Wedding Gown Designer Anne Barge Dishes on New Wedding Gown Trends
Is there a wedding in your future? Anne Barge talks about how to find your wedding gown and more.
-Diana Denza, BettyConfidential.com
The holidays are often a traditional time for marriage proposals. Just ask Anne Hathaway,Britney Spears and Camila Alves. All three said "Yes!" around the Christmas break. If you're like them and are newly engaged, you're probably thinking about your wedding gown, right?
Experienced bridal gown designer Anne Barge knows that the dress can make or break a wedding. That's why this romance lover uses her amazing abilities to craft exquisite gowns in every price range. Whether you're a Black Label ($7,000+), Couture ($4,000 - $6,500), or La Fleur ($2,400 - $3,900), an Anne Barge frock will transform you into the breathtaking beauty you deserve to be on your big day.
We had the chance to chat with Barge before her big show at New York International Bridal Week about her inspirations, favorite dress, and spring bridal gown trends.
Betty Confidential: You're known for intricate beading and highly feminine cuts. What inspired this style?
Anne Barge: When designing gowns, I am inspired by the classic, the timeless, and the historical. For example, if I channel the 18th Century in a collection, I'll design the dresses with a modern silhouette. I want to bring brides those classic looks, something that Audrey Hepburnor Jacqueline Kennedy would have worn, but for today's woman. I think today's dresses don't carry that same sort of timeless appeal, but most brides don't want to look at their wedding pictures in 10 years and see a dated dress. Today's pieces are losing that lasting element.
BC: How much work goes into making one of your dresses?
AB: So much you cannot believe! Even before the muslin,which is done and redone many times over-come developing the actual concept and the sketching. You need to have chosen the fabrics and then the dress has to be cut out and made. It is an unbelievable amount of work!
BC: Your dresses are all customizable -does it ever bother you that brides come in and decide to make changes to creations you've worked so long and hard on?
AB: The way I see it is that this is the most important dress in a woman's life and every bride deserves to have her dream dress. Sometimes, girls even give me ideas for future dresses!
BC: For the future brides out there, what's a trunk show like?
AB: For trunk shows, my team and I sometimes see several brides in one hour and we advise them on everything from the dress to the veil to hair and makeup. We also make sure that the bride is wearing the gown and not the other way around. After all, a wedding should be about the bride and not 'here comes the dress'!
BC: Your La Fleur line is affordable for many brides. What inspired you to start this line?
AB: I think a lot of girls out there want to wear couture but can't necessarily meet the very high price point. The La Fleur line gives brides beautiful, quality dresses. There is no sacrifice at all in the workmanship or the architecture of the dress, but to make the dresses more affordable, there are usually less embellishments and maybe less fabric in the skirt area in certain cases. But, women can expect the same fabric, lace detailing, and fit as the dresses in the other lines.
BC: What can we expect from your line this spring?
AB: I really do believe this is my best line yet! The dresses are still classic and timeless, but very different from what we've been seeing lately with bridal gown trends. Instead of strapless gown after strapless gown, there are variations in necklines and creative uses of lace detailing. The essence of the collection is refined sexy -brides won't be totally covered up, just enough so they'll retain that special mystique while walking down the aisle. And I think it provides something different for women who, because of religious reasons or personal preferences, don't wear strapless gowns.
BC: Is there one dress in particular from this new collection that you're particularly proud of?
AB: That's a tough one, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the gold lace over silk charmeuse gown in the finale. The lace is French and totally dramatic!
BC: Which wedding trends do you expect to stand out this spring?
AB: We'll see a lot of Kate Middleton inspired gowns and the return of the refined, ladylike bride. This is a great time for tasteful, traditional, and lastingly beautiful pieces. Ball gowns never go out of style, but for spring, expect lighter, flirtier, and airier gowns in silk, satin, or chiffon. This spring will mark the return of ladylike glamour -it'll be like falling in love.
To get an idea of how her beautiful creations look on a woman, here's her Spring/Summer Wedding gown fashion show:
Diana Denza is a regular contributor to BettyConfidential.
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