From the Sublime to the Pristine: Romance Reigns for Bridal Style 2018
Pop the cork! Pour the Perrier Jouet! The party has begun as celebrations of bridal style for Spring 2018 are in full swing. From Marchesa’s whiter than white froth to Naeem Kahn’s elaborate embroideries and Jude Jowilson’s lovely, pristinely elegant gowns (one imagines Audrey Hepburn as his muse) the best of 2018 Bridal tells a marvelous story with a fairytale ending for sure.
MARCHESA
Conceived as a promenade along leafy hedge-lined pathways, Marchesa’s bridal collection feels like a dreamy stroll through an enchanted English garden. Beloved of celebrity brides, notably Cameron Diaz, Behati Prinsloo (married to Maroon Five’s Adam Levine), Blake Lively, Molly Sims and Vanessa Hudgens, the Marchesa bridal gowns for Spring/Summer 2018 are a delightful phantom; as if a bouquet of pure white blossoms keeps unfurling and unfurling. Ruffles and flourishes flow spontaneously, joyfully tumbling like petals in the breeze; the effect is a dizzying high. Marchesa Notte however is more grounded, wonderfully so. This delightful play with texture is so sexy and surprising.
From the champagne poured in golden flutes on arrival at the Marchesa presentation to the bountiful white blooms of the floral arrangements, each a fresh counterpoint to the aligned rows of the most extraordinary model brides posed like a perfectly planted row of roses, white ones at that! The collection was indeed “rooted in the serene, yet vibrant beauty of the majestic garden” as Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig explain, referring to the brick-walled sanctuary of Castle Howard, one of England’s most stately homes.
Enchantment was the goal with ruffle bows and feathered flower details embellishing open-back gowns and dropped waist bodices, indeed there was no doubt Prince Charming was waiting in the wings. Layered like shimmering icing over Chantilly lace, silver beaded threadwork and 3D pearl embroidery added glimmer and gleam to illusion toile. Engineered corded lace and shirred tulle ruffles added flirtiness to off-the-shoulder and cocktail looks. Silk faille was the fabric of choice, tailored and chic, for fit and flare styles. Ball gowns were delicately constructed with taffeta draped skirts and blossoming lace bodices. Capes and overskirts in embroidered tulle brought home this romantic fantasy in a sheer sweep of ethereal beauty. (www.marchesa.com)
NAEEM KAHN
The natural tousled hair and subtle, earth-toned palette of the make up by Make-Up Pro New York at Naeem Kahn’s Bridal show brought back the flower child feeling of the 70s, a sweet contrast to the extraordinary beaded, sequined, multi-colored floral-threaded embroidered, feathered and all together out of this realm collection. Naeem himself was looking so casual in a French tee, looking like he was ready for an afternoon of boating not a glam tour down the runway.
Fit for a princess of exotic beauty and art deco leanings, you could call the Naeem Kahn Bride a hippie chick gone royal, not rogue. After all, this designer truly counts “royalty” among his clientele: Queen Noor of Jordan and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
Gown after gown was a marvel of pearl-slung, bejeweled, bedazzled splendor. Naeem himself was gregarious and upbeat; delighted to meet and greet all in his atelier, surrounded by drawings, textiles and a rainbow of threads, and yes, a model or two still in their beaded gowns that merge retro glam with modern beauty. (www.naeemkhan.com, www.makeuppro.org)
JUDE JOWILSON
The new darling of Bridal, Jude Jowilson found his calling as a designer through his Grandmother a skilled seamstress in the Philippines, where he started designing for friends and family. His winsome charm is unpretentious as are his gowns, classic yet contemporary, clean lines, far from frou frou. He saves the detail for the back, the focal point as the bride walks down the aisle. His unique touch is the embroidered illusion dipping low to the waist offering a delight to the eye while the bride stands at the altar; a statement decorated often with a motif that’s perhaps ancient in origin, but brought up to speed by Jude’s tomorrow-trending interpretation. Brides are loving his intricate draping and sophisticated silhouettes. (www.judejowilson.com)
Lori Simmons Zelenko, Writer and Founder of LSZ Communications
Copyright Lori Simmons Zelenko, all rights reserved 2017.
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