I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with some of the intricately-detailed pieces from Carolina Herrera’s spring and fall 2014 bridal collections at White, Toronto this week and consequently learned this: pictures will never quite do these gowns justice. From the softness of the tulle to the intricacy of the embroidery, these are gowns you will want to see close up.

Carolina Herrera New York representative Lisa Tosado talked me through the collections, which include floral appliqués, hand-painting, beaded flapper styles and even a variety of cocktail dresses. We also talked about trends vs. classics; Tosado explained that she often says to girls who try on trendier pieces: “That looks great on you, but are you going to love it in ten years?” Tosado ultimately cited clean, classic silhouettes as the top sellers.

Here are some standouts from Carolina Herrera Bridal:

The Astrid

Featured in the Carolina Herrera Spring 2014 ad campaign, this gown is a bestseller and rightly so: to create the pattern, Herrera and creative director Hervé Pierre expanded a piece of lace in a copy machine to four hundred percent its original size. The gown is hand-painted and bonded on organza, and pairs with a cathedral tulle veil.

The Amore

The Amore is my personal favourite bridal gown from Carolina Herrera and is especially deserving of an up-close look. The strapless ivory floral silk taffeta embroidered tulle gown is downright gorgeous, from the tiny buttons that run down the back to the delicate basket weave around the waist.

The Aurora

This gown is a major statement-maker! The Aurora is made from ivory tulle decorated with hand-painted gold leaves. Tosado summed this gown up well: “She’s a show-stopper.”

The Abigail

When I saw this gown, all I could think was Snow White! The Abigail is a sweet, hand-embroidered taffeta and organza gown with hand-cut, bejeweled flower appliqués that give it a romantic, magical feel.

All images courtesy of Carolina Herrera.

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