Editor's Notes
These Trends Will Have the Biggest Impact on Wedding Design in 2023
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By Angela Desveaux, WedLuxe Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director
Thanks to a whole lot of scrolling, pinning, tapping, and tagging, we are currently existing in THE hyper-specific aesthetic age of “core.” Whether it’s #Barbiecore, #Regencycore, #ColorCore, #Royalcore, #Fairycore, #Cottagecore, #Balletcore, #Dreamcore, or #Vacationcore (yes there really is such a thing!), the hottest #trendspirations DEFINITELY have a core following. We’ve even grown used to the naming of color trends every six months, thanks to the color experts at Pantone and Coloro. Right now, it’s “Pink PP,” “Digital Lavender,” “Apricot Crush,” and “Wellness Blue” that are popping up on runways, interiors and you name it… WEDDINGS. One way or another there is NO shortage of inspiration right now. As we head into another incredibly busy season of weddings, here are my predictions and observations on what is going to be driving planners, designers, florists, and couples as they make their design decisions for 2023 events. That said, I’m super excited about our NEXT issue, which we’ve dubbed “Chic to The Core.” (We’ve asked our own roster of WedLuxe Members to explore these concepts for our upcoming Winter issue. I think it’s going to be a VERY pretty few months ahead, don’t you?)
PINK PP (VALENTINO x PANTONE)
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’d know that Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli (in combination with Pantone) rolled out a MONOCHROMATIC MEGAHUE earlier this year. As a tribute to the creative spirit of Elsa Schiaparelli, Piccioli dedicated his entire Fall/Winter 2022-2023 collection to her signature “shocking pink.” The statement-making tribute to Schiaparelli didn’t just wake up the fashion world; it set off an international TREND SENSATION and further activated the “Barbiecore” phenomenon! (Though PP Pink is DEFINITELY Barbie’s more daring version!) Just a few weeks ago, Valentino and Pantone revealed a series of global event installations with PP Pink pop-ups about to roll out worldwide, so this trend is just getting started! We have already seen the brightest hues of pink start to show up in event floral design and we are LOVING it.
COME ON BARBIE, LET’S GO PARTY
Barbie has been a pretty-in-pink trendsetter for DECADES, but she’s currently at the forefront of what’s cool in EVERYTHING from fashion to home decor, as the “Barbiecore” aesthetic sashays its way into all aspects of pop culture! As we said above, the Valentino show was the ‘shocking pink’ version of this trend blowing up, but shortly after that, pics of Margot Robbie channeling Barbie in the upcoming movie (slated for release in 2023) went viral. Let’s also talk about the GAZILLIONS of “likes” that happened when North West took pics of Kim Kardashian posed like a real-life Barbie, rocking head-to-toe Balenciaga. The Gucci Garden is also awash Barbie-pink right now. So, it’s your turn! Come on, Barbie, let’s go p-a-r-t-y!
Bottom row, far right, Monique Lhuillier RTW Spring 23
APRICOT CRUSH
The essence of orange (but not quite orange!) is the taste du jour as apricot and tangerine continue to be a core trend. WGSN Trend Forecasters and sister company Coloro color system JUST announced that The Color of Year for 2024 will be APRICOT CRUSH! Pantone also predicted “Tangelo” was a shade to watch for Spring 2023. So whether your creative jumping-off point is a scarf, an orange creamsicle, or an apricot-hued wallpaper, we look forward to your fresh squeeze on this theme.
Top row, left image Sergio Hudson, Moda Operandi, bottom row, middle, Greta Constantine Resort 2023
BALLETCORE
Just when you thought we’d already mentioned every shade of PINK, we bring you the BALLETCORE mood board. This lighter, muted side of pink is all about delicate tulle, silk trends, and refinement. For full inspo, check out Rodarté’s entire FW22 collection that pirouetted right into this theme. “We were thinking about things that were a part of Rodarté and in our DNA,” said Laura in an interview with Vogue. “We wanted to play with [ballerina] silhouettes and a soft pastel color palette.” (Ballet inspired the two designers earlier in their careers when they designed costumes for the movie Black Swan.)
