Posts tagged fashion week trends
2025 Wedding Fashion Trends From New York Bridal Fashion Week

The way that some people look forward to the week between Christmas and New Year's, I look forward to New York Bridal Fashion Week. Twice a year, the top bridal designers in the world descend on one of my favorite cities to show their collections. With my background in fashion design and my career as a wedding illustrator, it’s truly the most exciting time of year! Although I couldn’t make it in person this year, I still had to recap some of my favorite trends that hit the runway. 

New York Bridal Fashion Week 

While every designer did an absolutely incredible job bringing their own unique vision to the runways this season, there were a few trends we noticed across the board. First, multiple wedding looks are here to stay! We saw designers leaning into wedding pieces for all types of events, from reception dresses to pre-event attire. While the focus will always remain on the classic wedding gown, it was refreshing to see such a variety of styles. We also saw cinched waists on every runway – it’s all about enhancing your form! Whether a natural waist, drop waist, or basque waist, there was consistently a form-fitting element to every gown. And finally, designers across the board opted for unique textures. More than just traditional laces, we saw iridescent fabric, long textured trains, and even multiple types of laces on the same gown. We love a tactile design and are excited to see this trend continue. 

Mini Dresses with Structured Skirts 

One of the first major trends we noticed this year was the mini dress! Most notably, mini dresses with structured, bell-shaped skirts. While reception dresses have become popular over the past few years, this shortened hemline is a fun, flirty option that we absolutely love! Marriers are prioritizing comfort and the ability to dance the night away, while still looking incredibly chic. It also brings the question – will we see hemlines begin to rise on traditional wedding gowns as well? 

Photos courtesy of Brides

Straight Necklines

Goodbye, sweetheart – hello, modern straight lines. Last year, we saw square necklines becoming more popular, and this year, the angular top was seen on many runways. This crisp, clean line is the perfect design to pair with a statement necklace or even a scarf. Or, pair a straight neckline with a basque waist for the perfect blend of vintage and modern design.

Skinny Scarves

Skinny scarves paired with a strapless dress have been all over runways this year, so it’s no surprise they have officially made their way into bridal. The look feels reminiscent of  Y2K fashion and even of some dupatta styling in Eastern cultures. Most bridal designers opted for silk or chiffon scarves, allowing the fabric to cascade down the wearer’s back. The accessory not only feels incredibly luxe but also serves as a unique alternative to a necklace. 

Photos courtesy of Brides

Basque Waists 

First popular in the 19th century, this bodice shape was brought back into the mainstream by Dua Lipa during the 2023 Met Gala when she wore a Chanel gown from the archives. The design is characterized by a V-shaped or U-shaped dip just below the natural waistline. As opposed to a drop waist, the basque waist still sits at the natural waist on the side, but lowers in the center. It perfectly cinches the waist, shows off curves, and is flattering on every body type. Personally, this is one of my favorite bridal trends this year! I absolutely LOVE the basque waistline and think it’s so flattering.

Corset Bodices 

Corsets are nothing new to the bridal world, but this year, we noticed a big change in the design of these pieces. While previously, corset gowns tended to be sheer with exposed boning, this year, we’re seeing more luxe fabrics and exaggerated designs. House Of Gilles, Ines Di Santo, Nadia Manjarrez Bridal, and Vivienne Westwood all embraced this look with incredible pieces that felt more high fashion than lingerie. I believe this ties into the trends of fuller skirts and exaggerated hip silhouettes that we’re seeing across fashion runways outside of the bridal world. 

Photos courtesy of Brides

Off The Shoulder

While off-the-shoulder gowns have been popular for the last decade, this year we saw designers moving away from the bohemian aesthetic. This new, elevated look is a spin on romantic, Victorian era design with soft draping in luxurious fabrics. We’ve also seen many of the designers make the sleeves removable, allowing the wearer more flexibility in their look and full range of motion. 

Photos courtesy of Brides

Two-Piece Looks 

The most unique trend we saw hit the runway this season was the two-piece wedding look. Designers have begun to lean into bridal separates to embrace the trend of multiple looks on a wedding day. These looks not only allow for easier customization, but also allow brides to have multiple looks in one. The most common of these looks we saw included removable sleeves, overskirts, toppers and capes, but we also saw options that included bridal separates such as tops and skirts. While these looks are still mostly designed for reception outfits, we’re starting to see a few designers test out the waters in traditional bridalwear as well. 

Photos courtesy of Brides

Bridal Fashion with SamiaLynn Designs

As a wedding illustrator, I find it to be incredibly important to stay on top of the bridal fashion trends. Watching and learning from New York Bridal Fashion Week is one of my favorite parts of my job. I love to see how looks evolve over the years, and how my couples interpret these fashion trends into their own days. If you’re getting married and looking for someone to come and memorialize your look with an illustration, I’d love to be a part of your day! Head over to my bridal page for custom illustrations or reach out for live illustrations.

Trends from Bridal Fashion Week 2022
 
 
bridal fashion week 2022
 

As we are still seeing stars after a week of bridal fashion, we wanted to share some of the trends that will be taking over in 2023. Even if you aren’t planning a wedding, it never gets old to see what bridal designers come up with year after year!

Reminder: bridal collections come out a year in advance, hence “Spring 2023”. It can be confusing, we know.

Just like the traditional fashion week, many of the dresses that you will see coming off of the runway aren’t exactly obtainable for the general public. What you should take from these couture gowns is inspiration for what stands out to you on your wedding day. Trends come and go, but you want to make sure that you will love your dress for years to come. Personally, we like some of this inspiration for outfits like the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and even rehearsal dinner if high fashion isn’t the vibes you are trying to give off in your bridal portraits. 

Here are some of our favorites: 

Sleeves of all types

If your arms are showing on your wedding day, do you even have social media?!? Just kidding, just kidding. (I’m a classic sweetheart neckline girl myself) if you are looking to make a statement, though, we’d recommend looking at all of the many sleeve options that are available right now. You could go with a classic fitted sleeve, a sweet flutter sleeve, or an ‘80s puff sleeve. Just be aware of your future children’s distaste for your dress until another 20 years have come and gone and then they will be asking for your preserved gown!

Colorful dresses

And we don’t just mean a champagne underlay! This season we are seeing colorful floral appliqués and your “something blue” all over. If you are getting married in a garden or just really love flowers, this is the season for you. White (or ivory) is no longer the only color option for you to walk down the aisle proudly in!

Sheer dresses

If you aren’t concerned with your conservative family’s opinions, this is for you! Many designers are skipping the lining of their gowns to really let the details speak for themselves. This blends well with the current bodysuit trend as that is typically the coverage that is available in these gowns. If you are having an outdoor destination or beach wedding where the sun will be shining behind you, a sheer dress will be the perfect way to accentuate your silhouette while still being covered head to toe in lace, beading, and tulle. 

Slits or short dresses

In the same vein as the sheer dresses, we are seeing designers showing a little leg with slits in the skirts or just short skirts in general. Many times this will include an over skirt so you can have the train and drama for the ceremony, but then rip it off and be ready to party in a short flirty dress. 


Which of these trends will you be introducing into your bridal look??

 
 

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn