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The year’s most wedding-proliferate months are upon us. And while nuptial celebrations may have sprung back to pre-pandemic numbers—approximately 2.24 million weddings occurred in 2023, a 62.5 percent increase since 2020, according to a Zippia report—wedding styles, and bridal dress codes, have notably changed. Perhaps as a direct consequence of the pandemic, many brides (and in turn, designers) have pushed back against rigid conventions, opting instead for fashion-forward bridal wear styles that showcase personality over the traditional.
From suiting and separates, to dresses and gowns that could be worn again (and again), some of the buzziest wedding dress designers and brands are reshaping the possibilities of wedding day attire. Just look to the number of ready-to-wear designers—including Rodarte and Richard Quinn, for example—who recently introduced their own bridal-specific collections.
Ahead, eight of-the-moment wedding dress designers who are skillfully carving out their own niches in the wedding space.
Valentine Avoh
This Brussels-based designer, whose background includes stints at Alexander McQueen and Alexis Mabille, brings elements of couture—exquisite Calais lace, feathers, and hand-beaded embroideries—to her elegant, but youthful wedding gowns. Avoh primarily focuses on bespoke creations for her mostly international clientele (a sizable portion of her business is US-based), a closely-collaborative process she’s honed through video appointments, and an ongoing dialogue with brides-to-be.
Bernadette
This five-year-old Belgian label helmed by the mother-and-daughter duo Bernadette and Charlotte de Geyter has cultivated an enthusiastic following for its classic feminine silhouettes in punchy prints and exuberant color palettes. Its newly-launched bridal collection brings forth a similar feeling of effortless elegance, with voluminous shapes and statement details such as one-shoulder accents, oversized bows, and hand-embroidery. There’s even a hooded, zip-up knit sweater, as a casual alternative to the traditional wrap or cape.
Danielle Frankel
Designer Danielle Frankel Hirsch, who took home the runner-up prize in 2019’s Vogue and CFDA Fashion Fund competition (the first bridal wear designer to do so), has become a go-to designer for the chic downtown set in recent years. And it’s no surprise. The Vera Wang alum creates contemporary, fashion-forward gowns and cocktail attire that one can easily envision wearing beyond their wedding day.
Hanifa
This ready-to-wear brand has cultivated an ardent following for its elegant, feminine shapes and inclusive sizing since launching in 2012. Last fall, designer and founder Anifa Mvuemba unveiled Hanifa’s first bridal collection, featuring a vast selection of offerings, including suiting and separates, and even lingerie. “We have poured our hearts into creating a collection that embodies our brand's commitment to self-discovery, self-acceptance, and love in all its forms, with emphasis on the importance of self-love and self-worth before marriage,” Mvuemba said of the new category. Think dramatic and memorable silhouettes and styles: a sweeping cape gown or frothy, feathered confection, for example.
Róisín Pierce
Though this Irish designer technically doesn’t bill herself as a bridal designer, Róisín Pierce’s utterly gorgeous, textural handmade dresses shouldn’t be overlooked in this category—especially given her partiality to the color white. Pierce, who founded her brand in 2020 and was among the 2022 LVMH Prize finalists, creates “fabric-first” collections that are enthralling to the eye, thanks to her unique skillset in cloth manipulation. Twisted florets, crochet lattices, smocked quatrefoils, and hand-crocheted flower chains feature heavily throughout her work.
Richard Quinn
Quinn, a darling on the British fashion scene, invariably features plenty of wedding-perfect gowns and dresses throughout his romantic-leaning collections. He most recently concluded his fall 2024 runway show in London, however, with a twelve-piece collection of bridal-specific looks, including a frothy, tiered-lace confection, several glittering tulle ballgowns, and a number of other timeless silhouettes.
Rodarte
After years of designing custom wedding looks for celebrity fans—including Kirsten Dunst, Mandy Moore and Billie Lourd—sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy officially debuted Rodarte’s first bridal collection last summer. Romantic and ethereal-feeling in sensibility, the lineup features plenty of the brand's distinctive signature touches, such as lacework, silk satin slip dresses, silk flower detailing, and ribbon accents. Still, bridal inspiration abounds in the label's ready to wear collections.
Wiederhoeft
Designer Jackson Wiederhoeft’s atmospheric and theatrical presentations for his namesake ready-to-wear collection have become an anticipated fixture on the New York Fashion Week calendar. In 2020, Wiederhoeft launched his first bridal ready-to-wear collection (though he also takes on custom projects), currently comprising a lineup of irreverent twists on classics he frequently describes as “unapologetically romantic.” Take, for instance, a satin, off-the-shoulder gown cinched with a statement buckle belt, or a very literal take on a ballerina’s tutu featuring a corset and a tiny tulle skirt.