Reem Acra kicked off Spring ’18 Bridal Week at Tiffany & Co. last night, celebrating her partnership with the jeweler and her label’s 20th anniversary. While Tiffany’s is a traditional setting for all things wedding-related, the show’s beginning was unorthodox: Acra opened with 12 black gowns. A standout from the group was a slinky dress with tiers of draped jewels dipping down the décolletage and past the thigh. Acra had her reasons for the atypical bridal moment: “It was a celebration of diamonds. I wanted it to be sexy, modern, and very glamorous in a luxurious way,” she said. “I decided instead of throwing wedding dresses on the runway, I wanted to express gratitude to women.” Another unexpected but fresh option were the gloves: One cream gown with a lace bust had black gloves up to the biceps with Love embroidered in script.
The collection’s inspiration was also intriguing—a large yellow diamond, known as the Tiffany Diamond, that hadn’t been removed from its case in several years. To study the diamond and sketch her gowns, Acra had to be accompanied by four security guards. Excessive? Maybe not: The last person to wear the diamond was none other than Breakfast at Tiffany’s star Audrey Hepburn, a sweet background story for brides-to-be.