StyleSchool

When you think of stylish, "green" bridal gowns, you may very well wonder if such a thing even exists. The answer is a resounding "yes" thanks to Adele Wechsler's new gorgeous (and affordable!) Eco-Couture collection, an addition to her eponymous bridal label. We recently sat down with Wechsler to learn more about merging style and sustainability.

How did you first get started designing wedding gowns?
I sort of fell into bridal; it wasn’t by design. I was designing a line of occasion wear using knit fabric combinations and I loved working with beautiful French laces and cut velvets. Those fabrics look so beautiful in ivories and champagnes and blushes that I always included them in my collection. People started coming in and saying, "Oh, I want to get married in this." It was the early eighties so there was very little alternative to the Cinderella, puffy bridal gown, and my designs were more fashion conscious and modern. 

What made you decide to design organic pieces? 
After designing gowns for many years, I was sitting down to design yet another bridal collection and I began to think that the last thing we needed was more wedding gowns just to fill racks. I thought there had to be something more, and it must have heart and soul. I wanted to find a way to differentiate myself and make more meaningful gowns not only to me, but to the brides. My Hello Africa collection was the first to feature a charitable and humanitarian component, with hand-beading done in Africa. The next logical step seemed to be addressing the green movement, making something for brides who really care about the world in which they lives.

Who is the Eco-Couture bride?
She’s definitely educated and career-oriented, for sure. She’s also very down to earth. There’s something very down to earth about all my brides, actually. We do get a good mix, though, of the really earthy brides who absolutely want something eco-friendly and brides who don’t initially realize how important being eco-friendly is to them, but they end up connecting with the organic aspect on a different level.

Has working on the Eco-Couture collection affected your approach to your non-organic designs?
Of course. We’ve always used fair trade labor and all of our work is done locally in North America. We are continuing with our classic collection because we want to be able to work with all of those beautiful laces and other fabrications that aren’t yet classifiable as eco, but we incorporate the remnant fabrics into all our designs and of course we try not to be wasteful.

Do you have a favorite Eco-Couture dress?
I would say ‘Misty.’ It’s just really great on so many girls, just so flattering. It has a sort of wind-blown feel with the draping, and the way the organza is wrapped around it, it almost looks like a layer of mist. It’s very mysterious and romantic, but still classic.

Do you have any advice for brides just starting to shop?
I think that it’s important to realize that it’s not just about the dress. You obviously want a beautiful gown, but you want it to say something about who you are. Don’t just go for the big pouf of fabric; pick something that reflects your personality, something that reflects your sense of style. People should see you and not just a generic wedding dress.

To view the complete Eco-Couture collection and all of Adele Wechsler's wedding gowns, visit adelewechsler.com.

—Laura Wasson