When it comes to creating beautiful bridal-wear, Natalie Chan reigns supreme. Known as one of the best special occasion designers in New Zealand, Chan has certainly made her mark on the industry. Her beautiful gowns, separates and exquisite millinery are every bride’s dream, made to measure with meticulous precision and passion. This year, Chan was invited to showcase her latest collection, Long Live Romance, at the internationally renowned wedding fair, One Fine Day Bridal Market. This New York fair is known for bringing together some of the world’s most fashion-forward wedding designers. Fresh from her debut, Chan let us take a peek into her busy and beautiful world.
Tell us about your latest collection: Long Live Romance. Our newest collection celebrates the illustrious love stories of some of the most iconic couples, fictional and factual, known from history and through to the modern day. We swooned over the love letters exchanged between Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald and were captivated by the decade’s-long marriage between Iman and David Bowie. We re-watched the fantastic big-screen romance of Sandy and Danny from Grease, and let our hearts run away with the bittersweet story of Prince Siegfried and the Swan Princess Odette. We came away feeling utterly inspired by all of the different forms that romance can take. This journey, exploring these couples’ stories, reaffirmed the idea that love knows no bounds. 
What makes this collection different from your others? This collection has been designed with a particular focus on clean lines and modern silhouettes, enhanced with winsome details. A carefully curated selection of tulle, laces, and silks has been used. We love these fabrics for their abilities to be draped, pleated and appliquéd in the most beautiful ways. Also, all of the dresses and ensembles can be re-worn again, either as is or with their hems shortened.
What were the highlights of creating this collection? Connecting more with our textiles suppliers so we can have a wider range of fabric to be inspired by. Researching the couples that this collection was based on was quite a lot of fun, too.
Tell us about launching your collection in New York? Launching in New York was a huge endeavour and a learning experience. It’s not just about the designs and dresses. There is so much more to consider. The logistics and the business side of being able to gear us for export takes time to organise. We are still learning!
It was also so amazing to meet other vendors that we had shared our space with at One Fine Day’s Bridal Market. We learned so much from meeting with media, and of course other bridal boutique owners from all over the world. It was much easier to connect with people there than to try doing it from Auckland.
Was the One Fine Day Fair everything you thought it would be? One Fine Day Bridal Market is hands down one of the coolest boutique bridal fairs to be showing at. They curate the space, the vendors and the overall experience so beautifully. It was a visual overload!
Do you think bridalwear has changed in your time designing? Yes, the bridal landscape has evolved a lot. Every year, something changes and becomes better. Not only the bridal dresses, but also the photography and styling of weddings now.
Where to next for Natalie Chan? My team and I are focusing on building the brand, and our main goal is to have Natalie Chan Bridal more accessible for our overseas brides. We are putting new plans in motion. I am so grateful that we are all up for the challenge and doing some amazing things together.
Natalie Chan, Photography—Jean-Laurent Gaudy
