New generation of Hong Kong brides tears up rules for wedding dresses
Rather than follow tradition, more young women – such as actress Shu Qi recently – wed in dresses that better suit their personality and style, and Hong Kong has no shortage of options
Shu is one of many brides to have forgone the traditional over-the-top frothy wedding gown in favour of looks that are more stylish and understated. Admittedly, she isn’t the first. Bianca Jagger wore a white Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking jacket, bare chest exposed, when she married Mick Jagger in 1971.
Others, including Cindy Crawford, Jessica Biel and Kate Moss have followed over the years, proving that brides are willing to experiment with more unconventional looks for their big day.
“The traditional bridal gown is not everyone’s style. Many brides want their wedding dress to reflect their personality and style and the traditional gown may not achieve that. They want something different, which hasn’t been seen over and over again,” says Dana Trang, director of Hong Kong boutique Hitched! Bridal.
“Girls in Hong Kong have always followed fashion trends closely each season and I think this habit has extended to picking their wedding gown,” adds Carolyn Chow at Central Weddings, which stocks designers including Vera Wang.
“I didn’t want anything stagnant or stiff. I also didn’t want to change, so needed a dress I could dance in. It’s your one time to shine, so this dress was perfect because it was still glamorous and romantic with a modern edge,” she says.
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“For example, one recent ‘cool’ bride wore high-top trainers with her gown, mainly for comfort but also as a fashion statement. Another wore a beautiful hand-embroidered Marchesa dress that was more fashionable than a traditional wedding gown,” she says.
Indeed, many of the wedding dresses we see today are from the seasonal catwalk collections of major designers. A glance at Net-a-Porter’s bridal section reveals edgy creations by a group of emerging designers such as Roksanda, Self Portrait, Needle & Thread and Alice + Olivia. Also included are luxury houses such as Lanvin and Valentino, whose highly intricate, couture-like creations are ideal for the more contemporary bride.
“We are seeing hints of new colours in the gowns, including blush, mint and grey. Designers are also coming up with more daring designs as they are pairing slinky mermaid silhouettes with plunging necklines, low backs and sheer, lingerie-like designs. These all sound sexy, revealing and unconventional for brides, but actually they are done in a very tasteful and subtle way that only adds a touch of sensuality to the look,” says Chow.
While choosing the right dress is paramount, accessories and other details can also help take a bride’s look from princess to catwalk-worthy. Hair accessories are popular, and range from crystal headbands to headpieces. Statement jewellery and body veils can also help transform a dress.
“Body veils are very long veils attached to the gowns, often extending from the shoulders to beyond the train. These are beautiful and still create a dramatic entrance from the back,” Chow says.
Dresses for a cause
A wedding dress may be the most important item of a clothing a woman ever buys, but what does she do with it when the wedding is over?
BridesdoGood.com is a newly launched e-commerce business founded by Chantal Khoueiry that gives women the opportunity to sell and buy designer wedding dresses while contributing to a greater cause. The London-based site features pre-owned designer and couture wedding dresses from brands like Amanda Wakeley and Carolina Herrera at a fraction of the retail price and ships internationally.
While a small portion of the sales go towards running the site, and to the seller, a third is donated directly to charities – including Plan International, which promotes the safeguarding of children around the world.
