Have you ever noticed that whenever we start to think about top or we say famous wedding dress designers, few- if any- faces of color come to our mind. Well, there surely is not a lack of talent in the mainstream bridal space, but there is definitely a lack of diversity!
Many of us are not aware of the fact that black bridal designers have always been at the vanguard when it comes to innovation and creativity in the bridal fashion industry for years. Although, many black wedding dress designers have failed to receive the appreciation that they truly deserve! Most famously, when Ann Cole Lowe (first African American to become a noted fashion designer), a black woman who designed incredible gowns for debutantes and society brides. Not only limited to gown for debutantes and society brides, but she also designed a stunning wedding gown for Jacqueline Bouvier’s wedding to John F. Kennedy in 1953. To which in return, Ms. Bouvier described the designer as ‘a colored dressmaker’ rather than offering her name! In industries especially the bridal fashion ones, the people of color are always left out. But as we know Black History is made every day, and these incredibly talented and creative bridal wedding dress designers continue to make strong waves in bridal fashion with showstopping, intricately designed wedding gowns for all the brides out there!
Though there is a lack of diversity and it is very unfortunate, we can proudly say that black women are holding so much spending power and are absolute trendsetters! Well, looking back in history, there were very few Black bridal designers who made their mark and left everyone in amazement! But with the passing of Amsale (Ethiopian native wedding dress designer) the void between the Black wedding dress designers and the bridal fashion industry only got wider. The later designer Amsale Aberra not only shook up the entire bridal fashion industry with her designs, but she surely was a leading trendsetter when she broke into the fashion industry in the ’80s. Her creative and luxurious dresses for the minimal bride made her stand out in the market! At that point in time, Aberra was the only famous Balck wedding dress designer in the bridal gown industry!
The reason we are writing this blog is that because we want to enlighten everybody about the famous Black wedding dress designers who have made their mark in an industry that has usually left out people of color. This particular blog is in the support of all the Black wedding dress designers around the world. And we also want to tell our brides-to-be to put these five really incredible and utterly talented wedding dress designers on their radar for their wedding day!
Talking about Jean-Ralph Thurin, he grew from rags to riches when he launched his own design house in 2013. While growing up his most of the teachings were from his grandmother who used to sew pieces together bits of fabrics to make clothing. Further, Jean-Ralph began tinkering with his grandmother’s techniques, and from sewing those bits of fabric to make clothing, he gradually shifted to layers of chiffon and organza to design prom dresses for his friends! And finally, he reached his destination in New York at the Parsons School of Design, where he found a home as he was surrounded by tulle, silk, and crystals that he fabricated into designing elaborate one-of-a-kind wedding gowns!
The source of inspiration for Mr. Thurin was Oscar de la Renta and Christian Dior! With his amazing tagline that says. ‘Say yes to sketch’, he was able to meet with promised brides exclusively to bring their visions of having a dreamy custom wedding dress into a beautiful and lively reality from the scratch!
Jean-Ralph Thurin- Haitian-American husband and wife team Jean-Ralph and Delfrance Thurin together run a designer bridal salon in Somerville, New Jersey. They specialize in custom-made and ready-to-wear dresses for all occasions. So, whether you want dresses designed as per your vision for your wedding or prom, you know where to go to get the best outfit with a perfect fit! Not only Mr. Thurin does have fine and beautiful eyes for lines and shapes, but he truly has an incredible combination of fabrics to put together in creating a stunning and out-of-the-box wedding dress!
With 20 years of vast experience in the bridal fashion industry, Jean-Ralph Thurin is not exactly up and coming. In fact, brides come to him to get custom-designed wedding gowns created with all their ideas in the minds! Mr. Thurin designs wedding dresses to fit Black women and their curvy bodies. He gets a lot of his designing inspiration from architecture. Anything about architecture can capture his eyes and fill his mind with endless designing thoughts. Whether it’s the curve in the window or the pillars or the interiors, anything can inspire Mr. Thurin’s designs! As per him, the brides for whom he designs dresses really love form-hugging wedding dresses as they really relish their curves and never take a back step to flaunt it! Keeping his bride's desire in mind, Mr. Thurin always tries his best to intensify that while experimenting with varying types of lines and fabric embellishments, but as mentioned before it always extends from architecture!
