A wedding dress retailer launched a new plus-size collection in an effort to push the bridal industry in a more inclusive direction.
Modeled by different women of all shapes and sizes, the new collection from Lovely Bride offers brides-to-be classic silhouettes in a variety of dresses for women of all shapes and sizes.
Lanie List, founder of Lovely Bride told The Knot that she wanted to keep the same indie aesthetic the brand is known for but just offer it up to more body types and give plus-size women a wide range of options to choose from.
Inclusion: Wedding dress retailer Lovely Bridge launched a plus-size collection in an effort to push the bridal industry in a more inclusive direction
Aesthetic: Lanie List, founder of Lovely Bride said she wanted to keep the same aesthetic of the brand but offer it up to more body types and give plus-size women options to choose from
The Lovely Curve Collections include gowns from five different designers in sizes 18 to 24 and all of the brands are new to the plus-size scene in the U.S.
Theia Couture, Studio Levana, Lovers Society, Louvienne and Dear Heart are the five brands that launched a Curve collection and all of the dresses retail from $1,800 to $3,400.
‘We wanted to make sure our plus-size collections celebrated what the indie bride was looking for, and not just a replica of what she’s seeing in more traditional shops,’ Lanie shared.
All of the dresses offered will be the same signature styles brides love but with more sizes instead of making different dresses that would suit plus-size women.
Theia for example is known for its body-hugging gowns while Lovers Society is known for their bohemian styles and both of these aspects are never showcased in other plus-size lines.
Despite Lovely Bride always offering plus-size options, Lanie admitted that she saw a major need in the category so she thought of ways to bring the ‘stylish, personal pieces’ customers love to life.
Diversity: Lovely Bride offers indie bridal gowns for women who want to branch away from classic silhouettes and now it offers a variety of dresses for women of all shapes and sizes
Designs: Theia is known for its body-hugging gowns while Lovers Society is known for their bohemian styles and both of these aspects are never showcased in other plus-size lines
She shared that the brides prompted the inspiration behind the collection while her muse was Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Hunter McGrady, 17.
‘We have so many amazing women coming into our shops, embracing their body types of all sizes, that we knew we had to push the bridal industry forward on this front,’ she admitted.
Lanie went on to describe what the turning point was that finally made her decide to create the new collection.
She describes the scenario when a bride came into the Lovely Bride NYC flagship boutique, which is currently under renovations in order to make room for the new plus-size collection, when she handed over a bunch of photos of a specific dress she wanted.
Detailing the heartbreaking moment Lanie said, ‘After measuring her, we found she fell right outside of the size chart of that designer.
Signature styles: All of the dresses offered will be the same signature styles brides love but with more sizes instead of making different dresses that would suit plus-size women
Collection: The Lovely Curve Collections include gowns from five different designers in sizes 18 to 24 and all of the brands are new to the plus-size scene in the U.S.
Beautiful: As for what makes a bride beautiful on their big day Lanie said it’s not just the gown, it’s confidence
‘It was a gut-wrenching situation for us all, but it really lit the fire for me. If all bridal gowns were “cut to order,” then why couldn’t gowns be cut in any size?
‘That is what pushed the “go” button and helped us get three new designers to cut larger sizes. The payback happens daily.
‘There are lots of tears shed in our shops from brides who didn’t think they would be able to try on gowns in their sizes, let alone all the gowns they try on fit them,’ she concluded.
The highly anticipated new flagship will feature VIP dressing room as well as a plus-size bridal specialist to help women with all of their needs.
As for what makes a bride beautiful on their big day Lanie said it’s not just the gown, it’s confidence.
‘The Lovely Bride is putting herself first. She knows she wants to find a dress that expresses her personal style, and she’s willing to throw caution to the wind for a dress that feels uniquely “her”,’ she shared.