Dream wedding dress inspiration from New York Bridal Fashion Week
The Spring Summer 2022 collections did not disappoint, from whimsical, romantic gowns to ultra-modern, dramatic designs
ELIE SAAB
Saab took the lead presenting one of the brand’s most sensational bridal collections to date, taking his creative designs to the next level — while remaining true to the essence of bridal by keeping his cuts classic. Show-stopping, full feathered ballgowns, 3D organza lace appliqué florals, heavily beaded tulle dramatic sleeves and hoods were all featured. Deep V-necklines were mixed in with longer-than-usual sleeves, pushing forward Saab’s personal thesis that the fashionable, modern bride can still be traditional, ‘for the playful yet poised bride wanting to delicately indulge in the vision of her moment.’ There’s no cutting corners when it comes to the Elie Saab bride, and certainly no lack of imagination.
THE ATELIER COUTURE BY PROFESSOR JIMMY CHOO
One of the bridal industry’s best kept secrets, in 2015 this renowned shoe master turned his hand to bridal dress designs through The Atelier Couture. Under his reimagining, the concept of a wedding dress carries the dreams of every young girl and the desire for love. Perfection — achieved through divine craftsmanship — is prevalent through this SS 22 collection. The level of design detail is extraordinarily high on each and every gown, as well-thought-out beading is met with masterful manipulation of material. Interestingly he has offered an array of coloured dresses, from soft pastels through to pillar-box red, for the second-time bride or even just the after-party look.
MARCHESA FOR PRONOVIAS
When these two major brands, both known for their red-carpet style gowns and celebrity dressing, announced they were collaborating, brides couldn’t wait to see what the visual outcome would be. Inspired by the beauty of the historic Spanish town of Seville and sensuality of the Mediterranean, the overall focus has been on Marchesa’s signature style of striking yet lightweight constructions, using sophisticated layering techniques. Marchesa’s much coveted corsets, which have been known to visibly drop brides a dress size or two while giving a more sculpted shape, have also been employed throughout this glamorous collection.
MIRA ZWILLINGER
Having been the toast of New York (and London too) for quite some time, this go-to designer for ‘up-town girls’ presents every collection as if it were her last — with great passion and care. Zwillinger does whimsical beautifully, and always with a modern touch. Sticking to flattering fishtails and wafty tulle A-line gowns with delicate appliqués, she added caplets and dreamy tulle sleeve details; creating a union to delight both the romantic and fashion-forward bride. The ‘Winds of Wonder’ collection is about renewal and rebirth in a post-pandemic world where nature is brought to life through her designs, combined with the love and care of the bride wearing them.
ZUHAIR MURAD
A touch of the old-school Hollywood screen siren meets a beautiful ballerina confident and jaw-dropping-ly beautiful, but serene, graceful and elegant in equal measure. Accentuated, pulled-in waists with huge skirts created hour-glass figures to die for, while this season’s most fashionable detail, the bow, appeared on both dresses and veils, lending a Hepburn-esque twist. Layers of tulle fringing were employed on skirts as a nod to the ballerina look, in what was a small but perfectly thought out collection.
VIKTOR & ROLF
A short ‘film noir’ called ‘Dial V&R for Marriage’ was created to present the collection, delivering an air of romance and suspense. Known to never take the easy (or obvious) path, each and every season the duo miraculously return with new wearable bridal designs, while staying true to their avant-garde roots. While there were plenty of Swinging Sixties short numbers stylishly done (think Jackie O in the chicest of white ensembles) there were also lots of soft, feminine long lace gowns with a generous use of veils, as well as more structured duchess satin, subtle mermaid and A-line creations. The odd jumpsuit and tea-dress was also thrown in for good measure, to signal the emergence of the more daring post-pandemic bride.
NAEEM KHAN
The Indian New York-based designer spent 10 years on his mainline brand until he launched bridal. Inspired by his Mumbai family’s clothing business, who designed for Indian royalty, he developed his own aesthetic, now known for his modern and opulent looks. The ‘no corner left unturned’ (or rather piece of fabric left untouched in this case) principle definitely applied to this collection, with elements of his Indian heritage coming through in sculpted high necklines and dramatic detailing. Other parts of the collection touched on the 1920s flapper girl style, with short dresses and fringing.
KATE HALFPENNY
The stylist-turned-designer was earmarked early on in her career as the woman who gave a fashion edge to British modelling icons Kate Moss and Erin O’Connor. In this collection she has used her own Halfpenny heritage textiles from the archives, in order to shine a light on designs that weren’t given the limelight they deserved due to last year’s fate — thus making it a sustainable and much-loved collection. Calling herself a ‘fabric obsessive,’ Halfpenny employed Mikado, silk crepes and soft tulles to create her eye-catching 16 piece collection, along with countless veil designs to match.
ANNE BARGE
The dreamiest, most romantic of all collections was aptly set in grand Parisienne gardens, inspired by the irresistible lure of French romance. The collection takes you back to a bygone era of old-school glamour and style, mimicking the Anne Barge philosophy of ‘good design is timeless’. Big gowns floated in between the Cyprus trees with a lighter-than-air, romantic feel in the finest silk mikado, satin organza, endless lace and floral jacquard fabrics, all coming together to create an ultra-feminine feel and look. A glamorous, frilly tulle off-the-shoulder ball gown gave a nod to Gone with the Wind — an ode to Georgia, the home state of the brand. A celebrity favourite, Creative Director Shawne Jacobs has designed bespoke pieces for the likes of Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria and the Duchess of Sussex.
TEMPERLEY BRIDAL LONDON
Soft and flowing, easy-to-wear silhouettes were warmly welcomed, after a year that saw a more relaxed feel and style filter into the bridal world. Balloon and ruffle sleeves were seen alongside her signature heavy embroidery and coloured dresses were included for the more bohemian, alternative bride. The ‘Poppy’ long-sleeved dresses stood out on a pretty pattern of red love hearts, against a feminine blush pink backdrop, the perfect choice for those seeking something different.
