Slinky slips, crisp crepe, clean girl slick back buns - we're well-versed in the resurgent '90s bridal trends around these parts.
But what if I were to tell you that there was a whole other side to the bridal coin in the mid-'90s? Another side that was baroque, feminine, fanciful, and lacy?
Welcome to Lolita Lempicka's world of bridal.
A bridal look from Spring 1997.
Now maybe you're like me, a peak Millennial, and remember the name Lolita Lempicka from cheeky little skirt suits that you dreamed of wearing as an adult to work at your big fancy job at a fashion magazine.
Or maybe you remember Lolita Lempicka from her Le Parfum, a still cult favorite scent.
Or perhaps, you were a teen girl in Europe in the early Aughts, and you were blessed enough to have the Lolita Lempicka branded Nissan Micra hard top convertible in a deep purple hue.
(If so, do you still have it and will you sell it to me?)
An early bridal look from Lempicka in her Fall 1990 show.
Much like her perfume, French design Lolita Lempicka's bridal designs are inspired by the worlds of princesses and fairies.
A whimsical world that, thanks to lots of sheer paneling and expertly cut necklines, feels more like a sexy fantasy land and less like a Disney adult went all out for their Rapunzel cosplay. (Sorry.)
In this first bridal look from Fall 1989 show, draped in a crown of greenery, the bride closes the show in sheer ruched sleeves and a neckline framed in tulip-like petals.
The look dances somewhere between sweet fairy princess and fabulous evil Queen. (Every girl's goal, yes?)
In her Fall 1993 show, Lempicka continued the romantic look, this time with a 1960s-style flower-child vibe.
Spider lashes add a fun styling touch while the bell sleeves of crocheted lace showcase the layering of textures and appliqués, a technique Lempicka will lean on heavily in later bridal pieces.
Lempicka and her model, both sporting Marie Antionette era beauty marks.
In Fall 1994, Lempicka looked to royalty for inspiration. Basque waist bodices of sheer baroque silk offer a modern take on an 18th Century look.
Marie Antionette with a heavy dose of '90s skin and sex appeal.
It's the following season, Spring 1995, where Lempicka's bridal thesis really takes shape.
Her first full bridal collection, featured basque waists, puffed sleeves, open necklines, and gathered skirts in layered textures.
Love this look? Scroll down for a Happy Isles surprise!
Flower crowns felt sumptuous rather than delicate.
Models wore big, soft curls and stacks of chain necklaces.
Romijn in a more casual look from the Spring 1995 show.
Lempicka's vision of the ethereal bride is, for lack of a better word, cool.
A young Rebecca Romijn wore a bridal babydoll dress down the runway. Styled with a brick-red lip and a choker that evokes the best grunge music gals of the time.
A feather topped look from Fall 1995.
For Fall 1995 bridal collection, Lempicka leaned into a different kind of fantasy: Hollywood glamour.
Inspired by film heroines, America's version of princesses and queens. Lempicka opted for glam details like feathers and rhinestone tiaras. Inspired by the 1920s silent film stars, as well as classic 1950s fixtures like Marilyn Monroe.
French model, Ophélie Winter, grins backstage at the Fall 1995 show.
The curls were tighter, closer to Marilyn than Rapunzel.
Silver accented lace added glitz to the softer, romantic world of Lolita Lempicka.
Lolita Lempicka's bridal offers a fanciful alternative to the clean lines of '90s Vera or the more literal princess looks of Catherine Rayner. Lempicka's looks have a touch of grunge and unkept cool that we think feels very 2026 and beyond.
Thank you Lolita Lempicka, for offering us a refreshing dose of fashionable whimsy in a world of sleek and chic.
(See more photos from Lolita Lempicka's '90s runways on our IG!)
Want to be a Lolita Lempicka Bride?
Gown from Lolita Lempicka's Spring 1995. Currently available at Happy Isles New York.
