Justina McCaffrey Bridal Spring 2015

Canadian haute couture designer Justina McCaffrey, believes that a bride is like a ballerina, and her wedding gown should reflect her sense of grace, poise, strength and femininity.  Her spring 2015 collection embodied that belief with sleek, stunning creations, invoking emotions associated with classical ballet and opera.

Working mainly in shades of white, with movement as a major motivation of design, McCaffrey worked with fluid materials—satins, charmeuse, tissue taffeta, French lace and tulle.  Fitted bodices, with deep cut backs, flowed into dramatically draped hemlines.  “I like the front flat—the back has enormous appeal,” McCaffrey said.  “You’ve got to play to the second balcony.”

The ten gowns presented were masterfully crafted with the modern woman in mind.  “An angular dress shows who’s boss—it says I’m an intelligent woman.  Many women with professional careers don’t want to have ruffles galore.”

Standout pieces included a Duchess satin gown with tissue taffeta accented with a wide gray ribbon waist embellishment.  A  French lace gown with a liquid sequin underlay was sexy but classy and perfect for a summer wedding.  McCaffrey, who in the past designed a Justina branded lingerie collection line for Marshall Fields, loves the lingerie feel for modern brides, but not too fitted or revealing” explains McCaffrey  “You don’t want the bride to feel too undressed with nipples fully showing.”

McCaffrey highlights the deep cut backs of her gowns with the bling of Swarovski crystals. “The crystals create more of a ‘rocker vibe’— there’s just something modern about it.  The dress is simple so you may only need one element of interest,” she explained.  “It’s like a surprise at the very end.”

The showstopper was the Duchess draped satin bodice gown that swirled out into a voluminous cloud of tulle — perfect for the inner ballerina of any bride.

—Francesca Simon