Goodbye Handmade Lace

Goodbyes are always hard, especially when they’re to something you love. Bydee began at Dee’s Mother Sia’s kitchen bench, a seed of something Dee knew could be special, and a major part of this was thanks to handmade lace. Even from these early moments, Bydee was inspired by female bodies, creating unique pieces that instilled confidence in those wearing them.

Our in-house production team, Sia and Keya, have been a special part of Bydee. Their dedication to our lace pieces has been a major part of why you’ve loved and supported our designs all these years.

But all good things must come to an end, and we’ve reached that moment for handmade lace. To honour our roots, what better way is there than to celebrate how it started?

April 2014:

The first Bydee bra, the one that started it all, was made – upcycled from a family heirloom, no less! Dee has always had a love of intimates and ensuring that her designs are both beautiful and eco-friendly. This initial piece was crafted for an assignment, one of the many projects she worked on during her time studying fashion at University. Using the dress her grandmother wore to her parent's wedding, Dee made her first lace piece (her grandmother may not have known ~ Shh).

We have Dee’s mother, Sia, to thank for Dee’s budding interest in intimates, having gifted Dee many beautiful pieces, always saying, “these are to make YOU feel good.” It’s now a fundamental Bydee belief that your day will be infinitely better if you feel good underneath your clothing.

May 2014:

Dee quickly began making lace bras, selling them on Facebook to friends & acquaintances. Being able to customise her sizes to babes struggling to find pieces that catered to their proportions, Dee’s designs celebrated bodies of all shapes and sizes. Sourcing fun, unique laces allowed the brand to grow, and her customers were able to purchase custom pieces perfectly designed for their bodies. Made to measure became a real staple for the early stages of Bydee.

2015:

With the growing success of Bydee’s handmade lace products & swimwear, Bydee began popping up at markets across Sydney. Being able to meet and learn from the Bydee customers, Dee fell in love with her community. Seeing how confident her designs made her customers feel instilled in Dee’s love of designing.

Markets became a weekly ritual, and Bydee blossomed. Dee worked tirelessly during the week to hand-make each of the pieces she would bring to the markets over the weekend. Even in these early days, despite the growing following, Dee never thought her brand would grow beyond markets. “Meeting all the amazing women, their partners, friends, and family was the best. I would grow relationships with these people, and they would visit regularly.” Bydee resonated with these early customers, and some international students even requested pieces be made and sent to them back home, long after their exchange had ended. Dee knew she had started something special, something she loved.

2018:

Dee’s mother, Sia, became an invaluable part of Bydee. As Dee struggled to keep up with demand, Sia stepped in. Having spent much of her life sewing pieces for her daughters, Sia quickly learned Dee’s designs.

“I moved from working at Mum’s kitchen bench to working with her as Bydee’s first real employee,” says Dee.

Working tirelessly through the week to hand make each piece and hosting market stores all weekend, Sia’s help was a necessity ~ thank God for Mums, right ?!

Bydee photoshoots were also a family effort, with both Dee and her younger sister Georgia taking photos of each other for upcoming releases, released monthly to accommodate the growing customer base.

May 2019:

Dee’s goal at Bydee’s inception, and still to this day, has always been to create a brand dedicated to women and continues to be something she is immensely proud of. At this point, Dee’s focus was to move Bydee into more than a market stall. She says,
“I knew the potential of an online brand and presence…it would mean I could reach so many more women.”
From listening to the on-the-ground feedback from market customers and translating that into improved designs.

By this time, Dee knew it was time to elevate the brand, and her focus shifted to how the online community presented and perceived the brand. Having been familiar with Carlene Raschke's content for a while, it was clear that her aesthetic aligned with the brand, so Bydee did their first-ever professional handmade lace shoot with her.

May 2020:

As Bydee’s handmade lace continued to grow, Sia needed a second pair of hands. Keya, Bydee’s second employee, was a perfect choice; immediately, it was clear that she understood Bydee’s values and became a part of the family. Sia and Keya worked closely as they grew Bydee’s handmade lace category together, the pair becoming the dream team for all Bydee’s handmade lace collections.

August 2020:

After years of growth, working from home was no longer possible. It was time for Bydee to find a space. A warehouse space was found, and Bydee moved in! A studio was created for sewing, space was made for stock, and the Bydee team continued to grow!

July 2022:

In 2022, handmade lace released their final collection, Wildflower, a Bydee HQ favourite. As a business, Bydee had really grown over the last two years, with a team of over ten to thank. The focus has always been to provide our Bydee with the best possible experience, and with that, we have decided to say goodbye to handmade lace as we narrow our focus and continue to grow Bydee.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank every single one of our beautiful customers and followers of Bydee’s handmade lace journey. Handmade lace was fundamental to our growth and propelled Bydee in our early years. Building this part of the business with my Mum, Sia, has been such a special and rewarding experience, one that will forever remain close to my heart. Goodbyes aren’t always easy, but as Bydee continues to evolve, I’m more excited than ever to see what the future will bring."

May 2019:

July 2022:

July 2022:

Love, Dee xx