Monique Lhuillier and her husband, Tom Bugbee, founded Monique Lhuillier & Company in 1996, quickly establishing the label as a leading bridal couturier. Lhuillier began designing evening gowns in 2001 and expanded into a full ready-to-wear line in 2003, launching her first fall collection at Fashion Week. The Lhuillier ready-to-wear label is known for its glamorous red-carpet-worthy cocktail dresses and romantic evening gowns, while the label’s signature bridal gowns sport sashes in shades of pale blue, copper, or rose. With dresses retailing for $1,500 to $10,000, Lhuillier’s bridal business grosses over $20 million per year. 

We all know that the Vera Wang wedding gown style is usually traditional with modern touches. We also know that Vera Wang gowns are usually very expensive.

That’s why this year’s 2010 spring collection was an interesting change from her norm. The dresses were wonderful for the most part and this collection included several more affordable wedding gowns. (some dresses are $2,000 less than what she would normally charge). Understanding what the economy is like this year, Wang made sure that the median price of this year’s gowns was around $3,800. For her, this is phenomenal, fiscally responsible dress making.

In some ways, she went away from her normal style. For instance, one of her dresses had wide, loose straps that strayed from her normal style of strapless dresses, a wrapped bodice that wasn’t cinched tight to the body, and a lightly bunched silhouette with a big white bow on the left side. This bridal gown also had another bow in the back, with a nice, low cut V-back.

This collection brought out colors, debuting a green strapless wedding gown with layers of light silks, an empire bodice with a slight ball gown silhouette and a green silk wrap at the waist. The belt accessory seemed to be more popular with this collection of wedding gowns. One gown with a belt was a light tan color in flowing layers; the gown was stunning.

Another strapless tan dress just didn’t impress me. It had a pure lace wrap that tied into a big bow and a gathering of fabric on the silhouette that came into what looked like a vortex waiting to eat someone. Although it didn’t get my vote, I’m sure there are several brides that will love it.

My favorite for this 2010 Vera Wang collection of gowns was a strapless white gown with a bodice that, at the top, is a silvery beaded pattern, which softly tapers to the waist and wraps around the back, tied in a bow. Then the silhouette flows out in layers of lace; it looked like a gown that a princess would be proud to wear.

All in all it was a daring display of wedding gowns for 2010, where Wang had stated that, though the price of her dresses was lower, she didn’t want to skimp on style. If you were looking for traditional this year, you didn’t get it. But you certainly did get style in abundance.

 

Bridal Brands: Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet, Platinum, Vineyard, Reverie and Jewel

 

Our mission is to serve the luxury bride by becoming the world's premier destination for both superior apparel and service. 

We are a company steeped in rich tradition that offers premier brands, legendary service and superior quality. This combination enables us to exceed customer's expectations, through: 

Service: Highly-trained associates passionately committed to providing a constant, high level of personalized service 

Comfort: An intimate and relaxed salon shopping atmosphere of understated luxury 

Fashion: A diverse family of couture brands and designers that provide a wide breadth of leading edge fashions 

Quality: Unparalleled quality and construction standards; exclusive designs that feature luxurious materials and an impeccable attention to detail  

The legacy that started almost 60 years ago lives on in the quality and craftsmanship of each gown and the high level of service given to every customer at our salons.

Each collection combines the heritage of couture craftsmanship with modern, flattering silhouettes and sumptuous fabrics. Unique details and luxurious embellishments add an element of individual style and classic, timeless elegance.

Today, Priscilla of Boston brands offer an extensive selection of exclusive styles each season, which can be customized to suit each bride's preference.

