A week ago Vera Wang posted a sneak peek of her new collection on Instagram. In the trio of pics, she models a black bonded silk satin crepe sash top and matching mini with a long tie sash at the hem. Though she made her name designing lavish wedding gowns—Vanessa Hudgens is her latest boldface bride—her own tastes lean more arcane.
These clothes offer plenty of evidence of that. A vest dress, for example, features a sculptural peplum skirt made by fusing lambswool, boning, and horsehair, a technique she’s been working on for several years so its elaborate construction doesn’t look or feel heavy. A narrow midi skirt is cut with a doubled waistband folded down below the hips to create a sort of sartorial bustle, and trousers come with attached gauntlets suggestive of a pair of over-the-knee boots. “I wanted to bring a bit of attitude, modernity, a bit of evolution to evening dressing,” she said.
Wang has noticed that the new generation of stars are “more fearless” than their predecessors—more willing to wear a bra on the red carpet, say, or go braless under a sheer dress. This collection indulges those instincts—it’s no coincidence that she’s releasing it just as award season is heating up, an award season that everyone is anticipating will be bolder than usual, given the end of Hollywood strikes that put such events on hold for so long.
Equally, though, this is a collection shaped by Wang’s own obsessions. The HBO Max show The Gilded Age—she’s a fan—loosely inspired a two tier gown with an illusion mesh corset and clouds of fantastically draped aqua tulle, and a silk faille ball gown with a long train of lavender tulle held in place by three-dimensional lamé flowers at the shoulder. And, then there’s the palette, which, save for the pretty pastel tulle, is almost entirely Wang’s preferred black. Though, of course, she’d happily make them in ivory for a bride that asks.