Highlights from Bridal Market Fall 2014: The Long-sleeved Gowns

It's time to take a look at our last group of beauties from Bridal Market: the long-sleeved gowns.  (I'm using "long-sleeved" loosely.  For our purposes, "long-sleeved" means anything longer than short-sleeved, so elbow-length, and beyond.)  I mentioned one princess yesterday, and I'll mention another today: Kate Middleton.  Kate brought the concept of long-sleeved bridal gowns, a constant favorite of European royal brides, into the mainstream mindset.  Since Kate wore her bespoke gown, by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, we've seen other celebrity and royal brides make similar sartorial choices.  Recent examples are the Luxembourger royal brides, who both wore long-sleeved Elie Saab gowns on their wedding days: Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie in 2012, and Princess Claire just last month.

Given the impact of Kate's gown and the elegance inherent to this style, I was disappointed not to see more long-sleeved offerings in Bridal Market.  Hence today's short post.  Not all of the major designers show at Bridal Market, though, so we may see more awe-inspiring long-sleeved looks as additional Fall 2014 collections roll out.  Which may inspire an update from yours truly.  We'll see.  :)

Our first gown, above, by Monique Lhuiller, is a beautifully-executed take on a relatively standard long-sleeved look.  I say "standard" because this isn't an uncommon approach to the long-sleeved bridal gown, but it is really hard to go wrong if this is your standard.  You'll note clear similarities between this gown and the gowns of Stéphanie and Claire, mentioned above: closely tailored bodice (though the one above seems more structured), full skirt, delicate mesh lace sleeves, and impeccable detailing.  Further, when a dress fits like this, you win all around.

Next is a gown that you may remember from Monday's post.  (That was a bit of a teaser, no?  Were you waiting to see this one again? :)  This darling from Naeem Khan's collection is a twenty-first century bridal update of an early 1900s European peasant dress.  And the bead work on the bodice bears notable resemblance to the Danish Princess Alexandra's tiara.  I could say more, but you might prefer to judge for yourself:

Nicole Miller showed a nice long-sleeved option, below.  This gown doesn't try to do too much.  It is a straight-forward, slightly Bohemian style that delivers a heavy dose of romance.  Noteworthy details are the shape of the v-neck and the pool of lace at the hem.  Personally, I'd shorten the sleeves to just above the wrist or, perhaps, to the mid-forearm. 

We close our discussion of long-sleeved gowns with this one from Reem Acra.  Lace appliqué is placed over a beige-colored bodice and  layers of sheer tulle.  The color of the lining and the sheerness of the skirt lend a buoyant, alluring fragility.

What are your thoughts on the long-sleeved gowns?  Is this a look that you'd choose for yourself? 

There you have our review of Bridal Market Fall 2014.  I hope that you enjoyed these highlights as much as (or more than!) I did.  

And, if you're just tuning in, check out our reviews of the strapless, sleeveless, and short-sleeved gowns! 

Highlights from Bridal Market Fall 2014: The Short-sleeved Gowns

Welcome back to our round-up of best looks from Bridal Market!  Today, we review the short-sleeved and cap-sleeved gowns, which made for quite a lovely collection.  Short sleeves have not been a terribly popular choice for brides in recent years, but they offer a simple primness for a look that tends to be more pretty and romantic than it is sophisticated or glamorous.  See the wedding gown of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, designed by Valentino Garavani -- Yes, that Valentino -- as a notable example.  If the pretty-oriented, short-sleeved wedding gown becomes a phenomenon, then we may have Madde to thank. 

Moving on.  Our opening pick above, by Reem Acra, stood out among the short-sleeved offerings.  It is one of the more sophisticated designs we'll see today, with generous jewel embellishment around the ballet neckline and a broad A-line skirt.  It's shown here with a sparkly belt, but substituting a narrow band of matching white fabric or ribbon may serve to nip in the waist without interrupting the flow of color from bodice to hem.  My two cents.

