With huge statement skirts and tiny corseted waists, Vera Wang brings back the princess look at Bridal Fashion Week

Just six months ago, Vera Wang showed a bridal collection full of dahlia red, scarlet, rust, crimson and vermilion. Last year her wedding gowns were black.

But for the designer's latest collection during Bridal Fashion Week yesterday, she took it back to basics with an all-white show of tight bodices and princess-worthy voluminous skirts.

Traditional romanticism reigned during the fall 2013 bridal collections, with dramatic flowing skirts walking next to sleek column silhouettes, all prettily decorated with delicate lacework or tulle tiers; and in an ode to Anne Hathaway, veils were replaced by statement headpieces.

Vera Wang: The designer's latest collection during Bridal Fashion Week took all things 'I do' back to basics with an all-white show of tight bodices and princess-worthy voluminous skirts

Marchesa, synonymous with celebrity red-carpet gowns, paid homage to the Devil Wears Prada star, showing wide lace headpieces along with Jenny Packham, and Reem Acra.

Also alluding to Ms Hathaway's Valentino wedding gown, which was dipped in blush pink, was Marchesa's use of blush peeking through hand draped and embroidered bodices, which were finished with ball skirts and metallic details in gold and silver.

Inspired by 'the heart of the Iris and Bulgarian Rose,' according to Marchesa's show notes, the collection's Indian-inspired details like the intricate crystal and pearl drop beading, gave a refreshing pause to anything too overly traditional.

Bigger and better: Ms Wang described her collection as a 'study in femininity and romance [that] celebrates the wedding gown in a new take on classicism and ornamentation'



Traditional romanticism: The fall 2013 bridal shows were full of dramatic flowing skirts all prettily decorated with delicate lacework or tulle tiers, as seen at Vera Wang



Princess worthy: Embroidered bodices were finished with ball skirts, as seen at Marchesa, a collection inspired by the heart of the Iris and Bulgarian Rose

Meanwhile a model at Temperley London presentation walked down the runway in a gown with sheer, beaded sleeves reminiscent of Natalie Portman long-sleeved wedding dress, designed by Rodarte.

Generally, the bridal looks across the board told a story of either grandeur or tradition, with voluminous gowns walking right next to corded Chantilly lace and lace-trimmed cathedral veils.

 

Well beaded: Intricate crystal and pearl drop beading gave a refreshing pause to anything too overly traditional at Badgley Mischka (left and right), and Marchesa (middle)

Back to front: Indian-inspired details at Marchesa (left) and traditional floral lace at Badgley Mischka (right) adorned the backs of wedding gowns

Ms Wang, for example, described her more cliched than usual collection as a 'study in femininity and romance [that] celebrates the wedding gown in a new take on classicism and ornamentation.'

But because not every bride wants to say 'I do' in an elaborate gown, a welcome disregard to the often-strict bridal code was the obvious scattering of above-the-knee dresses.



Away with the veil: In an ode to Anne Hathaway and her recent Valentino weeding gown (left), veils were replaced by statement headpieces, as seen at Marchesa (right)

And Carolina Herrera, the queen of creating wedding looks that cater to various different sensibilities, included a peplum-style lace gown directly modelled after a red and white number from her resort collection, just repurposed for the bridal world.

She traded in the red lace overlay for an all-white version with a slightly more voluminous tulle skirt.