This photo is a mezzotint print I made of a bridal headpiece found in a vintage shop. It wasn’t a clothing shop so the head piece was buried in a box of odds and ends of lace and hat ribbons. Unearthing it prompted a decades long fascination with bridal raiment.
It’s cold and misting outside and a perfect morning for staying inside with a pot of hot chocolate at a table desk scented with a sprig of star jasmine from the garden wall.
On long walks there are opportunities to gaze in windows and take photographs of wedding gowns. This is a shop in the Marais district of Paris. The tiny tucks across the front of the bodice and the enlarged ribbon bow below remind me of a tuxedo shirt and bow tie.
These two photographs were taken during a stroll through Georgetown, a suburb of Washington, D.C. The quiet beauty of the gowns dialogues with the reflected background of historic architecture and traffic inching through the streets.
These and the next few photos were taken at night outside a bridal shop around the corner from an ice cream store. There were times we would finish eating dinner at home and treat ourselves to a drive, purportedly to “see the lights” but always ending in ice cream and night window shopping.
There is something fascinating about the look of bridal dresses hanging together on wooden hangars. You can see the ethereal variation in shades of white, the sheen, and texture of the gowns. The camera focuses on satin and lace. The light spots caused by the reflections add mystery to the images.
Here is a custom dress shop in the heart of the French Quarter. We discovered it early one morning when we had the streets to ourselves. Fueled by a cup of chicory coffee and a beignet we roamed in search of something to capture and bring home with us.
My husband took a photo of a wedding dress and its mirror image. Nearby other gowns hang pressed together. He made this photopolymer gravure from the image.
Then, there are objects redolent of weddings; a ceramic flower arrangement and a piece of lace from a museum next to our hotel in Florence. My traveling companion had the utmost patience while I opened more than a dozen drawers in a wooden cabinet to photograph the antique pieces of lace and garments.
This gown is from long ago, yet the chiffon bow at the neckline and the satin ribbon trim could be seen today.
Miles of buttons and a lace fragment dripping from a satin sleeve.
My fascination with wedding raiment and weddings is further fueled by articles in online journals and newspapers. A name which is repeated often when brides reflect on their choice of gown is Danielle Frankel Hirsch. Though relatively new to the industry (2017), she was recognized with an award from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2019.
Danielle Frankel Hirsch is known for her unique, arresting designs and an attention to detail. A study of the company website and online images reveals work which is both stunning and memorable. There are elements of her designs which could be applicable to apparel for those of us who are not planning to wed again. Let’s break it down a bit…
Notice the way a length of lace forms a head scarf and then winds through to the back of the head. What about using a length of lace to soften a crisp, finely tailored jacket or an oversized jacket?
This gorgeous lace jacket dress is simultaneously delicate and powerful. What would it look like to applique lace onto an existing jacket in a darker shade and pair it with a long pencil skirt?
Danielle Frankel Hirsch makes lace an expressive part of the garment; lace sleeves flutter and lace drips from ruffles. What would it be like to add lace to something otherwise quite severe and tailored?
Both of these gowns could be worn as they are well beyond the wedding day!
Frankel’s off the shoulder gowns are chosen by many. This glamorous take on the trench coat and front buttoned jacket dress might be adapted for our daywear styling of a beautiful blouse.
Danielle Frankel Hirsch has also created some intricately pleated gowns.
In 2022, White Lotus star Alexandra Daddario was married in New Orleans wearing a Danielle Frankel pleated gown with lace straps.
(Fortuny: His Life and Work by Guillermo de Osma)
Her pleated gowns are reminiscent of Fortuny’s pleated silk Delphos gowns, one of which is pictured above.
Though my own wedding dress was made at home with my mother using taffeta and lace from the local fabric store, it was a sweet concoction and part of a beautiful day and a happy memory.
Considering wedding raiment can spark a restyling of a piece of clothing or the creation of your own bespoke bouquet!