A few of the short-sleeved looks went far in the "pretty" direction.  The platinum-hued gown below, from Naeem Khan, has an off-the-shoulder cap-sleeved blouson and is tied with a bit of ribbon at the waist.  It's a peasant-like look for the Bohemian bride. 

Marchesa gave us another belted gown with a ballet neckline.  Beautifully gathered and draped chiffon fans out into an elegant train.  The star, though, is the beaded and embroidered mesh bodice, characteristic of Marchesa's eye for ornate detail. 

Here we have quite a powerful look from Naeem Khan.  It feels fit for Athena; silver-clad, yet feminine.  I could see Michelle Obama, a fan of Khan's, wearing this gown or a more pigmented version of it.

This is a stunner from Monique Lhuillier.  Lace flower capped sleeves appear rooted in the structured, bow-shaped bodice, but they actually are affixed to a barely visible illusion panel that covers the décolletage.  What a graceful, interesting look, and one that likely would flatter various body types.

Monique Lhuillier also presented a more playful gown, below.  The combination of floral lace with gridded embroidery lends a patchwork quality to the piece.  Notice, too, how the placement of the grid pattern creates an hourglass shape, enhancing the middle.

Reem Acra contributed two all-lace gowns.  They use the same sheer lace material, layered over nude lining, and are virtually identical from the waist down (No complaints here.).  The first gown features a deep, wide v-neck, and a capped sleeve that lays a bit like a petal over the edge of the shoulder. 

The second all-lace Acra gown has a high bateau neck, and therefore a more substantial sleeve.  It's finished with a chain-link motif jeweled belt.  (I have to comment on the marabou headpieces, which drive me crazy and may distract from Ms. Acra's brilliant work, especially the more daring looks, in the eyes of some consumers.  Even from a different angle, they're just a bit odd.) 

 

What was that about Reem Acra's daring looks?  Here's another one for you.  (And, again, lining would sort out the bare navel situation in a jiff. :)  This woman appears to have emerged from the tides, bringing sea foam and star dust as she comes.  The gown is the most glamorous of the short-sleeved selection, by a long shot, and I would not be surprised to see it, probably in color, on a Hollywood starlet once awards season arrives. 

What do you think?  Would you say "yes" to one of these short-sleeved dresses? 

Tomorrow, our final (!) installment of Bridal Market reviews: the long(er)-sleeved gowns.  See you then!

Highlights from Bridal Market Fall 2014: The Sleeveless and Tank-style Gowns

 

In today's installment of our week-long re-cap of Bridal Fashion Week, we'll look at sleeveless and tank-style gowns.  This style is probably the least "on-trend" of the styles we'll review this week.  Sleeveless bridal gowns are something that you just don't see too often.  From my eye, this makes sleeveless gowns feel the freshest of the lot.  Especially the gowns with true tanks -- those with inch- to two-inch-wide straps and scooped or squared necks.  The true tank-style bodice is a rarity in bridal, but, as we see here, it can hit "effortless and chic" right on the nose.

The stand-out Monique Lhuillier sheath gown below, featured earlier this week, attests perfectly to this. The smooth, unfettered curve of the neckline is a design element that's reminiscent of a casual knit top, but, applied in bridal, it reflects sophistication and restraint, on the parts of both the designer and the wearer, perhaps.

The next two gowns interpret square-necked tanks.  The Reem Acra gown below, which would be lined, obviously, for normal wear, takes my breath away.  The feathered accessories distract from the well-balanced pairing of the ethereal, filigreed top with the banded, flowing skirt.

This look from Monique Lhuillier offers whisper-thin pleats of chiffon, layered over sparkly beading and sequins.  It's a clever riff on last season's floor-length sequined number.

Another textbook tank-style gown is the bias-cut, charmeuse gown.  A rather uncommon look these days, but a classic, if not entirely easy to wear, style that would be nice to see more of.  This one is from Elizabeth Fillmore.

