What We Saw at New York Bridal Fashion Week

Designers brought a bit of theater to New York Bridal Fashion Week, which was held April 2-4 and showcased their spring and summer 2025 collections.

Justin Alexander kicked things off with an interactive collaboration with the street artist Gioele Corradengo, known as Sexsdreams. Attendees at his show spray-painted a wedding dress, creating their own work of art. And Cinq unveiled its new collection with a candlelit dinner-style presentation that was part Shakespearean drama, part Hitchcock film.

One of the week’s highlights was a marriage proposal by the model Erica Honing’s boyfriend during Galia Lahav’s presentation.

There were bridal brand debuts from the designers Alejandra Alonso Rojas, Courte Collection and Nordeen, as well as the return of Odylyne the Ceremony to Bridal Fashion Week after a brief absence. Also, Claire Pettibone revealed her much-awaited East Coast flagship boutique in Midtown Manhattan.

On the runways and during presentations, many designers opted for nontraditional and more versatile looks. As Brenna Simmons, the founder and creative director of Nordeen, explained, those looks included styles “in the form of color, separates or convertible pieces that can be styled multiple ways. Or even as simple as the exploration of new types of silhouettes that aren’t necessarily your typical wedding gown.”

Here are some highlights of what we saw.

Dropped Waists

The dropped waist was one of the hottest looks on the bridal runway, shown in different renditions from ruched tulle and draped satin ball gowns from Chosen by KYHA, to a clean-lined strapless gown with an adjustable-bow back from Courte Collection. Anne Barge debuted a shimmery, embroidered drop-waist A-line dress. And Monique Lhuillier Bliss showed a luxurious drop-waist lace gown with an inverted-pleat skirt. Ines Di Santo opened her show with a beaded drop-waist ball gown accented by a dramatic tulle skirt.

“Dropped waists are everywhere — in a good way,” said Christy Baird, the owner and the creative director of LOHO Bride, a bridal shop in West Hollywood, Calif. “Expect this style to stay around for a while since popular trends in bridal fashion tend to last much longer than in ready-to-wear.”

Mixed Fabrics

“Mixed fabrics are a prominent trend this season as brides request more custom or one-of-a-kind pieces,” said Sarah Swann, the chief creative officer at Amsale. “This look adds individuality, allowing brides to showcase their own sense of style.”

Amsale showed the perfect example of mixing fabrics and layers in one bridal look by pairing a tailored duchess-satin bodice with a lace top and a soft tulle skirt. Nadia Manjarrez’s collection featured a drop-waist gown with a waffle-weave bodice and full tulle skirt. And Andrew Kwon presented a beaded mini dress that can be worn alone or layered with a feather-embellished, floor-length tulle underskirt.

For spring-summer 2025, Ms. Manjarrez sees many brides staying away from minimalistic styles. “They’re liking ball gowns with interesting textures,” she said.

Basque Waists

With the continued popularity of period dramas like “Bridgerton” and “The Great,” it’s not surprising that designers are inspired by 18th- and 19th-century fashion.

Basque waists, which sit slightly lower on the natural waistline and end in a V-shape point, create volume at the hips that is a little bit Marie Antoinette and very fashion forward. This look was done in various ways throughout different collections. A strapless midi dress debuted by Balykina featured a seamed, elongated bodice that complemented its bubble skirt. Cinq’s collection included a strapless A-line gown of cotton lace and crinkled silk tulle. And Lihi Hod used regal lace for a strapless ball gown with a structured waist and full skirt.

Trompe L’oeil Bra Necklines

A bra peeking out from under a tank top or slip dress was a late-1990s and early 2000s trend that has recently resurfaced in celebrity street style and red carpet photos, so of course it has made its way to bridal in a chic way.

This look gives the illusion of a lace or satin bra peeking out of a gown’s neckline. Wonà Concept debuted an A-line gown with a pleated skirt and corset bodice detailed with a satin, bra-like neckline. And Nardos showed an elegant, hand-draped silk Mikado dress with a corset bodice peeking out from underneath. Eva Lendel’s new collection featured a column dress with a corseted bodice and a detachable peekaboo lace neckline.

Elongated Corsets

Separates have become a staple in bridal fashion, as many brides like not only the ability to switch up and coordinate tops and bottoms for their wedding day, but also the allure of two or more pieces that seamlessly make one flawless look.

This season, designers paired full skirts and tailored trousers with flattering elongated corsets for an elegant version of the two-piece bridal look. Dana Harel’s silk chiffon corset gown featured a distinctive hand-ruching technique to create texture. Mark Ingram showed a crepe corset with wide-leg crepe tuxedo trousers. A Victorian-inspired French lace mermaid gown with a cinched, elongated corset and gigot sleeves was included in Galia Lahav’s presentation.

Ruched Tulle

Ethereal gowns are a perennial favorite option for brides, and this season’s selections of dreamy dresses featured ruched tulle looks that were modern yet romantic. Markarian featured a tiered, off-the-shoulder A-line dress with delicate bows in the back. Hera Couture added a boho vibe to a sophisticated tulle gown with detached puffed sleeves. And Nordeen’s collection included an airy, crinkle-silk chiffon cape that could be worn over a slip dress or bridal pants.