The bustle back wedding gown has become an Amsale signature.

“I love the idea of a bustle. It’s utterly feminine, formal and timeless,” says Amsale, who introduced her first bustle wedding dress in 1998. “Just seeing a woman in her bustled dress makes you think of her with Prince Charming by her side dancing in a grand ballroom.”

Bustles were always reserved for the Royals in society. They were the ultimate status symbols. Draped dramatically in the back, bustles used yards of fabric to create a cascading pouf. The bigger the skirt and the more elaborate and luxurious the fabric and trim, the more it said about a woman’s status in society.

“For well over 100 years, it has been totally traditional for a bride to bustle her train for the reception,” explains Amsale, who feels the most modern take on the bustle is to incorporate it into the original design of the gown. “But, why wait for the reception? I think the bustle should be seen when a bride walks down the aisle; when she is standing with her back to the congregation during the ceremony. A bustle makes a dramatic statement."

When designing and developing a gown, Amsale creates a “muslin” or “toile” to determine where the bustle should be placed, its size, and how it balances the silhouette. The bustle is made by gathering a small amount of fabric and attaching it underneath another section of the gown. “This creates an airy, stylish pouf,” explains Amsale, who incorporates a new bustle into every collection she designs.

“The number of bustles and the size depend on the particular style of the gown and the shape of the skirt. Most of my bustle gowns are created out of heavier fabrics that tend to drape very well. These fabrics include duchess and silk satins, silk Zibolinne and silk satin organza.”

Amsale likes to give her old-fashioned bustles a clean, contemporary look. For example, a narrow, strapless bodice and A-line skirt will have a chapel-length train formed from a voluminous bustle. Or she will create a cascade of smaller bustles accented with hand-rolled flowers or delicate bows.

By marrying refined lines to romantic shapes, Amsale creates contemporary bustle gowns that are totally feminine, modern, and completely timeless.

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