In April, our team spent three jam-packed days in NYC attending Bridal Fashion Week, where we met with every designer we carry, previewed the newest collections, and selected future gowns for our brides.
As the only shop in our area attending NYC Bridal Fashion Week, I believe our brides deserve more than a selection of “recommended styles” hanging on the rack. They deserve a store and a stylist that travels to see each collection in person, evaluates every detail firsthand, and thoughtfully selects what will be hanging in our boutique.
What Is NYC Bridal Fashion Week?
NYC Bridal Fashion Week is the most premier market in the bridal industry, where leading designers unveil their newest collections to top boutiques from around the world.
For our brides, that means early access to the styles, silhouettes, fabrics, and details that are about to shape the bridal world.
Why We Go
For us, attending market is never just a trip. It is one of the most important ways we serve our brides.
Every gown I bring into our boutique is chosen carefully. Seeing dresses in person allows us to experience what photos simply don’t show: movement, fit, construction, comfort, fabrication, and the overall feeling of a gown when worn.
I believe this matters deeply when selecting dresses for the women who trust us with one of the most meaningful purchases of their lives.
What We Look For in Every Collection
When meeting with designers, I carefully consider:
- Exceptional fit and structure
- Beautiful fabrication and craftsmanship
- Styles that feel special, not overdone
- Variety for different body types and visions
- Gowns that reflect the elevated feel our brides expect
- And, designers who are both trustworthy and a joy to work with
My goal is always to build a collection that feels fresh, fashion-forward, and timeless all at once.
Trends We Loved This Season
This market was full of beautiful new ideas for upcoming brides. Some of the standout trends we saw included:
- Commanding silhouettes with soft romantic details
- Delicate lace with a vintage feel
- Basque waists and lots of flattering corsetry- some of the construction details had our jaws on the floor!
- Statement veils and detachable accessories- giving brides the option for a truly unique final look
- Texture and dimension in fresh new ways- think floral jacquard fabric, draping, peplums, and lots of fabric flower accents
A New Designer Is Joining Our Collection
One of the highlights of this trip was selecting a new designer to join our lineup!
I’m always very intentional about who we bring into our boutique, and this addition fills a beautiful space in our collection for brides seeking something fresh, special, and unforgettable.
We cannot wait to introduce our brides to Milla Nova. Coming soon!
Why This Matters for Knoxville Brides
I’ll shout it from the mountaintops: you don’t need to travel to a larger city to find an elevated bridal experience or access to the latest in bridal.
My mission has always been to bring that level of style, service, and intentional curation right here to East Tennessee. I won’t take you on too long of a side story, but if you didn’t know, I worked at several bridal boutiques in Nashville for ~10 years before moving back home to Knoxville and opening Lillian Ruth Bride. Born from the idea of my hometown girls no longer having to drive to Nashville to find their dress, I wanted to offer the designers, environment, and experience not yet found here in Knoxville.
When you shop at LRB, you are shopping a collection chosen firsthand from the most trend-forward bridal market in the country, with your experience in mind every step of the way.
What’s Next
We’re lucky enough that select pieces from this NYC trip will begin landing in store as soon as June, and will keep trickling in to us in the months ahead.
If you’re recently engaged or planning your appointment, now is a beautiful time to come in.
xx,
Leslie
