Expert Insight

Monique Lhuillier

Since launching her line of bridal gowns in 1995, Monique Lhuillier has earned accolades in the press for her stunning designs, and she’s taken her place as the go-to designer for brides (including several celebs) looking for understated elegance. Since then, she opened her second freestanding boutique at the tony crossroads of 50th & France in 2004 and took the Twin Cities bridal market to a whole new level. Mpls.St.Paul Weddings style editor Melissa Colgan grabbed a few moments with the busy designer (she has added ready-to-wear, an evening line, and a collection of china, crystal and flatware for Royal Doulton to her repertoire) to discuss bridal trends, design inspiration, and the essential details of wedding day style.

Weddings: What inspired you to go into bridal design?

Monique Lhuillier: I was married in 1996, and when I was looking for a wedding dress, I thought that there was a void in the marketplace for fashionable, modern, well-designed gowns. I also studied fashion design at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA, which gave me the technical capabilities to jump into design.

W: What change, if any, have you noticed in this business over the years?

ML: I feel like it is a great time to be a bride because there are a lot more designers in this category, and there is so much more selection.

W: What should a bride consider before she starts the search for her dream dress? Should she bring anyone with her to the salon?

ML: The first thing a newly engaged girl wants to do is buy bridal magazines and start looking for a gown. Pictures and tear [sheets] can help a bride edit, but it is important to go to the salon with an open mind. What you see in magazines and what looks good on your body might not be the same thing. With an open mind, you will find the right dress—you’ll know it when you put it on. I also think it is wise to bring a family member or a close friend with you. I just don’t think you should go with a lot of people, because everyone will have their own opinion, and everyone will have a different vision of you as a bride.

W: When choosing a dress, should a bride go with something reminiscent of her everyday style or use this as a chance to try something different?

ML: A little bit of both. When trying on dresses, this is the time to step outside the box and try something different and new, but she should also stay true to herself in the way that she wears makeup and does her hair.

W: Are there still rules about what a bride should wear at a second wedding?

ML: I am not a believer in rules. The best decision for the bride is to go with her gut. If the outfit feels right, that’s the one she should be married in.

W: For a bride having a destination wedding, what type of dress would you recommend?

ML: It is funny because people think destination wedding and they have this vision of a slinky chiffon dress with a low back, but destination just means that the wedding is taking place away from [home]. Some destinations can be really over the top, and the gown should reflect that.

W: So the gown you’d wear if the destination were Aspen would be different from what you’d choose for the Scottish countryside or a tropical location . . .

ML: Right, and again, the feeling a bride gets when she puts the right gown on should be the feeling that matters most.

W: Does the time of day of a wedding make any difference when it comes to what the bride should wear?

ML: Well, I happen to love the day bride to be in a gown with softer and prettier fabrics and maybe some delicate embroidery or light embellishment for a look that is elegant, soft, and sweet. For black-tie or evening, I would want to see it taken up a notch with maybe more beads on the gown.

W: What about shoes and accessories?

ML: It should really be about choosing great-looking shoes, but the shoes also need to be comfortable because you will be wearing them for hours. Comfort is key—I do not like seeing brides without their shoes on at the end of the night. You walk in glamorous, and you leave the party glamorous. For accessories, either a beautiful pair of earrings or cocktail ring is great. You don’t want to over accessorize. Keep it focused.

W: Can you offer some advice for brides of certain shapes?

ML: For a pear-shaped bride, an A-line is very flattering because it is fitted up top, goes soft over the hips, and then just sort of flairs out. Dropped waists can also be very flattering here, but I would stay away from the trumpet skirt. For a woman with a more ample chest, a V-neck is a nice way to have support and show cleavage at the same time. One shoulder is also nice on a busty girl. Strapless or a little cap sleeve is very pretty on a petite girl.

W: How much should or shouldn’t a veil match a gown?

ML: The color should match, for sure. The shades need to be the same or very close, but not everything else needs to be matchy-matchy. If the gown has lace, it is nice to have lace on the veil, but it doesn’t need to be the same lace.

W: You also design a much-lauded ready-to-wear line and evening line. How has this influenced your bridal collections?

ML: These have influenced my bridal designs tremendously, because every season I put together my ready-to-wear, I experiment with new techniques, colors, and fabrics. There is only so much that I can do in these collections, so that always leaves me thinking about what’s next. So, I pull things from these collections and see how I can translate them into bridal. Doing the two has made my bridal collection stronger.

W: You have used slight color in your gowns or as accents in sashes and belts. Is color becoming more acceptable in bridal?

ML: I like light, soft color for bridal—blush, latté, cream, and soft gray. Some brides are open to this, but it isn’t yet a big trend. Color is a nice way to accent a gown, whether it is a sash or in beading, but brides usually are not looking for an entire gown in color.

W: For your fall 2009 collection you showed every dress with a beautiful, long veil. What inspired this?

ML: With what is going on in the world right now, with so much uncertainty, I just felt it was the time to go back to traditional looks, and I particularly wanted to capture the regal essence of Grace Kelly. I have never shown veils before in any of my shows, and while it added this element of tradition, I also wanted to encase each design within the veil to make it look like a piece of art caged in tulle.

Monique Lhuillier, 3928 W. 50th St., Mpls., 612-929-0747