Wedding Trader - issue 30

Trader WEDDING

WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

Plus signs

THE LATEST GOWNS FOR GORGEOUS CURVES

Retailers

ISSUE 30• JULY/AUGUST 22

Social media

GETTING THE BEST FROM THE NEWEST PLATFORMS

ON BRIDES, BUSINESS AND BUYING

Harrogate...

PRO SUPPOUDLY R BRITISTING BRIDA H RETALI WEAR LERS

WHO’LL BE THERE SETTING THE TRENDS

ENZOANI.COM

Contents NEWS New collections, people and places

14

F I RST P E R SON Laura Daly makes the most of customer service

58

A NE W FO R C E I N B R I DA L T RADE S HOWS European Bridal Week and Interbride come together

60

TWINKLE TOES The new trends afoot

16

COMING OF AGE 66 Join the Bellissima 21st birthday party

20

NEWS FROM MEANT TO BE 68 Moving forwards with the publishers of Wedding Trader

22

B RIDAL W E E K H ARR O GAT E 74 Our A-Z of the names and collections ready and waiting

30

L ET TE R FR OM AMER ICA Peter Grimes on these still challenging times

34

RETAILERS AND TH E IR C USTOME R S Comparing notes on business

42

SECOND OP INION Sue Lovell on dealing with change

44

PLUS P OINTS Going for curves and the perfect fit

54

WHY BUY BRITISH Alan Hannah says it makes life easy

63

MA KING E VE RY OCCASION SP ECIAL Partywear that will get noticed

B R IDES PE AK And here’s what they have to say PE TA GO ES T RAV E LLI N G Great collections from round the world O U T- S O U R C ING S O C IAL M E DIA Find the right party and gain the benefits

78

T IKTO K Making the most of the fastest growing platform

82

T EC HNO : S M ART WATC H N E WS Get ready for the latest launches

80

PAV ING T HE WAY Fads, societal trends, and wow factors

84

GO ING L EGAL Indepth info on B-Corporations and price fixing

88

AND FINAL LY… Where you can voice an opinion

VENI INFANTINO

10

ELBETH GILLIS

LAURA DALY

JULY/AUGUST 2022 ♦ WEDDING TRADER ♦ 3

BRITISH BY DESIGN Introducing the stunning 2022 bridal collections from Romantica. Please visit our website at www.romanticaofdevon.co.uk to view the ranges and contact sales@romanticaofdevon.co.uk for more information about becoming a stockist.

ELYSEEBRIDAL.COM

Ed’s Letter

Contact us Editor

As the world of bridal gets ready for the UK’s Big Day – three days that is – Harrogate once again will be the centre of attention, capped by this year’s Bridal Buyer Awards. And meanwhile, in Essen, Germany, two key events on the annual calendar, European Bridal Week and Interbride, have announced they are joining forces and will present northern Europe’s biggest trade fair in 2023, offering exhibitors from across the world the opportunity to showcase their collections to the biggest possible audience. Exciting stuff, without question. Read more on page 58.

In this issue, and in readiness for a busy buying season, we not only list the who’s who of Harrogate (starting on page 18) to help you plan your diary ahead of time, but we have hand-picked the collections we feel your brides will fall in love with.

Gathered from across the globe, they include the wild and wonderful as well as the true romantics, so join us on a world tour of bridal delights, page 68.

And no issue of ours would be complete without those all-important opinions – views of colleagues to hear out, experiences to compare, advice that might be hugely helpful. We’ve packed more in because that’s what our readers have asked for and, judging by the emails and phone calls, appreciate. So a big thanks to those who have contributed with their special messages. Keep them coming in, we are WEDDING always ready for more.

Enjoy this issue. See you in September.

Susi Rogol susi@rogol-goodkind.com

Deputy Editor Jade Pepperell jade@meanttobemedia.com

Sales Manager Martha Cooke martha@meanttobemedia.com

Art Director Andy Allen andy@meanttobemedia.com

Trader WEDDINGTRADERMAG.COM

@WeddingTraderUK @WeddingTraderMag @weddingtrader

ISSUE 30• JULY/AUGUST 22

weddingtradermag.com

Social media

Plus signs

THE LATEST GOWNS FOR GORGEOUS CURVES

GETTING THE BEST FROM THE NEWEST PLATFORMS

Retailers

Trader

ON BRIDES, BUSINESS AND BUYING

WEDDING

EDITOR SUSI ROGOL-GOODKIND Andy Allen Art Director “I didn’t know Tiktok was the fastest-growing social media platform. I do now!” (p76) Jade Pepperell Love Our Wedding “Peta Hunt’s selection of the best of plus-size dresses introduces a brilliant picture of the sector today.” (p44) Martha Cooke Head of Ad sales “It is fascinating to read the mix of retailers’ views on the wants and needs of today’s brides.” (p34)

Harrogate...

