As if the six (!!!) ready-to-wear and couture collections seasonally weren’t enough to keep up with, there’s also bridal to consider. Like couture, bridal is impossibly fun, romantic, and sure, a little impractical. We love it.
To distill the very best of the best, we turned to Lisa Gooder, the executive director of Brides, who attended along with her team a whopping 40 shows in just about five days and was somehow able to keep all the trends straight for us. Here’s what she loved.
It was another whirlwind Bridal Fashion Week—this season, the team at Brides and I saw over 40 collections, and I’m still reeling from all the beautiful wedding dresses.
Of course, Royal Wedding mania is everywhere and made its way into many collections. The “princess effect” brought regal dresses down the runway, all fit for Windsor Castle. Flirty pants and jumpsuits aren’t going anywhere, and neither is the second-wedding-dress trend (for the reception)—now filled with lots of sparkle and minis. Brides who embrace the naked trend are in luck; things got even sexier this year.
While there’s always something for every bridal style, I’m particularly excited that this season we saw dresses on models of all sizes—our brides have been asking to see this for so long, and the industry has listened.
Here, the five trends we saw everywhere this Bridal Fashion Week.
THE PRINCESS EFFECT
Elie SaabFor Elie Saab, Viktor & Rolf, Hayley Paige, and Reem Acra, it was all about the ball gown, and we definitely welcomed the return of a princess moment for brides.
PANTSUITS
Viktor & RolfLong gone are the days when a bride in pants is radical. Designers like Francesca Miranda, Rivini, and Naeem Khan made the look feel ultra feminine and sexy by adding all-over floral lace to the mix. Lela Rose kept her version of a pantsuit tailored and nostalgic, while Viktor & Rolf’s and Danielle Frankel showed modern jumpsuits that were super chic.
THE 2nd DRESS
Alexandra GreccoLots of brides are going for a second wedding dress, and bridal designers are catching on to it fast. We saw so many party-ready dresses this season: mini dresses with booties at Alexandra Grecco, full-on disco dresses at Naeem Khan, and silver confetti-embroidered gowns at Mira Zwillinger. The reception dress isn’t going anywhere.
CLEAN AND MINIMAL
AmsaleThe return of this very clean and minimal Carolyn Bessette Kennedy silhouette felt like a love letter to the late Amsale. Everyone showed looks that would feel right at home in the ’90s, but were also elevated and really current.
SUPER SEXY
Monique LhuillierBetween the barely-there illusion dresses and necklines that plunged to the navel, this season felt all about sex appeal. This trend has been growing for several seasons, and now it’s stronger than ever. We saw sheer bodices, illusion necklines held up with a whisper of fabric, deep, deep V necks, and illusion skirts that show off the legs. Designers like Monique Lhuillier, Mira Zwillinger, and Berta are betting on this trend.
Photos: Courtesy of Brides
Want more stories like this?
Wedding Trends You’re Going to See Everywhere in 2018
3 Ways to Recreate Emily Ratajkowski’s Wedding Look
These Are the Biggest Trends from Bridal Fashion Week