 

"My philosophy is this: Do not tamper with the anatomy of a woman's body; do not camouflage it."  Oleg Cassini
Oleg Cassini was born Oleg Cassini Loiewski in 1913.  His father was a Russian diplomat and his mother was a member of the Italian aristocracy who had also been a fashion designer.  The family fled Russia due to Russian Revolution, and settled in Italy, adopting his mother's last name.
Cassini studied at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Florence, and then designed for his mother before being hired to sketch for the design house of Jean Patou before opening his own studio.  In 1936, he emigrated to the United States.
After his arrival in the United States, Cassini worked as a costume designer for both Paramount Pictures and Twentieth-Century Fox, and dressed many of Hollywood's leading ladies.  Cassini's relationship with actresses was not purely business, as he dated many, was engaged to Grace Kelly, and married Gene Tierney.
After serving in the U.S. Army Cavalry Corps during World War II, Cassini returned to designing clothing for films, as well as for television and the theatre.  He opened his own design house in 1950.
"We are on the threshold of a new American elegance thanks to Mrs. Kennedy's beauty, naturalness, understatement, exposure and symbolism."  Oleg Cassini
Cassini was the official, and only, couturier of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.  He designed over 300 outfits for her, coordinating every aspect of her wardrobe.  He created the "Camelot look" just for the First Lady, and his well-crafted styles were widely copied.
Women of all ages clamored for pillbox hats, geometric dresses, and boxy jackets, and Cassini also brought into widespread fashion the sheath, the A-line dress, and the turtleneck for men (as well as the Nehru jacket).   Cassini was the first high fashion designer to produce colored dress shirts for men.  His ready-to-wear business was always an important part of his fashions, and in recent years his bridal dresses have become very popular.
Cassini was the first designer to license his name widely on products, from luggage to an interior trim package for an automobile.
In 1999, he popularized the use of faux fur in high fashion, displaying a collection featuring "Evolutionary Fur," which looks and feels like the real thing.
Cassini continued designing almost until his death in 2006.

 

"My clothes stand for femininity and romance.  I design clothes for the real woman."  Oscar de la Renta.
Oscar de la Renta was born in 1932 and grew up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  At 18, he moved to Madrid to attend art school, and began doing fashion illustrations there, including for the design house of Cristobal Balenciaga, before moving to Paris to work for Lanvin.   He moved to the United States and began designing for Elizabeth Arden and then Jane Derby.  After Derby's death in 1965, de la Renta, who had become her partner, continued the design firm under his name.   In 1993, he began designing for Pierre Balmain, becoming the first American (he is a naturalized American citizen) to design for a French couture house.
"Looking back at things I did in the Sixties, I was probably more daring, but the clothes weren't in as good taste.  One thing I've learned since then is to edit."  Oscar de la Renta.
De la Renta is credited with sparking the gypsy and Russian styling fashion trends during the 1970s.  De la Renta's clothes are known for glamorous ornamentation and feminine silhouettes that flatter a woman's body.  His specialty is luxurious eveningwear.
De la Renta has twice won the Coty American Fashion Critic's Award, won the Council of Fashion Designers of America Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2000, and has received the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award.
Among his most famous clients have been First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush.
The Kent State University Museum is the repository of many of his couture designs, and has established a gallery exhibition encompassing his career. 

The CHRISTOS collection, now under the creative direction of Amsale, owner and creative director of AMSALE, has long been established as the couture collection for the classic, romantic bride.

CHRISTOS was established by Cyprus-born designer Christos Yiannakou. After heading his collection for over 20 years, he retired in 2005, leaving Amsale at the helm of the CHRISTOS collection. As creative director, Amsale has upheld CHRISTOS legacy for tradition while infusing a touch of her own modern sensibility into the collection. Amsale sees CHRISTOS as a natural extension of her own collection, as both are rooted in classic timelessness. A romantic at heart, she reveres CHRISTOS as a venue for her more traditional side. In opposition to the modern aesthetic which defines the AMSALE collection, CHRISTOS evokes a feeling of fairy-tale, femininity, and romance.

Amsale s CHRISTOS gowns have long stood out for their impeccable heirloom quality. Her use of the finest silks, French laces and silk organza are staples of the collection. CHRISTOS designs are especially known for their use of Alen on lace, or point d'Alençon, a type of needle lace created in a French town by the same name. Alen on, a small town in Normandy, began manufacturing lace in the sixteenth century. This same lace is used today to create CHRISTOS classic romantic designs.

Hollywood has embraced Amsale's CHRISTOS collection, featuring CHRISTOS gowns in the Katherine Heigl film 27 Dresses, and the August 2009 film The Accidental Husband, starring Uma Thurman. CHRISTOS also traveled down the wide-screen aisle in Kate Hudson s film My Best Friend s Girl, which released nationwide in September 2008.

