bridal gown

The Fashion Statement: Brides, 2010!

In India, the color is red. In the West, the hue is white (off-white back in the day, if you were considered less than virginal). Even black is making a comeback. When it comes to bridal gowns these days, anything goes.

Historically, designers have created wedding gowns -- usually making their debut in the finale of their shows -- that are reflective of the cultural norms and political messages of the day. Coco Chanel caused a stir in the roaring '20s when she introduced a knee-length dress with a long veil, a look vastly different from the house's current collection (pictured above).

In 1968, Yves Saint Lauren sent brides down the catwalk in bikinis made of actual flowers to celebrate the sexual revolution (the look resurfaced again in the '90s as a nod to history). Remember Sharon Tate's mini dress that same year in the much published photo with Roman Polanski? In 1969, Yoko Ono sported the same short hemline as she walked down the aisle with John Lennon. In the '70s, pantsuits had a moment, no doubt because it represented the day's feminist ideal.

So what's the message in 2010? It seems everything old is new again. Vivienne Westwood has picked up where YSL left off with a two-piece, toga-like number. Azzaro gives us plenty of short minis à la Tate and Ono. And Tuleh makes the statement that shorts are perfectly okay on the aisle as are corsets. Reem Acra and Donna Karan are all about elegance, draping and Greek goddesses while Charles Anastase has raised the empire waist to a new level, sitting just above the breast line.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Bridal Wars

Tags: Azzaro, Bibhu Mohapatra, BibhuMohapatra, Bridal fashion 2010, Bridal gown, Bridal springsummer 2010, BridalFashion2010, BridalGown, BridalSpringsummer2010, Chanel, Charles Anastase, CharlesAnastase, Donna Karan, DonnaKaran, House of Holland, HouseOfHolland, Marchesa, Reem Acra, ReemAcra, Tuleh, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood, YSL

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Anne Bowen Debuts Bridal Gown Collection

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Designer Anne Bowen, known for her stylized evening wear, premiered her bridal collection on April 5 at The Plaza Hotel during New York's Bridal Fashion Week. Each of the pieces in the 12-gown collection is named after a famous New York building (e.g., The Bloomberg Tower, Citigroup Center) and designed to represent the aesthetic of each.

I was lucky enough to see the collection unveiled in person. Twelve models, all wearing Vanessa Noel shoes and with sleek hairstyles by Warren-Tricomi, debuted the gowns. The styles are simple but dramatic, with silk taffeta, tulle and organza hand-sewn into structured pieces embellished with Swarovski crystals -- both large and small -- defined by clean lines, detachable trains, and shortened hemlines.

Bowen adorned some of the models with pieces from her first collection of fine jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and commitment rings featuring tourmaline, amethyst, and peridot. The jewelry was stunning and added a spot of color to the gowns, which were white or ivory.

As an aside, not only were the gowns and jewelry beautiful, but the room smelled great -- it was scented with Clive Christian's "The Most Expensive Fragrance." I have not worn fragrance since 1986 (really), but this smelled so delicately wonderful I wanted to take a bottle with me and scent my home and office.

Bowen's bridal collection is available in select retailers across the country. See the gallery for selected styles and more detail on each. Prices start at $2,500.

Gallery: Anne Bowen Bridal Collection