By Jennifer Thorp
The bridal collections of autumn and spring are the biggest occasions in the wedding fashion industry – and they’re also great for trend-spotting what’s ahead. We’ve brought together the top trends from New York’s Bridal Week Spring 2015 collections, from Oscar De La Renta to Naeem Khan. Get ready for the unexpected…
All images courtesy Brides.com and InStyle.
Sleeves
The Kate Middleton effect is still in full force – but bridal designers are looking for different ways to incorporate modesty into bridal outfits without making them uncomfortable, stiff or hot.
The key to the new lace sleeve look? Not too much coverage. There was lattice at Monique L’Hullier (left), open lace embroidery at Carolina Herrerra (middle left) and coral-inspired organic work at Vera Wang (right – our favourite for its oceanic feel).
And for brides with a delicate touch, Oscar De La Renta (middle right) had long tulle shoulders that melded with elbow-length tulle gloves for a faux-sleeve look.
1930s style
The 1930s was still a strong influence on the catwalk for bridal designers.
What does that mean? Bias-cut silks and satins, capped sleeves, body-skimming silhouettes and Art Deco-style jewels and embroidery.
Jenny Packham (left) is, as ever, the master of 1930s style – her entire collection was inspired by 1930s socialites – but the close-cut silks of Oscar De La Renta (middle) and Reem Acra (right) gave the trend a new lift.
Layers of transparency
Solid was out this season, with fullness and movement instead created by whisps and layers of tulle and transparent material for silhouettes seemingly made out of air.
Rather than stiffness or traditional shapes, this couture trend was all about soft silhouettes and romance, with layer upon layer of sheer tulles and embroidery building up a gradual silhouette.
Carolina Herrera (left) kept it restrained with multi-layered traditional tulle skirts, while Vera Wang (right) let her imagination run wild with explosions of ruptured tulle and lace in huge bustles and bundles. Choose your flavour.
Major veils
If there’s one statement that can come out of this year’s bridal collections, it’s this: the mantilla veil is back.
And it’s no shrinking violet or subtle addition, either.
Go big or go home veils were in full force on the runways, whether in Naeem Khan’s silver-edged style (middle) or Oscar De La Renta’s embroidery-fringed pieces (l and r). The shape of the moment? Head-covering, falling to the waist and edged with divine, out-there adornment, from metallics to stand-alone lace.
Hippie 1970s style
The barefoot carefree style of the 60s and 70s was a large influence on the runway, with Oscar De La Renta even showing (gasp!) a two-piece bathing creation for a destination wedding. Blame the economic crisis, but hippie simplicity is still in.
It was all about simple laces, high necklines and fuss-free silhouettes, with headbands and messy hair.
Oscar De La Renta’s literally barefoot bridal opener (left), in simple cap sleeves and flowing ribbons, made everybody sit up, while the long-sleeved hippie gowns of Naeem Khan (middle) and Vera Wang (right) prompted nostalgia in its finest form.
Shades of grey
Forget blues and pinks – the much-neglected greys and silvers were the chosen palette for bridal designers this season, and the resulting gleam was both on-trend and very classic.
Nobody took it as far as Naeem Khan (left), whose gowns were embossed, embroidered and suffused with silver everywhere, but Reem Acra (right) also got in on the trend with a dusty pale grey background to lace.
And Jenny Packham (centre) made silver her highlight, with delicate embroideries and beadings on the top of subtly grey gowns. She even included a dusty dark grey-brown – perfect for redheads.
What was your favourite trend from the 2015 bridal collections?