Fiji's Wedding Dresses

     Every culture has its own style and way of dress. When it comes to wedding attire, it's very interesting to see what every part of the world deems customary for their wedding rituals. For example, the Fijian culture offers a selection of two quite specific, cultural wedding dresses, bias cut gowns and tapa cloth gowns. The designs of both are incredibly unique, making the tradition of wearing them truly special.

     These gowns can be seen being worn by brides all over Fiji. The bias cut gowns are long, silky dresses with a low-cut back. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and can therefore be customized down to the very last stitch. Because of this, the phrase "it's perfect" can be applied wholeheartedly. The tapa cloth gowns are long, colorful dresses constructed of tapa cloth made from mulberry bark and decorated with geometric prints. They're a bit more exotic of the two Fijian wedding dress types, however for those looking to really stick to old traditions, it's the perfect choice. It's easy to see why both dresses are so popular among Fijian brides; they've been around for several centuries and have remained as beautiful as ever through the years.

By Julia Dankov

McQueen's Approach to Wedding Attire

     Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) was not only a man of great talent and interest, he was also a fantastic designer. From the beginning of his well applauded career, all the way back in the early 1990's, the man worked hard to have had the great honor of being able to claim titles such as 'British Designer of the Year' and 'CFDA's International Designer of the Year', and so on. Now I, Julia Dankov, had the great honor of being able to attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Alexander McQueen showcase in New York City. All the man's most celebrated pieces, whether they were dresses, suits, or accessories, stood on display. There were also, I couldn't help but notice, fair amounts of wedding styled pieces in the collection as well. 

     The first two pieces, an ivory silk organza and tulle dress and a cream resin antler headpiece, were both pieces in McQueen's 'Widows of Culloden' collection. The last piece, an 'Oyster' ivory silk organza, Georgette, and chiffon dress, was part of one of McQueen's earlier collections, 'Irere'. All three pieces are quite out of the ordinary for wedding styled attire, however McQueen's designs were quite often, and still are, deemed out of the ordinary. But not all wedding dresses or suits are required to be the same, right? They don't all have to be long, white, and sweet. They could, for those who agree with Alexander McQueen, just as well be a bit aggressive, dark, and romantic.

By Julia Dankov