Celebrity Wedding Bar

Everyone loves a bride and there were plenty to choose from at Fashion Week’s first weddings show, which is bound to be a big hit with the engaged crowd come its public show on Saturday.

Throw in some cute flower girls and a little boy ringbearer and its ooh-ah time.

Eight designers came together for this group show pulled together by New Zealand Weddings magazine editor Melissa Gardi and featuring some of the top names in the world of weddings.

It provided armchair shopping with more of a fashion edge than what might be seen at commercial bridal shows. No meringues, plenty of strapless dresses, a bit of bling and dresses that show how wedding has morphed with red carpet dressing in recent years in fitted bodices that flare fluidly to a train and dramatic one-shoulder numbers.

Few dresses were true white, with rich creams featuring strongly and hints of pastel and silver shades.

Vintage-look lace and crystal embellished bodices were a feature throughout. In a nod to fashion trends seen elsewhere at Fashion Week, fringing, ruching and feather trim also made an appearance.

The show started with John Zimmerman’s elegant oyster strapless and embroidered gown. He also showed cream satin brocade, a nude strapless gown with giant fabric petals, and a latticed topped dress with a fringed tiered skirt.

Louise Anderson favoured soft tones from off-white to rich cream. A pearl satin dress was trimmed with black tulle and diamantes were used for decoration, with some dresses over worked. A capped sleeve shrug was an option over a strapless dress.

Anna Schimmel’s fine workmanship showed in ruched bodices, a tulle cape with flounced neckline, and billowing satin skirts. Over-sized flowers with diamante centres made for bodice decoration and a veil was shown in flower sprigged tulle.

A different note was struck with a slim 70s-style with a white batwing sleeve that could do double duty for a black tie event.

One of the strongest segments was menswear from Crane Brothers. Sharp single-breasted suits were shown in charcoal with a lavender shirt, dove grey twinned with teal floral, a mid-grey with a Liberty print and of course, classic black. But best of all was a midnight blue suit with white buttons that looked modern worn with a white shirt and tie.

Kate Dowman’s designs were busy, with ruched and fitted tops flaring into fantasy tulle skirts. A white cotton crochet-style lace was a bit boho.

Newmarket retailer Modes which caters well for bridal wear took its queue from the crowd pleasing approach of Trelise Cooper Kids sending a little lad and a cluster of little ladies down the runway in special day dresses and flower girl frocks.

Vinka’s style was red carpet Hollywood starlet in white. Fluid, flowing, pleated and feather trimmed. Headpieces were a nice option for women not wanting to wear a veil.

Jane Yeh showed ostrich-style feather in a dress with a hint of peach and also played with petalling and black on cream trims in her elegant ensembles.