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Since Kitri launched in 2017, it’s become a go-to for, amongst other things, well-made, fashion-forward wedding guest dresses that don’t break the bank.
And this week, responding to a barrage of requests from customers, the British brand has turned its attention from the congregation to the bride herself, with the launch of a nine-piece bridal capsule collection.
A far cry from traditional wear-once meringue dresses, this fun and affordable collection is designed to be the go-to for every bride’s needs; from the engagement party to the rehearsal dinner, and the pieces are sufficiently modern and easy-to-wear there’s no reason they couldn’t have a second outing.
“There are a lot of events surrounding the wedding these days: the engagement party, the church, the town hall, dinner before, brunch after… We wanted to cater to the modern brides who weren’t necessarily looking for ‘The gown’ but still wanted to look and feel special without spending a fortune,” says brand founder Haeni Kim, who was inspired to launch Kitri bridal after struggling to find suitable options when she was a bride.
“I got married in 2017 in South Korea where my family are from, and in Italy where my husband’s family has a home, so I was looking for multiple outfits for all occasions. I was quite disappointed to find that there weren’t that many options available to me,” she says. “The offer out there is extremely limited for brides who weren’t looking for ‘The gown’ but still wanted to look and feel special, rather than classically minimal or overtly sexy so we set out to change that.”
The collection is based on some of Kitri’s best-selling dresses – some of which have 1000-strong waiting lists – each reimagined in three different white materials: cream floral lace for a more classic and feminine bride, 100 per cent recycled polyester printed chiffon with unique ‘Loves Me’ print for the more whimsical and girly bride, and beautiful cream rose-motif jacquard for the minimalist bride. Knowing jumpsuits were a Kitri customer favourite, Kim added two to the bridal collection too. Prices start at a very wedding budget-friendly £195 (for the Fontana lace dress) and go up to £245 for the Cassatt Jacquard Maxi
“We wanted to make sure that there was a good mix of silhouettes that would suit many different types of brides and events,” says Kim. “We loved the idea of vintage inspired-styles that you could wear again after the wedding.”
For her own wedding, Kim ended up wearing three different white dresses. “For the small church ceremony in Korea, I wore a long sleeved guipure lace dress I found in a Korean department store the day before. For the dinner before the wedding in Italy, I wore a white shirt dress with voluminous sleeves. For the big day, I searched for months running up to the wedding but none of the dresses out there felt like me. I finally found the one in Vivienne Westwood, an ivory satin column dress with drapes, just two months before the wedding!
Her advice to brides? “Don’t lose your natural sense of style only because it’s your wedding day. You shouldn’t feel like you’re at a fancy dress party, you should still feel like yourself and be comfortable! When in doubt, pair classic and timeless dress with playful accessories to make the look your own.”
Shop the collection from January 19 here