PRO SUPPOUDLY RTING BR BRIDAITISH EA RETALW ILERS R

WHO’LL BE THERE SETTING THE TRENDS

Cover image: One-shoulder sleek, Effie, by Justin Alexander Signature

Wedding Trader is published by: Meant To Be Media Ltd, 18 Taylors Lane, London SE26 6QL. Tel: 0785 558 7219 weddingtradermag.com meanttobemedia.com

Wedding Trader magazine is an online magazine read by the best bridal retailers all over the UK. Designed and created by the makers of Love Our Wedding magazine and findyourdreamdress.co.uk, Wedding Trader is the trade string to the otherwise consumer bow of Meant To Be Media Ltd.

Meant To Be Media Ltd also publish:

JULY/AUGUST 2022 ♦ WEDDING TRADER ♦ 7

To make an appointment to view the new collections, please contact: Michelle Blackburn: 07935 156275 | michelle@casablancabridal.eu

NOW AVAILABLE ON

TALKING POINT More news – and new products that make the wedding world so special

A SLICE OF THE ACTION A good talking point – the cake! According to the experts at https://jackandbeyond.com/ size really does matter. Topping the list of the most expensive celebrity wedding cakes is the one made for Priyanks Chopra and Nick Jonas for their 2018 wedding in Jodhpur, India. It was 18-foot tall, featured tiny windows and golden Baroque detailing and came in at an estimated £15,000.

Here’s what other top spenders said yes to:

BRIDESMAIDS SPECIAL Essentials by True Bride has launched a capsule collection called Bronte, a selection of dresses that is focused on price point styles that don’t compromise on quality or design. The pre-ordered pack that’s ready to dispatch consists of all six styles in best selling colours and designs for only £399 (typically £603). For more information email enquiries@truebride.co.uk 10 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello Chiara Ferrangi and Fedez George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen Megan Markle and Prince Harry Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Gwyneth Paltrow and Brice Falchuk

£10,000 £ 9,000 £ 6,500 £ 6,000 £ 5,600 £. 5,600 £. 3,500 £. 2,900 £ 1,900 £ 1,500

If your brides ask for advice, tell them to work out a budget and see what the options are in that price range. The fewer fancy adds-ons the better the price.

FROM A BRIDE IN THE BUSINESS

AROUND THE WORLD On page 74 Peta Hunt takes us on a voyage round the world to see the collections she loves, country by country. One on our favourites is Grace

Nikita Thorne of Guides for Brides got engaged a month ago. “It is such an exciting time for me,” she said, “but as a wedding pro, it also opening my eyes to couples’ pain points. I have taken a step back from what I already

Loves Lace, the top Australian brand.

This gown, Nathalia, in mirror stretch lace, says it all.

know and looked critically at my experience through various points of my planning. Here’s the key concerns I have come across starting my wedding dress search that may be helpful to have on your radar as a retailer.”

2 Response times There’s nothing worse than sending an enquiry or question to a boutique while excited, and not receiving a response. The excitement fades and your bride may select an alternative.

I highly recommend that you at least have an out of office or automated DM responder that gives a clear response time frame and keeps your potential bride engaged with your brand while they wait.

1 Pricing

3 Personality

I was expecting pricing to be pretty

When shopping for your wedding

clear across the board with bridal

dress, you open yourself up to

boutiques. However, the number of

people’s critiques and that can be

boutiques I found that didn’t give an

nerve-wracking! As a bride, I want to

indication of the price range of their

feel like the boutique would help me

collections on platforms like Guides

to have fun and feel confident during

for Brides and their own website was the appointment. I identified that boutique based on the personality huge. It makes it difficult to know whether you can afford to shop

they presented on their social media

there and can put brides off booking

and tone of their website. So, are you

an appointment. Those that were

showing your team’s friendly and

clear were more likely to be on my

approachable personality in your

shortlist of boutiques!

marketing?