 

Two selections from Monique Lhuillier are especially gracefully executed renditions of the sleeveless, v-neck, lace gown, which is such a romantic look and understandably popular.  Here, layered lace and embroidery, with the tiniest hint of beading, create visual depth.  

This one has a barely visible illusion panel covering the deep v-neck and an unexpected tulle train. 

A few boat-necked styles appeared on the runways last week.  Nicole Miller gave us another successful take on the mermaid silhouette.  First, the key design elements are all quite beautiful on their own.  Second, the beaded top balances the outgoing mermaid shape (tail?).  It works because, while the tail is wide, it's a continuation of the fabric used in the body of the dress.  There is no awkward change of fabric at the knee.  The result is a very red carpet-ready dress that would befit a bride aiming for a high glam factor.

This Christos gown is so pretty, with a sort of no-fuss feel that seems suited for spring or summer (even though this was Fall 2014 Fashion Week, I know.).  Ruched point d'esprit is layered over an uncomplicated whale-boned bustier and gathered into a gently voluminous skirt.

Naeem Khan brought us two crew-necked, sleeveless pieces, adorned with his characteristically thoughtful embellishment.  This one, slightly Grecian, with bejeweled geometric detailing, may be another for our Art Nouveau bride.

Head-to-toe embroidery is classic Khan.  The motifs here are similar to those found in Indian embroidery, while also strongly referencing patterns common to Islamic art.

We'll close with this look from Theia.  The dress does not thrill, despite its pretty shape.  I'd like to bring attention to the look, as a whole, however, and, specifically, to the divine impact that a floor-length veil can achieve.  It's like something from the Enchanted Forest, come to life, which is a less-than-ridiculous vision for a bridal look, if you ask me.  

There you have our round-up of sleeveless and tank-style gowns from Bridal Market.  Which is your favorite?

Tomorrow, we'll review the short-sleeved looks!

Highlights from Bridal Market Fall 2014: The Strapless Gowns

In our series of highlights from Fall 2014 Bridal Fashion Week, we'll start with the style that has been the bread and butter of wedding gowns since the late 1990s, at least: the strapless gown.  Strapless necklines flatter most body types, offering a glamorous display of décolletage.  But it almost seems as though, since the style's spike in popularity, a strapless neckline has been viewed as quintessentially "bridal."  It's just what's done.

I appreciate that strapless gowns are demurely bare, that they emphasize the graceful lines of shoulder and neck.  But I tend to feel turned off by their ubiquity.  Here, I've found a group of strapless gowns that improve upon (sometimes quite gloriously) the convention of their forebears.  These gowns nod reverently to tradition, and then strike out boldly on their own.  Complex, sometimes layered, textures and meticulous detail blaze the path forward.

We'll begin with the strapless sheath gowns.  The gown above is our first (well, really, second) featured gown from Naeem Khan's inaugural bridal collection.  If you have followed Khan's couture collections, filled with exemplars of monochrome genius, namely, the highly-textured tonal masterpieces that are his trademark, then the bridal collection will come as an unsurprising delight.

The gown below, from Monique Lhuillier, gives a boost of several notches to the the not-uncommon strapless-with-all-over-beading concept.  It showcases impossibly fine, precise beading (note how the beading around the middle creates an hourglass illusion, nipping in the waist) with layers of gossamer tulle at the bottom.

The look below, another from Naeem Khan, brings the hugely popular nude gown trend to bridal.  White sequins offer sheen without overt iridescence.

Below, another look from Naeem Khan.  The bodice here seems both solid and fluid, like woven river grasses. 

This gown from Kenneth Pool carries metallic beading into the fitted, dropped-waist bodice, through length of the dress.  We've seen dropped waists before, but the seaming and the swishing skirt here remind me a bit of Kate Middleton's black lace Temperley gown.

Another beauty from Naeem Khan.  This one is for the Art Nouveau-inspired bride.

