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Anne Barge Fall 2013

Updated Jul 15, 2014 | By Rachel Cravit

It was a good season to be Anne Barge. With everyone from Monique Lhuillier to Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta clamouring for classic bridal style, traditional came out on top during bridal fashion week. While many designers struggled to shake their contemporary pasts in order to embrace this seasonal trend, Anne Barge -- whose preference for traditional long predates current obsessions with lace trimmed ball gowns à la Duchess of Cambridge -- commanded the familiar aesthetic with a massive collection. Instead of taking cues from the game changing Royal Wedding, which continues to make waves almost two years later, Anne Barge looked across the pond to France for inspiration, specifically the iconic Hôtel Ritz in Paris. The Anne Barge Fall 2013 collection combined sumptuous French laces, Chantilly and Alençon, with the same ball gown and sheath silhouettes the designer was making when red mermaid gowns were a thing. Dresses in the Anne Barge Fall 2013 collection even had French names: "Aimee", "Genevieve", "Madeleine" and "Simone" were just a few, each one more glamourous than the next. Standout pieces in the Anne Barge Fall 2013 collection included "Brigite", an eloquent A-line gown with a scooped neckline that could easily pass for an item in Jackie O's wardrobe; "Gabrielle", a bisque lace sheath with dramatic v-neck; and "Sophie", a subtly striped ball gown begging to be taken for a spin down the Champs-Élysées.

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