Review of the best brands of wedding dresses - detailed tour

Photo: @moniquelhuillier, @reemacra

“It’s not the Vera Wang dress that you adjust to fit you, but you fit yourself to the dress,” you may have heard this phrase from Kate Hudson’s heroine from the cult film “Bride Wars.” Among wedding dress designers there are those whose names evoke awe and delight in every bride. Wedding dresses from the brands Vera Wang, Zuhair Murad and Elie Saab cannot be in trend or not in trend, because they are symbols of wedding fashion itself. We talk about how these and other famous designers started their careers and gained fame.

Vera Wang

Vera Wang began her career as an assistant editor at American Vogue, where she ended up immediately after graduating from the Faculty of Art History at the Sorbonne. At 23, she was appointed fashion editor. It was work in the magazine that allowed Vera to cultivate the missing knowledge and skills on the fertile soil of good taste. The next stage of her career was working at the Ralph Lauren fashion house as director of accessories development. Vera Wang's first creation was created on the occasion of her own wedding. This was the start of the brand, which in record time became legendary and the first to specialize specifically in wedding fashion.

Famous clients of the Vera Wang fashion house include Meg Ryan, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Kate Hudson and Kim Kardashian. The designer’s creations have appeared in numerous films and TV series: from the already mentioned “Bride Wars” to “Sex and the City” and “Gossip Girl”.

Photo: @verawanggang, Ksenia Antonova

How to choose a dress

When looking through designer collections, try to select and put aside those models that you like. Then put them all in front of you and highlight the common features. What exactly did you like about them? Cut, decor, length, silhouette or other elements? You need to highlight the main thing for yourself before you go to the salon for fitting. This will help save time.

Don't forget to try on all the dresses you like. They won't necessarily fit you and your model the same way due to your body type. When going for a dress, be sure to apply the makeup and hairstyle that you are planning for the wedding. This will help you see the whole picture and understand whether you want to spend the most special day in the chosen outfit.

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier's history as a designer also began with sewing dresses for her own wedding. Interesting fact: at the same time, for the day of her celebration, Monique sewed about 25 outfits for close relatives and friends. A year after this, a personal brand was registered, and the first wedding collection made a splash at fashion week. Monique's dresses are the embodiment of femininity, tenderness and sensuality. Britney Spears, Reese Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Swift, Blake Lively and many others shine in Monique Lhuillier dresses on the red carpet and at their celebrations.

Photo: @moniquelhuillier

To Be Bride

The To Be Bride brand was founded in 1969 in the USA and later moved to Moscow. The company applied all the experience gained in the West when creating wedding collections in Russia, while taking into account the cultural characteristics and preferences of Russian women. Today, the To Be Bride collection is replete with wedding and evening dresses in a wide variety of styles, fabrics and colors.

In the dresses of the fashion house you can see TV presenter Irena Ponaroshka, Anfisa Chekhova, actress Maria Shukshina, singer Tatyana Ovsienko, figure skater Irina Slutskaya.

The salon is located in Moscow and other cities of Russia, it is also possible to deliver to other countries.

Zuhair Murad

Since childhood, Zuhair Murad dreamed of creating chic outfits, and he made his first sketches at the age of 10. The designer of Lebanese origin opened his first atelier in Beirut. Four years later, on the Parisian catwalk, the collection he demonstrated drove the critics of Haute Couture Week crazy. In 2012, the designer created a custom collection of outfits for Jennifer Lopez's world tour.

Photo: Marina Fadeeva, Pinterest

GUCCI

GUCCI is a world famous Italian fashion house founded by Guccio Gucci back in 1900. Style, elegance and exclusivity in details make GUCCI clothing special. The main styles of Gucci collections are classic, feminine and extravagant, less often casual. This brand creates ultra-modern clothes that will be highly appreciated by the most picky fashionistas.

The brightest celebrities of the 60-70s: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Onassis repeatedly shone in Gucci (Gucci) dresses.

Modern stars also do not miss the opportunity to demonstrate excellent taste when choosing outfits from the Fashion House.

The brand has stores in Europe, Asia and the USA.

Carolina Herrera

Carolina Herrera grew up in a family that, from childhood, instilled in the girl a refined taste and sense of style. From a young age, she traveled to Paris for fashion weeks with her grandmother. Carolina created her own brand in 1981 in New York. Only 6 years later the brand had a line of wedding dresses. The subtle aesthetics that Caroline has been fostered since childhood are embodied in discreet, laconic and minimalist outfits that have become popular among women all over the world.

