Fall 2012: Vera Wang Bridal

Jacqueline: Strapless Chantilly lace
ballgown with veiled tulle overlay

For Halloweek, I want put a spotlight on the couture beyond the costumes. The fall 2012 Vera Wang Bridal features a lot of black in its bridal gowns, but these gowns are far from drab. Vera's inspiration for this collection was "witchcraft and enchantment," and - excuse the pun - these gowns are bewitching.

As a great lover of black, but personally wary of black bridal gowns, these dresses have all the glamor that comes with the color and none of the bleakness.

Vera used only nude and black in this collection but she achieved the brilliant glamor we all come to expect by combining tulle, lace, corset-style boning and texture.

"From the nude laces, to the tulle, to the corset boning: all of these elements are very reminiscent of the seductive beauty of fine lingerie. You can see why I find it such a provocative inspiration: it brings to life what’s out of sight, but only through fantasy and suggestion and playfulness. And that’s so stirring to the imagination." 

Joelle is my favorite gown in the collection. You can really see her "witchcraft" inspiration in the corset and the crinkled black tulle overlay in the skirt. The extension of the corset bodice to the hips, finishing in a front-and-back crescent and the thick belt cinching the waist give this vintage-inspired gown a modern feel.

Joelle: Strapless sheer boned bodice ballgown with
organic texture pleating and organza scallops

I love this quote of Vera describing the extremely elegant Jade:

Jade: Strapless full A-line gown with pleated tulle
swirled ruffle and asymmetrical sheared flange

"I’ve put texture upon texture into this A-line skirt, until it’s beyond decoration—it’s a total work of art, in motion. In the bodice, you can see a new technique we call sheared flange, in which strips of cut-edge organza are spaced together so minutely that the effect looks almost like fur. It twists and transforms and enthralls as it weaves around, and down the skirt, adding dimension and elegance."

This gown was created for the bride who wants to be a show-stopper. The nude-blush, textures and full skirt take the standard princess gown and turn into a unique fairytale.

My final favorite is Joy. This is a gown for the girl who wants the romantic qualities of a big ballgown without the girth.

Joy: Strapless collapsed A-line gown with veiled
Chantilly lace bodice and organza scallop skirt

"I like to think of this dress as the good witch of my collection," she said of Joy in her blog. "What I love about this dress is that it combines the best aspects of two classic bridal silhouettes, the mermaid and the A-line gown."

The column-style of the skirt lengthens the bride, but the ruched overlay around the hips bring out the shape as well.

All in all, the fall 2012 collection is an awe-inspiring testament to Vera's signature romantic-glamor and ever-impressive ability to recreate what one's imagination conjures when the words "wedding gown" are heard.