Brand to Know: Emily Shalant

Emily Shalant built her fashion career as a designer for special occasion brands, including several that are popular with mothers of the bride and groom: Adrianna Papell, Aidan Mattox, JS Collections, and Dress the Population. When Covid brought events to a screeching halt, and with it, the need to dress up, Shalant found herself on the sofa of her New York apartment, ordering sweatpants, like the rest of us.

Separated from her daily routine, and her work uniform of silk dresses and heels, she thought: “When this is over, no one is going to want to go back to the same old heels and gowns.”

Clad in her new favorite Zara t-shirts and joggers—"I didn’t own a pair of sweatpants before the pandemic,” she confesses—Shalant began conceptualizing a new sort of special occasion collection that combines the best of basic separates, dressed up in couture beading, which is her specialty. And with that, the Emily Shalant brand was born.

Think J.Crew meets Carolina Hererra. “It’s specialized evening wear that is actually comfortable, and stretchy,” she says. The stars of the collection are Shalant’s dressy separates: A-line skirts in three lengths; short sleeve and halter style tops handwoven in sequins or beads. Wear them together for a special event; then pair one of her glamorous tops—even the bows and buttons are handmade—with jeans for a date night; or wear the ball skirt with a cotton shirt and sneakers to lunch.

Recent mother of the bride Lynn models an Emily Shalant skirt and top from the spring 2024 collection, courtesy of DUGO. Photos by Jordan Buckellew

Shalant wasn’t targeting mothers of the bride or groom when she conceived of the line, but she’s quickly become aware that the look is resonating as an easy and elegant special occasion option that will actually get worn after the big day.

“I don’t think we have an age or a demographic,” Shalant says of her brand. “We suit an aesthetic that women are chasing.”

Flexibility is the key. “We have a big mother of the bride customers for sure, but we also sell to their daughters. You can wear the clothes many ways.”

The spring 2024 collection includes a cropped polo top in all-over beading and the signature ball skirts in bright colors—red, pink and green and some fresh neutrals, like the "suntan" hue pictured on Lynn (skirt + top). Emily Shalant is sold in nearly 200 boutiques nationwide. Here are a few of our wedding-worthy picks:

Cable-Knit Beaded Mock Neck Top

Classic cable-knit gets a glamorous upgrade in beading and sequins. Sizes XS to M. $725. Buy from Emily Shalant. 

Suntan A-Line Taffeta Midi Skirt

A rich neutral—perfect for weddings! Pockets and side seam. Also comes in black and brights. Sizes 0 to 16. $225. Buy from Emily Shalant.

Puff Sleeve V-Neck Sequin Tee

Taffeta Ballgown Skirt

Spring Feather V-Neck Top

You can't help but have fun in feathers. Made of genuine maribou feathers individually attached with delicate beads. Sizes XS to L. $830. Buy from Emily Shalant. 

Soft Taffeta Faux Wrap Skirt

If the full ballgown style is a bit too much for you, try this slimmer style, with its modern pleats and subtle A-line. Comes in classic shades—navy, black, ivory—as well as brighter spring hues. Sizes 0 to 16. $375. Buy from Emily Shalant.

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