Business Notebook: Nicole Fouche designs and alters custom wedding dresses at Fouche Bridal

Nicole Fouche's Fouche Bridal at 38 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau is an extension of work she's done in Cape Girardeau for a couple of years now, she said: designing and altering wedding dresses.

"It's more an emotional than a style thing," Fouche said of dress design. "It's how a bride feels in the gown."

That's why it's vital for a bride to try on several different dresses, Fouche said.

"It depends on a bride's style and her body type," she said, and once the fabric is chosen, the basic structure of the gown can be determined.

"Most custom [dress] brides are so creative," Fouche said.

Nicole Fouche holds jewelry for custom-made pieces Feb. 27 at Fouche Bridal in downtown Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

She should know. After running her alterations and dress creation business out of Magnolias Bridal Boutique in Cape Girardeau for the last two years, Fouche has had a lot of clients -- and not just brides. She works on bridesmaid dresses, mother-of-the-bride looks, flower-girl dresses and even prom dresses, though she's largely moved away from that, she said.

"There's just something about creating a dress they'll cherish," Fouche said.

Her new space opened in early February, she said, and she designed it with minimal distraction so the bride can focus on her dress and the accessories she'll wear with it.

But the magic happens in the back.

That's where Fouche's sewing machines, dress form, garment steamer and fabric rooms take center stage.

"I've been designing since 2010," she said, and has participated in Los Angeles, St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, Fashion Weeks.

She auditioned for "Project Runway" in 2013, she said, and met Tim Gunn, a well-known fashion consultant.

He told her he just didn't like pastels, and "I was obsessed with pastels then," she said.

Fouche also has run alterations for David's Bridal, formerly in Cape Girardeau, and worked with Men's Wearhouse.

She faced a decision a few years ago when she was going to graduate from Southeast Missouri State University: stay in Cape Girardeau, or move back to California?

Ultimately, she decided to stay, and worked with Magnolias while building toward her own business.

She also creates accessories, including veils and pieces crafted from jewelry, she said.

It takes certain fabric to make a veil, she added.

"You can't just take tulle from Hobby Lobby and make a veil," she said. "There's too much plastic in it. It's too stiff."

She special orders fabric from suppliers, she said, and she likes the quality it lends to her creations.

Fouche said she was "overwhelmed" by how well business has gone for the last couple of years.

"So many people need me here!" she said.

She's done as many as 23 wedding dresses in a month -- that was one October -- but said that was a little much.

Fall tends to be busier than spring, she said, with the trend being for brides to marry in autumn rather than summer.

She encourages clients to book at least two months ahead for alterations, she said. Some brides wait, "and I respect that," she said. "I'm pretty fast, but not always that fast."

Fouche owns a portable sewing machine she can take on the road for emergency fixes, but there is a fee for that service.

Most of her work is done in her workspace, she said, and sometimes her clients are surprised when they meet her.

"It's not the norm for someone my age to be sewing, even though I've done this for a long time," Fouche said, adding she learned to sew from her grandmother.

"When I'm sewing, it's relaxing. It's just flowing with whatever I'm doing," she said.

Study: Cape County a great place to get a mortgage

SmartAsset, a financial technology company, recently released its fourth annual study on the Best Places to Get a Mortgage, company spokeswoman Stephanie Ciosek said. The study determines top markets by comparing the likelihood of mortgage approval by county, in addition to mortgage rates, average five-year borrowing costs and property taxes. According to the study's Best Mortgage Markets Index, Cape Girardeau County ranks among the top locations in Missouri, ninth in the state with a loan funding rate of just more than 66 percent and property taxes at $9,600. The state average for property taxes is almost $11,000, and the loan funding rate statewide sits at just below 60 percent.

More information on the study is at smartasset.com/mortgage/missouri-mortgage-rates#missouri.

Entrepreneurship class offered

Southeast Missouri State University's Economic and Business Engagement Center, 920 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, will hold a launchU class to help people with business ideas become entrepreneurs. The class will be from March 26 through April 11 at the center, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, at a cost of $99. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. For more information, call (573) 986-6085, or enroll online at engage.semo.edu/trainings.

January employment numbers are in

Missouri employment numbers for January are good, according to recent information from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment grew by 4,900 jobs in January from the revised December level, while the unemployment rate remained low at 3.7 percent overall, according to the department.

Employment growth was concentrated in private service-providing sectors, which collectively grew by 5,900 jobs over the month. Professional, scientific and technical services employment was up by 2,800, while health care and social assistance added 2,500 jobs. Other industries with increasing employment included wholesale trade and arts, entertainment and recreation. These gains were partly offset by decreases in accommodation and food services and in construction.

Over the past year, employers have added around 30,000 jobs, increasing nonfarm payroll employment by 1.0 percent. The largest growth was in the professional and business services sectors, which combined to add 12,900 jobs. Health care and social assistance employment was up by 8,800, while manufacturing added 5,100 jobs and leisure and hospitality 3,700 jobs over the year.

Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in January.

For comparison, the seasonally adjusted U.S. rate was 4.1 percent in January. Missouri's seasonally adjusted rate has now been lower than the comparable national rate for 33 consecutive months.

Honor Rewards program for Cape County veterans now available

Cape Girardeau County Recorder Drew Blattner said his office is inviting businesses and local veterans to join Honor Rewards, a nationwide program allowing businesses to register discounts and promotions for veterans, who can receive an identification card for participating. More information is at honorrewards.com, at the county recorder's office in Jackson at 1 Barton Square or by phone at (573) 243-8123.

Ribbon cuttings

Select Physical Therapy will hold a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. Wednesday at its new location, 2062 Walton Blvd. in Jackson.

Seabaugh Appraisal & Consulting and Heartland Appraisal Services will each hold a ribbon cutting, starting at 11 a.m. Thursday, at its new location, 850 Gerald Drive in Jackson.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630