CHRISTOS gowns can be found at the AMSALE Flagship Salon in New York City, in Saks Fifth Avenue bridal salons, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and at select luxury retailers in the US, Tokyo, Seoul, Moscow, Mexico City and Hong Kong.

 

Angel Sanchez has been captivated by fashion since childhood. He grew up in his mother's atelier in his native Venezuela surrounded by dress forms and fabrics. Watching her sew with the entrancing abilities in her hands and her talent and determination was Angel's first inspiration.

It wasn't until 1987 after two years as an architect that Angel knew he was to become a fashion designer and returned to his roots. Angel quickly rose to fame in his native Venezuela and throughout Latin America. These successes lead to international expansion in 1997 when the company established its headquarters in New York City. Soon after Angel Sanchez evening wear was sold in prestigious US stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. In 1999 Sanchez debuted his bridal collection in the US where it received immediate attention by buyers and press. In the same year Sanchez presented his evening collection during New York fashion week in Bryant Park and became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. His presence as an international designer was solidified.

Today Angel Sanchez is renowned worldwide for both bridal and evening wear designs that reflect his architectural discipline and structure while creating new shapes and proportions that hold true to the timeless perfection of traditional couture dressmaking. His elegant designs are architectural, contemporary and feminine and always include a touch of drama and impact along with innovative details. Through his linear precision Angel creates definition to flatter and enhance the figure allowing a woman to feel the freedom and beauty that comes from confidence alone. Angel Sanchez designs are renowned for celebrating the woman and allowing her to take center stage.

Most notably in 2005, Angel designed Sandra Bullock's wedding gown and Eva Longoria's Emmy Awards dress for which she received a best dressed nod. In 2006 Sandra wore an Angel Sanchez gown to the Oscars and in 2007 Angel designed Eva Longoria's wedding gown. Angel's talent and jovial personality has won over celebrities on the red carpet and socialites on the international party circuit. His devotees also include Salma Hayek, Giselle Bundchen, Beyonce, America Ferrara, Iman, Elizabeth Hurley, Bridget Moynahan, Thalia, and Gayle King.

His insight into Latin-American perspective has created a global brand that has continued to expand for the last 19 years. Angel Sanchez evening wear and bridal collections are available in the best specialty department stores and boutiques in the US (Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman) and internationally in Browns of London, Frattina and Saks Fifth Avenue Mexico, Joyce in Hong Kong, Hugo Nicholson Canada, and Al Hama in the Middle East.

 

Over the past 20 years, Impression Bridal has evolved into a renowned brand synonymous with leadership, innovation and style in the bridal industry. Throughout the evolution, our one key component when designing a wedding dress - Magic Fit - continues to invigorate our design force and the assurance we are devoted to all brides-to-be. What makes "Magic Fit" so special is that it focuses on what it takes to create a flattering fit that looks and feels good. Each wedding gown is fabricated with a special kind of boning that rests softly on the skin, and yet reveals a slim body silhouette. Impression Bridal is proud to present the very best to you. Our designs offer a versatile array of style options that range from simple to richly embellished silhouettes all with an astonishing lavish feel. 

Ruben Cruz, the designer for our bridal collection, is immersed in the minutiae of crafting a wedding gown. His incredible attention to detail is evident in features like intricate embroidery, hand patterned beadwork, and the sophisticated and feminine look in his designs. 

Our bridesmaid collection features an array of styles from classic to elegant to trendy. Our most coveted separates represent exciting changes in fashion and make the transition from daylight to twilight. We offer the most enchanting and enormous selection of colors for a wistfully individual approach to style. 

The Xcite and Xtreme prom collections present the art of dramatic details, sexy appeal, and girlish romance. The stunning effects of these combinations capture the energy and passion of our prom line. 

Our Destiny collection uses one of the most luxurious and fine fabrics - Silk Charmeuse. The collection focuses on subtlety, lightness, craftsmanship, and a touch of romantic elements that reflect a gentle delicacy. 

The overall goals of Impression Bridal are to design with you in mind and strive to surpass your expectations.