The arrival of wedding season has been a long time coming for Christian Siriano. He’s been designing wedding gowns since the early days of his business, but Spring ’18 marks just his second official bridal outing. After debuting last April exclusively with Kleinfeld (of Say Yes to the Dress fame), Siriano is now expanding his bridal line to include looks sold beyond the retailer’s walls. This time, “It was less about the trends,” he said, “and more what our customer really wants.” For Siriano’s brides, that means romance in every sense of the word; a varied price range that starts at $3,500 and tops out around $17,000; and an inclusive approach to sizing, with some dresses going up to size 26.
Siriano’s wedding business also has a growing celebrity following, including Orange Is the New Black actress Samira Wiley, who wore a custom off-the-shoulder crop top and ball skirt to her wedding to OITNB writer and producer Lauren Morelli in March. Fans quickly began asking Siriano for similar styles, so for Spring ’18 he designed a silk faille midriff top and a matching full skirt. Other bridal separates include a dazzling tulle cape covered in crystals and pearls, which Siriano smartly paired with a silk crepe jumpsuit befitting a minimalist who dreams of wearing pants to the party à la Morelli. (Her bridal jumpsuit was a custom Siriano, too.)
There were also more traditional dresses here. Siriano placed an emphasis on frothy tulle skirts and textured embroidered bodices. Not that a bride should have to choose: He combined both in one multitiered confection that gradually shifted from white to ivory, creating an interesting ombré effect. The blended mix of colors felt quietly unexpected, while the volume and fluff placed the silhouette firmly in fairy-tale territory. The underskirt construction alone took weeks to complete; as the designer concisely put it, “These girls take time.”
