Colorful Wedding Dresses
February 15 2021 – Catherine Langlois
I have always been enchanted by pastel wedding dresses.
When I presented my graduating collection in Fashion Design at Ryerson University, the title of my bridal collection was the Color Of Love. Six utterly romantic gowns inspired by an iconic Charles James photo. Shades of blush, nude, white and cream, accented with colorful ribbons, 3D flowers and beading. Sound familiar? I was well ahead of the curve. Unfortunately the two designers who critiqued me didn't get it. If it was a "colorful" collection why not have lime green tulle said one designer. The other designer just didn't think bridal should be anything but white. As I sat sadly in the teachers lounge, my two favorite professors came to congratulate me on the collection. They got it, and gave me much needed praise which has carried me thru to this day ...maybe they knew I hadn't exactly received a great mark. But I persevered.
When it was time to design my own wedding gown I had vision of a Grace Kelly inspired classic ballgown in silk taffeta and lace made in the colors of a birch tree. Blush pink, dove grey and white. Well, my wedding didn't suit a classic formal gown so I designed an ethereal floating chiffon, lace and satin gown similar to my current designs.
I still love my dress. Shades of oyster silk, white chiffon. Lightly beaded with natural pearls in grey, blush, champagne and silver with 3D flowers sprinkled on the straps and bodice. Sound familiar?
Later on after starting my business I designed the occasional blue, black, blush and green dress, but it wasn't until the past 5 years that pastel wedding dresses have really taken off. Now, almost half the dresses I design are varying shades of blush.
From barely there baby blush, to shades of champagne and mocha to vibrant feminine rose. A blush wedding dress is the epitome of romance and wildly flattering on everyone.
Soft shades of blue are becoming as popular as blush, and lavender, with its fresh vibe is making an entrance.
I admit, my heart beats faster when a bride says she envisions a colorful wedding dress.
Layering different shades of tulle, chiffon and organza is like painting with fabric. It fulfills my latent artistic abilities and puts me in a deep creative mood. Blue can be muddied with a hint of grey tulle or intensified with a layer of lavender.
Blush can be muted with sand or greyed lavender layers, or lightened to pastel with a soft white layer.
Grey can have hints of the sea when combined with aqua, mint and blue. The combinations are endless and customized to each dress.
The Jasmine dress has been created for brides in its original shades of blush/champagne/rose but also subtle tones of gold/champagne, blue/lavender, spring pink, and white with dusty pewter and sand. Each variation has been magical.
Many of my light dreamy dresses are made with a layer of chiffon on a soft pastel layer of silk...blush, lavender, pastel blue, dove grey, spring green.
Color on a wedding dress is incredibly flattering and can express your personality in a fresh way. Wedding dresses have evolved from ceremonial dress to statement fashion. When else do you wear a stunning gown and why not wear a bouquet a la Dolce and Gabana? Or a floral ballgown like the one worn by Taylor Swift in "Blank Space"?
Or a dress that feels like the sea on a stormy day.......
And lets not forget the entrance making drama of a black or black and white wedding dress, chic and dark.
As I finish up the new collection LoveBlooms I'm filled with inspiration. Bridgerton has paved the way for brides to be just as inspired and to perhaps not be satisfied with a white dress. If that butter yellow dress worn by Marina Thompson makes you dream of daffodils and promise, go for it! If the crisp blues worn by the Bridgertons are haunting your every waking moment, I'm there for you!
Or perhaps a white dress with a stunning corsage of pastel silk flowers pinned to one side is your dream, I'm in!
Whatever your visions are when it comes to color from the deepest rose to the palest whisper of blue, let's design something unforgettable together!
