Vivienne Westwood brings a punk touch to the Bridal Fashion Week

Barcelona embraced rebellion and romance during its 2025 edition of the bridal night in Barcelona. Among the high profile names that this event has previously adorned: Marchesa, Viktor & Rolf, Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli, this year, the focus of this year fell on the iconic British Vivienne Westwood label. On April 24, the brand announced its new bridal haute couture collection in the historical cloisters of the University of Barcelona, ​​an architectural milestone of the nineteenth century. The parade, part of the Bridal Fashion Week of Barcelona that extends from April 23 to 27, attracted more than 450 guests.

“The bridal world is very different from the shows of Prêt-à-Porter in Paris, but this event has been very well organized from the beginning, and everyone has been so friendly. It has been a pleasure,” said Andreas Kronthaler, creative director of Vivienne Westwood, in an interview on stage. Kronthaler developed the collection for more than six months with Brigitte Stepputtis, director of haute couture, design and brand's wedding clothing.

The “Bridal Collection of Vivienne Westwood 2026” had 34 Nuptial Haute Couture looks, inspiring the main inspiration of the streets and the energy of Barcelona. “When I was designing, I was thinking of Barcelona and what adapted to the city,” Kronthaler said, describing him as “incredible, stimulating and full of life.”

Several designs reinterpreted the iconic floral print of the brand, originally inspired by the 17th-century painter and botanist Pierre-Joseph Redouté's Watercolorworks. In addition to classic nuptial fabrics such as tulle, organza and cotton, the collection presented Georgette washed, linen and more cotton, combined with chorsettería elements and adaptation of male clothing. As a tribute to the punk and irreverent spirit that defined the house since its foundation by Vivienne Westwood in the 1970s, several looks were designed with long and heavy chains covered around the necks of the models.

“The brand has evolved a lot since its inception, and I think its secret lies in its ability to transcend. It does not remain the same, breaks the barriers,” said Kronthaler, known for his subversive creations. “We have been making wedding clothes for a long time, but when looking at today's collection, I think it is fantastic and could definitely be used in the future.”

As part of a shared commitment to education and culture, the organization behind the Bridal Fashion Week in Barcelona and Vivienne Westwood collaborated to launch several initiatives in local design schools, including IED, LCI and ESDI. These initiatives included tutoring workshops and other projects. Around 300 students from these institutions were invited to a second exclusive show of the British brand in the same place.

The creative director also shared a stimulating message: “Life is short, it does most of each day. Dressing help. Using something pleasant can lift the day, especially when you are not in humor. That is the power of fashion, for all, but especially for the youngest generation.”

Andreas Kronthaler became the creative director of Vivienne Westwood after the death of the company's founder at age 81 at the end of 2022. “Now I am alone. But we were together for so many years, doing everything halfway, I can't say where I finish and she starts. I feel fortunate, privileged and safe,” he said. He added that he tries to look forward and not take life too seriously in these days. “I always think that a small dose of humor is a great quality to have,” he concluded.

The Bridal Fashion Week of Barcelona, ​​organized by FIRA of Barcelona with the support of the Department of Business and Employment of the Catalan Government, will conclude its 2025 edition on April 26. In parallel, the event is also to organize its annual fair from April 25 to 27, with around 450 national and international brands specialized in Bridalwear, formal clothing, night clothes and accessories.