As a fashion illustrator who provides live illustrations at weddings and events, New York Bridal Fashion Week is like Christmas for me. I have so much I could say about the dazzling styles that dropped at NYBFW. But I thought it would be fun to get another expert’s thoughts on the trends that fashion week is going to inspire!
Meet Kim Stokes, the founder of Gold Leaf Brides, a luxury bridal styling, dressing and tailoring service based in the South of France, working with destination brides across Europe and beyond. With a background in bridal fashion and hands-on experience dressing brides on their wedding days, Kim brings a practical perspective to the latest bridal collections.
Attending NYBFW as a Bridal Stylist
New York Bridal Fashion Week is one of my favourite moments in the bridal fashion calendar. As well as getting to visit arguably the most exciting city in the world and see some of my favourite people in the bridal industry, I also get a front-row seat to what’s new in bridal fashion for the next season. I almost feel like I plan my entire year around making sure I can be in New York City in October.
I adore having the opportunity to see what designers have imagined for the next generation of brides, as well as seeing how that could translate into the wardrobes of real women preparing for one of the most significant fashion moments of their lives.
Why Should Brides Care About Bridal Fashion Trends?
If you’re getting married in 2027 or 2028, how much attention should you even be giving to bridal trends highlighted by stylists and commentators? After all, shouldn’t your wedding be about expressing your own personal style?
That all depends on the kind of bride you are. In my experience as a bridal stylist, even women with a strong sense of style appreciate having at least a little guidance when it comes to curating their wedding wardrobe. Your bridal wardrobe presents an entirely different set of choices.
I mean, who wears a veil every day? You might know your way around high street and luxury fashion houses, but the world of bridal designers can be unfamiliar territory. And even if you know the big names in bridal, there could be a lesser-known designer out there creating the dress of your dreams. With so much to discover, knowing where to begin isn’t always so straightforward.
By my count, around 189 designers showed collections at NYBFW in October 2026. This isn’t even counting all of the many accessory designers showcasing everything from veils and jewellery to bridal capes (keep an eye on those!).
Meanwhile, social media exposes future brides to thousands of images of weddings, real and imagined. The sheer volume of choice has the potential to become overwhelming.
For many future brides, these trend reports can help to cut through the deafening noise that is coming from social media, identify the ideas worth paying attention to, and bring much needed clarity to an increasingly crowded market.
And what about brides who already know exactly what they like, or those who are determined to do something a little different? Trend reports still offer an opportunity to discover emerging designers, explore unexpected ideas, and perhaps find inspiration in something you hadn’t considered.
With all that in mind, let’s take a look at what stood out to me at NYBFW, and what that might mean for brides getting married in 2027 and beyond!
NYBFW 2027 Trends
Standout Silhouettes
Whether you call it a dropped waist, basque waist, or V-waist, the elongated waistline silhouette was everywhere this season and certainly seems here to stay.
Almost every bridalwear designer I saw featured at least one gown with either a dropped or basque waistline. And many showcased a waistline which I’m going to christen “the longline elongated waist with exaggerated hip detailing.” Although they achieve it in different ways, both the dropped and basque waistlines are wonderful for creating the illusion of a longer torso.
Life loves to imitate art, and the popularity of these silhouettes no doubt has much to do with our recent fascination with period dramas, both on film and television. They are the ultimate romantic silhouettes. So, if you’re a bride dreaming of your own period drama romance, bridalwear designers see you. They are creating gowns that will give you your very own swept-off-your-feet moment.
Standout Fabrics
Bridal fashion has long been dominated by silk satin and lace, and this season was no exception. Lightweight, delicate laces, particularly those used in high illusion necklines and over-bodices, remained a favourite for many of the designers whose collections I saw.
But if you’re a bride who’s after something a little less traditional, there was plenty of experimentation with textures, prints, and other materials such as feathers. From Paulette Von Cleghorn’s glorious floor-length feathered cape to Galia Lahav’s cut-out, polka-dot gown with matching hand fan, it really feels like we’re entering an era of experimentation, where designers are feeling free to let go of convention and embrace the romantic side of weddings more than ever.
Standout Accessories
The big star for me this season was headwear. What began as elaborate floral headpieces a few seasons ago has evolved into crystal and beaded adornments, delicate Juliet cap veils, flowing hooded capes in silk or feathers, and statement veiled hats. I loved seeing how each designer incorporated their interpretation of this growing appetite for dramatic accessories within their collections.
In previous years, some brides may not have felt quite confident enough to pull off a statement headpiece as part of their wedding wardrobe. But that could all change following Dua Lipa’s bold decision to wear a beautiful, wide-brimmed hat by Stephen Jones at her civil wedding to Callum Turner. Bridalwear designers are certainly ready for the rush of brides imitating this now-iconic look.
Standout Designs
Brides love a look change at some point during their wedding day, and understandably so. Wearing a big, heavy wedding dress from morning until night can be cumbersome. Changing into a lighter, easy-to-wear gown for dinner is a wonderful idea. Even better if that change doesn’t pull you away from your guests for 30 minutes or more! Designers are creating increasingly adaptable gowns, with pieces that can be added or removed to refresh your look as you move from one part of your celebrations to the next.
This season saw an increase in dresses with trains that were either easy to bustle or could be detached entirely. Flowing capes bring drama and movement for the ceremony and photographs but can be easily removed for cocktail hour and dinner.
As a stylist and day-of dresser, I felt like I was in heaven! I love being able to give my clients options, especially when that means one dress can transform throughout the day without me having to spend 20 minutes kneeling behind a bride bustling her dress!
Final Thoughts
I love the wonderfully expressive era we’re enjoying in bridal fashion at the moment. Much has been said (occasionally by me) about the pitfalls of sharing every aspect of our lives on social media and the scrutiny this can lead to. But one positive aspect of everyone being able to see each other is that our inner peacocks are coming out! If we’re being seen, we want to be remembered! And perhaps that growing confidence is encouraging designers to take more risks, knowing there are brides out there who are ready and willing to wear their most imaginative creations.
Embroidered silks, lace capes, detachable trains, feathers on feathers. If a designer had suggested some of these looks to the average bride back in 2006, when I got married, we would’ve laughed. But not today.
What excites me most isn't that every bride will suddenly want to wear feathers or an extravagant headpiece, but that these choices are becoming increasingly accessible to women with very different tastes and personalities. Whether your style is understated or wonderfully theatrical, there's more room than ever to make your bridal wardrobe your own. Today, your wildest bridal fashion dreams can become a reality.
What Trends from NYBFW 2027 Speak to You?
Kim provides a completely different perspective on NYBFW, and I love seeing what stood out to her. One thing I couldn’t agree more with is that whatever vision you have for your wedding day, you can make it happen.
I love nothing more than partnering with creative couples, whether that’s through live illustration at their wedding or designing something custom for a wedding day look! If you want your wedding day to stand out, I would love to hear about your vision. Fill out the contact form on my website and we can discuss all the ways to make your celebration a stand-out occasion.
