Fifty Love Stories - an exhibit that bowed in the Catalonia capital’s Convent dels Àngels earlier this month and will move on to New York and Milan this fall - not only traces the history of Pronovias, but also of bridal wear as a whole.
From princess gowns to cocktail dresses, visitors can see how the practice of ready-to-wear wedding dresses has evolved over time – along with the vision of an ideal bride.
Pronovias's 50-year retrospective traces the evolution of bridalwear from the Sixties to modern day, as is shown here at the exhibit's Barcelona staging
The brand's dresses often have intricate flourishes in the front and back
The show includes a symbolic 50 dresses in total, all of which are spot lit against a black backdrop with videos explaining Pronovias’s craftsmanship playing nearby.
Half of the exhibit is structured chronologically. It begins in the 1960s with mod minidresses – some even outfitted with fur bodices.
They make it clear that off-the-rack wedding dresses (a tradition that Pronovias helped pioneer) had more primitive beginnings than what consumers may expect when searching for a gown today.
The exhibit seeks to highlight the gowns' craftsmanship, as well as their evolving silhouettes
Pronovias's modern-day wedding dresses exhibit clean lines and personal touches
The A-line styles are relatively unadorned and are primarily boxy in shape.
The family-owned brand, which was founded in 1964 and is currently run by patriarch Alberto Palatchi, began to use embellishments, lace and more complicated silhouettes in the Seventies.
By the Eighties, Pronovias’s techniques had clearly evolved - with styles that are indicative of the decade’s preference for a more-is-more aesthetic.
The Nineties brought the rise of the Julia Roberts-type bride – natural, feminine, and ethereal, like the many lace gowns sported by her character in Runaway Bride.
Prototypes like these seek to educate visitors on the design and construction process behind the gowns
Pronovias's modern day looks are defined by clean lines, sumptuous fabrics, and streamlined silhouettes with personal details.
The exhibit’s other half portrays the best of Pronovias’s custom atelier services with creative looks like a wedding dress with a parka, gowns constructed of feathers, and custom embroidery.
There are even two gowns that were produced in homage to the marriage of Kate Middleton and Prince William.
The exhibit will travel from Barcelona on to New York and Milan in October
