“I wanted to offer my clients a different viewpoint,” said Vera Wang of her latest bridal collection. The designer said the 20 looks were her new take on romanticism: “I felt frustrated by what is typically thought of romantic.” Instead, she offered up a new concept focused on sleeves and asymmetry.
This rethink was most successful on a daring, body-skimming crepe dress, which featured an exaggerated draped sleeve on one side, a tulle whisper of a sleeve on the other, and an oversize black silk flower on the shoulder. “It’s not simply about the components of a dress that are traditionally bridal-related, like lace and chiffon and all these other materials,” Wang said. “It’s a total exploration of viewing a wedding gown in another context, but still being relatable to modern, young women.”
Wedding day purists will fawn over the designer’s signature ivory lace offerings, like the sleeveless, plunging V-neck gown with scallop detailing and a more demure long-sleeved version. But it’s when Wang pushed the envelope of conventional weddingwear that she reminded us why she’s been the reigning queen for decades. “I’m trying to push [brides] in a different direction,” she said. The most avant-garde will appreciate the cutaway dress with three-quarter sleeves embellished with sheared-tulle flowers, pearls, and a tuxedo cape, which looked like something Tilda Swinton might wear on an upcoming red carpet.
Wang’s hope is that by presenting a new, global perspective on bridal, the tides will shift away from sweetheart necklines and mermaid hems. “There are many brides in this room,” she said, “and there are different personalities. But in the end, [in] every single context, we’ve pushed that vocabulary further.”
