By Vennette Lailani Seprado
Manila’s biggest bridal extravaganza, “Marry Me At Marriott” culminated on a rainy July 30th evening with a glittering bridal show featuring some of the country’s top designers. Leo Almodal, Albert Andrada, Jun Escario, Michael Leyva, Cor Sunglao-Kho of Little Miss Lacey and Veluz Reyes of Veluz Bride showcased their magnificent collections on the longest runway ever set up for a Philippine fashion show.
The collections, which were showcased not just by professional models but by notable personalities as well, such as Tessa Prieto-Valdez, Arci Munoz and Nadine Lustre revealed some very interesting bridal trends. WE list down the up-and-coming trends for brides in the year ahead:
Pearls, pearls, and more pearls!
Back in June, we did a full feature on how to incorporate pearls into your wedding ensemble. So we were happy to see more of the natural gem featured not just as embellishments or heirloom jewelry, but as statement pieces to complete a bridal look. Designer Michael Leyva elevated pearls by making it edgier and visually striking. A single row of pearls ran down the models’ long plaited manes while individual gems adorned not just their faces but their hands as well.
Grooms can wear blush too.
Last year, a number of brides went for blush-hued wedding gowns. This time around, the trend of using subtle pastel shades have trickled down to the dapper grooms with more styles allowing them to explore the most delicious macaron-colored suits and tuxedos in classic silhouettes. Michael Leyva created suits in bolder tones of lilac and periwinkle, while Albert Andrada offered menswear fabric with more sheen.
Electric Pleats
Last year, fringe was a dominant treatment seen all across the collections of the featured designers. This year, electric pleats made several appearances from strapless ball gowns to tea-length dresses– as seen on the creations of Albert Andrada, Michael Leyva, and Veluz Reyes.
Belted
Belts and sashes are a great way to highlight a bride’s cinched waist. Albert Andrada introduced a macro-belt to add shape on a column dress worn by the elegant Marina Benipayo while Veluz Reyes and Jun Escario opted for thin strips of dark fabric tied at the waist to add contrast to their otherwise traditionally bridal color palette.
The High Collar
Veluz Reyes presented looks with high collars in soft flounces, while Albert Andrada and Leo Almodal embellished collars making it appear like bejeweled chokers.
Statement Veils
Veils these days are no longer just sheer fabrics and laces draped over the head to conceal a bride’s face. Nowadays, one can make a statement with a bridal veil either with a spectacular length (just like Priyanka Chopra’s incredible 75-foot long veil) or with hidden meanings just like the Duchess of Sussex – Meghan Markle’s embroidered homage to the Commonwealth’s flora. At the bridal show, the likes of Leo Almodal featured exquisite crystal beadwork, not just on the dresses, but on the veils adding more glam and luxe to bridal looks presented.
Photos by Nice Print Photography