Hopefully, these points will allow you to do a quick analysis of your marketing and operations process to ensure you are giving yourself the best opportunity for a smooth conversion from interest to sale!

GROOM SERVICE Graham Phebey of The Kent Wedding Centre represents the dynamic Benetti collection in the UK. Known for its fashionable and affordable menswear, Benetti for the new season is all about lightweight, soft fabrics, with blues and beiges top choices.

Interestingly, Graham’s retailer clients across the country say they are finding grooms want to buy, rather than hire.

Find out more from Benettimenswearuk@gmail.com

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When Ellie Said

“I DO”

W

ondered why we

The wedding ceremony itself, on

Suzanne Neville. Said Ellie: “We

don’t have a column

25 June, was under the shade of a

worked up a new design based on my

from our own Ellie

massive Sequoia tree, and followed

obsession with ruched sleeves and

Sanderson this

by canapés and dinner on the upper

soft tulle. Suzanne, as ever, utterly

terrace. Ellie’s stepdaughter, who is

nailed the dress.”

month? Well, she was simply too

busy, tying the knot with her soulmate, signed to Island Records, sang for

Katie Reay Scott did hair and

Simon Flowers. And it was no small-

30 minutes before the bride arrived,

makeup, Andrea Verrinini took the

time wedding, The couple had a

completing her set with Diamonds as

photos, and the Sunday was all about

fabulous three-date event at Chateau

Ellie made the walk across the lawns

Bloody Marys and cheese!, and a

de Lisse, France, owned by her new

and down the stairs to meet her

dress by Jesus Peiro.

sister-in-law. It started with supper in

gorgeous groom.

the Bamboo forest on Friday evening to welcome the 50-strong guests.

The dress? First question in this industry. Right first time, it was

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Ellie and Simon – many, many congratulations and all the joy in the years ahead, from all of us at Trader.

ELYSEEBRIDAL.COM

First Person Sometimes in life, we have eureka moments; times when things fall into place; when something just finally makes sense. Laura Daly knows all about that

I

had such a moment last week and it really got me thinking about how fragile we can be, as customers, when we’re going through life’s many varied unpredictable episodes and how, as service providers, with a well-timed word, a caring action or a smile, we have the power to transform lives, quite literally.

So, I’d like to take a moment, if I may, to talk about customer

service.

In the world of bridal retailing – it’s a given that we all offer excellent customer service. I don’t believe any of us would still be in business these days if we didn’t.

But when was the last time you stopped to consider the important effect on your customer of your words and actions? You can genuinely change someone’s life for the better. Or, with one misjudged

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word, a soul can be crushed, a shopping experience marred and a wedding ruined even before it’s taken place.

Until I found myself in just such an emotional life moment, I don’t think I’d ever really appreciated the degree to which this maxim is true.

My lovely Mum has Alzheimer’s, a wicked disease that is slowly stealing her from me and the family.

She lives in an altered state of

reality, in which every new situation she encounters is a source of confusion and frustration.

As her only child, it’s heartbreaking to watch, and extremely difficult to expect others to understand. She’s developed an impressive ability to get entirely the wrong end of any stick and has also taken to voicing her opinions, loudly, wherever and whenever she feels the situation demands.

So, when she told me she wanted her hair dyed in a proper salon, rather than a home visit, I have to admit my level of trepidation was somewhat high.

I’d had no real chance to warn the unsuspecting stylist who saw us, and no opportunity to explain that Alzheimer’s is so much more than ‘just’ memory loss.

I was close to tears for most of the time we were in the salon because, as I’d feared, my Mum was unintentionally rude, loud and

argumentative.

She cried, she sobbed, she exclaimed that colour was awful (it was perfect) and that the stylist didn’t know her job (she was the salon’s top talent).

I could feel the attention of the other clients upon us and I managed, finally, to catch the eye of the poor hairdresser to mouth the word ‘sorry’. And here’s where the difference was made.

This angel smiled, leaned in further and continued to treat my mother like the Queen of England.

Once it had become clear to her what she was dealing with, she made it her mission to educate, distract and explain everything to my poor Mum, eventually calming her enough to get her over the finish line, with a top-notch colour and cut.

Although I obviously left a glowing review online, this young stylist will never really know the difference she made in my life with the kindness

she showed. And Mum only remembers that we had fun.

So, the next time you’re faced with what seems to be the motherof-the-bride from hell, or the bride who’s lost the plot, remember to lean right in, listen, and try to understand.

