Kathy Ireland Launches Bridal Dresses

I’ve been following Kathy Ireland's career for a long time. I’ve read her fabulous books. I’ve marveled at her $1.4 billion-a-year lifestyle design ventures. And now the supermodel, supermom and super mogul is launching a line with Mon Cheri Bridals called Kathy Ireland Weddings by 2be Designs, featuring wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses and mother-of-the-bride styles. I sat down with the gown designer to get the scoop on her latest project:

Sharon Naylor: Kathy, what’s the first rule of coordinating the bride’s dress design and the bridesmaids’ dress design?

Kathy Ireland: I really feel passionately that the bride’s dress needs to stand out, so when you’re coordinating the color and feel of the bridesmaids’ dresses with her look, I recommend using a wonderful color accent in the bride’s dress (like robin’s egg blue that can be done subtly with a touch of ribbon) to coordinate with the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Color is one of the best ways to create that complementary look.

SN: We know that bridesmaids often choose coordinating dresses that perhaps don’t match identically. One may have a bodice or strapped top that better flatters a fuller-figured bridesmaid, while the others wear strapless. When a bride considers this trend, the idea of coordinating can be overwhelming.

KI: When you have a wedding party, the ladies come in all shapes and sizes. A single design of dress looks great on some and just doesn’t fit on others. The key is finding complementary dress choices for each woman, even if they don’t match completely. And then the coordination comes in through that touch of color or a complementary neckline, so that even different styles of dresses work together to make a cohesive look that works with one another as well as with the bride’s look.

SN: Before we get into more details on what you recommend for today’s brides and bridesmaids as well as what’s in your line that’s going to really excite them, tell us about your own wedding and what you and your bridesmaids wore.

KI: I got married in 1988, when many brides were still influenced by Princess Diana’s full ballgown and that silhouette. My dress was strapless—and when I reached up with my bridal bouquet, I fell out of it!

SN: No!

KI: Yes! [laughing] That moment was part of an inspiration to have my brides’ gowns function well so that doesn’t happen. And that’s a construction issue—something I put a great emphasis on for the 2BeBride line that I’m doing with Mon Cheri Bridals. And function is also a great part of my dresses for bridesmaids as well as for the mothers of the bride and groom. My bridesmaids wore dresses in different, coordinating colors. Some were in lavender and some were in shades of pink florals. We chose the dress designs and colors that could be used beyond the wedding.

SN: That’s always the ultimate goal—to get that second, third, fourth and fifth wear out of the dress.

KI: Absolutely.

Next: Kathy on dress trends, mother-of-the-bride styles and Kate MIddleton's gown >>