Cotton Chic

The fabric of our lives is wending its way to wedding dresses. New York-based Chris Kole launched his cotton-based bridal line, The Cotton Bride, five years ago primarily to service brides having garden and beach weddings. Now, other bridal designers are injecting cotton into their confections, often as a lining layer or as an accent on gowns that can suit affairs less stuffy to formal. Bridal designers are heeding the call for comfort and better-sourced fabrics, say retailers. But more importantly, they’re creating dresses of sophistication and allaying fears that brides will be wearing homespun gowns fit for a hoedown. “It really feels good against the body,” says Hilary Gandara, manager of Mariee Gallery, a bridal boutique in Scottsdale, Ariz. “And, designers are able to transform it into super-feminine, gorgeous dresses.” Los Angeles-based Claire Pettibone has gained a following for her soft, romantic, flowing gowns, often incorporating cotton. At her September wedding, actress Cobie Smulders of the CBS show “How I Met Your Mother,” wore a beige cotton toile Claire Pettibone gown trimmed in French gold embroidery. J. Crew offers a strapless A-line tea-length style with a flirty skirt in a blend of cotton and silk faille. A more formal look includes a floor-skimming, one-shoulder gown with a drop waist crafted from cotton and silk faille. And, Junko Yoshioka mixes textures with an ivory silk twill and cotton gown for a structured look. Other benefits of incorporating cotton are its versatility and ability to mesh well with other fabrics. Cotton is easy to drape, clean and unlike linen, easy to press, says Fikre Ayele, a spokesman for The Cotton Bride. It also pairs well with other textiles, such as cotton lace and silk chiffon, he says. Among the line’s key looks for the season are a cotton embroidered Italian gauze gown and a French stripe cotton lace strapless style. “Cotton is one of the most ‘cooperative’ fabrics to work with for a designer,” Ayele says. “Moreover, cotton is available in so many different fabric weights and textures, there is no limit to the amount of creative options that it allows. ” In the latest lineup of gowns by San Francisco-based bridal designer Amy Kuschel, textured cotton lace is a new addition to coincide with the collection’s theme of “rustic elegance. ” Sage, a classic V-neckline gown, and Lavender, a modern strapless trumpet silhouette, are among the highlights. Many of the line’s other designs are trimmed in French Alencon lace that is rich in cotton. Retailers appreciate that cotton can infuse novelty into more conventional styles. “Mixing cotton with lace creates a unique pattern that’s less traditional-looking and may appeal to brides who typically don’t like the look of lace,” says Dede Palmer, owner of Altar Bridal in Kansas City, Mo. What may surprise brides is that the price of a cotton gown isn’t a bargain. The Cotton Bride’s Kole sources cotton from all over the world. And the high-quality fabrics can often fetch more than $100 per yard, Ayele says. Typical styles from The Cotton Bride sell between $1,500 to $3,500, and the company is looking into launching a lower-priced line with dresses priced ranging $800 to $1,499. “The fact that all cottons are inexpensive is just a myth borne out of the fact that so many of the lower-priced garments we wear on a daily basis are made out of cotton, ” Ayele says.