by Vennette Lailani Seprado
In the weeks leading up to the much anticipated royal wedding event of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle – royal watchers, fashion enthusiasts and the general public partook in a predictions game to try and figure out which style the bride would go for and who will make it for her. Names such as Stella McCartney and British design duo Ralph & Russo were some of the high profile brands that were considered as the likely candidates to make the royal wedding dress.
Netizens were treated to visual interpretations on the likely styles the stylish former actress would look good in by having some of the world’s top fashion and bridal wear designers publish sketches of their vision for the royal bride. While most of them did sketches depicting delicate gowns of lace and tulle, others went for more fashion forwards shapes and cuts. However, none of them anticipated that on the morning of May 19th, 2018 – the beautiful royal bride would step out in an elegant minimalist wedding gown designed by British designer Claire Waight Keller from the French fashion house of Givenchy.
Since then, a renewed interest in simpler bridal looks has taken the bridal industry by storm. Bridal houses have reported spikes in sales on similar styles the newly minted Duchess of Sussex wore for both the church ceremony and reception. Clean and uncomplicated designs have become more appealing to modern brides these days who want to stand out, look dignified, graceful and timeless amidst the norm of having all sorts of embellishments at one’s disposal targeted to appeal to the social media crowd.
Minimalism in terms of bridal wear design is not a trend. It’s a style that has been in existence for decades. Once in a while, a bridal muse comes up and reignites interest on this particular approach. During the 1920’s and the 1930’s women who were restricted by heavy corsetry and decorative trimmings favored mobility and flexibility. Innovative designers such as Madeleine Vionnet and Elsa Schiaparelli introduced the idea of elegant taste by foregoing unnecessary details and fabrics with heavy accessories. Suddenly, fashion was about simplicity, patterns, and small details. Clothes were cut close to the body focusing on creating movement and making the body appear longer and leaner.
In 1960 – royal “It” girl Princess Margaret chose a simple yet ultra feminine gown by Norman Hartnell. The gown was made from silk organza with embellishments kept to a bare minimum to focus on the princess’ petite frame and amazing figure.
Then there is perhaps the most iconic minimalist bridal muse of all time – the enigmatic Carolyn Bessette who stunned the world not just by marrying the most eligible bachelor of that time: the insanely handsome prince of Camelot, John F. Kennedy Jr., in a clandestine ceremony. Rather, Bessette created a ‘fashion moment’ by wearing an ultra-simple bias cut silk slip dress by a then virtually unknown designer that goes by the name of Narciso Rodriguez.
The common misconception about a minimalist wedding dress is that it’s inexpensive due to its simplicity, but that’s not necessarily the case. Although the Duchess’ gown is nowhere near the reported $885,710.00 price tag of the Michael Cinco gown worn by Swarovski heiress – Victoria Swarovski at her nuptials, a bespoke Givenchy is not cheap either. Prices could go up even for gowns devoid of any beadings and other embellishments.
What we don’t see is the engineering underneath the dress, which is far more complicated than adding trims and appliques. Technique and craftsmanship are key skills to achieve seams that don’t pucker or panels that fan out flawlessly. There is simply no hiding from a simple dress. No amount of pinning and easy fixes will work on something so streamlined, structured and clean. Brides who choose this particular style must be confident in her designer to produce an impeccable finished product that fits like a glove. The fit, after all, is the most important thing when one goes for something so seemingly plain.
A plain gown need not be boring. It is quite versatile in fact. A plain gown can work as something sexy with thin straps with a deeper neckline. It can be modest with a high neckline and fully covered sleeves. It’s a perfect base to showcase an interesting veil, heirloom jewelry or even a pair of whimsical colored shoes.
Photos from Pinterest