Top row, Tarik Ezid, Rodarté FW22, bottom right Azzie and Osta
DIGITAL LAVENDER
Digital Lavender will come alive for weddings very soon, just wait and see! But, don’t just take my word for it. Google the phrase “digital lavender” and you’re going to see a whole world of inspiration from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana to Zimmerman showcasing the prettiest examples of how this gender-inclusive color is already taking hold. The color was first identified in 2021 by forecasting firm WGSN and color specialist Coloro as “the color of the year” for 2023.
PASTEL FANTASIA: THE AI EFFECT
This is just what it sounds like: an ethereal, other-worldly, pastel-driven (and often AI-driven) aesthetic revolving around dream-like clouds and objects that tap into your whimsical imagination or things you may have seen in childhood. Let your imagination run wild…
Top left Love Shack Fancy
REGENCYCORE: THE BRIDGERTON EFFECT
We’re patiently counting the hours until Penelope and Colin have their moment (read: lust session) on the next season of Bridgerton, but while we wait, let’s ALL get crushing on MORE Regencycore. This trend takes inspo from; you guessed it – Britain’s storied Regency period. The saying “everything old is new again” rings SO true, as the 18th and 19th century Regency period (also known as neoclassicism) was heavily inspired by ancient classics. As the British Empire grew in influence, hints of Roman and Greek inspiration impacted the architecture and fashion of the time. Regencycore is the newest twist on an age-old classic. Where weddings are concerned, in addition to soft pastel florals and gilded details, we ADORE Regencycore’s beautiful impact on beauty trends! Much like today, the beauty ideal of the Regency period was a flawless, dewy complexion with a hint of rosy glow and red-tinted lips.
Bottom left, Danielle Frankel
FAIRYCORE
Fairycore has a mystical woodland vibe. In TV terms this vibe is sort of along the lines of a wedding from Lord of the Rings… We’ve seen this trend ranging from ethereal pastel hues to edgier tones like the ones we saw at this year’s Met Gala. We saw the moodier, edgier side of Fairycore when Kendall, Bella Hadid, and Olivia (aka the ultimate #girlsquad) embraced their Tolkein-esque Fairy Queens at last year’s Met Gala.
Top left Oscar de La Renta, “Fortunella”
CELESTIAL BEING
This past May, at a castle in the Puglian countryside, Gucci’s Cosmogonie Show was an ode to the stars, planets and all things astrological. The collection was filled with references from the constellations… and not only that, all of the guests in attendance had an actual star named after them! “Mystical encounters and mythological places – it is all written in the stars,” the house explained of the inspiration. Though the Gucci show translated the constellations into an inky night sky palette of dark rich colours, you’d literally hear me shout “oh my stars!” if you successfully translated this heavenly concept into a light, bright, pretty, wedding version. There are SO many accessories and veils that have starry motifs and many flowers that are naturally star-shaped or can look like the constellation if they’re artfully arranged. An art deco beauty vibe would be exquisite with this concept…
Top left Zuhair Murad Spring ’23, Bottom middle, Cucculelli Shaheen Collection 14, Zuhair Murad Spring ’23
MAXIMALISM
Maximalism is coming in hot for 2023, and NOBODY does Maximalism like Gucci! The brand has ALWAYS been known for championing the audacious, but under the leadership of Alessandro Michele, we’re witnessing an all-encompassing literal, “House of Gucci” driving interior design trends in addition to fashion. Symbolism and allegory are at the forefront of everything Michele is doing across Gucci home, stationery, tabletop, and wallpaper collections. (For instance, we LOVE how the new Gucci Décor collection was presented in an imaginative topiary garden!) We can’t wait to see the post-Covid generation of weddings go ‘to the max’ with elaborate excess of pattern on pattern, allegorical motifs, and raucous, vibrant, eclectic colors.
Pics Gucci
THAT BLUE HUE
Last but not least, let’s talk about something blue! (See what I did there?) ;) Color trend identifier Trendbook selected WELLNESS BLUE as one of the core colors to watch in 2023 and we’re seeing sky blue pop up in ALL the recent runway collections. In fact, name a collection that didn’t have a hint of sky blue in it…
Top left Oscar De La Renta, Pre Spring 23 • bottom left Oscar De La Renta, Spring 23 • Bottom right, Badgley Mischka, Spring 23