You never know quite what else that person is dealing with in their life or what truly lies behind their reactions or behaviour.

When giving really excellent customer service, our own feelings and thoughts are not important.

What matters is creating positivity from confusion, and light where there was darkness.

We are privileged to share such delicate moments with our customers and we owe it to them, to ourselves and to our businesses to remember just what power our words and actions can have.

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Coming Of Age A special celebration Bellissima Weddings in South Woodham Ferrers came of age and celebrated 21 years of bridal retailing in June 2022. Time to party

L

aura Daly, one who knows how to make any event special, could not have been happier with Bellissima’s own Big Day. “Naturally, we had to celebrate and hold a party,” she said.

“We were very grateful that many of our suppliers, designers and people we hold dear to us in the industry were able to attend, and it was a real joy to be able to thank them all in

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person for their continued support for our Bellissima baby!

“As a business, we are only as successful as the people we employ, the brands that we work with and the personalities behind those brands; so a HUGE thank you goes out to each and every one that has helped Bellissima along the way. Here’s to the future, and may we continue to grow together!”

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Modern, glamorous and unforgettable... Let us introduce you to the AW 22 collection from Pure Bridal, where all gowns retail below £999. Please contact kerry@romanticaofdevon.co.uk for more information on becoming a stockist.

www.romanticaofdevon.co.uk

MEANT TO BE MEDIA NEWS

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As a team, we will be producing on-thepulse content online regularly based on the most recent searches in the wedding industry, making the company in general become more digitally lead.

“We have discussed at length our aims and we have a very realistic projection of a 75% increase in traffic to the Love Our Wedding website in year one, and 50% thereafter, and 50% to Wedding Trader,” says Meant To Be Media Director, Jade Pepperell. “In addition to this, we have a projection of a 50% growth in our newsletter database within the year.”

Director Andy Allen adds another piece of exciting news coming from Meant To Be Media, he says. “This will be sent to our full UK retailers

“We have decided to print Wedding Trader once a year, pre-Harrogate” database, posted directly to their stores 1-2 weeks before the show.”

If you are not currently, but would like to be added to the Wedding Trader mailing list, please drop a line to andy@meanttobemedia.com with your details and address so you can receive your FREE printed copy of the magazine pre-Harrogate.

“We’re very excited to see what all these big changes will bring,” says Jade.

“Watch this space!”

RICHARD PRESLEY

Meant To Be Media is proud to introduce our brand new Web Developer, Richard Presley.

With many years of experience in web development and SEO, Richard is a very welcome new member to the team, and will be in charge of developing and enhancing both our websites, loveourweddingmag.com and weddingtradermag.com.

Having worked previously digitally within the wedding industry, Richard is perfectly placed to bring our websites, newsletters and socials up to the next level.

“I’m really excited to be part of the Meant To Be Media team, and can’t wait to get my teeth into growing an already well-established brand,” says Richard

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Bridal Week Harrogate KIMBERLY

ARIANNA

Connecting brands and buyers When: 11-13 September Where: Harrogate Convention Centre Brands: 300+

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On the Catwalk: Evie Young, Madi Lane, Dando London, Ellis, Gaia, Lore, Rachel Allen, Kate Fearnley, Kelsey Rose, True Bride, Perfect Bridal, Victoria Kay Special features: Proscecco Bar, Gin Bar, Business Advice Clinic, VIP Lounge for Platinum Buyers

A

C

D

29 Atelier Abella Adrianna Papell Platinum Ael Este Alan Hannah Alfabeta All Who Wander Allison Webb Allure Bridals Allure Bridesmaids Allure Couture Allure Limited Allure Romance Amaré Couture Bridal Amarra Amoré From The House of Nicholas Amsale Angel Forever Angela Bianca Annalise Bridal Anny Lin Bridal Antonio Villini Arianna Art Couture Bridal Avalia

2 Cute Prom Calla Blanche Carta Branca Casablanca Bridal Chic & Holland Christian Koehlert Paris Christina Wu Claddagh Collection by Special Day Colby John Colette for Mon Cheri Colours by Kenneth Winston Concept Covers Cupid Fine Intimates Curves by Modeca

Dama Couture Dando London Daniela di Marino Danielle Couture Bridal Danielle Sykes Deborah K Designs Diamond Collection by Special Day Diamonds Donna Salado

