Vera Wang is celebrating 30 years in business this season. Less than a month ago, she staged an anniversary show during New York Fashion Week, and today she debuted her 60th bridal collection in her Madison Square Park studio. Other designers who reach that milestone might be tempted to reminisce about the past, but not Wang; instead, she’s thinking boldly about the future. The bridal world is slow to change, but as its most influential name, she set out to create something radically modern and new, which will in turn push the industry to evolve.
The fact that it was a surprise to see so much white in Wang’s Fall 2020 collection was a testament to her experimental nature; lately, she’s dismissed the classic shade in favor of dusty pastels, neutrals, and black. But the choice stemmed from her materials: luminous charmeuse, crepe, and silk faille, a traditional couture fabric she tends to avoid. Her challenge was to make it feel fresh, not stuffy, so she cut ivory faille into mini bubble skirts, high-low gowns, and voluminous coat dresses that revealed or concealed the legs with hook-and-eye closures. The crepe was noteworthy for its opacity—Wang tends to prefer sheer tulle or lace—but she felt it looked right for her narrow, strict silhouettes; a few came with touches of menswear tailoring, like the “tails” trailing behind a mini, and others had gothic embroidery, which brides will be able to customize with different letters, numbers, or words.
The biggest story was in the concept of “pieces,” not just one dress: A few beige illusion gowns with light beading (Wang called it “body glitter”) were actually comprised of several slips and bras layered together, while other looks were shown with a removable satin bra top or extra-wide obi belt. Those were a direct reflection of Wang’s own style—she mentioned wearing them over T-shirts—but they’ll also give a bride options to truly personalize her look. Now more than ever, brides are willing to break the rules of what a wedding dress is “supposed to look like,” and the ease of adding or taking off a piece will appeal to women who want to change things up throughout the night.
What connected this collection to last season (and to her Spring 2020 ready-to-wear show) was the sense of dishabille, with straps that appeared to be falling off and asymmetrical, spontaneous-looking constructions. Wang is always quick to point out the level of skill in her studios; the effortless, thrown-on look of the clothes only works because of their couture craftsmanship. That emerald green bustier gown Zendaya wore to the Emmys looked pretty simple, but it was a serious labor of love; Wang said it’s gotten so much positive buzz, she’s going to recreate it in ivory for interested brides.
