Having covered some of our top UK and Irish bridal designers to watch out for this year in our latest fashion feature, we now move further away and across the English Channel to seek out our favourite French designers for 2017. Last year we brought you the minimal, romantic collections from designers such as Sophie Sarfati, Elise Hameau, Laure de Sagazan and Fabienne Alagama, and while we touch on them again in this year’s Ones to Watch, we’ve found even more incredible designers to add to the list of talent.
A little disclaimer before you enter the world of wonderful French designers however – a lot of those featured are not currently stocked in Ireland – in fact the closest place to get your hands on most is London – but we hope some of our fabulous bridal boutiques will pick one or two of the designers up in the future! But for now, we swoon. We swoon for the long flowing sleeves, the dreamy fabrics, the floor skimming skirts and trains. We swoon for the intricate back details, the impossibly beautiful laces, the elegant cutouts. And we swoon for the lookbooks, the photos that could only grace the websites of French designers; the grainy, impossibly romantic images that show us just how fabulous the French really are…
French Bridal Designers
Donatelle Godart
Don’t let the grainy images fool you, Donatelle Godart‘s dresses are as crisp as a spring morning, and just as refreshing. The DG bridal line is inspired by the feisty, carefree, confident style of 70s icons like Jane Birkin, completely in-keeping with the trends we’re seeing making their way from every corner of the globe for 2017. Gowns are light and whispy, with long, flowing sleeves, deep V necklines and backs and beautiful laces adding a real romance to each piece. We’re head over heels for these, guys, and are seriously hoping to see them appearing on the Emerald Isle very soon.
Celestina Agostino
A more couture take on Parisian style are the mesmerising creations coming out of the house of Celestina Agostino. Celestina is by no means new to the fashion industry, having cut her teeth in the world of costume design over 20 years ago and enjoyed a career in high fashion since, but it’s her refined, whimsical, perfectly tailored bridal designs that are gaining a massive following worldwide. Unique silhouettes, the theatrical layering of fabrics and dramatic, statement-making features are on one side of her wide range of styles, while the other side is all about a soft, streamlined look filled with the finest laces and delicate embellishments.
Mademoiselle de Guise
Mademoiselle de Guise doesn’t make it easy to get hold of their information, let alone their designs, but we thought these gowns, with their beautifully crafted feature backs, deserved a mention. Soft and playful, yet sophisticated and structured, the 2017 Mademoiselle collection balances the stylish, elegant, effortless bride perfectly – and did we mention those backs?! Let’s just say this is one designer destined for Pinteresting things in 2017.
LoraFolk
Lorafolk is a Parisian designer with a distinct hint of English Rose in her creations. Part fashion-forward, part folklore, the range delicately balances understated silhouettes with intricate, beautifully detailed luxurious laces (such as Calais lace), and ensures it’s the bride’s natural beauty that shines through, complementing it with every cut and flow. These minimal designers are looking like the way forward for bridal, and it’s French designers such as Lorafolk who are paving the way for them in 2017.
Elise Hameau
Paris-based Elise is inspired by the fashion of the 20s and 70s and combines these classic silhouettes with the most beautiful French lace and stunning art deco style detailing to create gowns that exude personality and style. To find out more about Elise Hameau see our past feature here.
Laure de Sagazan
Laure de Sagazan’s bridal collections exude sophisticated, old world glamour with just a little bit of playful zest in the form of luxurious lace cap sleeves and pretty laser cut cover ups. To find out more about Laure, check out our feature here.
Rime Arodaky
Wedding enthusiasts know her from her cult wedding blog La Love List, but Parisienne Rime Arodaky is about to become world renowned as a modern bridal designer in her own right. Find out more about Rime here.
