Second Opinion What’s New for 2022? That’s the question Sue Lovell is being asked time and time again
on our toes. As 2021 came to an end, I sat with my accountant discussing the past 20 months, and she asked me where I saw 2022 taking me. Usually, at this point in our meeting, I can roll off a list of exciting things I have planned – new designers, new collections, events and promos I have scheduled. I can draw on what worked well the previous year, what I can do differently, and what was successful or taught ell, the new Omicron variant is definitely new me a lesson or two. This time around, however, I struggled to draw on any for 2022. Meaning that inspiration from 2021. we are not out of the The year started like a slap on the woods yet in regards to Covid. bum with a wet flannel, and three The new algorithms for Facebook and a half months of binge-watching and Instagram are fun and totally Netflix commenced, which in itself felt different to all we have previously like an eternity. known and come to terms with. I took an online course in yoga, Delivery times have become longer, which I found greatly helped me in and prices are rising, and that in turn my quest to binge-watch Netflix. changes when and how we need our Season three of the Real Housewives customers to buy. was viewed mainly from a ‘downward So that’s all new! But hey, this isn’t dog’ position. I learned to eat a custard our first rodeo. We know how this cream without breaking from the works – we have got this – we are ‘Warrior Pose’ – a very good life skill ready, like coiled springs, to adapt to have – and I lay on a yoga mat and and rise to another challenge, and combined with the supply chain issues through gritted teeth, tense muscles and a clenched derrière, I relaxed – a and consumer uncertainty, we are heading for another year of being kept lot – and then I had another custard
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cream, and relaxed a bit more. No one could accuse me of squandering our lockdown time. Then in April, we opened our doors – and the rest of 2021 was a blur. I didn’t know what I had done, what was successful or what was accomplished, other than every bride was dressed for her wedding day in the dress and accessories she had chosen, ordered, purchased. Regardless of weight loss, gain, change of venue, season, or mind on style, we altered, adapted and we blooming smashed it! Seriously, we smashed it! BrideCo members helped me and each other work supply chain miracles, deal with alteration conundrums, and we pulled a few Hail Marys out of the bag on the way. When faced with a bride who had lost five stone, and trying to work out how we downsize a dress, low and behold, a bride who had ordered the same dress, and who had gained three stone over lockdown, dropped from the heavens and we were able to do a swap. Little wins that helped us get through, and no bride or dress was hurt in the making of 2021. I keep saying “That’s what we do well, isn’t it?” We plan, prepare and anticipate every possible curveball.
