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Weddings are often said to be recession-proof. But for the bride feeling the cost-of-living pinch, or for those wanting to indulge in the multiple outfit trend – a key feature of last weekend’s celebrity wedding between fashion identity Sofia Richie and music executive Elliot Grainge – there is good news: the number of options by Australian ready-to-wear designers is increasing.
Acler co-founder Kathryn Forth’s own wedding in 2021, when border closures and snap lockdowns meant few events could be planned with certainty, was the original inspiration for the Adelaide-based brand’s first bridal collection, which will go on sale in November.
Two of the designs from Acler’s debut bridal collection.Credit: Matt Turner
After she struggled to find an off-the-rack dress that suited her taste, Forth made her own, with help from her mother. But not every bride is handy with a sewing machine, nor wants the full made-to-order experience, which as well as being costly can take six months or more. Even post-lockdowns, she thinks there’s a broader trend for more relaxed, flexible weddings. “That classic, princess style wedding is falling by the wayside,” she says.
Acler’s collection, which will cost from $320 to $1200, will debut on the runway next month at Australian Fashion Week. Forth says it will appeal to a range of brides, from those wanting multiple outfits, as well as second marriages, budget-conscious brides and couples holding “flash weddings”, a term coined in a recent New York Times article for weddings planned in less than three months.
“The second dress trend is a lot of fun, and it’s great we have items that are playful and a shorter length,” Forth says. Also in the range: pleated dresses that echo the brand’s love of that technique, and suiting, for the bride who isn’t feeling the dress vibe.
Inspired by true events … Acler co-founders Kathryn Forth (centre) and Julia Ritorto (right). Credit: Matt Turner
Last weekend’s wedding of Richie, daughter of singer Lionel Richie, and Grainge, which took place on the French Riviera with a guest list including Paris Hilton and twins Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, who also performed, featured the bride in multiple couture looks by Chanel.
While the bridal outfit-change trend isn’t new, it’s gathering momentum in Australia. Dani Connor, editor of wedding website Hello May, says about one in three “real wedding” submissions to the online magazine features a bride in multiple outfits. And though men haven’t adopted the trend in big numbers yet, Connor has started to see the odd groom changing into a “party” shirt.
“After the ceremony, many brides are opting to change into something more casual and fun, so they can dance the night away,” Connor says. “Bridal designers are definitely embracing the ‘reception outfit’ … We’re also seeing designers diversifying their collections, in general, to include minis, reception outfits, and two-piece sets.”
Bianca Spender in her Sydney studio with one of the styles from her new bridal wear collection.Credit: James Brickwood
Whereas Acler’s range is off the rack, Bianca Spender has spent 18 months developing her made-to-measure bridal service. To curate the collection, Spender went into her archive for 15 styles – a mix of dresses and suiting – that could be adapted into more “bridal” fabrics. The process, which costs a minimum $4000, takes three months and includes fittings with Spender at her boutique in Sydney’s Double Bay (the service will be offered in Melbourne later this year).
Tradition, with a twist … two pieces from Bianca Spender’s debut bridal collection.
Spender says delving into bridal wear has helped her to expand her normal design framework, which often favours practicality over fantasy. Even working with white fabrics was a new experience for the designer, who, as someone with alabaster skin, has often eschewed the colour. “The world of brides was always one of a lot of, tradition, embellishment and classicism. I didn’t [used to] see my clothes in that space,” she says.
Spender is keeping her bridal line totally separate – it will not be part of her show at fashion week – but fellow designer Rebecca Vallance sees her wedding collection as an extension of her main line, reflecting current trends. This season, that includes a 1960s lean through pearl accents and detailing, and feather trims.
Rebecca Vallance’s latest bridal collection embraces the multiple-dress trend.
Vallance, who introduced bridal wear in 2020, says today’s brides like to experiment with different sides of their personality through fashion, rather than sticking to one outfit.
“Many factors contribute to the trend of the second dress or after-party dress, one of them being less focus on the ceremony itself, and in turn, the ceremony dress,” she says. “There has been an emphasis on the wedding reception taking over as the most important part of the day as this is when you celebrate with family and friends.”
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