Now for the mermaids.  First, we have another of Naeem Khan's confections, in which the designer has created rich texture using ribbons and ruffles.  With such a simply-shaped gown, a very modest take on the mermaid, the textural  movement does not overwhelm. 

Below, is another of Ms. Lhuillier's looks.  Again, the all-over motif (lace, this time) is one of the more traditional styles in our line-up.  But the scallop peeking up above the soft sweetheart neckline and the flawless fit put this one over the top.  The floor-length veil doesn't hurt, either.

This Kenneth Pool gown, with stellar metallics, would be lovely for a winter wedding. 

 

Now, onto the fuller-skirted sisters.  You may notice from this selection that I appreciate a bustier combined with a high-waisted, A-line skirt.  This is today's ball gown.  First, we have tip-to-toe lace from Monique Lhuillier. 

The bodice of this gorgeous Naeem Khan gown reminds me of pearl-studded armor.

This pretty belted version from Romona Keveza features youthful point d'esprit.    

  

Finally, the line of this Christos gown wasn't quite straight enough for the Sheath category, but the slightly sharper cut of its sweetheart, paired with that little bit of lace overlay, won it a spot on our list, anyhow. 

What do you think of strapless wedding gowns?  Would the ones here merit mention in your favorites from Fashion Week? 

Stay tuned for the next installment of our series on Fall 2014 Bridal Fashion Week!  Tomorrow, we'll look at sleeveless, tank-style gowns.

Highlights from Bridal Market Fall 2014: The Overview

I stumbled upon live tweets from Fall 2014 Bridal Fashion Week when I was updating my Twitter account to reflect the changes around here.  Before I knew it, down the rabbit hole I had fallen (or dived?), finding myself beneath a sky-high pile of tulle, lace, and illusion panels galore.

The thing about bridal, if I'm being candid, is that it can go really wrong.*  At the opposite end of the spectrum, bridal can be painfully (and boringly) safe.  The sweet spot is a place in the middle, where a gown, or a comprehensive look, does one of two things: It is both timeless and visually interesting, or it successfully throws classicism out the window.

I'll focus on the former approach, though honorable mention goes to Houghton for killing it in the Defenestration of Classicism category, also known as I Do What I Want.**  Those dresses defy traditionalism, but they represent a commendably strong point of view.  My hunch is that East Side Bride and her readers will jump on that wagon fast.

One way to achieve the timeless-yet-interesting duality is to combine a simple, classic silhouette with more complex, possibly modern details.  Luckily for brides-to-be, the Fall 2014 bridal collections offer many, many successful takes on this approach.  While reviewing the collections, I spotted more stars than could fit reasonably in a single post.  So, this week we'll have a little bridal-themed series, with each post dedicated to this season's most stunning interpretations of a classic bridal bodice/neckline shape: strapless, tank, cap sleeves, and longer sleeves.***  I won't even identify my absolute favorites; the selection will just be my picks for the best of the bunch.

Stay tuned!  And be sure to share your two cents in the comments!

*Either in the moment, or twenty years later.  We all remember the beach ball-sized puffed sleeves of the 1980s.

**Beyond this South Park reference, there are still less polite, more edgy ways to describe this category, which I feel the creators of Houghton might appreciate, but which some readers might not.  Here I defer to the more delicate sensibilities among us.  :)

***Why not categorize by dress or skirt shape, you ask?  Well, because, personally, I'm more intrigued by necklines, and it seems that we are moving past the point (finally) where strapless is the only acceptable or readily available bridal neckline.  Variety in neckline or bodice shape seems to achieve the classic-but-interesting duality more effectively than variety in dress or skirt shape.  Getting overly creative with skirt shape can move a wedding gown into costume territory quickly.  Illustrative of this point are exaggerated takes on trumpet/mermaid skirts and the billowing, multi-tiered ball gowns with sort of tufted skirts.  We can do better, ladies.

(Top image from Monique Lhuillier; bottom image from Naeem Khan.)