OUR STORY

A Letter from Our President and Founder

At 25, I was offered my dream job as a wedding designer—an opportunity that felt like a fairytale. I signed a long-term agreement, believing it to be the right decision. Handing over the rights to use my name as a trademark for the bridal collection I’d created seemed reasonable at the time. But looking back, I realize I didn’t fully understand what I was giving away.

Over nearly a decade, I poured my heart into designing thousands of gowns and appeared on Say Yes to the Dress, reaching brides across the world. I took on responsibilities that went far beyond my original role. As my contract neared its end in 2019, I hoped to renegotiate, trusting that my contributions and changing circumstances would be acknowledged.

Instead, I faced a restrictive legal battle that cost me my rights and freedoms. I was barred from using my birth name in any business activity, and I was unable to claim my designs or even identify as a wedding dress designer. My personal social media accounts were taken, and my identity was seemingly erased. As a believer in agency over victimhood, I decided to pivot. I changed my name publicly to Cheval, started a new path in women’s shoes, and became an advocate for change.

In July 2024, I was honored to testify in front of Congress, speaking about the damage that restrictive contracts and non-competes can inflict on young creatives. After nearly three and a half years of litigation, my former employer filed for bankruptcy, allowing me to reach a positive settlement. Today, I am overjoyed to announce that I once again own my full intellectual property portfolio and my name. I am returning to the bridal industry, back to where my heart belongs, ready to design wedding gowns in 2025.

But I know that my story, though hopeful, is the exception. Not every young artist or professional has the resources to defend themselves. And so, A Girl You Might Know Foundation was born. I am a girl you might know, standing up for any girl (or person) you might know. Our foundation is here to bring awareness to the risks of non-compete clauses and predatory contract language and to advocate for protections around social media presence and intellectual property.

Through affordable or pro bono legal services, negotiation training, case law education, and experience-based resources, we want to help young creatives protect their dreams, identities, and rights. No dream should cost you your name, your morals, or your sense of self.

With gratitude,
Hayley Paige (aka CHEVAL)