The wedding dress is an important asset in a museum
collection for it provides a wealth of reliable information on when, why and by
whom it was worn; it also relates the prevalent fashion of its time and it is
usually supported by photographs. As it is worn on a special occasion it
reflects customs and habits within societies.
19th century
Wedding dresses of this period could be of any colour and were altered as gowns after. The white wedding dress, the veil and the wreath of orange blossoms became the norm in the 1840s, when Queen Victoria had wanted to demonstrate the collection of her precious white lace on her wedding day to Prince Albert of Saxony. The wedding's enormous publicity set the trend of the white gown which eventually became symbolic of purity.
1900s-1920s
The period between the end of the 19th c. to the beginning of World War I is known as “La Belle Époque”, with luxury and beauty prevailing in garments. The body is gradually freed from corsets, as the French couturier Paul Poiret (1879-1944) creates the new line. The wedding gown, made of expensive materials such as silk, satin, lace etc., cannot but follow the fashion trends. The bridal dresses in Greece cannot but follow the fashion trends, which in several places, even villages, go on to replace local costumes.
1930s
The 1930s is marked by aesthetic quality at its peak. Fashion is strongly influenced by the looks of the Hollywood stars. Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1979), one of the most important names of the French couture, introduced the bias cut and the long “mermaid” tail that became prevalent features in wedding dresses. At the same time, new materials such as rayon break through. In Greece, this particular period is known as the “golden era of haute couture”, yet to be dethroned by prêt-à-porter and boutiques.
1940s
World War II was the basic factor in the shaping of fashion during the 1940s. Wedding gowns, if worn at all, are usually borrowed and they are short, simple, with pronounced shoulders.
In 1947, upon the end of the war, Christian Dior launches the “New Look” in Paris, with a feminine, elegant and very expensive silhouette. The New Look contrasted the conservative fashion of the war years and set the basis for the fashion trends of the next decade.
1950s
Dior’s “New Look” sets the tone in clothes, whilst Grace Kelly’s wedding gown by Helen Rose – bodice, sweetheart neckline and full long skirt – sets the trend for the bridal gowns of the time.
The 1950s start the reconstruction of Greece. Among other things, haute couture houses appear with new designers having worked next to the great couturiers of Parisian fashion houses. In Greece, several brides receive their wedding dresses from relatives who had immigrated to the USA.