In the 80s, Caroline was considered one of the most stylish women in the world and was famous in creative circles, inspiring many artists. Andy Warhol painted her portrait in his famous style. Her celebrity clients include Jacqueline Kennedy and Michelle Obama.

Photo: @carolinaherrera, Pinterest

Eva Lendel

Eva Lendel is a young brand in the wedding fashion segment. It was founded in Los Angeles in 2015 with the goal of creating and bringing something new and exclusive to the world of bridal fashion.

The advantage of the young brand is that it is modern, does not depend on the already established canons of wedding fashion and creates its own rules and trends. The desire for development, creativity and faith in your favorite business certainly helps a young company in creating unique models. Unique designs and perfect details create a harmonious blend that the brand reflects in its dresses.

The sales geography of Eva Lendel dresses is very extensive: in almost every part of the world.

Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham was educated at the London College of Art and Design. Her first collection appeared in 1988, but it was only in 2006, after Milan Fashion Week, that she became widely known and was named the most stylish fashion designer of the year in Hollywood. Jenny Packham's dresses are often inspired by vintage items that the designer finds at flea markets around the world.

Photo: @jennypackham

Papilio

The Papilio brand specializes primarily in wedding dresses. The brand is successfully developing in the markets of Europe and the USA.

Papilio's history goes back about ten years. The company, founded in Brest, has rapidly grown as a prominent participant in the wedding industry and has confidently established itself in the creation of sophisticated wedding dresses, where competition is extremely high and winning laurels is not easy. The strong position gained in the world of wedding fashion allowed the company to move forward.

Dresses are created from the best materials and, while remaining classic in silhouette, are original and modern.

Advanced technology and high creativity are taken into account in creating the outfit.

The brand's representative offices, where you can buy a dress, are located in 31 countries.

Reem Acra

From a young age, Reem Acra gravitated towards the art of design and created unusual things for herself. Grandmother Rome made decorative flowers from silk. So for the first time, the future famous designer began to be interested in delicate work with fabrics. Over time, having learned about her hobby, friends began to turn to the girl with requests to create a beautiful outfit for them. After graduating from university, Reem released her first clothing collection.

Success inspired the aspiring designer to study this profession in New York and the design school in Paris. For several years she collaborated with various fashion houses. Rome's first mature collection consisted only of wedding dresses.

Photo: @reemacra

The most famous foreign manufacturers of wedding dresses

Italian, Spanish and American brands are worthy of attention.

Spanish

These include:

1. Pronovias. This fashion house has its own signature style: a combination of tulle and elegant lace. His collections focus on vintage dresses. In addition to them, classic curvy and mermaid models are widely represented. For those who practice Islam and brides with conservative views, dresses with closed tops and sleeves are offered. Price range – 203,000-330,000 rubles. Official website – pronovias.com.
2. San Patrick. The history of the brand dates back to 1922. Under it, 4 types of wedding dresses are produced - Dreams, Fashion, Lamour and Costura. In the collections there are models with a low waist, a fishtail, and a corset. The predominant fabrics are snow-white satin and tulle. Price range – 55,000-135,000 rubles. Official website – sanpatrick.com.
3. Rosa Clara . The year the world-famous company was founded is 1994. The main office is located in Barcelona (Spain). She specializes exclusively in wedding dresses. The collections focus on exclusivity and luxury. Therefore, the design team works most of the time manually. Natural fabrics are used in tailoring - organza, chiffon, satin. Price range – 106,000-578,000 rubles. Official website – rosaclara.es. You can find out how to choose a satin dress from another article.

This is a video from the Rosa Clara show:

American

The most famous wedding brand in the USA is Vera Wang (described above). Not far from him was the fashion house Alfred Angelo, which was founded in 1993 by the married couple Edith Piccione and Alfred Angelo. In their works they use expensive fabrics - silk, jacquard, viscose, lace and satin. Among the colors in the collections are white, red, beige, pink and even pale blue. Here we have collected a lot of tips that will help you choose the right red dress for your wedding.

The brand is designed for brides who want to save money on their wedding and look impeccable at the same time.

