Fashion exhibition SAY YES brings World Museum to focus on love

Fashion exhibition featuring designs by designers such as Zuhair Murad, Gucci, Mart Visser, Bas Kosters, Queera Wang, Yamuna Forzani, Bayanda Khathini and Rotterdam-based Ruba Zai. With seven spectacularly designed sets, the exhibition shows world trends in wedding fashion such as white, colour, tradition, contrary, exuberant, simple and sustainable. With this, the exhibition at the World Museum from 31 January to 26 October shows how designers around the world are reshaping wedding fashion, creating space for personal style, diversity, connection and sustainability.

Wedding fashion reflects not only personal style, but also the values, history and social structures of communities. Every garment tells such stories, including the centuries-old techniques behind it. Making a wedding dress is usually a process of months of attention, dedication and reverence for age-old craftsmanship. From hand-embroidered details to bespoke tailoring to suit the wearer's needs. The exhibition shows that wearers in India and Pakistan make wedding dresses sparkle with delicate embroideries of silk thread, precious stones and pearls, thanks to techniques such as zardozi, an embroidery with metal thread. Japanese kimonos made in a damask weaving technique show a deep respect for craft and tradition, while African fabrics with hand-set beaded patterns embody the richness of craftsmanship. Europe brings its sophistication with iconic lace and tulle.

Also on display are accessories that complete a wedding outfit such as jewellery, veils and shoes. These details often have deep meaning, from heirlooms that link generations to symbolic jewellery that tells a story. And then there is the lasting proof of the most beautiful day for visitors: the photographs. From formal portraits to spontaneous moments, from early photography to contemporary wedding photographs, they capture the magic of love and tradition through the years as a tangible reminder of a moment cherished forever.

Bridal design comes to fruition

Especially for Wereldmuseum, Rotterdam-based studio Maison M'Elise will create a sustainable bridal design that will actually blossom during the duration of the exhibition - a powerful symbol of the relationship between fashion and nature.