Wedding dresses: these are the trends for the 2025/26 season

BarcelonaBarcelona Bridal Fashion Week, held this week in the Catalan capital, brought together designs from 44 bridal fashion brands that maintain their traditions while also adapting to the demands of fashion. Yolancris, Isabel Sanchis, Atelier by Jimmy Choo, Wang Feng Couture, and the French Cymbeline, among others, presented their 2026 bridal collections; these offerings filled the Barcelona runway with craftsmanship and romanticism.

This week, low-waist dresses were a huge hit on the BBFW runway. Designers like Yolancris and Katy Corso have taken the style to their own level, proving that there's no one-size-fits-all version of this style. As the name suggests, this style features a waistline that drops several inches, falling around the hips instead of the natural waistline. Princess Diana was one of the main reasons for making the low-waist dress among the most popular.

Sewn, painted, embroidered, or 3D, flowers have been one of the standout performers on the Barcelona catwalk, from the most bohemian to the most classic and formal.

One of the big trends of recent seasons has been transparencies and, although they have been timidly added to the looks Bridal gowns have rarely been as extreme as those we saw on the BBFW runway. Yolancris, Andrea Lalanza, Lorena Panea, Carta Branca, and others have opted for bold and versatile designs, adding veils over chiffon or tulle skirts for a classic touch for the ceremony, which can then be removed.

This silhouette, always a favorite among royal brides, has evolved over the years, opting for more contemporary elements. They are characterized by a fitted top (especially at the waist) and a full, flowing skirt. The star fabric for this type of dress remains taffeta, which provides body and rigidity. Designs with tulle and organza skirts and fitted bodices in plain fabrics or lace, such as those from Badgley Mischka and The Atelier, have also graced the Barcelona runway.

Corsets are an important part of historical fashion. From the Elizabethan era—which featured a square neckline with thick straps—to Victorian style, to the provocative and irreverent essence of the 1970s punk aesthetic championed by Vivienne Westwood and Jean-Paul Gaultier. A trend that has been seen this BBFW in designs for all tastes: plain, with fitted or voluminous skirts, or strapless necklines. Yolancris, The Atelier, and Yuliia Lobachóva Couture have all included it in their collections.

Modular designs, such as detachable skirts, capes, coats, and trains, allow a single dress to accompany every phase of the big day: from the ceremony to the party. We saw a variety of styles on the runway at the Bridal, even with the magical removable ones in designs by Lorena Panea, Ricca Sposa or Agnieszka Swiatly.

In recent seasons, many brands have included this type of silhouette in their bridal collections. The lingerie dress, or slip dress, is a benchmark of minimalist aesthetics ideal for those brides who opt for a look different from what the norm dictates for the big day. Immaclé and Agnieszka Swiatly are some of the designers who have opted for this dress, which is reinvented year after year on the catwalks with more pronounced or draped necklines, with sheer or satin textures.

The bride's dress hasn't always been white. This custom began in the 19th century, with Queen Victoria, who chose to wear a white wedding dress instead of the darker color that was customary for royal weddings. A tradition that hasn't been lost, as the catwalk designs demonstrate. bridal, with a color palette that moves between snow white, ivory and blushHowever, proposals have also been seen that include shades of lavender, terracotta, wine, green, and metallic touches.

Vivienne Westwood, star of the Barcelona Bridal Night

Following in the footsteps of brands like Viktor & Rolf, Elie Saab, and Giambattista Valli, the iconic British brand Vivienne Westwood was the special guest at this year's Barcelona Bridal Night. On Thursday night, the brand presented its latest bridal collection in an exclusive fashion show in the cloister of the historic University of Barcelona building.

Deconstructed dresses, corsets, and French fashion—one of the trends characteristic of the Rococo era of the 18th century—were highlighted among the thirty or so offerings at the show, which featured iconic models such as Simonetta Gianfelici and Lorena Duran, who broke with traditional canons.

One of the most applauded moments was the closing of the show, where Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood's widower and current creative director of the brand, appeared dressed as a bride, wearing a T-shirt with a drawing of the Simpsons family on television, a satin skirt, and a veil covering his face. "Bridal fashion has always been an important part of the house, ever since I started working with Vivienne in the early 1990s. And we are delighted to present our first bridal show in this fantastic city, taking the grandeur of the boulevards and the architecture as our first point of inspiration," said Kronthaler.

Luxury guests

It wasn't just the catwalk that was filled with glamour. Among the 450 guests at the event, familiar faces could also be seen in the audience, such as Bad Gyal, Catalan actresses Greta Fernández and Georgina Amorós, DJ and model Sita Abellán, and designer Miranda Makaroff. Luxembourg actress Vicky Krieps, known for her role in the film The invisible thread, was the most internationally known face of the night.