The company's designers are inspired by images of famous fairy tales - “Beauty and the Beast”, “Snow White”, “Cinderella”, “The Little Mermaid”. Another article offers recommendations for choosing a mermaid wedding dress. Models are available with tapered, full and straight skirts. The love for embroidery with golden threads and an open top is noticeable.

The minimum cost of outfits is 20,000 rubles, the maximum is 35,000.

Official website of the company : alfredangelobridal.eu.

Dress by Alfred Angelo

Italian

Those who are tired of the classics (voluminous crinoline skirts, corsets and lace) should pay attention to the manufacturer Elisabetta Polignano, popular in Italy and far beyond its borders. Under it, outfits with an extraordinary “appearance” are produced. Among them you can find:

• suits – skirt + top;
• dresses with a kind of veil;
• long sundresses;
• “transformer” models with a removable skirt and top;
• black dresses.

The collections of the Italian designer are dominated by white satin, chiffon and tulle. The price of his creations starts from 100,000 rubles. You can find out more information here: elisabettapolignano.com.

Another Italian brand, Amelia Sposa, will appeal to brides who prefer convenience without sacrificing beauty. This combination is possible due to high-quality fabrics - satin, lace, viscose, chiffon and guipure. The highlight of this fashion house is the use of several types of materials at once when creating one outfit.

Dresses from Amelia Sposa are decorated with unusual decor - beads, buttons, artificial flowers. Among them you can find the following models:

• “mermaid” with a lush cloud of flounces and ruffles;
• “princess” with a skirt extended at the back;
• with light long capes on the shoulders;
• with big bows;
• straight styles with transparent sleeves.

The average cost is 50 thousand rubles.

Here's a video from the show:

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta studied the history of painting in Madrid. At the same time, he worked part-time as an artist, illustrating articles in magazines. The fashion designer's career began with creating a dress for a friend, the daughter of the American ambassador. The girl starred in this outfit for the cover of the magazine. This is how all the socialites of that time recognized Oscar’s name. He began working at Balenciaga as an assistant to the chief couturier, then worked at Lanvin, Christian Dior and Elizabeth Arden.

The first own collection was a great success. In the 70s, his name became one of the most famous designers and is on this list to this day. The famous expression “fashion victim” belongs to Oscar de la Renta: he called it people who blindly follow trends.

Photo: @oscardelarenta

Young designers

In addition to famous brands, new and talented designers appear from time to time, whose collections deserve the closest attention. We would like to draw your attention to them.

Danielle Frankel

The American brand Daniel Frankel has a special vision of the world. Her wide snow-white skirts are complemented by belts, jackets, and decorated with large fittings and drapery. This is an excellent solution for those who decide to stand out from the crowd and amaze others with a special outfit.

Daniel Frankel has a reputation as an ultra-fashionable designer. The first collection under this brand was released in 2022. A distinctive feature of the collection is outfits that can continue to be worn after the wedding.

Hermione de Paula

British designer, Hermione de Paula worked with brands such as Dior, Galliano, McQueen and Giles before launching her own collection. Her style is romantic surrealism.

A distinctive feature of her outfits is floral prints. The flowers themselves may turn out to be embroidery, lace, or weaving. The decorative component in dresses is always in the foreground. Unlike embroidery, the cut itself is simple and concise. The designer believes that each outfit should reflect individuality and be as unique as possible.

Cushnie

The American brand Kushini presents dresses with a fitted silhouette, asymmetrical accents, voluminous arms and a deep neckline. The authors of the brand are friends Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs. They prefer tight, sexy silhouettes. You will always look very seductive in a wedding dress from Cushnie et Ochs.

Distinctive features of dresses from this brand:

• minimum decorative elements;
• tight skirts;
• silver shades.

Carly Cushnie's sleek yet multicultural designs are no-frills, minimalist dresses. The collection will delight those who would like to demonstrate their own beauty, highlighting it with a simple but romantic style. In the collection you will also find many classic A-line models.

Markarian

Markarian is the creator of outfits, a semi-romantic style with some boho elements. The brand’s assortment also includes many combinations with a chic neckline in Victorian or modern style. Her skirts are distinguished by a large number of frills arranged in tiers. Puff sleeves, lace and embroidery complete the look.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab was involved in design from an early age. He was born and lived in Beirut in a large family. Since childhood, he drew sketches and cut out outfits for his sisters from old curtains. Growing up, Eli went to Paris to study design art. The first collection was shown in Rome, but world fame came to the designer after Halle Berry appeared at the Oscars in 2002 wearing his dress.

