The 7 Most Influential Bridal Gown Designers
Every season, the bridal designers debut their latest collections in New York. There are numerous designers, but from those, there are a select few whose collections are always eagerly anticipated, much sought after by brides, and often imitated by their competitors. These are profiles of the top seven most influential bridal gown designers. Priscilla of Boston: The First Famous Bridal Gown Designer

ThePriscilla of Boston bridal gown collection is by far the oldest house among the most influential wedding designers. Founded in 1945 by Priscilla Kidder as "The Bride's Shop" on tony Newbury Street in Boston, the company that was to become Priscilla of Boston gained a reputation for both the quality of its service and its wedding gowns. The gowns were made by hand in a factory in Charlestown, Massachusetts in the greater Boston area. Many of the firm's wedding dresses are still made in the original factory, and it is possible to tour the facilities and watch a gown being assembled or the beaders handbeading a piece of lace withSwarovski crystals and pearls.

By the 1950s, Priscilla of Boston gowns were the gold standard for brides with discerning taste, and they were carried in the top name department stores. The gowns were famous for their exquisite silks, hand beadwork, andFrench laces. Alenon, Chantilly, and Lyon laces were some of the preferred trimmings for Priscilla Kidder's bridal gowns. In 1956, Kidder was granted the honor of designing the bridesmaid dresses for the wedding of Grace Kelly, and other high profile weddings would soon follow. In a span of six years, three Presidential daughters walked down the aisle in Priscilla of Boston gowns: Luci Johnson (1965), Julie Nixon (1968), and Tricia Nixon (1971). Tricia Nixon's sleeveless gown of lace appliqued to English net was a signature Priscilla of Boston feature that could be found in many of her gowns for decades to come. Tricia Nixon's gown was the subject of much interest, and there was even a story about it inLifemagazine.

In one way, Priscilla of Boston was to influence every bridal designer who was to follow in her footsteps: she was the first to promote her name and brand as a status symbol. There could be no Vera Wang had there not first been a Priscilla Kidder. The founder retired at the age of 75 in 1993, but the company continued to create designs that had her trademark timeless "wasp" good taste in the same Charlestown factory. The 2000s brought many changes to the venerable old firm, including the sale of Priscilla of Boston to the May Company in 2002 (it has since been resold), the death of Priscilla Kidder in 2004, the 2005 acquisition of bridal designer Melissa Sweet, and expansion into sister lines Platinum by Priscilla, Vineyard, and Jewel. The goal of the Priscilla of Boston collection of brands is to meet the needs of every type of bride, from the traditional, to the ultra luxurious, the modern, and the eclectic. There can be no doubt about the influential nature of this updated bridal powerhouse.

fashion Vera Wang Revolutionizes Wedding Gowns

There is no woman who has had a greater impact on modern American weddings than Vera Wang. Her gowns are the most referenced, the most researched by brides, and the most inspirational each and every season. If Vera does it, the style is sure to be a hit. Her wedding gowns are among the most trendsetting in the bridal industry.

The story of how Vera Wang got her start as a bridal gown designer is legendary. When she was planning her 1989 wedding, she was dismayed to find nothing but overblown "princess style"bridal gowns in the Princess Diana mode. Wang came to realize that there was a serious disconnect between bridal and high fashion, and set out to change that. And change it she did! After Vera Wang opened her first bridal salon in New York in 1990, the bridal gown industry was transformed from one that was stuck in the past to one that is relevant and inspirational to both the modern bride and the larger fashion industry as a whole.

Plenty of brides have had a difficult time finding the wedding gown of their dreams, but very few are able to turn a frustrating experience into a global enterprise. Vera Wang was uniquely positioned to achieve this level of success. Born on June 27, 1949 in New York to wealthy Chinese parents, Wang attended elite schools (The Chapin School, Sarah Lawrence College, and the Sorbonne in Paris). Her early passion was figure skating, but when she was not chosen for the U.S. Olympic team, she decided to pursue one of her other lifelong passions: fashion.

Wang spent sixteen years as a fashion editor atVogue before departing to work at Ralph Lauren in 1985. By the time of Wang's wedding in 1989, she had all the tools in place to launch the bridal line that would become synonymous with luxury, modern elegance, and high fashion. Vera had years of training in the fashion industry, connections within both fashion and dress girls upper crust society, and a keen eye for style. From the bridal collection's 1990 debut, the Vera Wang label quickly became the go-to wedding gown brand for the rich and famous, as well as for the regular bride who values top design. Celebrity clients include Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Karenna Gore, Victoria Beckham, Sharon Stone, Kate Hudson, and many more.

Vera Wang branched out from the bridal industry into designing other special occasion gowns, eventually evolving into a full lifestyle brand with products ranging from ready wear clothing, housewares, fragrance, wedding stationery, and fine jewelry. Wang's signature style is modern, trendsetting, sophisticated, and whimsical. Her philosophy is that brides fall into five general categories: traditionalist, modernist, individualist, romanticist, and minimalist; Wang's intention is to design the perfect bridal gown for each of these types of women, and if her international popularity is any guideline, she has certainly achieved her goal! The Forever Modern Style of Amsale