Q&A: Behind the Eyes of Style Director, Sydney Watters Dunbar

New York Bridal Fashion Week is here! And, we’re so excited to be sharing all the behind the scenes on our social media platforms (@rockymtnbride). Tomorrow, we’ll have the pleasure of attending Watters’, one of the world’s top bridal designers, runway show. As you ooh and ahh at all of the beautiful gowns being showcased at Watters’ runway show, you may be wondering a little bit about what goes into the design process. We had the chance to ask Watters’ Style Director, Syndey Watters Dunbar, a few questions to help all the brides-to-be out there understand a little bit more about the behind the scenes of wedding gown designing.

Q&A with Watters’ Style Director, Sydney Watters Dunbar

Tell us a little about you + your brand, Watters! How long have you been the style director at Watters? At what moment did you know styling wedding gowns was your dream?

I have always been around bridal and grew up hanging out at the studio after school. I was always intrigued by the amazing process of how a dress can go from a sketch to reality. I’ve been officially working at the studio for two years and love playing a role in taking the gowns one step further and making them look picture perfect on our lovely models. Watters is all about highlighting the natural beauty and unique style of our brides, so I love having a hand in making this goal of ours a reality.

What’s the inspiration behind your latest collection, The Great Expanse?

Inspiration was drawn from the great lengths of time and distance one travels for love. The collection name, The Great Expanse, was actually drawn from the tremendous miles migratory birds fly to be with each other. Throughout the collection, you’ll find meticulous handwork with the layering of laces and the dusting of shimmer over timeless, clean looks.

Inspiration was drawn from the great lengths of time and distance one travels for love. The collection name, The Great Expanse, was actually drawn from the tremendous miles migratory birds fly to be with each other. Throughout the collection, you’ll find meticulous handwork with the layering of laces and the dusting of shimmer over timeless, clean looks.

What is your favorite gown from the new collection and why?

I love all of the looks we have for this season, they are luscious, tonal, and have so much dimension. I would have to choose the timeless beauty Swan as my favorite. Swan features a soft v-neck, gorgeous placed lace, and a frothy ball skirt.

What is the first thing you consider when contemplating the style direction for a gown?

Building out the full look for gowns is one of our favorite things to do. We want to highlight the best features of the dress and not overpower it. I always consider what this dress has or doesn’t have versus others and go from there.

What is your styling process like?

For real brides, I love to embellish the dress with elements that it doesn’t already have. I adore a lace ballgown paired with a beaded edge veil for some sparkle or a modern crepe look with an embroidered veil to introduce some texture. When we are at photoshoots we like to push the boundaries a little. We want our styling to look bridal but not like a real wedding, just pushing a little past that with overdramatic florals, several accessories such as stacking rings and necklaces, and we even double up on veils for extra drama.

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