All the soon-to-be-married brides out there, if you are looking for a sexy wedding dress, then you must check out the HUExJRT collection by Jean-Ralph Thurin as the wedding dresses under this fabulous collection features a variety of melanin, favorable, and flesh-toned lining that gives the dress a gorgeous see-through look. Even African brides who are looking for a more modern and western-style wedding dress designed for traditional fabrics can always count on JRT!
Even though with so much experience, we can assure you that this might be the first time you are hearing Thurin’s name. Therefore, this shows that the fight for Black wedding dress designers is continuous!
Andrea Pitter- the founder and creative director of Pantora Bridal, a bridal boutique based in Brooklyn, New York. She founded this brand to address a lack of incorporation and diversity in the wedding dress designing industry! Glamorous brides who never shy away from wearing the edgier trends are the perfect fit for Pantora Bridal wedding dresses. All the Pantora brides are undoubtedly confident, feminine, and fancy and most of all they have an amazing connection to the real world! Pantora Bridal has been known for offering relatable luxury to all the soon-to-be-married brides! Brides wearing Pantora will always relish clothing that hits home. The design aesthetic is unparalleled yet alluring and this is one of the things that catches all our bride’s attention! At Pantora Bridal, brides are offered the possibility to come as they are and to be celebrated in the best way possible!
The wedding dresses designed at this famous boutique features a flawless combination of classic silhouettes gracefully paired with contemporary details. The wedding dresses at Pantora Bridal are highly personalized and brides will find a vast variety of wedding dresses with various alternative strap, neckline, and skirt options. But there is one thing that Andrea Pitter always keeps in her mind is - Black Brides! There is no doubt when we say that illusion details are a huge trend in a wedding dress but, but we also know that standard mesh color doesn’t work that gracefully on darker skin tones. As mentioned by Andrea Pitter, Black brides are constantly offered a nude that is not a nude that works for their skin tone, but no nude is universal, too! So, considering everything, the brand launched a new line and named it the Forgotten Skin Tones, which features a stunning selection of illusion and mesh linings specially designed for brides of color!
Currently, the brand has Forgotten Skin Tone mesh colors varying from buff to deep. Each and every shade perfectly works for women of different skin tones. Pantora Bridal wedding dresses are all-around inclusive. Their wedding dresses are not only accountable for skin tones, but are also accounted for body curves!
Famous for her classic, elegant, sophisticated, and timeless aesthetic, Amsale Aberra (Ethiopian wedding dress designer) was widely credited as the inventor of the modern wedding dress! Talking about her journey and leaving a mark on the world, it all started when she was looking for a wedding dress for her wedding day and she found that most of the designs at the time were overly dramatic and ornate! So, in the end, when she was all tired with her quest for the perfect wedding dress that showcases her pared-back and minimalist style, she ended up designing her own wedding dress! Realizing that this modern aesthetic wasn't being offered to brides, Aberra set out to create her eponymous bridal label. Committed to serving brides like herself in the years that followed, Amsale started selling personalized wedding dresses from her New York City apartment!
A bride wearing an Amsale wedding dress will radiate sophistication, and confidence in abundance. She will definitely make a statement with refining elegance on her wedding day! Amsale wedding dresses marvelously fit modern-day bride wedding day vision and mood, no matter what her dreams and ideas are!
With her demise in April 2018, The Amsale Fashion House is dedicated and determined to carry her 30-year legacy under the design direction of Margo Lafontaine. At present, the brand is led by Amsale’s husband, CEO Neil Brown, and her daughter Rachel Brown. The brand is carrying on her ideas and thoughts as a trailblazer! Currently, the brand has three lines: Amsale, Amsale Nouvelle, and Little White Dress by Amsale!
All the modern-day romantic brides who are always up to something new and unique must try the Little White Dress line. This specific line features shorter wedding dresses along with chic jumpsuits. Or brides can also check out the Nouvelle Amsale Collection for an accessible collection of wedding dresses of chic styles designed by the finest fabrics. There is something for every bride and every wedding day style at Amsale! No matter what vision a bride holds for her wedding day, an Amsale bride will always shine out and make a remarkable statement!
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