There are moments in fashion when the red carpet does more than dazzle—it evolves. This year at Cannes, Ukrainian designer Yuliia Lobachova of Ricca Sposa gave us one such moment, proving that bridalwear isn’t limited to the aisle—it’s now owning the afterparty.
Let’s start with Andrea Subotic, the influencer who’s mastered the art of editorial streetwear but turned every head at The History of Sound premiere. Her look? Ricca Sposa Atelier’s “Caia” gown from the just-debuted 2026 collection. It’s not every day you see a peplum, corseted lace-back top layered over a mermaid skirt on the red carpet—but that’s the point. This wasn’t a bridal look misplaced. It was couture recontextualized.
The gown, fresh off runways in New York and Barcelona, took its rightful place beneath Cannes’ infamous flashbulbs. Subotic’s look felt deliberate—a whisper to Old Hollywood glamour with a modern Eastern European edge. Think Grace Kelly meets post-Maidan elegance.
Meanwhile, at the glittering Chopard event, Giorgia Ferrari wore Ricca Sposa’s “Midnight Splendor”, and the name alone tells you everything. It was moody. It was opulent. It was unapologetically cinematic. You could almost hear a string quartet playing behind her as she walked.
What’s refreshing here is how Ricca Sposa refuses to play safe. Founded just over a decade ago, the brand has carved a path most designers only dream of—starting in bridal, expanding globally, and now staking claim on the red carpet circuit. With presence in over 55 countries, including boutiques in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Ricca Sposa has graduated from niche to necessity for women who want craftsmanship with consequence.
And Lobachova isn’t new to storytelling. Her gowns are structured, but never stiff. Ornate, but never costume. They breathe. They move. They declare. As she puts it, “I wanted to create something extraordinary—something that would resonate with brides who seek exclusivity and luxury in every detail of their wedding gown.”
Now tell me that doesn’t sound like Cannes.
Of course, fashion has always flirted with crossover. We’ve seen lingerie as outerwear, ball gowns at brunch, and sneakers on the runway. So bridalwear stepping into red carpet couture? It’s just the natural next step. And if Ricca Sposa continues at this pace, we may have to rethink what qualifies as “eveningwear” altogether.
Because here’s the thing: when a designer crafts a gown that requires over 100 hours of handwork, it deserves more than one night, one walk, one wedding. It deserves a moment. And Cannes gave it that.
Call it bridal. Call it couture. I call it evolution.
