When I first saw the gown above, I thought it had to be AI. There’s no way something like that could exist in the real world. I was mistaken. This is the work of Indonesian wedding and formalwear designer Nicole Boenawan, who has been turning heads and dressing international brides for a few years now. She is best known for her gorgeous, elaborate embroidered details, which are what she used to bring that bride’s dreams to life. The dress is, of course, modeled after the blue and white palette of Delft China, and it took hundreds of ours to hand embroider the traditional motifs. I think the skirt in particular still retains hints of the designer’s Eastern influences, but I find it to be a glorious blending of the two very different styles. I wasn’t able to embed Bowenawan’s TikTok about the gown, so to see more of the gown, check it out here.

Many of Boenawan’s formal pieces feature a modern version of traditional cheongsam silhouettes and embellishments, and her bridal wear has some of that as well. I can’t imagine wearing a garment as special as those she creates. F.Y.I., she does also make more traditional Western wedding dresses, but I found the white ones much less interesting than her colored designs.

You can follow Nicole Boenawan on her website and on TikTok and Instagram.