If I were to get married, I like to think I’d be a nontraditional bride. When it happens, I want to get the job done and sign on the dotted line. The dress, in a way, comes second. No fluff, no princess pouf, no fairy-tale wedding necessary. Maybe my aversion to traditional bridalwear is a genetic trait: My mother got married in a chic white pantsuit back in 1978. (She later got divorced in a pantsuit, but that’s another story.) The idea of a puffed-up dress seems frightening. Can a person even move in one of those clouds of hefty tulle? What happens if you spill red wine on a charmeuse number? It also seems like a lot of fabric for a six-hour (or less) occasion. (And a lot of money: Some dresses cost as much as a new car.)
But call me a changed woman, because during Bridal Week, I went to an appointment that I genuinely enjoyed: the debut collection of Danielle Frankel. The modest room tucked into the 11 Howard hotel was filled with minimalist, even tomboyish looks, such as a romantic shirtdress, delicately embroidered slips, and body-hugging pantsuits. Originally from Los Angeles and now based in New York, Frankel first cut her teeth at Marchesa. Later, she went to Vera Wang, where she worked as a designer for the bridal and made-to-order departments. Despite working at two labels that have built their brands on megawatt, down-the-aisle dresses, Frankel doesn’t consider herself a wedding dress designer. “Bridal is a dirty word!” says Frankel. “I’m not a bridal person, and I don’t like bridal. I don’t feel like it’s my industry. I feel like I’ve worked in the fashion industry and I’m just doing bridal—whatever that means to me—and that is why I feel like I am responding this way.”
Frankel’s response is a sleek approach with a bit of boyish flair. The shirtdress was cut so that it ever-so-slightly slouched off the shoulders. (Fun fact: Frankel wore the style to her own wedding.) Another standout was a dress that boasted leg-of-mutton sleeves of cool Dynasty proportions. Some of the accompanying pieces, like a long white silk jacket, could act as dresses in themselves for free-thinking brides. And those free-thinking brides wouldn’t have to dig too deep to buy a piece from Frankel: Her price range is about $3,000 upwards, less than most high-end wedding labels.
Frankle’s relaxed sensibility revolves around options and choices, as well as another idea that is on trend now: Rewearing a wedding dress long after the celebration. “If I’m really doing this, I have to make these pieces wearable outside of the collection,” she says. For example: “There is a skirt with a corset in it that I want our PR to send to a celebrity to wear.” Speaking of celebrities, Frankel’s ultimate woman to dress is the definition of cool: Zoë Kravitz. “She’s the right amount of yin and yang.” Sounds like a look and a concept I can finally say “I do” to.
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