Sewing wedding dreams

Weddings are the most special day in someone’s life, harbingering a new phase. For a woman, it's even more heart fluttering as her mind boggles with a vivid concoction of sentiments, memories, excitement and embrace of new roles in life. As she readies to be a bride and welcome this endearing change, her day ought to be made momentous for a lifetime. Her bridal gown needs to be woven into perfection and to her taste as they serve as souvenirs to mark the wedding day. Well, New York Bridal Fashion Week 2021 is here to weave women’s dreams and set trends in bridal fashion wear. The two day event, held between April 6-8 presented the Spring Summer 2022 Bridal collection. From lace and embroidered patterns to 3-D textures and Mikado silk designs, we have charted out the most gorgeous designs that are going to rule the aisle.

The Atelier Couture’s ode to ‘Art Nouveau’

Art and fashion are similar in the sense that they both take inspiration from one another. The Atelier Couture's creative director Jimmy Choo did the same. He was inspired by Art Nouveau movement that prevailed in Western Europe in the 1890s and influenced the art world. The fashion house drew inspiration from the works of artists in various walks of life, such as French glass designer René Lalique's 'Dragonfly-woman' corsage ornament, Belgian architect Victor Horta's representative work Hotel Tassel and Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi Cornette's Sagrada Família Schools to name some. This resulted in a collection that was not limited to traditional decorative patterns. “It is an experimentation with new graphic designs, using simple organic lines, fusion of the stems of flowers and plants, insects and birds. Natural styling elements such as wings are created on lace and embroidered patterns”, the house mentions. In the words of architectural artist Antoni Gaudi Cornette, the collection found "Art in nature, Nature in art" with its natural appeal. The collection is created through stitching embroidery and jewellery drilling process which is very delicate as compared to the traditional embroidery process. One of the most remarkable pieces in the collection typical of Art Nouveau period is a gown with a rose design. It is different from other wedding dresses as there is no exquisite lace and jewellery drilling process involved. Rather, only one kind of fabric is used dexterously to give a white rose shape. It is symbolic of values like innocence and holiness that were dominant in that period in Europe. The fashion house has also broken the monotony of using a single color scheme by bringing its vibrant and elegant evening gowns in red, peach and blue. Overall, the collection has a classic and sensual appeal done right with a touch of retro. “The trend changes every year, but the classics are eternal. If there is a good part in the change, we can absorb it, but we cannot follow the trend”, says the fashion house on its recent collection that took meticulous hard work of more than 6 months to create.

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From lace and embroidered patterns to 3-D textures and Mikado silk designs, we have charted out the most gorgeous designs that are going to rule the aisle.

Dana Harel sees a ‘silver lining’

Since its launch in 2012, Israeli designer Dana Harel’s eponymous fashion house has come a long way, having dressed world-renowned celebrities like actress Gina Rodriguez, Adria Arjona, Israeli singer Daniella Pick and many more. Now she brought a glimmer of hope in these difficult times with her new bridal collection titled The Silver Lining. Strongly inspired by 19th-century french fashion designer Madame Vionnet who liberated women from the traditional rigid corset, the shapes and materials used in this collection embrace the women’s bodies while accentuating their feminine charisma. “I asked myself: what is the perfect wedding dress for a woman? My answer was that it has to be festive while flattering and light on the body. The idea was to go back to the basics by creating a classic and timeless collection made for the bride’s eyes: She is at the heart of this collection”, said Dana Harel on her new collection. Her collection is categorised into broad thematic bridal gowns. For instance, Iris, is a geometrical A-line gown made of sheer embroidered tulle, beads and sequins and is suitable for a contemporary taste. Annaelle gown is inspired by ancient Greece and is characterised by Chantilly lace and side slits for a revered goddess look. Sasha is a mermaid gown inspired by the ultra-glamorous red carpet events of Hollywood. Chloe’s is a romantic A-line gown inspired by the ’50s. It is adorned with floral embroidered tulle and is juxtaposed with ruffle layers to give a beguiling baby doll look. Tara is a royal piece made of ivory Mikado silk, characterised by a straight line corset and seductive side slit. Aline is made of silk tulle, organza, flower embroidery, sheer corset and side slits. Last but not the least, Nadine is a classic A-line gown inspired by the theme of nature featuring big flower sequins