Forget tradition — designer Monique Lhuillier wants brides to embrace color, pattern, and unexpected looks
Emma McIntyre / Staff / Getty Images / Monique Lhuillier
- Brides have been gravitating toward nontraditional wedding gowns and engagement rings.
- Specifically, colorful engagement rings and dresses are becoming popular.
- Insider spoke to designer Monique Lhuillier about the move toward color in the bridal industry.
When you think of a traditional bride, you likely picture a woman in a poofy, white dress with a veil and a sparkly diamond ring on her finger.
But bridal style has changed in recent years, with more and more people stepping away from conventional attire in favor of looks that reflect their personalities.
Insider spoke to wedding-dress designer Monique Lhuillier about bridal trends and her collection of lab-grown rings with Kay Jewelers.
As the designer told Insider, bridal style is becoming bolder and bolder with time — especially when it comes to color.
The market for nontraditional wedding dresses is growing
In recent years, brides have embraced unexpected trends, such as gowns with daring slits or sheer elements, and dresses with removable pieces, including sleeves, skirts, or bodices that can be taken off of the dress.
Celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger recently told Insider that dresses with convertible elements often appeal to brides who want more than one look on their wedding day but don't want to change into another dress.
Monique Lhuillier
"I think it's a great way to be able to extend the life cycle of being in your wedding dress," Erlanger told Insider. "Oftentimes, you're in the dress for your ceremony and your cocktails, and then a lot of people change for their reception or their after-party."
"You get to be in your dress all night long, and all you're doing is removing an element," she added.
Lhuillier leaned into the removable trend with her latest collection, as she told Insider.
"I don't always want my brides to have to leave their parties to change to an entirely different dress because then they lose time with their loved ones," she said.
Her latest collection also features subtle patterns, lace detailing, and 3D floral appliqué, creating a romantic feel.
Monique Lhuillier
Colorful wedding dresses have become popular in recent years as well, with brides wearing everything from black and red dresses to rainbow-hued gowns.
Lhuillier has been designing colorful wedding dresses for years, and she told Insider she embraced non-white gowns because she wanted to offer brides something that would stand out.
"I started introducing prints in my bridal collection, and what I loved about that idea is the romance, the uniqueness that a print has, and you feel special in the garment," Lhuillier told Insider, adding that it ended up being a hit with her clients.
"It happens that the brides were very ready to embrace prints and color and pattern," she said.
Engagement rings are becoming more colorful, too
Like wedding gowns, engagement ring trends are evolving with the modern bride, and nontraditional looks are resonating with buyers.
Private jeweler Anna P. Jay previously told Insider that unexpected shapes like toi et moi rings have become popular in recent years, as have colorful engagement rings.
"Color is definitely making a comeback, which is really fun because there are so many different varieties of color out there," Jay told Insider. "The world of jewelry isn't just diamonds."
Lhuillier embraced color in her latest collection of lab-grown rings created with Kay, including rings with alternative center stones like aquamarine, amethyst, quartz, and even black diamonds.
Monique Lhuillier/Kay Jewelers
"I love the black diamonds," Lhuillier said. "I love the yellow topazes and all these colorful centers."
Lhuillier said she hopes brides find rings and wedding gowns that reflect their individuality.
"Women just want to express themselves and they want to be unique and they want to be free and have no limitations in what they select," Lhuillier said of why she wanted to add colorful stones to the ring.
"As a designer, my goal is just to put a lot of options in front of them that I like and then people take it from there and make it their own," she added.
And if you are going to buy a colorful engagement ring, make sure it's durable enough for everyday wear, as you want it to last a lifetime.