What happens when one of the most iconic red carpet fashion houses partners up with a celebrated bridal brand? A truly magical collection fueled by sweeping veils, floor-length capes, and featherlight sculptural sheath dresses. For Marchesa and Pronovias, (a bridalwear portfolio of brands that includes Nicole Milano, Ladybird, and Vera Wang Bride among others) the duo leaned into the fantasy of Greek goddesses to recreate Marchesa couture designs restyled into 21 different romantic wedding dresses.
“I was really looking at the sculpture, the architecture, and then of course all the incredible stories and mythology,” Marchesa co-founder and creative director Georgina Chapman says over the phone. “You know, there’s so much about love and passion, and so much depth to it. It was really enjoyable to delve in.” Dubbed the Olympia 2024 bridal collection, this marks Marchesa and Pronovias’s third collection together. The gowns are available now at all of the Pronovias flagship locations in New York, Miami, King of Prussia, Boston, Houston, Austin, and Beverly Hills.
One of Chapman’s favorites is the “Harmonia,” with an extremely dramatic silhouette structured with a simple neckline, a big ballgown skirt–and a cape. Then there’s “Bloom,” a gown rendered in barely-there blush with a little bit of embroidery, small capped shoulder sleeves that fall just slightly off the shoulder, and a train caked with jewels from behind. “Hecate” is a sculptural mermaid shape updated with lace applique and gold embellished Mikado–with a corset, of course, and a voluminous silk taffeta cape. “Picking a favorite is hard, but we’ve done a lot of our signature pieces backless,” says Chapman. “I love the backless dresses that we’ve done and we’ve then filled in with lace so she gets to show skin.”
Even though Chapman may be considered a master of evening wear, there are things she’s dipping her toes into for the first time in this collection, too: “We added in some lurex thread, which gives a little sparkle and touches of gold that glitter to create a different, more magical but subtle feel, which we haven’t done before.” Collaborating with Pronovias also allowed her to go even further with certain concepts, like the extreme, plunging backs. “It all starts from the structure of the dress and the corsetry and they’ve really managed to master that,” she says. “We have now managed to do some really deep Vs in the corsetry, yet they still have the fit, which I was very happy about.”
A signature of Marchesa’s bridal pieces is that element of transformation, and being able to change up each dress on a whim–a removable cape here, a sleeve you can take off there. The “Nus” gown takes the traditional mermaid shape in crepe satin and transforms it with a V neckline and detachable sleeves. “It has a versatile look for the evening, for the night and for the day, so it works for wherever your wedding might be,” Chapman says.
Also part of the inspiration for the gloriously blooming gowns? The actual marble material of ancient statues. “Even looking at some of the sculptures and just the way that the women are presented and the wah dresses draped on them, you know, you start translating that into the fabrics,” Chapman says. For the occasion, she instilled the feeling into fluid fabrics like chiffons to evoke that same romantic sense of draping. Chapman took those very carvings and architectural details and turned them into delicate beading and florals—as if each dress represents one of the statuesque columns or statues found in Athens.