Danielle Frankel introduces her tenth collection with the launch of Collection X, a deeply considered body of work that reaffirms the designer’s commitment to craftsmanship, romantic imagination, and material innovation. Known for her nuanced take on bridalwear, Frankel takes a dramatic turn with this season’s offering, drawing direct inspiration from a book of original illustrations by Erté, the Russian-French artist famed for costume design in the early 20th century. In channeling Erté’s stylized glamour, the collection explores texture, form, and artistry in depth, an elevated tribute to couture as both spectacle and sculpture.
BRIDAL
The collection features trapunto stitching, corded trellis embroidery, and boned bodices layered with hand-painted accents, pushing the line into theatrical territory. In collaboration with artist Marcin Rusak, Frankel presents a resin bodice infused with real flowers, a sculptural garment that blurs the boundary between fashion and art. Dresses like the Clementine, Juniper, and Emmaline are canvases for painterly florals, with silks hand brushed to resemble cascading blooms.
Frankel’s creative process was enriched by partnerships with artisans around the globe. A Ukrainian clay artist, who has contributed to the brand’s past collections, returns with a series of jewelry, embellishments, and headpieces crafted from clay. The collection also introduces four new footwear designs that mirror the silhouettes’ visual complexity, rounding out a complete couture experience. These artistic collaborations allow the pieces to transcend seasonal fashion and instead assert themselves as timeless, heirloom-quality statements.
Each look in Collection X is backed by a rigorous construction approach. The Lena dress achieves fluidity through microboning, ensuring a controlled but airy movement, while the Winona dress and the Blanche & Babs set shimmer with corded embroidery, translucent sequins, and baroque pearls. The Octavia and Adeline gowns, meanwhile, feature layers of hand-cut silk wool petals, creating a textured, organic effect that reveals new detail with every movement.
Material choice also plays a critical role in the narrative. Silks, linen organza, crinkle chiffon, tulle, and silk wool twill form the backbone of the collection, each selected not only for their tactile properties but for how they hold and react to embellishment.
Since launching her label in 2017, Danielle Frankel has developed a signature language that bridges bridalwear with avant-garde couture. This collection captures the brand’s growth to date and hints at new creative ground still to be explored.
