A Future That Includes
Every Bride
Katie Yeung's Defiant Renaissance and the case for inclusive sizing, then a closing look beyond the runway.
Words & photography by Angie Mandl · 5 min read
Hera Couture · Defiant Renaissance
Perhaps one of the most meaningful conversations I had during the market came after Hera Couture's presentation of Defiant Renaissance, the latest collection from New Zealand designer Katie Yeung.
Drawing on the architectural proportions of historical couture, the collection combined sculptural corsetry, elongated waists, rich fabrics, and dramatic volume with a distinctly contemporary sensibility.
But speaking with Katie afterward, it became clear that her vision extends well beyond aesthetics.
She spoke passionately about inclusive sizing and the responsibility of bridal boutiques to offer samples that accommodate women across the size spectrum.
It is a practical issue with profound implications. A bride should not have to imagine how a gown might look on her because there is nothing available in her size to try.
For Katie, beautiful design and genuine inclusivity belong together.
“A bride should not have to imagine how a gown might look on her.”
And yet, for all the seriousness of that conviction, the image I will remember most is of Katie walking onto the runway with her arms raised, smiling broadly as the audience applauded.
Her joy was infectious.
It felt like an appropriate expression of everything that makes this industry compelling: artistry, conviction, confidence, and the people who dedicate themselves to making women feel extraordinary.
—
Beyond the Runway
What will shape East Coast weddings in 2027 and 2028?
Certainly, some of the design directions emerging from this season will find their way into bridal boutiques and eventually down the aisle: sculpted corsetry, expressive volumes, intricate lace, architectural silhouettes, and an increasingly individual approach to bridal styling.
But after several seasons photographing the world behind these collections, I find myself equally interested in the ideas that cannot be reduced to a trend.
The generosity of a designer making time for a fellow creative. The joy of a mother carrying her baby down the runway. The conviction that every bride deserves to feel represented. The friendships formed between appointments, presentations, and hurried moments behind the scenes.
For ten years, New York Bridal Market by One Fine Day has created a place where these relationships can develop, where creativity and commerce meet, and where the people behind bridal fashion are given room to connect.
The gowns may bring us together.
It is the people who make us want to return.
In this story
Words & photography
Angie Mandl
A Vienna-born photographer working between New York and Connecticut, Angie has photographed four editions of New York Bridal Fashion Week, three as lead of One Fine Day's official media team.
View Angie's profile