Banu Guven BB Plus by Special Day Beauty by VK Beloved Benetti Bianco Evento Bliss Bridal Blue Ribbon Petticoats Blush by Francesca Avila Blush by VK Bridal Buyer Bridal Fabrics Brighton Belle British Bridal Brother

FAITH BRIDAL COUTURE

B

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F

Eddy K Eliza Jane Howell Elizabeth Dickens Ella by VK Ella Rosa by Kenneth Winston Ellie Wilde for Mon Cheri Ellis Bridals Emily Grace Emma Bridals Enchanting by Mon Cheri Envy by Phoenix Erteks Tekstil Essense of Australia Essential Bridesmaids Eternity Bride Eternity Prom European Collection by Special Day Eva Lendel Evelyn Bridal Evie Young

Faith Bridal Couture Femme by Kenneth Winston FP & Co Frazer & James of Knightsbridge Freda Bennet French Collection by Wendy Makin

Gaia Gallery by Kenneth Winston Georgie Mae Bridal Gino Cerruti Bridesmaids Gino Cerruti Prom Global Gallery Gurbani

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JENNIFER WREN

G

J Jack J’adore Jennifer Wren Joan Lee Accessories Josephine Scott Couture Julietta Jupon Jupon Petticoats Justin Alexander Group

K FREDA BENNETT

Kabul Tekstil Kanali K Kate Fearnley Katy Britton Kelsey Rose Kenneth Winston Kingvel Knightsbridge Neckwear

H Halo & Co Hangerworld Hayley Paige Heirloom Waistcoats and Neckwear Helena Cotter Hello Beautiful by Randy Fenoli Hermione Collection Herve Paris Hilary Morgan House of Hersee House of Nicholas

Indiebride London It was all a Dream...

Ivory & Co

KATE FEARNLEY

I

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L

MADI LANE

MIAMIA

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La Perle La Petite Labella by Gino Cerruti L’Amour Calla Blanche Lanico Bridal Lazaro Le Blanc Collection Le Papillon by Modeca Lenovia Bridal Libelle LILLY Linzi Jay Little People Little White Dress by Amsale Lo’Adoro by Rachel Allan Loré Loré Chíc Loré Mére Loré Privée Loré Soirée Loré White Louisa Jackson Bridal Louise Bentley

LouLou Love and Liberty LQ Designs London Lucia Luna by True Bride Lux and Love Designs

M

LE PAPILLON

MODECA

Madeline Gardener Couture Madi Lane Madison James Maggie Sottero Mark Lesley Bride Mark Lesley Bridesmaids and Eveningwear Martin Thornburg for Mon Cheri Martina Liana Marylise Mary’s Bridal Mary’s Bridesmaids Mary’s Flowergirls Mascara Mascara Bridal Mascara Bridesmaid Mascara London Mascara Mother of the Bride Masculini McBurn Mia Lavi Miabelle MiaMia Michael’s Bridal Fabrics Michelle Bridal Mikaella Bridal Milane Collective Milano Mayfair Millie Grace Bridal Millie May Bridal Miraclesuit Miranda Templeton Miss Chloe Bride Modeca Molteno Creations Monica Loretti Monreal Bridal Moonlight Bridal Moore Curves Morilee Morilee Blu Morilee Bridesmaids Morilee Voyage Motee Maids Mybridal Software

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TRUE BRIDE VICTORIA JANE

RONALD JOYCE

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Naomi and Nicole NC Sposa Nicki Flynn by True Bride Nicola Anne Nieve Couture Nouvelle Amsale Novias

Occasions by Hayley Paige Omnisew Only Way

Paloma Blanca Passions Patricia Eve Paul Zeni Penguin Designs Phoenix Gowns Poirier Pongees PRO Omnisew Steam Prom Frocks Propress Steamers Pure Bridal Purewhite

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Rachel Allan Rachel Allan Junior Prom Rachel Allan Prom Rainbow Club Randy Fenoli Bridal Rebecca Ingram Rembo Styling Retail Bridalwear Association Richard Designs Romantica Ronald Joyce

Tania Olsen Designs Tansew Tara Keely Tease Prom TH&TH The Bobby Pin The Other White Dress The Perfect Bridal Company Ti Adora Tiffanys Bridal Tiffanys Bridesmaids Timeless Bridal by Tiffanys To The Nines True Bride True Bridesmaids True Curves Twilight Designs

