Audrey Hepburn’s Wedding Dresses & the Stories Behind Them

Audrey Hepburn, the Oscar-winning actress, humanitarian and style icon, is widely known as one of the most iconic muses and trendsetters in fashion. The “Roman Holiday” and “Funny Face” star‘s collaborative relationships with the likes of designer Hubert de Givenchy and costumier Edith Head created several memorable fashion moments. Her wedding dresses, however, remain lesser-known milestones in her personal life and approach to fashion.

Hepburn was married twice — to Mel Ferrer in 1954 and Andrea Dotti in 1969. In 1952, Hepburn was also engaged to James Hanson. Each relationship yielded a designer wedding dress emblematic of Hepburn’s style and the various chapters of her life. Here, WWD breaks down the details behind Audrey Hepburn’s wedding dresses.

1952 Dress

Prior to her Oscar-winning and star-making turn in “Roman Holiday,” Hepburn was engaged to James Hanson, a British businessman. The actress purchased a wedding dress for her eventual marriage. The silk dress featured a midlength hemline with a fitted bodice, boatneck and gloves.

The dress was designed by the Rome-based Fontana sisters. At the time of Hepburn’s engagement to Hanson, she was filming the aforementioned film. The couple eventually called off their engagement, though Hepburn had already been fitted for the romantic dress, which she reportedly returned to the designers in the hopes that another young woman would wear the frock.

1954 Dress

In September 1954, Hepburn married Mel Ferrer, her husband of roughly 14 years. Designed by Pierre Balmain, the actress’ dress was quintessentially ’50s. The frock featured a flowing tea-length hemline with voluminous sleeves, a high neckline and a satin sash at the waist for added definition to the classic silhouette. Hepburn added elbow-length gloves to complete the ensemble.

1969 Dress

Following her 1968 divorce from Ferrer, Hepburn went on to marry Andrea Dotti. For the couple’s January 1969 nuptials, held at a town hall in Switzerland, Hepburn went to her longtime fashion collaborator Hubert de Givenchy.

Givenchy, responsible for several of Hepburn’s most iconic film costumes from “Sabrina” to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” dressed Hepburn in a pink minidress with long sleeves. The dress also featured an exaggerated funnel neckline. Hepburn paired the dress with a coordinated pink headscarf and wore white tights and ballet flats to complete the look. Dotti and Hepburn divorced in 1982.