Friday, 04 September 2026 10:00 AM
Company Update
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA / ACCESS Newswire / September 4, 2026 / David's Bridal, Inc. ("David's") - North America's largest bridal and occasion retailer and Pearl, its AI-powered wedding planning and marketplace platform, connecting couples with everything they need for life's magical moments - has teamed up with Freeform's Project Runway. Partnering with fashion's most iconic reality competition series, they are launching a wedding design challenge that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the future of bridal fashion, with the winning designs available at davidsbridal.com and in all US and Canada stores following today's episode premiere.
As part of the challenge, David's Bridal supplied contestants with accessories and bespoke finishing touches to create a bridal gown worthy of both the aisle and runway. Midway through the episode, a twist challenged designers to create a second bridal look inspired by David's Bridal's "Eight Dress Edit," celebrating the modern bride's desire for multiple looks throughout her wedding journey. The winning looks, selected by judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, and Law Roach, alongside guest judges Sergio Hudson and Kiernan Shipka, were brought to life at David's Bridal.
"Project Runway has spent two decades turning panic, pins, and 24-hour deadlines into not only clothes people actually remember, but works of art. David's exists to put those clothes on people who have somewhere to be, something to celebrate! This partnership is simple: they invent the moment, we make sure it doesn't stay on television - we're thrilled to bring the winning gowns to all David's Bridal stores and online. Consider this our official ‘make it work' moment," said Kelly Cook, CEO of David's Bridal.
David's collaboration with Project Runway solidifies its continued commitment to shaping the future of bridal fashion by championing emerging design talent and bringing fresh perspectives to today's brides. By marrying together fashion, culture, and bridal on one of television's most influential design platforms, David's continues to inspire brides with fashion-forward gowns and looks for every moment of their wedding celebration.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
With six contestants remaining and the finale approaching, designers were challenged to think beyond a single wedding dress and create two distinctive bridal looks using the materials and unique touches provided by David's Bridal. The challenge highlighted how thoughtful design can deliver runway-worthy bridal fashion without compromising quality, elegance, or craftsmanship, while encouraging designers to reimagine what a modern wedding wardrobe can look like.
Brooklyn-based designer Anna Molinari - known for her work with upcycled and unconventional materials - rose to the top with two standout looks that blended modern corsetry, lingerie-inspired details, and elevated craftsmanship. Her winning ceremony gown and celebration dress captured the judges' attention with a fresh perspective on bridal fashion while reflecting the creativity and innovation at the heart of the challenge.
"I've always taken design inspiration from what's available to me, and that means I've had to get creative with fabrics, finishing touches, and accessories," said Molinari. "To win this challenge and have my designs in David's stores seems unreal to me. It's a thrill to think there will be brides out there wearing these looks."
David's Bridal is bringing Anna Molinari's winning ceremony gown and celebration look to brides nationwide. Available exclusively at David's Bridal stores and online, the collection gives brides the opportunity to shop the winning designs seen on Project Runway while reinforcing the brand's vision of dressing every moment of the wedding journey-from the engagement celebration and bridal shower to the ceremony, reception, after-party, and beyond.
Watch David's partnership come to life during Project Runway Season 22 and shop both of Anna Molinari's winning bridal looks exclusively at David's Bridal stores nationwide and online. To explore the collection and discover styles for every wedding moment, visit DavidsBridal.com/project-runway. Tune in to Project Runway now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
ABOUT DAVID'S BRIDAL
With over 75 years of experience dressing people for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal exists for magical moments. Since its "Aisle to Algorithm" strategic pivot, David's has evolved from iconic bridal retailer to wedding technology company, media powerhouse, and marketplace platform transforming how people plan, shop, and celebrate life's biggest moments. From assuming full production of Vera Wang Bride to launching Diamonds & Pearls, a curated couture boutique experience, David's entrance into this new era marks a pivotal moment for retailers going beyond traditional scopes and expanding into new categories.
At the center of David's technological and retail evolution is Pearl by David's, Pearl Planner, and Pearl Media Network-the all-in-one digital wedding destination connecting consumers with everything from AI-powered planning tools, inspiration, and vendor directories to expanded retail categories and leading content.
Under the Pearl Media umbrella is *Love Stories by David's*, the top wedding media brand taking a digital-first approach to wedding content and inspiration with over 20M viewers per month across content platforms, including the wedding industry's sole podcast network, streaming TV, Snap Discover channels, and a library of over 30,000 real wedding videos. Each video comes equipped with wedding data and details, contributing to a marketplace of over 60,000 wedding professionals to help couples better dream about, research, and plan their big day.
With more than 190 stores across the US, Canada, and franchise locations in Mexico, David's Bridal offers the convenience of one-stop shopping for every magical event in her life, including weddings, Quinceañera, graduations, proms, communions, or simply making the world her runway and beyond. To learn more about David's, sign up for Pearl Planner, and connect on social media through Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
David's Bridal Media Relations
Related Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQDwJp62j7Q
Related Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-84keCYAka0
SOURCE: DAVID'S BRIDAL CORPORATE