Runway Report: Fall 2010

There is a saying that rain on your wedding day is a lucky omen. As I jumped over puddles and sprinted through a rainy five days this past October to view the fall 2010 bridal collections in New York City, I couldn’t help but think that this was a good sign—maybe bad weather would make for beautiful dresses. I was right!

After a few seasons of bridal couturiers playing it safe, designers such as Elizabeth Fillmore, Angel Sanchez, Monique Lhuillier, and Vera Wang threw caution (and a bunch of stale design ideas) to the wind. Rather than cutting corners to cut costs or sticking with saleable designs (another strapless, ivory A-line), they bid adieu to the recessionary doom and gloom by offering dresses that celebrate the best of couture—fine fabrics, delicate details, and trained tailoring.

“Designers realize that they need to continue impressing brides,” says Jocelyn Davis-George, co-owner of Grace Bridal in Excelsior. “Regardless of what’s going on in the economy, a bride still wants a fabulous gown, one that is custom made to fit her body and made of high-quality fabrics. With couture, the lace, beading, appliqués, and stitching are mostly hand sewn and always expertly done.”

Gowns were cast from the best French laces and finest silk chiffon, organza, and georgette. Silhouettes, such as ball gowns and trumpet skirts, were cut to maximize drama. And details such as delicate flowers, lace cut-outs, and embroideries were exquisitely hand finished. There were a few distinct trends—Marie Antoinette opulence, Japanese influence in fabric manipulation, and light-as-air layers. But as I watched dress after dreamy dress come down the runway, I realized that nearly every designer triumphed over two most challenging design dilemmas: reinventing the white dress and doing so in an economic fashion. Here are my favorite trends from the runways: