The biggest wedding fashion trends for 2020 – from sustainability to Simone Rocha

With wedding season almost upon us, newly engaged couples are preparing for the year of matrimony ahead.

But, as more and more people step away from conventional nuptials and the various traditions that come with them, new twists and modern takes on the celebrations are emerging.

It now seems as though the wedding industry is not too dissimilar to the fashion industry, in that both rely on a constant trend cycle.

To find out which wedding trends are topping the list this year, global fashion search platform Lyst analysed the online shopping behaviour of more than 100 million shoppers a month searching, browsing and buying fashion across 12,000 designers and stores online.

The “Wedding Report” also factored in social media metrics, taking into account influencer and brand followings, multiplatform mentions of products, hashtags and related keywords.

So, what are the key trends for 2020? Here are the styles that look set to define this year’s wedding season for brides and their guests.

Sustainability is more than just a fashion trend and the wedding industry is taking notice.

According to Lyst, brides are becoming increasingly conscious of a wedding’s financial and environmental implications when it comes to their outfits on the big day.

The change in attitudes towards sustainable fashion continues to impact the bridal market, with more and more brides looking for vintage pieces. Online searches for wedding dresses that include the words “vintage”, “second hand” or “pre-owned” are collectively up 38 per cent year on year, averaging close to 19,000 searches a month.

Lyst also highlights an increase in searches for simpler, more minimalistic wedding outfits that will not date and can be worn long after the wedding day is over.

Searches for timeless slip dresses from the likes of Asceno, Galvan and Rasario are up 64 per cent quarter on quarter, while searches for white blazers and white jumpsuits are up 19 per cent and 36 per cent respectively.

A trend inspired by the costumes seen in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the 1868 novel Little Women, puff sleeves are set to be big news for brides this year with searches for the style increasing 38 per cent year on year.

When it comes to the brands to watch, Lyst highlights Mother of Pearl and Cecilie Bahnsen as the most searched labels among consumers looking for big sleeves.

However, it also predicts that 2020 will be dominated by the oversized tulle and uber-romantic gowns designed by Simone Rocha, with searches steadily increasing over the last year by 45 per cent and page views spiking 64 per cent in the 24 hours following the brand’s autumn/winter 2020 show.

Mid-length bridal dresses have also seen an increase in demand with 27 per cent more mid-length white dresses on Lyst year on year.

The modern-day bride is prioritising personal style and comfort over convention this year.

For 2020, Lyst states that two-piece bridal ensembles are on the rise following a string of high-profile celebrities, including Zoë Kravitz, Ellie Goulding and Hillary Duff, wearing them at their own wedding receptions.

According to Lyst, ASOS is the breakout brand in this category, with more than 3,500 brides choosing to wear the ASOS Edition lace crop-top maxi dress on their wedding day.

With wedding dresses getting simpler, brides are giving accessories, such as hair bows and pearl earrings more importance, with both seeing significant increases in views compared to last year.

Online searches for face veils, as seen in the autumn/winter 2020 collections of Rodarte and Carolina Herrera, are also on the rise (306 per cent), while small bags, perfect to keep bridal essentials on hand, have also seen an increase in demand, with pieces from Jacquemus, Shrimps and Cult Gaia driving the most sales.

The same goes for wedding guests too, with designer headbands continuing to be in high demand, with searches up 28 per cent over the past four months, year on year.

Crystal-embellished and knot headbands have seen the strongest increase in searches, with accessories designer Jennifer Behr leading the trend – searches for the brand have risen 75 per cent over the last six months.

Floral motifs have become as much of a mainstay during wedding season as free-flowing alcohol and dance-offs, but this year guests are scrapping ditsy blooms in favour of bigger and bolder designs.

According to Lyst, daring florals looks set to become a favourite among guests for 2020, with data indicating their continued growth in popularity over the last year, with searches for floral dresses currently up 46 per cent.

Elsewhere, searches for fringed pieces have also been on the rise and are currently up 25 per cent for fringed dresses and 138 per cent for fringed bags.

When it comes to the top brands, it seems guests are not scrimping for their friend’s big days, with The Vampire’s Wife’s retro-inspired gowns, a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, continuing to see a growth in demand, with a 19 per cent increase in views year on year.