The Knot and Kleinfeld host New York Fashion Week's first size-inclusive bridal runway show
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) just saw its first size-inclusive bridal runway show.
Bridal wear retailer Kleinfeld, of "Say Yes to the Dress" fame, and wedding planning service The Knot teamed up to showcase a collection of bridal dresses for every body type at theCURVYcon Powered by Dia&Co.
In the name of body positivity, the two wedding industry leaders said their commitment this season is to make fairy tale wedding dresses a reality for all women.
The Knot x Kleinfeld Fashion Show kicked off the first official day of the Spring/Summer 2020 NYFW, one month before New York's Bridal Fashion Week.
The monumental event started with a panel consisting of four leaders in the bridal and plus community: model and activist Hunter McGrady, Kleinfeld bridal stylist Lisa Fuhrman, The Knot senior fashion editor Shelley Brown and bridal designer Madeline Gardner.
"We want to get the word out that every bride deserves a great experience," Fuhrman told "Good Morning America" backstage.
Brown hopes the event will serve as a lightning rod for the conversation surrounding not only the future of bridal wear but also the future of the fashion industry.
"Representation is really important in fashion, so having an event like this during Fashion Week really calls attention to the fact that size-inclusivity is an issue that needs to be addressed and that women of all body types, all shapes and all sizes should feel comfortable attending fashion week and participating in the fashion industry," Brown said.
Gardner weighed in on the importance of creating dresses for all body types, saying, "My goal is to make sure that every dress is made beautifully and fits perfectly no matter what size you are."
McGrady knows firsthand the struggle of finding the perfect wedding dress as a recent bride herself. She said the search for the dream dress is hard enough, even without the feeling that brides in catalog images don't look like you.
"My bridal experience was a little different than others. For me, it was hard to shop for a dress. It was hard to see myself in the bridal magazines," McGrady told "GMA."
"I absolutely wish that I had this type of event to look to when I was younger because it would show me that I was OK exactly how I was," she added.
She said she hopes the event will encourage other bridal brands to follow in step so that all women might be able to "say yes to the dress" like she did.
"This will catapult future bridal shows," McGrady said.
