Presented in partnership with Kleinfeld Bridal, Tornai’s “Kintsugi” features bold looks inspired by the beauty of imperfection.
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
On October 14th, renowned bridal designer Pnina Tornai debuted her latest couture collection, Kintsugi, with a runway show at New York Bridal Fashion Week.
Taking inspiration from the Japanese word meaning “golden joinery,” Kintsugi reflects Tornai’s beliefs that “through acceptance and love, we emerge stronger and more beautiful than before,” according to a press release.
Image by Blaine Siesser Photography
“I don’t believe in camouflaging your cracks — you cannot heal until you acknowledge where you are broken,” Tornai continued. “This collection is about the beauty found in imperfections, once you accept them. Imperfection is a sign of a life truly lived.”
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
Brides of Long Island founder Heather Cunningham was invited to the runway show, and chatted backstage with the designer.
“I really did not have an inspiration, that’s what made this collection such a challenging one,” Tornai told Cunningham. “I always channel my collections and the message that comes with it. With this one, I just knew that I had to create this with gold. Then two weeks before the show, I was crying and I said to myself, ‘I don’t have a name, it’s going to drive me crazy.’ And one of my guys said to me, ‘Why don’t you call it Kinstugi?'”
“I said, ‘What the hell is Kinstugi?” she continued. “And he said, ‘Kinstugi is an ancient Japanese art of mending broken pieces, precious porcelain art, mending it with gold pieces.’ And so I said, ‘Wow, it sounds exactly like what I’m going through. And that will be the name of the collection.'”
Image by Blaine Seisser Photography
Image by Blaine Siesser Photography
Image by Blaine Siesser Photography
Image by Blaine Seisser Photography
Models graced the runway in 28 gowns, ranging from sleek lines to bold, unconventional silhouettes. The finale — a stunning, all-gold piece with a structured bodice, lace veil, and oversized bow — drew gasps and applause from the crowd.
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
Image by Phillip Van Nostrand
Image by Blaine Seisser Photography
Image by Blaine Seisser Photography
The full collection will be available for purchase at Kleinfeld Bridal, with an initial trunk show from October 16 through October 19.