Lovely Bride Launches Plus-Size Collection After Inspiration to “Push Bridal Industry Forward”

Joyce Chen

Updated March 20, 2018 at 6:00 PM

There’s no such thing as “one size fits all,” and this is something to celebrate, according to Lovely Bride founder Lanie List.

The popular indie bridal retailer recently launched a new plus-size collection that gives women of all shapes and sizes a huge range of options to fit not only their sizing needs, but also style preferences.

“We wanted to make sure our plus size collections celebrated what the indie bride was looking for, and not just a replica of what she’s seeing in more traditional shops,” List tells The Knot, in reference to Lovely Bride’s collaboration with brands like Theia and Lovers Society. “Theia is known for their body-hugging goddess gowns, and Lovers Society for their bohemian styling. These are two ideas you won’t see in other plus size lines.”

Though Lovely Bride has always had options for plus-size brides, List began to notice that there was a real need for this category of bridal designs. And so, she began to brainstorm on how to bring her brides stylish, personal pieces.

Studio Levana dress, LovelyBride.com. (Lovely Bride)

“Our brides prompted it!” she says of the inspiration behind the collection. (She cites Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Hunter McGrady as a muse). “We have so many amazing women coming into our shops, embracing their body types of all sizes, that we knew we had to push the bridal industry forward on this front.”

For List, one moment that was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” happened when a bride came in with a handful of images of a particular gown she wanted to try on.

“After measuring her, we found she fell right outside of the size chart of that designer,” List says. “It was a gut-wrenching situation for us all, but it really lit the fire for me. If all bridal gowns were ‘cut to order,’ [then] why couldn’t gowns be cut in any size? That is what pushed the ‘go’ button ad helped us get three new designers to cut larger sizes. The payback happens daily. There are lots of tears shed in our shops from brides who didn’t think they would be able to try on gowns in their sizes, let alone all the gowns they try on fit them.”

Confidence, List says, is key.

“The Lovely Bride is putting herself first,” she says. “She knows she wants to find a dress that expresses her personal style, and she’s willing to throw caution to the wind for a dress that feels uniquely ‘her.’”

The Lovely Curve Collections include gowns sampled in size 18 to 24 from five designers who are all new to the plus-size U.S. market: Theia Couture, Studio Levana, Lovers Society, Louvienne and Dear Heart. The Curve collections retail from $1,800 to $3,400.

Additionally, Lovely Bride NYC’s flagship boutique is currently undergoing renovations to accommodate for the new plus-size collection, with a new VIP fitting room and a plus-size bridal specialist in the works to better serve brides. See some of the designs below.