Sara Alouasha Savin London Secret Weapons Sempre Sophia Sevva Sewing Supplies Direct Shane Moore Designs Signature by VK Silhouette Bridal Simply Divine Sophia & Camilla Sophia Tolli Sottero & Midgley Special Day Stella York Sydney’s Closet

BRIDAL BUYER AWARDS 13 September The Majestic Hotel Black tie dinner Tickets £75 + VAT To book: +44 (0)1424 770120

U

Unique Europe

V

RAINBOW CLUB

Val Stefani Victoria Jane Visara Vivaki

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Warren York Watters Wendy Makin Bridal Designs Wendy Makin Ready to Wear White Collection By VK White Rose White Rose Graceful Wilderly William Turner Accessories Willowby Wilvorst Wtoo

IVORY & CO

S

MODECA

R

To fast-track your entry, register for Harrogate Bridal Week now at: youreventdata.uk/Forms/Form.aspx?FormRef=BWH92Visitor&TrackingCode=WebsitePop-Up

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Letter from America Dealing with difficult times unquestionably divides us into camps – those who stand proud and meet every challenge head on, and those who simply cannot cope. Peter Grimes

J

ust as with boutiques in the UK, those in the US are all painfully aware of the litany of economic issues and circumstances affecting their world, their businesses, their staff and their brides.

The media is full of throaty opinions about rising inflation, the impact of hardening divisions in our political discourse, and conflicting predictions about a looming recession… all of which add emotional strain to already exhausted boutique owners, and to their overworked, stressed, (and in so many instances) skeletal staff.

Compounding the impact of this turmoil 24/7 is that it is hitting just as US boutiques were fully and finally

emerging from the long winter of COVID and looking to replace lost sales and benefit from a promising spring season indicated by an increase in the number of brides and strong sales in February, March and April.

Continued economic uncertainty and the prospects of a recession became that much more real to some, as a quieter eight-week period in May and June seemed to confirm their worst fears.

Combined with the mounting challenges of selling and serving an increasingly stressed and entitled bride, some boutique owners lamented “being close to breaking point”.

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Many also voiced concerns that rising prices of dresses and accessories, and frequent transportation surcharges, would negatively impact their brides’ budgets, which in turn could hamper sales at a time when they are most needed.

There is also some talk about bringing in lower cost goods, and planning cost-cutting steps, including ill-advised cuts to advertising and marketing.

Which group are you in?

However, attitudes and opinions are vastly different for other boutiques.

Instead of fearfully retreating or retrenching, these owners – many of whom have a long and established history in their individual marketplaces – are seizing the opportunity to gain market share.

Their approach is to concentrate on what they do best and to focus on what they are known for… and to reinforce those procedures and

approaches that helped them succeed during other periods of economic and societal turmoil.

Many seem to be doubling down on stylist sales training, and tightening relationships with key resources.

Often heard: “Recession? Bring it on. I love recessions… it helps clear out my competitors… those boutiques that don’t know what they’re doing.”

From both ends of this spectrum, I see the workings of self-fulfilling prophecsies, specific examples of how powerfully beliefs can impact our lives positively and/or negatively.

In these examples, one is fearful and worried about losing what they have; the other recognises the challenge with confidence. It’s a classic half full, half empty mind set.

Self-fulfilling prophecies are something of which I’m very familiar with, having struggled through my own ‘prophecies’ during a recent long walk.

What I came to understand is that a self-fulfilling prophecy has

more staying power and impact than merely positive or negative self-talk or attitudes, because it is often infused with and driven by strong emotions attached to the ‘story’, whether those emotions are fear, joy, anger or love.

Defining behaviours Wikipedia defines it such: “A self-fulfilling prophecy is the psychological phenomenon of someone ‘predicting’ or expecting something, and this prediction or expectation coming true simply because the person believes or anticipates it will, and the person’s resulting behaviours align to fulfill the belief.”

Psychologist Michelle Maidenberg, writing for Psychology Today, expands that definition: “There are two types of selffulfilling prophecies: Self-imposed prophecies occur when your own expectations influence your actions.

Other-imposed prophecies occur when others’ expectations influence

your behaviour. All opinions you value can cause this prophecy… and can be positive or negative.”

For US stores, as for those in the UK, the future is uncertain, with crazy times at their doorsteps and plenty of opportunities to be taken down that rabbit hole of “What if” and worstcase scenarios. Yet the world has always been crazy… and bridal retail is no exception.

