Lela Rose’s bridal presentations tend to get a lot of love on Instagram. In seasons past, she has taken over The Pavilion in Union Square and Café Altro Paradiso to show her ladylike dresses with a side of cocktails and canapés. La Sirena was the destination for Spring ’18, where editors and buyers snapped endless photos of the open-air setting, bite-size snacks, and pink napkins hand-embroidered with the theme of the collection: Love is love.
A fur-tufted ivory cape had the same phrase on the back, but Rose wasn’t looking to get political. For her, bridal is about designing simply pretty, sophisticated dresses that aren’t stuffy or overworked. She described her ethos as “a relaxed formality.” “Even if one of our gowns nods to tradition, there’s an ease about it. It’s part of the changing rules of bridal,” she said. “I think women want to feel like themselves, instead of wearing a dress that’s unlike anything they’ve ever worn in their regular life.”
For Spring, that meant slim gowns with lots of Rose’s signature flower appliqués; a square-neck A-line dress with raw-edged silk and crystal embroidery; and a pantsuit comprised of an off-the-shoulder silk faille top with pearls stitched along the edges and matching trousers. It mirrored the new cocktail separates in Rose’s ready-to-wear collections and would make a sweet, dance floor–friendly reception look.
