar with a delicate whipstitch detail. I also wore it as a girl, and I love how it’s inspired by “something old.” I asked Shannon and Dunn if they thought they could recreate it with blue and thankfully they could! Thinking other brides might find themselves looking for the same style, we added variations in light pink and white, too.

A few things I love about the modern day version are the deep hem that you don’t see on high-end smocked dresses as frequently anymore, the simple white sash, and of course - the woman it’s named for - my mother!

I had originally planned for my niece to wear this with a pair of light blue La Coqueta Mary Janes, but she decided she’d rather be barefoot - which ultimately fit the relaxed garden feel of the wedding. Almost all guests (myself included) ended up dancing barefoot in the tent later that night, so it was the perfect start to the wedding."

Shop the Special Occasion Collection for your upcoming milestones. Don't see a style that you love? Email us at [email protected] and let us know what you're looking for!

For this installment of Design Room, we asked Gina all about her artist roots and her process in creating such unforgettable works of art. 

LE: Tell us your story! What led you to become an artist?

GL: I come from a long line of artists, so I’ve always been surrounded by art. My house is literally filled with art from five generations of women in my family. After studying in Paris for a semester abroad, my mom and I traveled around France and Italy painting together for nearly a month! It was like taking a private master class every day. It wasn’t until I decided to stay home and start a family a few years later that I began to dabble in watercolor again. I started selling small works at church and in my local community, but my business quickly expanded when I joined Instagram as a way to showcase my latest projects. 

I love being able to stay home with my children and have a creative outlet and business at the same time. 

LE: Explain the collaboration and design process for your LE prints. 

GL: I love collaborating with Shannon and Dunn, the mother daughter duo behind LE! Usually they have a few ideas for a pattern and then I get to run with it. Some patterns are more simple than others. The London jammies were more detailed so I sent Shannon and Dunn several sketches and phone pics of my work as the print was coming to life. Our tastes align so well that it makes working together seamless!

LE: Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

GL: I look to nature a lot for design and color, but I also find inspiration from books, objects, textiles and interiors.

LE: What is your favorite thing to create?

GL: My favorite thing to create is probably a custom crest. I really love playing with the elements of design and making something so personal and special for a client.

LE: What is your favorite seguridadindustrialcr collection or piece?

GL: Oh, that’s a tough one because there are so many! I always love the sailboat collections, but my favorite are the crochet layettes for babies. I put my youngest, Samuel, in the the puppy dog crochet playsuit and sweater weekly because I wanted to get as much use out of it as possible before he grew up! I’m a big believer in letting children be little! 

We couldn't agree more, Gina! Stay tuned for more exciting collaborations with Gina Langford in our Fall 2019 collection! In the mean time, shop Gina's work in our Kensington Floral Collection and London Jammies for boys and girls. 

Don't forget to follow along with Gina on instagram to see her beautiful artwork!

Shannon's Thanksgiving table is a very stylish mix of classic china & earthy elements. One her most favorite pieces on her Thanksgiving table are her flower vases that are actually chickens! She loves to arrange in these vases as the flowers can take on a feathered look. In addition, these tall candle sticks add a modern flair to the table and were found at one of her favorite decor & gift shops in Lexington, Adelé. Shannon also collects pine cones from around the farm & even styles a few pheasant feathers in around the candles. 

Shannon's china is the Red Aves pattern by Royal Crown Derby (discontinued in 1997) which has huntsy appeal as well with birds & flowers within it's design. This was a wedding gift and she loves the color it adds to the table. Her silver flatware is the classic Francis 1st pattern which includes 15 different fruit-and-flower clusters. You may also notice how Shannon incorporates two different kinds of wine glasses throughout the table, a colorful handblown glass one from Santa Fe and a gold rimmed one. "I like for my table to be dressy, but artsy & relaxed. By mixing different pieces together, it not only makes for a beautiful table, but also puts guests at ease," Shannon says. 

In Shannon's house, she and her husband have a playful "competition" for best turkey every year. Shannon prepares a very traditional, oven-baked turkey while her husband, Davant Latham, makes a trashcan turkey. Yes, you heard that correctly, a trashcan turkey. He uses a brine that is his take on a John Currence recipe and then cooks the turkey with hot coals inside an aluminum trashcan. 

Even though his turkey may steal the show, her recipe for Summer Trees Cheese Grits the morning after Thanksgiving take the prize every single year. When asked about the recipe Shannon laughingly replied, "I must give this recipe out once a week! Happy to share it again."

*Fun fact: Summer Trees is the name of Shannon's childhood home*

Summer Trees Cheese Grits

(serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups instant grits

1 stick of butter

2 eggs whisked together

1/4 cup milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

2-3 garlic cloves pressed

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Boil chicken broth and chicken bouillon powder

2. Add grits, stir with whisk while cooking so as not to clump or stick to bottom of pan - about 4-5 minutes until broth is absorbed

3. Turn heat off and immediately add butter, milk, eggs, cheddar cheese, garlic & stir together

4. Transfer to greased over proof dish & sprinkle with paprika

5. Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes to heat through

*this can be made ahead & are excellent for brunch or breakfast, but she loves them with wild game, steaks, or even chicken.*

Wishing you & yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

What Thanksgiving traditions does your family have? Comment below- we'd love to know!

Welcome to Graham House- the farm & home of seguridadindustrialcr founder & designer, Shannon Latham. Built in 1850 and listed on the National Historic Register, this home exudes "My Old Kentucky Home" charm. From the picturesque setting with large trees and mature landscaping to the beautiful Victorian Italianate architecture, the whole place feels straight out of a fairytale. 

The front entryway is one of her favorite spots in the home. The door is nearly always open, with dogs and friends running through, shedding light into the main hall and up into the second floor landing. She has art from New Orleans, Memphis (her hometown), and of course, Lexington. She collects pottery from all over the south but mainly Mississippi, and her oriental rugs are Antique Romanian Kilimns that were wedding gifts. Beautiful English and American antique pieces add richness to the home. As you walk through the farmhouse, you can see that it is truly a collection of her most loved pieces with a variety of textures, colors, and horsey appeal. 

Now we can't leave out the dining room... Among her many talents, Shannon is also an excellent cook! Ask her for a recipe and you'll be writing things like "a dash of" and "a handful of"... the creativity truly never ends. Shannon actually moved the dining room to the front of the house to accommodate her large matching china cabinets and antler chandelier. The cabinets she purchased at gift market while renovating another farmhouse and the chandelier was purchased in Ft. Worth, Texas while attending the Ft. Worth Stock Show with college friends from SMU. 

Now we mentioned farm fresh eggs at the beginning and we haven't forgotten. This might be the most fun fact ever about Shannon. She has a "Chicken Church" with 12 hens just footsteps from the back porch! The Chicken Church was gifted to Shannon by her husband and was built by the Amish. Another fun fact? Each chicken is affectionately named after either a celebrity or a dear friend. Shannon enjoys feeding "the girls" and showing off their eggs to overnight guests who get to delight in their vibrant orange yolks. She says they are especially great for any baked goods... breads and cakes rise so much more!

As for children's clothing, Shannon loves designing timeless styles with fresh fabrics. She strives to create pieces that will satisfy the grandmother who looks for more traditional styles or techniques, a modern flair to appeal to today's mom, and ultimately comfort to satisfy the child. 

We hope you've enjoyed learning a bit more about our founder and designer.

This is our first blog post and we'd love to keep this up!! Comment below with topics you'd be interested in hearing more about. 

Much Love,

The LE Team