Here Comes the Bride

With so many amazing ready-to-wear collections, it's easy to forget that there are also bridal collections, especially since not all of us are brides-to-be!  Luckily, at the request of Dear Girl, who is designing a wedding dress for her friend, bridal collections will no longer be forgotten.  I will be taking a look at three very popular bridal designers: Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa and Vera Wang.  This review will also mark the end of my Fashion Week Marathon.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal is just as beautiful as her RTW line, but for Fall 2012, I wouldn't consider walking down the isle in a lot of the dresses that she showed.  The collection consisted of sparkling beaded bodices, light ruffled skirts, lacy fabric, and varying hemlines and silhouettes.  This collection asserted that it's all in the intricate detailing.  My favourite look has got to be the last photo.

Overall, I found the sweetheart necklines too repetitive, and not always the most flattering.  However, the decorated shoulder straps were quite pretty.  For someone like me who wants a simple, yet stunning ethereal wedding dress, all the embellishment isn't very appealing.  But for a girl who wants a bit of drama, this collection could well be for her!

Marchesa's Bridal Fall 2010 consisted of organza and tulle floral motifs, and jeweled detailing overtop relatively spare bodices.  All the dresses were floor length, except for one mini dress, and the overall look was that of a soft, quiet presence.  My favourite goes out to the fourth photo.

And finally, no bridal review is complete without Vera Wang.  Surprisingly, her collection for Spring 2011 doesn't quite match up to Marchesa, and in the end, my favourite collection goes to Marchesa.  But as for Vera Wang, she went with a collection full of structural expertise, limited floral embellishment, and soft edges.  My favourite dress is the second purple one.

While the architectural organza requires a lot of skill, I find that sometimes the shapes are more fashion than bridal.  I do like the softness of the whole collection though.  But whichever collection catches your fancy the most, there's no doubt that when your husband sees you walking towards him in any of these dresses, he'll think he's marrying an angel - that is, if he doesn't already.

See and watch the entire Monique Lhuillier collection here.
See the entire Marchesa Bridal collection here.
See the entire Vera Wang collection here.

3.1 Phillip Lim Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

I had planned to do reviews on Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, Hermès, Valentino and Chanel, but with Fashion Week being over and me getting a bit busier, I'll be wrapping up my Fashion Week Marathon.  At the request of Fashion Cappuccino, 3.1 Phillip Lim will be among the last of my reviews.  Phillip Lim is a label that I have heard of for a long time now, but have never really taken a close look at.  So I'll be doing this review without much prior knowledge of his previous collections.  It wasn't hard to see, however, that this collection was all about American sportswear.  The key to any successful sportswear collection is the infusion of luxury, and Lim did just that with delicious leather pants and sleeves (leather accents are a huge favourite of mine):

From here, it was loose-fitting, but precisely tailored pieces, and a mixing of two or more textures in each outfit.  I like the tying of shirt sleeves and collars around the neck as they were a unique take on scarves, but the capri pants (second and fourth photo) I found were too slouchy, yet at the same time, fitting to be attractive.

The whole loose top with a smartly tailored jacket thrown overtop, and cropped trousers stayed strong throughout the entire collection, but it was varied with prints, different colours, lamb fur, and a dash of sparkle.

As the show finished off, looks were made evening-ready with a glossy sheen:

Luxe American sportswear has been done many times over, but Lim managed to give us some modern pieces with a twist.  Belted cropped trousers have become very popular lately (I wouldn't mind getting a pair myself!), and it's good to see Lim continuing to give us some nice options.  There were some pieces better left unmade, such as the long, shapeless camel coat, and the slouchy capri pants, but overall, it was a collection made for any busy urbanite.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

With this being the second main collection that Sarah Burton has handled, it's already evident that Burton is one talented woman.  I knew back in Spring 2011 that she would do just fine at the head of Alexander McQueen, and she is not proving me wrong.  For Fall/Winter 2012, Burton stripped everything down to a certain purity by working with the label's classic shapes and detailing, and presenting it all in a clean colour palette.  The show stared off with flickering neon lights, resembling something you would experience in a classic horror movie asylum.  Then as all the lights flashed on (blinding a couple of front-row attendees), the first few looks came out as white as snow, complete with zipper detailing and soft fur:

In a great way to transition between white and black, Burton firstly brought out some gray creations:

It then became clear that Burton had looked towards bondage for inspiration, as harnesses wrapped intricately about:

There were then pieces in organic-looking fabric, that seemed to be held together by mere threads, mirroring some of the lace-up boots:

As the show neared its end, there were soft dresses made from fur and organza, in silhouettes that have become the house's signature.  Two of the dresses were fashioned with broken glass bodices.

With one last quick reference to bondage, Burton finished it off with tight bodices and wide, dramatic skirts.

Burton is no longer seen as simply a successor; she is quickly becoming seen as Alexander McQueen.  We can all rest assured that the label is in very good hands.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com