Monique Lhuillier was floating on air this season — and with good reason. The designer, whose ready-to-wear business has grown steadily in the past few seasons, launched her eponymous stationery collection in January and a full-fledged bedding collection hits retailers in September. Perhaps reflecting her positive glow, Lhuillier's spring 2010 bridal collection, shown in an airy penthouse atop the London NYC hotel, made the most of lightweight fabrics, reinforcing the designer's innate know-how when it comes to manipulating silk organza and tulle. "It's about filling in the gaps of what they needed," she said of the collection, which veered away from trendy in favor of classic and timeless. "Retailers have enough inventory as it is." Origami details, a new sash belt affixed to waists, and lace trim kept the looks modern.
Also on hand were a collection of bridesmaid dresses, the designer's first extension into the world of complementary bridal wear. An eight-piece collection featuring six knee-length looks and two floor-length ones, most shown in Easter pastels, will launch in May exclusively on the designer's Website (moniquelhuillier.com). According to Lhuillier, turnaround for orders will take approximately one month. What's more, the silk taffeta dresses can be ordered in subtle shades like black, brown, and navy for year-round cocktail events (white is also available for rehearsal dinners). While the colors are interchangeable, the fabric is not.
The best part? At only $250 to $340, the sweet pieces are perfect for the fashion-savvy woman aspiring to one day own one of Lhuillier's four-figure red carpet dazzlers.
