The bridal market is a saturated space, brimming with frothy wedding cake dresses, matchy-matchy bridesmaid looks and afterthought shoes. But there is hope beyond the fusty colour themes and “traditional” gowns: enter Ssense’s new “anti-bridal” capsule, which is a refreshing reminder that alternative options are out there.
Comprised of over 100 items from 17 emerging and established designers, the collection features dresses, suits, shoes, veils and accessories for brides, alongside pieces that any bridesmaid or flower girl would be chuffed to wear beyond the aisle. This is vital scrolling material for anyone saying “I do” in the near-future.
Adam Powell
The release builds on the success of the retailer’s first “anti-bridal” capsule, which was unveiled last year, but this time it includes a broader range of styles that would suit a bride-to-be just as much as a fashion insider attending a party. “We used Aaron Esh signatures and key looks from the spring/summer 2024 collection to allow customers who are saying ‘I do’ to look incredibly hot and chic, ” designer Aaron Esh explains. “I hope I get to see some pictures of people getting married in them!” adds Ashley Williams of her range, which features two updates of her classic dress silhouette and her heart bag.
Elsewhere, Vaquera founders Patric Dicaprio and Bryn Taubensee coin their interpretation “a wardrobe for a runaway bride”, while “hardcore bridal!” is how Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons of Chopova Lowena – winners of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2024 – describe their take on bridal, which riffs on their trademark pleated carabiner skirts and dresses (there’s also a bikini look that’s fit for a beach wedding).
Adam Powell
Adam Powell
As for Wed Studio, the London-based brand behind both directional bridal looks and ready-to-wear pieces worn by Jennie Kim and Celeste? “The Ssense capsule will appeal to a variety of fashion-forward brides with a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, all seeking something unique while speaking to their personal taste and without sacrificing the perfect fit,” founders Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips remark.
Vintage lovers, meanwhile, will be thrilled to see remakes of Anna Sui’s iconic spring/summer 1994 pieces and Conner Ives’s upcycled piano shawl gown – which he describes as the “star of the capsule” – made from vintage silk piano shawls sourced from antique dealers, meaning every dress is entirely unique. “I feel like bridal has become somewhat of a signature for us, as we’ve seen demi-couture grow exponentially in the last year. This capsule feels like a great distillation of what we’re doing in that space already,” Ives tells Vogue.
Scroll on to shop the new Ssense Anti-Bridal 2.0 capsule
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