The Gowns, Glamour And Grace Of Monique Lhuillier

Decadent and dream-like, Monique Lhuillier’s gowns look like they could be conjured from a storybook. With a dedication to craftsmanship and a focus on the joyful indulgence of dressing up, the Los Angeles-based label has become renowned for creating diaphanous gowns that are fun, feminine and utterly modern. It’s no surprise, then, that the designs are beloved by Hollywood’s glitterati – after all, slipping on a Monique Lhuillier dress for a formal event is as close to a fashion fantasy as one can get.

Founding her eponymous brand in 1996, Monique Lhuillier – the daughter of a French diplomat who was inspired by her mother’s lavish eveningwear – began by offering a bridal line that blended couture-like craft with contemporary flair. It was an aesthetic born out of frustration, after the designer struggled to source her own wedding dress. Unable to find a design that felt fashionable yet fairy tale-like; effortless yet elegant, she decided to launch her own label.

Later, she imbued this signature sartorial DNA into her ready-to-wear line, which followed in 2002 – and Lhuillier was named a member of the Council of Fashion Designers America the following year. Fast forward to today and the brand is a natural choice for the red carpet, with everyone from Emma Stone and Blake Lively to Reese Witherspoon and Michelle Obama remaining firm fans of her whimsical designs.

Now, as the brand celebrates its 25th anniversary, Monique Lhuillier returns to her refined vision of glamour and grace for the FW22 collection. Offering a sense of easy elegance, this line brings the essence of couture into the everyday with delicate designs that prove perfect for weddings, garden parties and chic dinners come dusk.

Feminine details include puff sleeves, fitted waistlines and velvet-bow trims that allude to the Old Hollywood glamour of the 1950s — the enduring style of Grace Kelly proving the perfect inspiration — yet remain decidedly modern. Fabrics, meanwhile, lend an extra air of drama: crafted from whisper-thin chiffons, silk crepes and rich velvets, then rendered in timeless polka-dot prints or adorned with three-dimensional botanical beading, each dress is stylish, sophisticated and undeniably special.

Endlessly fun to wear, this voluminous collection seamlessly balances the spirit of formal wear with a daytime approachability – dresses feature puff sleeves and tea-length hemlines, ensuring they are perfectly paired with strappy sandals and refined flats, depending on the occasion.

No matter where you’re heading this forthcoming season, a Monique Lhuillier gown is an investment piece designed to be treasured for decades to come. The very definition of enduring elegance, each dress is a keepsake piece destined to become an heirloom; gowns to be passed down to future generations, who will also relish the joy of dressing up in timeless silhouettes. If you can bear to part with them in the first place, that is…