Spring 2026 Locket Collection captured by Jean Laurent Gaudy
Watters unveiled its Spring 2026 Locket collection in New York with a sense of poetic nostalgia, inviting guests into a world where craftsmanship and sentiment coexist. True to its name, Locket captures the essence of treasuring memories, a collection designed to hold love stories close while celebrating the artistry of contemporary bridal design.
Vatana Watters and her daughter, Sydney, channelled this intimate symbolism into gowns that feel at once timeless and forward-looking. The result is an exploration of texture, movement, and form that speaks to the bride who dreams beyond convention. Each piece feels like a keepsake, delicate yet enduring, crafted with the precision and soul of something meant to be cherished.
Silhouettes were statuesque but softened by romance: column gowns that grazed the floor with quiet confidence, A-line skirts that floated in layers of tulle and lace, and sculptural draping balanced by the ease of natural fabrics. The designers leaned into their signature play of contrasts, structured bodices meeting fluid skirts, opulent beadwork paired with sheer simplicity.
Heirloom laces and scalloped trims provided a whisper of nostalgia, while folkloric embroidery lent a fresh artisanal quality to the collection. The palette was ethereal, ivory, porcelain, and soft blush tones accented with luminous pearls and glints of metallic thread. Lace patterns inspired by antique porcelain echoed the collection’s theme of intimacy and preservation, while pearlescent embellishments caught the light like jewellery against skin.
For the modern bride, these gowns offer versatility without compromise. Clean, sculptural lines transition seamlessly into movement, ideal for weddings that blend tradition with modern ceremony or destination ease. The craftsmanship was quietly impressive; details revealed themselves only on closer inspection, fine embroidery, hand-applied beading, and carefully balanced proportions that flatter from every angle.
There was a mood of reverence in the room, part celebration, part reflection, as the Watters team reaffirmed their legacy through innovation. “We realised our dresses have always been tiny treasure boxes,” Vatana shared, “protecting what matters most, just wrapped in something gorgeous and modern.”
That sentiment defines the Locket collection. Watters offered a reminder that the most powerful bridal moments are those woven quietly from memory, artistry, and meaning.
For more information visit watters.com and @watters.
Photographer Jean Laurent Gaudy
A heartfelt thank you to Jean Laurent Gaudy, who is a New York based photographer driven by an enduring fascination with the art of capturing fleeting moments. From childhood curiosity to a lifelong creative pursuit, his camera has become an extension of how he experiences the world. Whether travelling to new places or observing quiet, intimate scenes, he seeks not just to document but to translate emotion into imagery — to turn light, movement and feeling into visual poetry.
Over more than a decade, Jean Laurent has refined a cinematic style that blends his love of storytelling with an instinct for composition. Each frame carries an undercurrent of narrative, revealing something timeless within the spontaneous. His work spans both wedding and fashion photography, where his sensitivity to mood and detail allows him to craft portraits that feel effortlessly alive.
Recognised by leading publications yet grounded in authenticity, Jean Laurent approaches every shoot with curiosity and reverence. To him, photography is more than a profession; it is a language through which he honours connection, beauty and truth. Every image, from the tender glance between newlyweds to the play of shadow across fabric, is a reminder of what drew him to photography in the first place — the desire to hold time still, if only for a moment.
Visit jeanlaurentgaudy.com/ and @jeanlaurentgaudy
