New to Nashville as of September, Department is a fine jewelry, fragrance and finds boutique created by Camille Seven of The Dress Theory and LVD Bridal. Camille began her family of boutique retail brands in 2012, when she opened The Dress Theory bridal shop in Seattle for unique, fashion-forward brides searching for independent, quality designers. Soon after, she opened two more locations – one in San Diego and one in Nashville. Camille then debuted LVD Bridal in East Nashville, a sister brand offering designer wedding dresses for consignment. Now, twelve years later, she has created another brand to join the family!
Located in Green Hills, Department draws inspiration from classic luxury department stores and offers a carefully curated selection of fine jewelry from independent designers, perfumes and candles from artisanal fragrance brands, and unique tabletop items – such as cocktail glasses and table linens intended to elevate the everyday. After earning a degree in Art History at the University of California in San Diego, Camille lived in France and graduated from culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, completed design school in Manhattan, received her certificate in natural perfumery, and began The Dress Theory and LVD Bridal shops. Department offers an outlet for her other passions of jewelry and gemology, fragrance and the culinary arts.
With the storefront designed by Birmingham-based interior designer Jeremy Clark, Department embodies Camille's love for Parisian elegance; She provided Clark with a vision deeply rooted in her experiences in Paris and her time living there as a new mom and student. As one of the only woman-and-locally-owned fine jewelry retailers in Nashville, Department brings new and fresh designs to the market with its offering of contemporary yet timeless pieces. Camille personally sources each item herself selecting unique, heirloom-worthy and ethically-sourced pieces ranging from earrings and necklaces to charms and pendants featuring 18k gold and gemstones such as opals, moonstones, green tourmaline, emeralds, rubies and diamonds. Ready-to-wear jewelry begins at just under $1,000, but Department also works with customers to create custom pieces working with their roster of designers. Camille credits the success of her boutiques to her passionate stylists and her incredible clientele who are all far more stylish, supportive, and visionary than she could’ve ever dreamed.
“Over the last twelve years styling 10,000 brides through The Dress Theory and LVD Bridal, I have witnessed firsthand what I’ve always known innately to be true - that finishing touches are what set brides apart and make a gown individual,” Camille shares. “The same goes for homes, dinner tables and personal style. The finishing touches can be as seemingly small as your favorite handmade mug for your morning coffee, the perfume that reminds you of your favorite destination, or a pair of earrings that always make whatever you're wearing feel special and complete. It’s these final layers that make our foundations – our clothes, our tabletops, ourselves – uniquely ‘you.’”
The mom of three calls Nashville home and can’t wait to share her interests beyond wedding dresses with the Middle Tennessee community. With her husband being her accountant and biggest supporter, she adds that she is truly thrilled to embark on this new journey, especially since her kids make everything more meaningful.
“I have always loved discovering and sharing finds with family and friends,” Camille shares. “To now be able to do so on a larger scale through the opening of Department is a lifelong dream come true. And to expand my involvement in life's special moments beyond wedding days... to anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, retirements, and even the everyday... what greater honor is there?”
Sourcing largely from Paris and New York, The Department is the first boutique to introduce several brands to the Nashville market. Striving to form a community that celebrates the little things that make us feel like ourselves, The Department loves making any day feel a little more personalized - a little more magical. From their selection of beautiful gems from independent jewelry designers, rare niche fragrances, and standout tabletop and kitchenware that can’t be found elsewhere in Nashville, The Department is truly a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
Their storefront is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by private appointment after hours or on Sundays or Mondays. Department also offers complimentary gift-concierge services and personal and private shopping options. For more information, visit DepartmentNashville.com or follow along on Instagram @DepartmentNashville.
qull quote 1 (2nd page) “The little things are what makes the whole picture. Welcome to the department of finishing touches.”
pull quote 2 (3rd page) "...celebrate the little things that make us feel like ourselves."