Spanx founder offered her wedding dress to a stranger. Now 13 brides have worn it
The celebrity philanthropist couldn't believe how the dress enveloped all 13 brides, needing no alterations.
A wedding gown is one of the most personal items a bride carries on her special day. Every bride takes special consideration to pick the perfect dress, even if it has to come from across the globe, and alters it to perfection. Spanx founder Sara Blakely had similar ideas for her wedding dress, but what she didn’t know was the powerful journey it would hold in the decade to come. According to CBS News, Blakely revealed that her dear gown has become the saving grace for 13 brides around the world, rescuing their dream weddings. What started as a strange offer to a fellow hiker turned into the sisterhood of the traveling dress, and there’s so much connection, love, and beauty built into its fabric now.
It started in 2015 when Blakely was on a hike and met Nataly Dawn. After striking up a conversation with a then-stranger, she learned the woman was engaged and soon to be married. Out of the blue, she offered her wedding dress to Dawn, but like every bride, she, too, had the dress of her dreams prearranged. So, Blakely moved on and forgot all about it until a year later, when her phone rang. Days ahead of Dawn's big occasion, the bride was disheartened to see the fittings of her gown messed beyond redemption. In that panicky moment, she contacted Blakely to see if the offer still stood. In a video shared by the founder on Instagram, Blakely revealed that she had the gown sent overnight.
The pretty lace bodice with its flowing ballgown structure was a beautiful piece of art, and definitely the best option at hand. “They're buttoning up the back and… you look up afterwards, there's this moment of how like... how does this fit so perfectly," she said. After that, it was like the destiny of the dress had been planned. It wasn’t meant to sit in a wardrobe; it was meant to be out there, helping brides in need and filling them with shared memories. After Dawn's wedding, Blakely lent the dress to another friend, and the chain of bridehood kept moving.
During COVID, around 7 other women reached out to wear the dress for their respective big days. With stores closed, they were left with little option, and Blakely's offer arrived like a godsend. After the count moved to 9, Blakely decided to make it a tradition and keep the sisterhood of the traveling dress going. She shared a post on Instagram, calling brides to join in the tradition if they were in need of a dress. That moved the number to 13. “I feel a special tie to every woman who has worn it so far... Nataly, Julie, LJ, Renata, Carmin, Loren, Stephanie, Jenna, and Shellie!” she wrote in her caption, and a few more were added. In December, she shared another post confirming the 13th bride, Tanya. It never failed to amaze the troop each time a new bride tried the dress on and it fit perfectly — every single time, no alterations needed.
The woman came across the post and, being a fan of Spanx, thought it would be a great idea to hop on the trend. According to the Business Research Company, the global market size value for wedding dresses as of 2026 is $14.98 billion. It is expected to increase to $18.01 billion by 2030. There is an annual growth rate of 4.8% in this industry because marriages keep happening, and brides want nothing less than perfect for their big day. North America stands as the largest buyer among other countries and regions. Brides are choosing based on tradition, fit, contemporary vs vintage, the dream brand, and so much more.
It’s no wonder a bride doesn’t want to settle for anything apart from her own customized gown. However, mixing tradition, feasibility, and so much more is what Blakely hinted at. Even if you’re a last-minute bride, this just might work. @nicolebehnam wrote, “The ripple effect of your kindness and generosity is incredible.” @shawnapandya added, “That's pretty darn cool!”
You can follow Sara Blakely (@sarablakely) on Instagram for more content on lifestyle.
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