How Pnina Tornai Made Sexy Wedding Dresses a Thing (Hint: It Wasn't Easy)

"In nature, the male is the colourful animal," Tornai explained. "He's the one who shows off and is beautiful. I think it's different for humans — often, females are the ones who dress up. I think that a woman should feel free to express herself in how she dresses. We live in a beautiful era where we finally no longer have to submit to what society expects from us, and especially what men expect from us."

According to Tornai, "My calling is to set people free from prejudice. I want women to feel feminine and sexy in their own bodies."

That said, her designs aren't crude. "I don't just create a dress to say, 'I want my brides to be naked,'" she explained. "Many couples stand in front of a religious authority, their parents, or grandparents, and they want to respect those people. I feel that my gowns allow them to show off their bodies while staying comfortable."

Tornai is the daughter of an Egyptian diplomat father and Moroccan mother, and she grew up in Israel. All of those cultures impact the work she creates to this very day. "I'm obsessed with embroidery, and I think it's partly because Moroccan traditional costume is all hand-beaded," she said. "I think that intricate work runs in my veins. When you add on embroidery or beads, it's like adding salt and pepper to a dish you already love. It always makes it more exciting."

In bridal design, the term "princess gown" conjures up images of puffy sleeves and frilly necklines, but Tornai said that is changing. "You can be whoever you want to," she said. "You can be an old-school princess or you can be a princess like Khaleesi in Game of Thrones. The modern princess doesn't compromise, and she goes after what she wants. That is the princess I look up to."