There's definitely been growth in terms of ready-to-wear fashion offered beyond straight sizes recently, but bridal seems to be dragging its feet when it comes to inclusivity. Yes, many bridal designers offer custom sizing, which can allow a curvier bride the opportunity to score her dream gown. But the in-store experience typically doesn’t resemble the thrilling Say Yes to the Dress moment, thanks to limited sample sizing that can prevent a bride-to-be from even trying on a dress, forcing her to choose her gown based solely on hanger appeal. But two brands have joined forces to bring plus-size brides their dream boho-chic gowns, thanks to today's launch of Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride, available in sizes 14 to 24.
For the newly betrothed who has fever dreams about being swallowed by a taffeta nightmare, worry not: Stone Fox Bride’s creative director Molly Guy’s designs skew more indie IT girl than pretty-pretty princess. “The bridal market, in general, seems to be a bit behind on everything,” Guy tells Refinery29. “When I started my company in 2012, no one had ever considered that weddings could be anything more than a stuffy, formal affair — and the dress, a puffy cupcake to match! Four years later, the wedding space is saturated with all kinds of tastemakers doing interesting work.”
The limited collection offers five of Stone Fox Bride’s most popular and requested styles, including the gorgeous Glenda gown that Allison Williams' character, Marnie, wore on Girls. The plus-size dresses may appear to be identical to the existing, straight-sized styles, but slight tweaks were made during the design process to assure that everything is perfect for curvier frames. “Such changes include adjusting the waistline, accentuating a peplum, or adding an opaque underlay to a sheer back for bra coverage,” Jodi Arnold, creative director of Eloquii, tells Refinery29. “We believe anyone can wear anything — it's all about the right fit!”
Although the average Eloquii customer may experience some sticker shock, the prices are in line with Stone Fox Bride’s current offerings, and don’t incur the “fat tax” that so many other designers tack onto larger sizes. “They're the same cost as all of our wedding gowns — which are all custom-made to order right here in New York City,” says Guy. But the brand has budget-conscious brides covered as well. “We asked Molly to curate a collection of Eloquii occasion dresses for Eloquii.com,” Arnold says. “The collection will make any bride feel special on her wedding day and events surrounding — or women who are attending these events.”
This sartorial marriage was facilitated by two fashion-focused matchmakers: “I reached out to two friends in the plus-size space whose style and point of view I really respect — style writer Nicolette Mason and modeling agent Becca Thorpe — and asked if they could point me toward any cool, innovative fashion companies that might be interested in partnering,” Guy explains of the partnership's roots. “They both put me in touch with Eloquii…and the rest is history.”
And although Arnold sees a future with a potential stand-alone Eloquii bridal line, she wanted to jump on the chance to offer fuller-figured brides gowns ASAP. “An Eloquii bridal line is not off the table, but why make our customers wait for us to perfect it when we could bring [Guy's] beautiful bridal gowns right now?" says Arnold.
It seems as though this collaboration is just the beginning of Guy’s inclusive expansion; she told Voguethat she would never do a collection again unless it goes up to a size 24. “I've wanted to offer our gowns in plus sizes since I started my company in 2012, but I've never had the bandwidth and resources to do so,” explains Guy. “We're a tiny team, and it's hard to focus on long-term initiatives when there is always so much to do in the moment. Startup life is always a bit of a beautiful mess, you know? But this summer, after I had my second daughter, I finally put my foot down and said, 'Next season, we're going to do this no matter what.'”
Click through to see all of the stunning styles — but don’t blame us if you fall in love all over again.
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For the newly betrothed who has fever dreams about being swallowed by a taffeta nightmare, worry not: Stone Fox Bride’s creative director Molly Guy’s designs skew more indie IT girl than pretty-pretty princess. “The bridal market, in general, seems to be a bit behind on everything,” Guy tells Refinery29. “When I started my company in 2012, no one had ever considered that weddings could be anything more than a stuffy, formal affair — and the dress, a puffy cupcake to match! Four years later, the wedding space is saturated with all kinds of tastemakers doing interesting work.”
The limited collection offers five of Stone Fox Bride’s most popular and requested styles, including the gorgeous Glenda gown that Allison Williams' character, Marnie, wore on Girls. The plus-size dresses may appear to be identical to the existing, straight-sized styles, but slight tweaks were made during the design process to assure that everything is perfect for curvier frames. “Such changes include adjusting the waistline, accentuating a peplum, or adding an opaque underlay to a sheer back for bra coverage,” Jodi Arnold, creative director of Eloquii, tells Refinery29. “We believe anyone can wear anything — it's all about the right fit!”
Although the average Eloquii customer may experience some sticker shock, the prices are in line with Stone Fox Bride’s current offerings, and don’t incur the “fat tax” that so many other designers tack onto larger sizes. “They're the same cost as all of our wedding gowns — which are all custom-made to order right here in New York City,” says Guy. But the brand has budget-conscious brides covered as well. “We asked Molly to curate a collection of Eloquii occasion dresses for Eloquii.com,” Arnold says. “The collection will make any bride feel special on her wedding day and events surrounding — or women who are attending these events.”
This sartorial marriage was facilitated by two fashion-focused matchmakers: “I reached out to two friends in the plus-size space whose style and point of view I really respect — style writer Nicolette Mason and modeling agent Becca Thorpe — and asked if they could point me toward any cool, innovative fashion companies that might be interested in partnering,” Guy explains of the partnership's roots. “They both put me in touch with Eloquii…and the rest is history.”
And although Arnold sees a future with a potential stand-alone Eloquii bridal line, she wanted to jump on the chance to offer fuller-figured brides gowns ASAP. “An Eloquii bridal line is not off the table, but why make our customers wait for us to perfect it when we could bring [Guy's] beautiful bridal gowns right now?" says Arnold.
It seems as though this collaboration is just the beginning of Guy’s inclusive expansion; she told Voguethat she would never do a collection again unless it goes up to a size 24. “I've wanted to offer our gowns in plus sizes since I started my company in 2012, but I've never had the bandwidth and resources to do so,” explains Guy. “We're a tiny team, and it's hard to focus on long-term initiatives when there is always so much to do in the moment. Startup life is always a bit of a beautiful mess, you know? But this summer, after I had my second daughter, I finally put my foot down and said, 'Next season, we're going to do this no matter what.'”
Click through to see all of the stunning styles — but don’t blame us if you fall in love all over again.
Keep it short and sweet. (Just like your ceremony.)
Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride The Milly, $4,350, available at Stone Fox Bride.
Dip-dye perfection for the bride who's down for something colorful.
Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride The Valentina, $5,000, available at Stone Fox Bride.
Finally, a bra-friendly gown!
Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride The Frederika, $4,900, available at Stone Fox Bride.
Slinky and sexy, just like you.
Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride The Lucinda, $4,800, available at Stone Fox Bride.
The ultimate bohemian-bride vibe.
Eloquii for Stone Fox Bride The Glenda, $6,800, available at Stone Fox Bride.
Bouquet tosses have never looked so chic.
Feel like a fox on your wedding day.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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