Bridal fashion week descended on New York during the first week of April wherein the biggest names in bridal showcased an array of wedding-worthy designs. A sense of nostalgia was present across shows with bubble hems and drop waists saturating the runways that felt reminiscent of decades past, updated with an elevated twist. Bridal classics were reinvented with new iterations of lace, looks were punctuated with an array of fresh-feeling wedding gloves, and design details like bows and rosettes emerged as modern trends. Plus, wedding attire like jumpsuits, mini dresses and convertible gowns offer brides an array of options when personalizing their wedding wardrobe, seen in crisp whites, soft blues and luxury creams. Below, discover the top bridal fashion trends in the wedding world for 2025.
KEY STYLES
The drop-waist wedding dress was a standout of the season as vintage styles are making their way back into bridal wear. This dress is already seeing growth within the market––especially with drop waists saturating contemporary womenswear––and average weekly searches are up +60% to last year. Bubble hem gowns further elevated modern shapes in bridal dresses seen at Monique Lhuillier and Katherine Tash. Bubble hems are experiencing accelerated growth and products in the market are +73% to last year. This style is especially popular for its whimsicality and is often seen in mini dresses that are perfect for after parties and receptions. More and more, brides are opting for several wedding looks that feel personalized to their personal style and vary throughout the slew of wedding events rather than sticking with one gown for the entirety of the day. Because of this, designers made 2-in-1 looks using detachable sleeves, overskirts, toppers and adjustable draping so brides can have it all with the purchase of one dress. These convertible gowns hid a mini wedding dress (+38% to LY) or jumpsuit (7k AWS) underneath layers that can later on be removed.
DRIVING DETAILS
The primary design details seen this bridal fashion week revolved around femininity and luxurious embellishments. For example, embellished dresses have seen +47% products in the market, predominantly seen with elegant crystals and pearls—note Elie Saab’s collection inspired by Claude Monet. Similarly, embroidered wedding dresses are up +168% to last year in market adoption as we saw a variety of beautiful lace embroideries done on gowns and veils, both abstract designs and floral. Quintessentially feminine, floral appliqués from rosettes to 3D daisies, seen at Honor, will continue to be a bridal favorite and are currently saturating the market with a +59% increase in products. Bow (+31% to LY) detailing and feathers (+13% to LY) made a statement on the runway from Bronx and Banco as well as Viktor and Rolf. Bow wedding dresses, whether avant-garde or an after-party mini, are growing increasingly popular––up +39% in searches to last year––along with feathered pieces that feel perfect for a celebration.
FABRIC UPDATES
Tulle wedding dresses saturated the runways; however, we saw this fabrication used in new and exciting ways with excess ruffles and ball-gown layers, too. Tulle wedding dresses are +100% in market adoption in the last 30 days and expected to continue growth through next year. Lace (+5% to LY), another tried-and-true bridal favorite, saw stylistic updates suitable for the modern-day bride—think sheers and ruffles—while nodding to vintage heritage styles. Sheer wedding dresses are becoming increasingly popular for the bride that wants to feel sultry in a tasteful way. This style is popular for various bridal occasions and after parties.
ESSENTIAL EXTRAS
Just as important as the dress, wedding day extras are essential to any bridal look. Wedding gloves were particularly popular on the runways, mostly elbow length, and are experiencing +649% in market adoption to last year, especially in lace and sheer tulles. As the bow trend continues, hair bows (+122% to LY) have made their way into the wedding space in beautiful silks and satins that match the wedding gown—Lihi Hod executed this trend beautifully with exaggerated shape. Neck scarves (+20% to LY) were a new and elegant trend seen this year, done by Nadia Manjarrez and Nordeen, in soft silks and tulle, too. As for jewelry, statement chokers—+208% in market adoption to last year—and drop earrings (+20% to LY) with crystals, gems and pearls were luxurious accessory mainstays.
BRIDAL HAIR & MAKEUP
For brides, their hair and makeup needs to feel glamorous and timeless. Soft glam makeup (+11% to LY) is always the bridal go-to, and we saw models rock this look with a nude, glossy lip. On the other hand, vintage makeup reminiscent of the ‘20s was a standout at the shows with dramatic smokey eyes and classic red lips, up +2,563% to last year. Cherry red lips (+71% to LY) remained a stand-out beauty look, making appearances across shows with no makeup looks, soft glam and vintage beauty, too. Hairstyles differed between tousled hair (+39% to LY) with added volume and slicked back hair (+13% to LY) in a bun or low pony that felt classy and elevated.
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