Matchesfashion.com Has Just Launched The Ultimate Bridal Edit – And It’s Not Just For Brides

Finding The One takes slog, grit and, sometimes, a temporary taste bypass. No, no, we’re not talking about the person you’re about to get hitched to, but the dress in which you’re going to do it. The pressures, traditions and idiosyncrasies of the Big Day can lead even the most self-assured woman to make strange style choices: whether that’s a resolute minimalist bedecked in frou-frou finery, a dedicated trouser champion in a full skirt, or the whatever-the-weather mini wearer pitching up in a yards of tulle. Chances are you’ve seen many beautiful brides – you might even have been one of them – but when was the last time you saw one who looked, well, like herself?

Matchesfashion.com is on a mission to change that. Today, the e-tailer launches its new Wedding & Event Dressing edit, a dedicated space for the modern bride. Spanning ready-to-wear, accessories, footwear, bags and jewellery, the edit will include 30 bespoke collections and 250 unique pieces created by designers specially for the launch. It runs the gamut from a Paco Rabanne chainmail mini dress to a crystal-encrusted Christopher Kane tuxedo (an unapologetically 21st century bride might want to team with his SEX T-shirt), Batsheva prairie dresses to sweeping Emilia Wickstead gowns. Swoon.

‘We wanted to create one place where our customers can find interesting white/cream/ivory looks by their favourite designers for a wedding or event. So, if you love Molly Goddard you can find a wedding dress by her, or a beautifully cut suit by Racil,’ explains Natalie Kingham, Matchesfashion’s buying director. ‘Also, we wanted to make life easier for customers who are getting married, so that they can avoid having to trawl around millions of shops feeling disheartened looking for the perfect outfit. Our goal is for the whole experience to be seamless.'

The launch was motivated by the exhausting trend for brides to wear multiple wedding looks (see Meghan Markle, who swapped her custom Givenchy gown for a slinkier Stella McCartney halterneck dress in the evening). ‘We heard lots of stories about customers needing multiple outfits for different wedding events over a week or a weekend and wanted to offer them a cross section of looks,’ explains Kingham. A Zimmermann lace jumpsuit might be great for hitting the dancefloor, Halpern's out-out tops would look great with jeans and a voluminous Cecilie Bahnsen dress is suitably special but still effortless enough for the morning after brunch.

Although the day of the meringue wedding dresses might be numbered, Kingham points out that there’s still room for romance. ‘For many people, romantic dresses are still really relevant as it might be there one chance to go all out and feel like a princess on their big day,’ she explains. ‘We have done our best not to alienate any particular styles, we have something for everyone whether you prefer the simple lines and silhouettes of Jil Sander and The Row, or more elaborate styles.' Indeed, if you are in the market for a fairytale dress, you need to make a date with Erdem’s lace and Emilia Wickstead’s oversize bow gown pronto.

And what if you’re single, why should you care about this? Well, another point of difference to the Matches’ edit is that it’s not aimed squarely at brides, nor are pieces designed to be worn once and then hang redundantly in your wardrobe. With white trending for SS20, and an increase in people searching for white event dresses (hello Jennifer Aniston), this is open to all. Kingham advises trying the cotton ruffle front dress by Khaite with Cecile Bahnsen Velcro sandals for summer day parties, a Rat & Boa frock for big holiday nights, or a JW Anderson white trouser suit with a straw hat for a garden party. ‘Keep it simple,’ she urges. ‘Clean lines, layering with other tones like black keeps it feeling modern, team with chunky gold jewellery and casual accessories like a sneaker to dress it down.'

A happy ending, it seems, is finally on the horizons for all our wardrobes. One caveat, however: before we forever hold our peace, make sure you know a good dry cleaner.

SHOP: The Best Pieces From Matchesfashion's Bridal Edit