The Couture 2018 season wraps up in Paris today, and while these shows are VIP invite-only and the prices are out of this world, the pictures live on and are rife with wedding dress inspo.
At Schiaparelli, one of the late Elsa Schiaparelli’s own dresses served as the jumping off point for the ivory hooded gown (pictured above) in designer Bertrand Guyon’s latest collection. The dramatic look boasted a cape and 54,795 tiny Swarovski crystal-heart-shaped pearls—and it reminded us of that striking wedding dress Sabine Getty wore when she married in Rome. Guyon was actually inspired by a black dress Schiaparelli herself created and wore in 1940 that’s now on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
At Christian Dior, outspoken feminist Maria Grazia Chiuri’s put out a collection that was both regal and powerful in a palette of black and white, with dashes of silver and gold here and there, and with bridal appropriate looks—including pantsuits!—galore. Walking down a checkerboard runway wearing eye-masks by Stephen Jones, models were the embodiment of the feminist mystique. Fittingly, the entire collection was actually inspired by Argentinian surrealist painter, designer, illustrator, and author, Leonor Fini, a woman whose pieces Christian Dior exhibited in the gallery he worked with before becoming a courtier. What Grazia Chiuri found the most interesting about Fini was how she used clothes and headpieces to “produce”an image—something perhaps all brides can relate to as they navigate wedding day dressing.
At Giambattista Valli, beauty took center stage. There was organza, jeweled beading on macramé, sequins, and tulle. Three oversized finale dress seemed to take Instagram by storm at the close of the show. Particularly, the second to last look—a lime green showstopper made of 350 meters of fabric. Practical no. But worthy of a fashion fantasy. YES!
Finally, at Chanel, our every wedding dream was realized. There were bouclé suits perfect for city hall, and feathers, beading, and embellishments for anything more formal. Kaia Gerber made her couture debut here. And, as if on cue, Karl Lagerfeld showed a last look that left us shook. A bride wearing pants. Groundbreaking? Not exactly. But, a coincidence in the midst of this #metoo movement? We think not. Let’s hope it’s a sign of the times.
See all of our favorite wedding looks from the Spring 2018 Couture collections in the slideshow below.
