Pnina Tornai

BEHIND THE SCENES: A "REAL" FASHION SHOW

My team and I make sure that every Pnina Tornai gown is perfect, down to the last hand-sewn applique or sparkling crystal. Of course, when I showcase my new couture gowns at New York Bridal Fashion Week, every detail of the runway show must be as perfect as the gowns themselves-- and I wanted to share how I chose to showcase my 2020 couture collection, Real.

Walking in, guests were greeted with a mirror wall. We printed phrases like “Real Beauty” or “Unfiltered” on the mirrors so that our guests could see themselves and be reminded of their own real beauty. A constructed wall of mirrored boxes and screens playing the collection video gave the guests a glimpse of the gowns that they were about to see on the runway and a sense of my inspiration for the season. To get to the actual show, guests walked down a flight of stairs lined with candles, which helped set the vibe for the minimalist chic scene below.

For hair and makeup this year I really wanted to highlight features that made each of my hand-picked models beautiful and unique in their own way. I developed a glowing natural look with my makeup director to accentuate each model’s natural beauty. I also wanted the models’ hairstyles to stay and feel true to themselves. If they had natural curly hair, we kept it. If they had pink hair, we kept it. If they rocked a beautiful afro, we kept it. I wanted everything about their looks to feel real to who they were.

The models that I chose this year for the Real Collection runway show were the most diverse they have even been. I wanted my Pnina brides to be able to see a representation of themselves on the runway this year. To know that their real selves are beautiful and deserve to be celebrated as they are no matter their size, ethnicity or the million other things that make us uniquely ourselves.

This runway show did not just embrace what is real and beautiful about all of us, but it celebrated it in the best way. When I walked out on the runway at the end of the show, I felt like my own real self—and I knew that I had accomplished what my heart set out to do.