Recognized for her cool-girl silhouettes and technical know-how, there was a quiet simplicity to Danielle Frankel’s spring collection. Call it a symptom of this year’s reset or just the subtle maturity that comes with ten years in the bridal biz, but this season took a step back from some of the elevated kookiness that has come to define the brand. “Our craftsmanship is always at the forefront of what we do, but I wanted to find that pure thing that you think of in your head,” said Frankel.
If anything, this slight shift puts more emphasis on the customization aspect of Frankel’s gowns. Brides-to-be can walk into her serene studio and walk out with a fully formed, evergreen gown directly off-the-rack, like this season’s Ballerina gown with a frothy skirt and constructed bodice, or they can add, subtract, and enhance—perhaps with a lace outer robe—as they should so desire. “It’s wild how much customization and custom is at the forefront of what we are doing,” says Frankel. “However, I would never want a bride to come in and say, ‘I love this gown, but it doesn’t feel complete.’”
While classic shapes and corsetry were at the heart of the collection, Frankel still found ways to appeal to the city slicker brides who increasingly fill our feeds—namely in the form of a slip-like skirt anchored by a structured corded lace hem. However, when asked if there was anything radical, technique- or silhouette-wise, that defined this season, the designer put it confidently: “No, and that’s okay.”