For those stores, regardless of location, stymied, overwhelmed by the onslaught of bad news and fearful expectations, step back a moment and remind yourselves that you have survived COVID and thrived due to your ability to dip deep into your inner well of resilience, perseverance and character.

That’s the script you need to write, the prophecy you need to follow.

Not only because it is a powerful affirmation of who you are, and what you’re capable of. But because it is the truth.

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Introducing the stunning Martin Thornburg collection from the Mon Cheri Bridals group.

For more information on any of the collections and to enquire about becoming a stockist, please email enquiries@moncheribridals.com or ring 01823 674 905.

www.martinthornburg.com

RETAILERS and their CUSTOMERS Have shopping habits changed? Are brides everywhere asking the same questions?

Do today’s brides know what they want at the outset? Who better than RBA members to fill us in...

BELLISSIMA WEDDINGS South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford When opened: 8 June 2001- 21 years ago.

Labels carried: Blue by Enzoani, Eliza Jane Howell, Elysee, Enzoani, Essense of Australia, Etoile, Justin Alexander, Kenneth Winston, Mori Lee, White& Lace, and our own private label.

Opening hours throughout the week: Mondays/ Wednesdays/Fridays and Saturdays 10am–5pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am–9pm. The fittings department is open most of the time.

Reachable by email and phone? Most certainly! We have a land line for incoming calls and two for outgoing, plus a mobile for texts and outgoing calls and a very busy email in-box!

Your social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TickTock. We don’t have squillions of followers but the ones we do have engage with us, and all our platforms grow daily.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay? Having experimented with both, we find appointment-only works best for us. We aren’t on a busy street, so walk-ins were easy to loose without causing an issue.

Number in team? 20, 21 if you include Dudley, the Golden Retriever, (mostly works from home).

Your clients, how are they first finding you? After 21 years it’s most definitely word of mouth, followed by an internet search. Less than 1% of the searches are for a specific brand.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? We have got much stronger in policing group numbers, and without the huge ensembles, our conversions have risen.

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What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? We are so proactive at feeding relevant info to our prospective customers, that questions are few. When we get them it’s usually concerning their weight, their size and what underwear to bring.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? I’d say most have a good idea of what they THINK they want – it’s our job to then find them what they didn’t even know they wanted!

Do they give you a budget from the start? We have all our prices on our website, and work with a wish list as our starting point, so the issue of budget doesn’t come up much at all.

Do they stick to their budget? Mostly yes, and if they don’t, they are open to spending more.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? It could be anything from a couple of months to a couple of years and everything in-between!

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? 70% say Yes on the first visit, the rest on the second.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? I don’t have a figure for that but it’s much lower than we had thought. Basically our brides like to buy what they can see, and want the designer to have done all the work for them.

Are brides asking for discounts? Not at all.

CARIAD BRIDAL Swansea When opened: August 2015 Labels carried: Mark Lesley, Phoenix Gowns, White Rose and two private labels.

Opening hours throughout the week: Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm.

Reachable by email and phone? Absolutely.

Your social media platforms: Facebook and instagram @cariad bridal.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay?

Both, but we do prefer appointments.

Number in team? Five Your clients, how are they first finding you?

Through social media and at wedding fayres.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes, but most want no more than three.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? Pricing on gowns and how long appointments are for Do most have a good idea of what they want? Not really, which is better for us as we know the stock and how the gowns sit on the body.

Do they give you a budget from the start?

We always ask.

Do they stick to their budget? Not really.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? Six months and less, or 18 months. It’s one extreme to the other.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? 98% – since January only four have not.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons?

We do bespoke so a lot are at the moment.

Are brides asking for discounts?

30% will, but we offer military discounts anyway.

ELEGANZA SPOSA Glasgow When opened: 1992 Labels carried: Iconica by Eleganza Sposa, Essense of Australia, Liri, Martina Liana, Martina Liana Luxe, Noya, Savin London, Suzanne Neville..

Opening hours throughout the week: Seven days a week, 9.15am–6pm.

Reachable by email and phone? Both Your social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay?

We are appointments based but will always be delighted to have brides walk in and talk to them. If we have space we will accommodate them if possible.

Number in team? 14 Your clients, how are they first finding you?