Photo: @eliesaabbridal, Pinterest

Even more useful information about preparing for a wedding and wedding trends can be found in our guides.

Marchesa

The cult brand Marchesa, whose shows are almost always sold out, dates back to 2004. Then two designer friends Keren Craig and Georgia Chapman opened their first atelier. The name of the company was given by the name of the Marchioness Luisa Casati, who is a muse for poets and artists. Now it is a luxury British brand that produces chic evening and wedding dresses.

Hayley Paige

Hayley Page previously worked in the atelier of the famous American wedding designer Melissa Sweet. After this, the designer created a collection of luxurious wedding dresses for JLM Couture. Paige offers sometimes fun and unusual wedding dresses that are designed to satisfy the needs of even the most outside-the-box-minded bride. Chic and stylish combinations, a polished feminine silhouette - all these are integral characteristics of Paige's stylish style. It was Hayley who introduced short wedding dresses into fashion.

Franc Sarabia

If you are looking for a dress made of extraordinarily fine lace and the smoothest silk, then this is the fashion house that will meet all your requirements. The outfits created by Franc Sarabia contain true female sexuality, capable of awakening the feelings of the most callous men. That is why the new collections are dominated by soft silhouettes with open shoulders, deep necklines, open backs and long trains. Each element in the dress makes it a little mysterious, but no less attractive.

Franc Sarabia dresses are not suitable for those who are afraid of their beauty and sensuality. They are for self-confident people who enjoy the looks of enthusiastic men and envious women.

Other famous names

Needless to say. For example, models by Oksana Mukha (Ukrainian designer), Dani Mizrahi (Israeli brand), and other world-famous names are no less popular in our country.

Oksana Mukha

Murashka

Chelyabinsk young brand Murashka strives for natural sources, seeks inspiration outside of time and finds beauty where classic wedding standards do not fit. Murashka is about freedom and real feelings, the simple and the most important.

Angel Sanchez

Angel Sanchen is a famous wedding designer from Venezuela. His celebrity clients include Sandra Bullock and Beyoncé. Sanchez is famous for his unconventional views on wedding style, as well as completely unexpected stylistic decisions. In his latest collections you can find wedding dresses created from unique, hand-painted silk, as well as asymmetrical wedding dresses, outfits in unexpectedly bright colors and dresses complemented by ultra-trend capes.

Edem

The idea of ​​the brand is to develop together with girls and go through the main stages of life with them. Therefore, even after the wedding, Edem clients invariably return to the brand again - for evening dresses for important events and everyday affairs, to please themselves and be in harmony. Come to the Edem boutique on Tverskoy Boulevard to experience this concept.

Ines di Santo

Ines di Santo is a famous Italian wedding designer, famous for her incredibly feminine, original and figure dresses. Ines di Santo wedding dresses are made in Toronto, where the designer has an atelier. Very often, Ines personally works on dresses to make them even more luxurious and perfect - all to make every bride feel unique!

Wedding workshop "Peony"

vk.com/pion.svadba

For the fifth year now, our weekdays and weekends consist entirely of patterns, lace, shimmering beads, clouds of tulle, the smiles of our brides and incredible happiness mixed with gratitude for the fact that we are doing what we love.

Our dresses are designed to highlight the charm and individuality of each girl. Delicate and airy, they are the personification of beauty and lightness, embodied in clouds of tulle skirts and ornate patterns of the finest lace.

When you find yourself in our workshop, you find yourself in a world of many delicate shades, sensual silhouettes and various textures! Each dress for us is a little story, a fairy tale: from the development of a sketch, selection of fabrics and hand embroidery with attention to the smallest details until the moment when our dress meets a beautiful and happy girl to emphasize her beauty and individuality on the most special day!

We are sincerely grateful to our brides, so different and so unique, that they never cease to inspire us and give us the opportunity to bring a wide variety of creative ideas to life!

Modern tendencies

It is clear that each fashion designer has his own style, certain materials characteristic of a particular brand, but the main general criterion is the quality of workmanship.

The main decor is created by hand.

We also follow fashion trends that are preferred today:

• pastel colors (blue, pink, ivory, champagne, light green), gray is a priority;
• 3D decor;
• the presence of lace inserts;
• long sleeves;
• a large number of embroidery and appliqués;
• transparency of the material.