I have something a little different for you this beautiful Monday morning. I am sticking with the stunning 2016 bridal collections that were unveiled at NY Bridal Fashion Market earlier this month, but where as Claire Pettibone’s was hauntingly romantic, today’s collection from designer Don O’Neill at Theia is somewhat edgier – definitely for the bolder bride!

You may remember I shared his romantic collection for last fall, and how it glistened enticingly with gold and charmed with classic silhouettes and gowns brimming with romance….. well, for 2016 the Theia bride is altogether different! With a much darker source of inspiration – the foggy haze of a Twenties opium den – Don O’Neill has designed a collection that is both sensual and sexy, with sleek bias-cut slips, intricately embellished gowns and and racy see through dresses that most definitely are not for the church!

“I’m tired of playing it safe,” said the label’s designer and creative director before the start of his runway show. “I wanted to do something different and unexpected;” and so he did with colour as well as style. Breaking with the traditional ivory or white, Theia’s Fall 2016 collection also showcases the most sassy poppy red numbers  and even a sultry black gown. And much as I love Don’s Art Deco inspired designs, especially the fringing that appears on a couple of dresses and his creative sleeves, it is this fierce bravery that I lost most about this collection! “This woman is free to redefine what marriage means to her,” says the designer “Fearless and empowered by her femininity, this bride walks where others fear to follow”…….

Isn’t it stunning? Not that I think for one second that Mr O’Neill imagines many brides bold enough to wear that last dress down the aisle. But I love the symbolism of it. And how the whole collection exudes a sense of power and celebrates femininity, taking the idea of a fearless bride to a whole new level!

You can hear more from Don O’Neill about what inspired him, and see the dresses sashaying down the catwalk in all of their glory, here on The Knot. You can also see more from this incredible designer and stay up to date with all the latest Theia news, trunk shows and collections by finding and following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Amy

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