It’s been a whirlwind year for Carly Cushnie. She started by celebrating the 10th anniversary of Cushnie et Ochs, only to announce the departure of her partner, Michelle Ochs, days later. She rebranded the line to Cushnie and debuted a very personal Spring 2019 collection at New York Fashion Week, as well as a collaboration with Lee Body Optix and a new line of bags.
If all that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Cushnie also showed her first bridal collection yesterday. It’s an intimidating space to break into, one that is highly saturated and filled to the rafters with the sort of flounce that Cushnie isn’t particularly known for. But after designing her own wedding dress, as well as gowns for her sister, one for Cushnie’s handbag designer, and many private clients, she felt she could carve out a niche. She’d done the visits to big-box bridal shops and tried on dresses in front of an audience. What was missing in her mind were gowns that hugged the body in all the right places, no matter a woman’s size or shape—gowns that made brides look and feel their best and could accommodate a variety of personalities.
Her debut bridal lineup didn’t just include silk gowns with a range of necklines—strapless V-neck, long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder—but also sharp white jackets, trousers, and tops, some of which came with subtle beading, pearl trim, or Chantilly lace. She also designed pieces that would work for a variety of weddings: a jumpsuit to change into after a 400-person formal ceremony, or simply to wear to City Hall.
The fans Cushnie has attracted over the last decade will be eager to try her wedding dresses. In a market that tends to churn out much of the same thing, this bridal collection looked like a natural, organic extension of what the Cushnie woman wears in “real life.” But brides who aren’t as familiar with her minimalist, sexy aesthetic could be intrigued, too.
