Roland Mouret could not host a presentation this season due to the coronavirus pandemic. In these extenuating circumstances, Vogue Runway has made an exception to its policy and is writing about this collection via photos and remote interviews.
Roland Mouret debuted his bridal collection just five months ago, though the term “bridal” implies a lot of things Mouret is intentionally avoiding. His dresses and suits are designed in the same vein as his sculptural, finely-tailored ready-to-wear, which is to say there isn’t a ball gown, tiara, or spangly embellishment in sight. In fact, though part of his collection is bespoke, a good portion of it is produced in standard sizing so it can be purchased in stores or online, just like his ready-to-wear. In his new fall 2020 bridal collection, that includes the wide-leg trousers, elongated blazers, and origami skirts. As for the delicate organza capes and lace dresses, they’ll be made to order in his studio so he can drape them directly on a woman’s body. The common denominator for both groups is that Mouret intends for his brides to wear them again and again.
“Even if a woman can spend a few thousand pounds, she wants to spend that money well and enjoy [her purchase],” he said on a call from England. “It isn’t sustainable to keep a dress in a box—that has no meaning in the world we live in now. I’m not a big fan of [this idea] that you have one day that’s really magical, and then you put your dress in a box and it becomes just a memory. I like when the clothes are a part of your life.”
Amen to that. On the eve of Earth Day’s 50th anniversary and in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Mouret’s is a refreshing and timely perspective. Flipping through (and zooming in on) his lookbook photos here, it’s easy to see how a bride might follow his advice and wear those crisp ivory trousers to the office with a cardigan, for instance, or perhaps she’ll repurpose her lace cape for a black-tie event. Even the quote-unquote gowns, like a one-shouldered number that twists gently around the body, wouldn’t look particularly “bride-y” in a different context; on a red carpet, it might simply be an elegant, understated dress that happens to be white.
Mouret said he hopes every look, from the dresses to the relaxed suits, will enhance his brides’ strength and confidence on their wedding day and long after. “There’s something [about traditional weddings] that seems to make the woman an object, not the subject,” he says. “If you’re making the decision to marry someone, you’re two equals and two subjects. I like women who know what they’re doing and are in control of it, and no one can tell them how to do it.”
