The Temperley London bride has always been a little bohemian, and the label’s best-selling gowns speak to the enduring appeal of the rich-hippie aesthetic. But there’s more to Alice Temperley than flounce sleeves and flowing skirts. For Spring ’18, the designer ventured into new territory with gowns that were less “flower child” and more sophisticated. “This season is very ethereal, dreamy, and soft, but super-glamorous,” Temperley said on a call. “We’re putting a little twist on things.”
Each wedding dress was like a trip back in time. She revisited the ’50s with a cap-sleeved gown with a full duchesse satin skirt, then referenced Hollywood’s Golden Age with a nipped-waist bias-cut number. She also paid homage to the ’70s with a groovy lace wrap dress. Art Nouveau was a recurring motif too; between the sinuous, embroidered lines echoing an Alphonse Mucha portrait and the crystal-laden bodices, there was a lot for a vintage enthusiast to love.
While she evoked the past, Temperley still had modern women in mind. She’s offering a full range of custom colors beyond traditional white, and added utilitarian, practical touches like pockets and silk lining. Even her most ornate crystal-covered Regina gown was rooted in real life: “It’s like a Fabergé wedding dress,” Temperley said. “It looks like corsetry, this embroidered armor, but it’s actually soft.” That mix of old and new, decadence and comfort, might seem like a paradox, but it could be just the thing for brides who want it all.
