Many things about weddings have grown, shrunken, developed, and even completed disappeared over the years. However, one tradition that typically still remains is the fact that the wedding gown is white or a subtle variation of white. However, the thought of a red, bold, vivacious color while walking down the aisle has never appealed to a Western audience. Vera Wang, mostly known for her bridal lines, has prepared a series of gowns for her 'Mei Meng' collection, and not a single one is white.
Red symbolizes passion and sex in Western culture. Making wedding gowns in this pop-out color is a risky move. 'Mei Meng' means 'dream' in Chinese. In the notes of the spring 2013 lookbook, Wang described her line.
"Beautiful dream. The symbolism of Red. Boldly romantic, charming, protective, grand, seductive, sexy. From dahlia to scarlet, crimson and vermilion. A celebration of love."
Vera Wang bridal gowns have been extremely successful in the US. The Chinese designer has made custom wedding gowns for Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian-Odom, Chelsea Clinton, Jessica Simpson, and more! Now, the celebrity designer is making big moves to enter the Asian market.
"The emphasis on weddings is so strong here," a Vera Wang rep told WWD. "So we feel really good about it." Huang Hung, the writer of the 'ChinaFile' at WWD also agreed that Western-style dresses, whether white or red, may have a place in China, in particular.
"[The] Chinese believe that red brings fortune and luck, and the bride is traditionally expected to do exactly that for her husband," Hung said. "However, in most Chinese weddings, the bride changes 2-3 times. So she might start with a red Chinese dress, then a western dress, then [change] again."
China has a large wedding industry because people invest lots of money in the events."People organize weddings the same way marketing events are organized," Hung continued. "They splurge on the dress, the decor, the [food and beverages], and even pay to have [a] celebrity attend the wedding."
Although this is Wang's first move to Asia, Oscar De La Renta has good standing established in Hong Kong and Taiwan. He too showed an nontraditional line of weddings dresses in an array of colors.
"Vera Wang is well known in China, [so] people will buy her wedding dress as a status symbol in any color," Hung said, also noting that the color may not be as important as the name of the designer.
Looks like Wang will do well wherever she goes. But, would you wear a red wedding dress?
