- Ugochi infuses West African extravagance into refined bridal designs that feel personal and bold.
- She purposely featured a model with natural hair at NYBFW, challenging industry norms around Black beauty.
- Understanding which fabrics and shades complement melanated skin is essential for inclusive bridal design.
Whether you’ve said yes to a recent proposal, are in a committed relationship and see the question coming soon, or are simply dreaming up your perfect dress, partner or not (me included), Ugochi Iwuaba is someone you should know.
Born in Nigeria and currently based in San Diego, Ugochi has dressed high-profile clients and celebrities like Nina Parker in her custom designs. Now she’s ready to take on a new, more glamorous space.
On Oct. 15, the designer presented her first bridal collection during this season’s New York Bridal Fashion Week. Titled The Cathedral Collection, the presentation featured 17 breathtakingly beautiful designs. Some gowns were giving full fairy-tale princess. Others used sculpted corsetry, architectural design and bold shapes to frame the body. Every piece gave bridal baddie in the best way.
Lucky me, I was able to see them in person.
I also chatted exclusively with Ugochi. In between greeting guests, fussing over final details and speaking with staff and volunteers, we talked about her West African culture, custom bridal and representation in fashion.
Keep scrolling for more from the conversation and, more importantly, the collection.
Ugochi Iwuaba Brings Her West African Culture to Bridal
Ugochi is proud of where she comes from, and that pride is seen throughout her work.
She laughed as she described how her West African culture shows up in her designs.
“I take a little bit of our extravagance, and I refine it and restrain it,” she said. “There’s always a little bit of us in my designs.”
Ugochi added that her style can be a “little over the top and over the moon.” As she said that, I thought to myself, “What a perfect aesthetic to have for designing bridal.”
[ADD: 3–4 short descriptions of standout gowns from The Cathedral Collection, e.g. a signature silhouette, a fabric or embellishment, the most dramatic train. These can double as photo captions.]
Her advice for brides working with a designer is simple: Know what you want.
“There’s no such thing as too much when it comes to a wedding gown,” Ugochi said. “This is your day.”
Bring the inspiration photos. Ask for the dramatic train, the crystals, the corset or the extra volume. A custom gown is an opportunity to create the dress you truly want to wear (and never forget).
The fashion industry has made strides in recognizing the impact and contributions of Black creatives, designers and culture. But there’s still work to do.
Ugochi Iwuaba Centers Representation at New York Bridal Fashion Week
Designers like Ugochi are part of this evolving journey. As one of the few Black designers in the luxury bridal space, she is, as she put it, “intentional.”
For example, during her NYBFW presentation, she purposely chose to show a model wearing her natural hair.
“We do get married, too. Yes, we do,” she said. “Our hair is gorgeous, and there’s nothing not luxurious about our hair. Just look at her.”
Before the show, the model told Ugochi this was her first bridal presentation and that other designers had taken issue with her natural hair. So Ugochi let her curls shine.
And the gown? Ugochi chose one that made the same model’s caramel skin glow. As we talked about shades of white for melanated brides, Ugochi shared a simple tip for brown brides: Look for ivories with “more yellow.”
Knowing which fabrics and shades work best for us is a prime example of why representation matters. With all eyes on us, we want to look our best on our wedding day. Having a gown designer who understands how all of this works together is key to ensuring a flawless bridal moment.
Ugochi knows she’s one of the few Black designers in luxury bridal, but she isn’t trying to be the only one. She supports other designers and believes there’s room for more of us to build lasting fashion houses.
She’s building one of her own, too. Her namesake label already spans couture and evening gowns, tailored suits, handbags and jewelry, and with The Cathedral Collection, bridal is now officially part of the story. Ugochi wants her fashion house to keep growing, and she wants other designers to win right alongside her.
“I’m here to stay,” she said.
‘I’m Here To Stay’: Meet Ugochi Iwuaba, One of the Few Black Women Designing in Luxury Bridal
was originally published on
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