How to upgrade your eveningwear
With awards-season images flying around the internet, gown envy is inevitable. If you’re inspired to up your own eveningwear game, these are the labels to look at now… By EMMA SELLS
RODARTE
Sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy created their California-infused label back in 2005. It’s a favorite with red-carpet regulars – Kirsten Dunst, Elle and Dakota Fanning and Saoirse Ronan among them – looking to take a more youthful, not-quite-traditional approach. The pair’s off-kilter vision of after-dark gowns blends supercharged femininity with pretty/ugly details, clouds of ruffles and vintage-inspired prints.
NAEEM KHAN
Naeem Khan knows a thing or two about conjuring high-impact gowns; Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Penélope Cruz and Kate Hudson have all called upon him to create red-carpet dresses for them, drawn in by his intricate beading and beautiful embroidery. The Indian-born, American-based designer is peerless when it comes to impeccably crafted dresses rich in statement-making details.
RALPH & RUSSO
Ralph & Russo is Britain’s only haute couture house. Founded in 2007 by Australians Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo, it has quietly garnered an international following. This season sees the launch of ready to wear, channeling the label’s modern take on rarefied luxury into slashed cocktail dresses, satin trenches and embellished ballgowns.
CAROLINA HERRERA
A New York stalwart, Caroline Herrera has been conjuring up classic, sophisticated gowns for more than 35 years, but the FW18 collection is your last chance to snap up her signature brand of chic – designer Wes Gordon will be taking over Creative Director duties for spring. The list of women that Herrera has dressed encompasses everyone from Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Onassis to Renée Zellweger and Karlie Kloss. This is your go-to for classic, ladylike, effortlessly beautiful shapes.
MONIQUE LHUILLIER
You probably know her best for her wedding dresses, but Monique Lhuillier’s ready-to-wear gowns are equally breathtaking. The Filipino-American designer has spent more than 20 years honing her flair for creating ultra-pretty, ultra-romantic dresses, this season conjuring light-as-air affairs in pastel shades and sheer layers.