Bridal gowns in full color
MANILA, Philippines - What a shocker!” said nobody, when Dita Von Teese married Marilyn Manson in an appropriately gothic, iridescent purple gown by Vivienne Westwood. The burlesque bombshell has, after all, a flair for the dramatic, and her groom was, well, a hairless musician who named his onstage persona after a serial killer. Three years later, an equally feisty bride wore a John Galliano dress to her wedding. It was 70 percent business, 30 percent hot pink party, and 100 percent punk. Though it was a private affair, the dress got awards show-level press and has since become one of Gwen Stefani’s most iconic looks.
Eight years ago, the colored wedding dress was for the rebellious bride, hailing from the same mothership as Gwen and Miss Von Teese. Then Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga happened; suddenly the thought of wearing a wedding gown that is not white doesn’t seem so crazy. For spring 2013, bridal fashion is a-bloom with a mix of pastels and highly-saturated reds.
New York Bridal Fashion Week suggested a lot of color. Oscar de la Renta’s show looked straight out of the set of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was a befitting backdrop for the crimson crushed silk peasant gown that set the show’s tone –– and the rule of thumb for wearing colored bridal gowns in general, which is whimsical, graceful, and never gaudy. Also making a statement in the color department was blue, a whisper of a shade that’s made even more delicate by an overlay of Camellia cotton guipure.
Otherwise traditional bridal dresses are given a modern touch with black accents. Carolina Herrera played with color more subtly using adornments: a white organza column dress worthy of the red carpet was accented by a slim black ribbon wrapped around the waist; a multi-colored tulle gown was given a fresh update with dogwood branches and flower appliqués. Isaac Mizrahi brought a playful, unconventional aesthetic to bridal dressing by, for instance, adding a gingham sash to a blush pink mermaid dress.
Bridal couture veteran Vera Wang showed a lot of red and purple, colors of opulence and good luck. From a Western perspective, the less righteous one maybe, the white wedding dress is a symbol of wealth, instead of a symptom of purity; in Eastern cultures, red is its proper counterpart. Wang’s cardinal strapless ball gown, finished with a hand-rolled floral detail and horsehair trim, takes the place of the traditional Chinese Qi Pao, the kimono and sari. On the runway, the feminine frock was a stark contrast against the model’s blonde pixie cut and strong brows. Going even darker, the collection also included a dahlia mermaid gown with a chevron pleated bodice and pleated tulle skirt.
So now that wedding dresses come in colored varieties, what makes them any different from a ball gown? Veejay Floresca, who is known for creating wedding gowns for the modern Filipina, says, “A wedding dress should be the most special, most memorable and most expensive gown a woman can wear, but what makes it special is the idea that you’re wearing it to marry the most special guy in the world.” Veejay has done a couple of wedding dresses in non-traditional colors like blush, gray and nude. “I like it,” he says. “Creating wedding gowns is creating a piece that mirrors the bride’s personality.” It’s good to know that we can now get to choose what color to marry in –– but first, a groom.
