The bridal game in Portland is an impressive one. With a diverse selection of talented independent designers such as Elizabeth Dye and Holly Stalder, plus the vintage scores from Even in Eden and Xtabay Bridal Salon, our inventory could make a bigger city blush.

With that in mind, fear temporarily struck my fashion heart today as Elizabeth Dye released this statement, “On April 9, 2005, I opened a little shop called The English Dept. On November 5, 2013, I stretched my wings. The shop is passing to a new owner, so that I can design full time. Over the last 8+ years, there have been peaks and valleys, and landscapes I could never have imagined. Successes, but also lessons of strength, courage, patience, ingenuity, perseverance and self-reliance. I have a lot of nice memories of lovely people who walked through these doors. I now have a pretty nice collection of power tools. Thank you to everyone who helped The English Dept. become the proud institution that it is. May it live long and prosper. Thank you to anyone who ever asked me to design her wedding dress. Still doing that. Keep asking.”

However, since then we’ve learned the purported new owner appears to be Liz Gross, owner of Xtabay and Xtabay Bridal Salon. If the sale means Dye gets to spend more time designing her feminine frocks, and Gross handles the new shop with the same talent as her other stores, then my fears have already subsided and happy hearts abound.