Bold spring fashions coming for brides
Bridal Fashion Week just wrapped up in New York City. And a number of Baltimore-area boutique owners attended to get a better sense of what they will stock when next year's collections arrive at the start of 2017.
“The collections definitely covered each season for brides,” said Mia Antalics, owner of the Ruxton Station-based Garnish Boutique. “There were a beautiful assortment of floral embellishment for spring and summer weddings, along with a lot of sparkle and shimmer for our fall and winter brides. ... I feel that it was a great blend of sellable and wearable gowns for the modern bride along with the fashion editorial looks that help set the tone for the seasons.”
Betsy Robinson, owner of Pikesville-based Betsy Robinson's Bridal Collection, noted the romantic feel to many styles.
“A lot of the dresses had a lot of innocent looks to them,” she said. “Some of the dresses looked architectural. The details gave them a more orderly feel. There was a lot of good design. I'm always amazed that the manufacturers come up with new ways of incorporating fabric. It gives the dress more of a pattern.”
Francesca Ripple, owner of Francesca's Bridal in Green Spring Station in Brooklandville, also described the dresses as “architectural and structured” or “a little more billowy and romantic.”
Dresses were also sexy — especially when it came to Israeli designers, who are known for their plunging necklines and revealing pattern cuts.
“Their dresses were very beaded,” Ripple said. “They work with extremely light colors — light blushes and antique gold — and beautiful metallic threading. The fabrics were lighter than they've been in the past. It results in a very opulent, sensual look.”
Less beading and more coverage dominated other collections.
“The designers have been working very hard to make wedding dresses for brides who want a timeless gown with a current feel,” Ripple said. “They nailed it. I felt the best about it this market.”
Here are the top bridal dress trends for 2017:
Ballgown skirts
Ballgown skirts popped up in a variety of collections.
Romona Keveza's finale dress was so big that it couldn't fit through the hallway of her penthouse apartment.
“Ten years ago, this would never be possible,” she said in reference to the design process that allowed her to construct such a large yet lightweight gown. “It weighs about six pounds. I call it a Cinderella dress. There's no other way to describe it.”
Ripple was particularly impressed with Keveza.
“That dress is for a young, sophisticated girl who realizes she only can wear that look on her wedding day,” she said.
Ripple also noted that Anne Barge showed two full ballgowns in her collection.
“One was made of organza and lace. The other was a silk Mikado with a very full skirt and a wide band ... at the waist,” she said. “Girls have been asking for fuller skirts. I think the designers listened. They paid attention.”
Off-the-shoulder dresses
In a carryover from ready-to-wear fashion collections, bare shoulders were in abundance among bridal dress designers.
Theia Bridal and Matthew Christopher showed the trend particularly well, according to Ripple.
“They did beautiful lace, off-the-shoulder dresses,” she said. “The dress itself had a slim silhouette with a modified cap sleeve.”
The end result were dresses that had a classic feel.
“It brings a sexy elegance to a bride,” Ripple said. “It's that old Hollywood feel that some girls are looking for. When they use the lace, it makes it vintage. It's a great way of pulling all those looks together.”
3-D flowers, floral appliques
Flowers came alive with 3-D floral applique treatments to dresses and gowns.
YolanCris showed a mini dress with a bird-cage skirt adorned with strategically placed 3-D flowers.
Amsale closed out her collection with a gown that featured pearlized floral appliques along the bodice. The result was an ethereal, dreamy gown.
“It's been pretty consistent among all designers,” Antalics said about the use of 3-D floral applications. “It gives life to the gowns with the flowers coming off the gown.”
Marchesa and Anne Barge did great jobs with the trend, according to Antalics.
“You saw a lot of range with the designs,” she said.
Separates
Conversion dresses and two-piece dresses were sprinkled throughout many bridal collections.
Badgley Mischka led the way with a collection that featured detachable ruffled and pleated tulle skirts. They also offered feathered and beaded tops and long lace sleeves.
“It's building on the look,” said Antalics, who cited Keveza and San Francisco-based designer Amy Kuschel as nailing the trend. “It allows for different types of weddings. You can cover up for a Catholic wedding or for a bit more conservative bride. But once you go to the reception, you go down to the base dress.”
Robinson noticed a lot of accessorizing with dresses.
“There were plenty of detachable overskirts, caplets and jackets,” Robinson said.
“It's all the same dress. You walk down the aisle looking traditional. and you can take the layers off and wear the A-line dress to the reception,” she said.
Color
Marchesa featured two blush dresses — a sweetheart gown with a plush, cascading trumpet skirt and a high-low number that wowed the crowd during the presentation. And Carolina Herrera's seven-dress collection included two stunning blush gowns.
But it was the Lazaro line that led the color charge.
“I feel like Lazaro nailed it,” Antalics said. “He did color with more of a shimmer texture as opposed to the floral details he's done in the past.”
Antalics loved the vibrancy and color range of the collection.
“It was very wearable and salable,” she said. “The blush, champagne, gold — even blue — was very flattering to a range of skin tones.”
Robinson liked the softer blush options found in Monique Lhuillier and Enaura Bridal.
“She [Enaura] did a cool dress with a white tulle skirt with splashes of yellow and cafe,” she said. “They called it Sunset. It was very subtle. It was just so pretty. The ombre coloration was just here and there.”
Robinson said Enaura Bridal was one of her favorite collections.
“Their line was magnificent,” she said. “It was unbelievable how beautiful their stuff was. I'm looking at it for salability and price.”
Plunging necklines
Some necklines continued to hover around the bellybutton while the backs of dresses revealed skin at the bottom of the spine.
YolanCris, a Barcelona-based brand designed by two sisters, showed a number of daring dresses with deep V-necklines. It's no wonder the design duo is a favorite of Beyonce and Kim Kardashian.
Israeli designers also showed a good amount of skin.
Idan Cohen was memorable, according to Ripple.
“He used the deep cuts, as far as showing the low back and low front, but he topped it with illusion fabric. The dresses weren't as revealing, in a sense. It was a softer way of making a dress provocative,” she explained.
She said Keveza also did an outstanding job in her two lines: Legends and Collection Bridal.
“She can make a dress plunging but respectful at the same time,” Ripple added.
Hayley Paige left an impression with Antalics.
“She has a good range of different deep neckline options for brides. They fit a variety of bodies,” Antalics explained.
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