The Man Who Knows

“Never open a bridal shop without consulting an expert!” That’s the top tip from Dubliner Billy Fitzsimons - and after more than 40 years in the trade, he should know! Jill Eckersley went to meet the man

Billy Fitzsimons, he of the wild ties and constant laughter, has been an agent and representative for countless brands, from the US-based Forever Yours and Allure Bridal to Catherine Parry – and is currently agent for Demetrios and their five distinctive brands, as well as Tania Olsen and MonReal. So how did it all start, and what changes has he seen in our industry over the years he has worked in bridal?

“Back in 1979, I was working in fashionwear, specialising in coats and suits,” he says. “At that time the market was saturated with imports from the Far East which were selling at much lower prices than the Irish versions. The Germans and Scandinavians were leading us in rainwear too, so I felt it was time to move on. I had youth on my side and I spotted a niche in bridal.

“At the time there were only two manufacturers of wedding gowns in Ireland, and very few bridal shops. I met someone working in childrenswear who specialised in bridesmaids and flower-girls’ dresses. “That company, Special Day, today supplies both Irish and international markets with bridal and bridesmaids’ gowns, and First Communion dresses. People were overjoyed to be able to buy Irish products!

“I became agent for the company, and we found that the fabrics they had been using to make communion dresses could be adapted to make bridal wear.

“Over the years, I have worked for some wonderful companies and great designers and learned so much from both. I became agent for Forever Yours, and learned a lot from the company’s

President, David Lesser. A man of great foresight, his USP was to create a system where his retailers could buy dresses, and if they didn’t sell, they could return then – in re-saleable condition, of course – for a full refund. “David Lesser’s company was the best manufacturer at the time, and I believe more Bridal may look glamorous companies should apply the same and sometimes it is, but it principles. He is a business, too. It’s not a shook up the business and left hobby, and there are many his customers factors to consider knowing that if a dress they bought turned out to be a mistake, they wouldn’t have to live with it forever! David was a major influence on the bridal trade worldwide.” The times they are changing Naturally Billy has seen a lot of changes in the bridal industry over the years he has worked in it. “The bridalwear market is diminishing now,” he says, “and the women coming into shops to choose their wedding gowns are changing, too. Thirty or 40 years ago, we would be seeing younger girls – say, in their early 20s. Now, the brides-to-be we see are between 27 and 35, and have one or maybe two children already.

That almost always means they are looking for a dress in a larger size, so shops who buy a lot of stock in size 10 will be missing out. And it’s not just the sizes: some styles are more flattering to women who are size 16 plus, too. Of course it’s possible to let a bride try a larger size and tell her you can alter it if she is slimmer, but that doesn’t work the other way round, so many women leave a shop disappointed. Retailers should look at high street stores like Marks & Spencer, check what sizes they are selling most of, and order accordingly.”

Just like everyone else, Billy is aware that the rise on online shopping has had a big impact on bridal sales.

“I wouldn’t knock online shopping. We all do it!” he says. “But it does mean that retailers have to try harder and offer brides something that looking at a computer screen can never do. Competition is not always a bad thing. Shops can offer brides an experience, a glass of Champagne, a treat that buying a dress online just can’t give them.”

He also emphasises the importance of doing your research before you decide that bridal retail is the job for you.

“There are far more manufacturers and suppliers than there used to be,” he says, “But there are more retailers as well, so you need to have something special to offer. For instance, have you found out how many weddings there are in your county, or city, every year? And how many local wedding stores there are to service needs? How can you be sure that you can offer a better service than the others?

“At the end of the day, bridal is a business, even if it seems more glamorous than many others. As well as an eye for fashion, customer service, and knowing what brides want, you will need to know about Health and Safety rules, VAT, the taxman, insurance –every aspect of the business you’re in. Perhaps just 20 dresses will perform out of the 100 you bought, and you are left with stock that will depreciate – what should you do then?.”

Having seen the business from all sides, Billy is aware of changes in the relationship between suppliers and retailers, and says he’s not aware of many complaints.

“It’s a tough market and we all recognise that,” he says. “We all value our stockists and do our best for them.”

Another trend he has spotted is a tendency for bridal shops to steer away from being ‘one-stop’ shops including gowns for bridesmaids and flower girls, and to concentrate on brides alone.

Stay focused “It helps if you remember that bridal dresses are your prime business,” he insists. “Plus accessories like veils, of course. With shoes, there’s too much competition online and on the high street. With wedding lingerie, the problem is having to stock so many

Shops can offer brides an experience, a treat that buying a dress online just can’t give them

different styles and sizes.”

The issue with bridesmaids’ dresses, he says wryly, is that if a bride and four or five friends come into the shop you have to find styles, colours and sizes to suit half-a-dozen girls instead of just the one!

“It can be really difficult to get five girls to agree,” he points out. “They will be different heights, different shapes, different colouring; they will all have opinions on what they like or don’t like. Weddings are planned months ahead – what happens if someone loses or gains a lot of weight or becomes pregnant, what can a retailer do about that? Very few shops can keep a stock of bridesmaids’ dresses in all sizes between 10 and 20. It makes more commercial sense to keep size 14s in stock, remembering that brides and bridesmaids are getting bigger.”

Of course, two major factors have affected the bridal business in the past couple of years, one being the pandemic, which for a time limited the size of weddings and meant that some couples postponed their celebrations hoping that things would become easier. The other factor was Brexit.

“We found that those marrying during the pandemic tended to go for a simpler, perhaps more boho look,” he says. “Structured styles became less popular. And, of course, when all but essential shops were closed, bridal retail became impossible, although some retailers were able to arrange a loan system so that brides could at least try dresses on in their homes.

“Then Brexit of course changed a lot of things for both manufacturers and shops. Some manufacturers chose not to export to Europe because of the customs duties. There is now a 12% import duty plus VAT to factor in, which has had a major impact on cash flow. Freight charges are going up, too. I noticed at London Bridal Fashion Week that prices had increased to take all these factors into account.”

Given all the changes that Billy has seen, and the often depressing economic outlook, what would he say to someone starting out in the business in 2022? Are there any grounds for optimism?

“I am hoping that anyone who works in bridal realises it is a business,” he says. “It may look glamorous and sometimes it is, but it is a business, too. It’s not a hobby, and as I’ve said there are many factors to consider. There are negative points – there are a lot more bridal stores – and only a finite number of girls looking for wedding dresses. Retailers need to assess the competition and be able to control their stock and their overheads. Some businesses are under-funded. You need to aspire to sell at least 150 dresses a year. It’s not like fashion retailing where you can offer unsold stock cheaply and women will buy a blouse or a skirt and keep it in a wardrobe to wear sometime later. No-one buys a wedding dress to keep in a cupboard just in case!

“That said, the retailers doing well, remember the importance of price, quality, and above all exceptional customer service!” WT