Courtesy of Monique Lhuillier.
The French-Filipino designer’s latest collection exudes ‘80s glamour
Filipino-French fashion designer Monique Lhuillier has become a household name in fashion for her contemporary wedding gowns and elegant red-carpet dresses. The United-States-based designer who often jets between fashion and entertainment capitals, New York and Los Angeles, has become a favorite of Hollywood megastars including the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lopez.
In recent years, Lhuillier has made a habit of traveling to dreamlike locations to photograph her latest lookbooks. Last season saw her ultrafeminine pieces in colors of floral blooms light up the alleyways and gondolas of Venice. Before that, for Fall 2022, she channeled the roaring twenties in Paris and New York, the two cities which captured the era’s energy best.
This year, the designer is taking what she does best, modern sophistication with a statement twist, to the French countryside.
The Collection
Backdropped by the cool forest light in a grand chateau, Lhuillier presents her lineup. Each gown proposes a narrative that references the couture glitz and glam of the 1980s, with models adorning the residence like guests of a grand soirée. According to the designer, her goal was to keep the silhouettes minimal yet updated by playing with volumes, lines, and textures.
Stretch velvet, jacquard, and velour define the collection’s more sultry, retro looks, while metallic embellishments, delicate lace, feathers, and silks provide a lighter take on her inspiration. The designer made sure to include not just gowns, but also two-piece and three-piece ensembles, as well as tea-length and mini skirts for women who are looking for a fresher, easier proposition with just as much luxury.
Lhuillier’s palette ranges from white to blush, pastel pinks to fuchsia and poppy red. She then complements the rose colored tones with a range of blues, metallics, and finally to lush black.
To cap off the collection; a full midnight blue tulle gown glittering with sunburst lines of embroidery and sparkling ornamentation.
