Interview: LoveShackFancy's Rebecca Hessel Cohen On Her Summer Essential Dresses

Rebecca Hessel Cohen breezed into WellNEST in Sag Harbor on Saturday morning wearing one of her own designs, a flowing and carefree LoveShackFancy dress in heavenly blue chiffon. Layered with gold jewels, a colorful Dannijo necklace and a hot pink mini Celine tote, I was shocked when Rebecca revealed that she hand dyed the dress she was rocking oh-so well. The collection, which was first a series of simple dresses designed for Rebecca's bridesmaids is now comprised of dresses, maxi skirts, camisoles, cropped and long racerbacks, shorts and mini skirts!

WellNEST is a lifestyle store located on Sag Harbor's Main Street, and is an old fisherman's house, complete with authentic wood floors and timber walls. The multi-room store features luxurious beauty products, organic soaps, vegan and raw treats, jewelry and much more. A few LoveShackFancy racks easily transitioned into the interior of the store, with a handful of dresses, skirts and tops in muted silk prints and tie dyes. Outside the back garden, where yoga classes are usually held, was transformed into an enchanted garden of dresses.

[Rebecca Hessel Cohen]

Rebecca, who used to be the Senior Editor of Beauty and Fashion at Cosmopolitan Magazine filled me in on some details about the collection, which seems to have taken off all on it's own.

Q: How did you start LoveShackFancy?

A: I wanted bridesmaid dresses that were sexy, beautiful and ethereal. My mom helped me design them and they came out really amazing. A year later I did a small collection of the dresses for The Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic's Heat Wave Benefit, and after we sold out there, I began getting requests via Facebook for dress orders. I kind of just let it be, but the business has taken off. Now that I am doing more creative consulting and freelance styling I have more time for the line. This is the first month we're out here in the Hamptons and we've been doing tons of trunk shows.

[Rebecca with her groom, bridesmaids and flower girls via]

Q: What does the name, LoveShackFancy, stand for?

A: Well each word represents a different type of dress. The Love is a lined dress that you can wear to town to go shopping, you can wear it to a party, and you can even wear it to the beach. The Shack is a sheer dress that's perfect to throw on as a beach cover up and the Fancy is more formal and in heavier fabrics.

Q: Tell me more about the dresses.

A: Each dress can be twisted and tied into a million different ways, depending on what style you want to wear. You can make the straps into a deep V, like a 70s halter, or you can wear it lower so the dress has an Empire waist and everything in between. My mom and I actually do a lot of the dying ourselves and all of the silk is sourced from New York.

Q: What's in the future for the LoveShackFancy line?

A: The whole line has kind of evolved because I was always traveling. One day i was in Tulum on a shoot, one day I'd be in Nashville, the next day I would be in LA and then would have to be in NYC the following evening for a benefit. To look for a formal dress and then have to worry about packing it was just so not worth it. And so, our next step is to create little pouches for each dress, which will making packing that much easier. We've also found that since the dress is so versatile, we are developing even more was to wear separates, such as in the form of a short dress, pants and even a romper.

Check out loveshackfancy.com and their Facebook page for more information.