We have many clients visiting us through word of mouth, passing the store and our social media channels.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes, most of our brides bring family and friends; this is important to them.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? How long it takes to order a gown and how many people can they bring with them.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? We have a pre appointment call with our brides prior to their visit and at this point we try to establish as much information as possible.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes. Do they stick to their budget? Not all the time.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? This varies dependant on each bride personality but on average I would say up to a year.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? About 70% and I would say 20% buy on second appointment What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? 60%.

Are brides asking for discounts? Yes, I would say 45-50% of brides will ask.

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FROSS WEDDING COLLECTIONS Uckfield, Sussex When opened: 2006 Labels carried: Aire Barcelona, Casablanca, Justin Alexander, Madi Lane, Stella York, Tiffanys.

Opening hours throughout the week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am–5pm; Thursday 1pm–8pm; Sunday – on request.

Reachable by email and phone? Yes, and social media.

Your social media platforms? Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay? Generally, appointments only, but if we have availability, we will accept a walk in.

Number in team: 4 Your clients, how are they first finding you? Mostly word of mouth, and via Google, social media and wedding fayres.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes. What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? Price ranges, sizes, the number of people they can bring.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? Some do.

ISABELLA GRACE Royal Tonbridge Wells, Kent When opened: September 2011 Labels carried: Essense of Australia, Justin Alexander, Madi Lane, Martina Liana, Stella York.

Opening hours throughout the week: Monday to Friday 10am–5pm; Saturdays 9am–5pm Reachable by email and phone? Yes. Your social media platforms? Facebook and Instagram

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Do they give you a budget from the start? Not always.

Do they stick to their budget? Not always.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? At least 12 months.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? About 70%.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons?

Around 60%.

Are brides asking for discounts Some do.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay? Appointments only.

Number in team: 7 Your clients, how are they first finding you?

Recommendation through word of mouth, Instagram and Google.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes, as always!

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? How many guests can they bring, and when is the best time to be choosing their dress.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? Some think they do, but invariably once they start trying on they change completely.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes they do, but often it’s not the ‘real’ budget which is often a lot lower.

Do they stick to their budget? Most go up.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? 12–18 months.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? 85% of our brides say yes at first appointment!

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? 90% want a veil.

Are brides asking for discounts Yes, as always.

WEDDING BELLES OF FOUR OAKS Sutton Coldfield When opened: 2007 Labels carried: Abella, Alan Hannah, Allure, Essense of Australia, Evie Young, Liana, Maggie Sottero, Martina, Rebecca Ingram, Savin London, Sottero & Midgley.

Opening hours throughout the week: Monday to Friday, except Wesnesday when we are closed, 10am–5pm, Saturday 9am–6pm.

Reachable by email and phone? Yes both, plus WhatsApp as well as Facebook and Instagram.

Your social media platforms? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. Appointments-only, or walk in okay? We try to encourage appointments, but are more than happy to see a bride as a walk in if we have availability.

Number in team: 8 Your clients, how are they first finding you? Mainly through recommendation and via Instagram.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes we encourage two to three guests. Our suites can fit up to four to five which we are now getting more requests to accommodate.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? This varies, but mainly we are asked if we have certain dress styles, plus size dresses, and about custom changes/alterations.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? Lots of brides come in with lots of images but we ask them to keep an open mind until they start trying the dresses on. Our stylists are fabulous at really listening to a bride and picking up on their likes and dislikes during the appointment.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes, the booking form via Bridal Live asks this question.

Do they stick to their budget? This can vary. Our stylists are trained to be respectful of the bride’s budget and chat to them about flexibility during their appointment. We would never just pull a dress that was way over budget without telling the bride first and giving her the final choice whether she wants to try it on.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? We are seeing an increased number of 2024/2025 brides enquiring and booking appointments. We did have a 2025 bride order just last week! On the flip side, there are still 2022 brides coming in, which is fine as we have an outlet department.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round?

We do have a very high percentage of our brides say yes on their first appointment, which is amazing. We are more than happy to re-book a bride if she needs longer to decide or bring someone else back.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? I would say approximately 80% of our brides buy add ons including accessories such as veils and headpieces. We also sell a few add-on packages which have a very high take up.

Are brides asking for discounts Very rarely.

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OPUS COUTURE West Kilbride When opened: 2003 Labels carried: Berta, Berta Privee, Blue By Enzoani, Enzoani, Maggie Sottero, Opus Studio, Pronovias Opening hours throughout the week: Mon- 9-8 (TueClosed Wed- Closed) Thur- 9-8 Fri- 9-5 Sat- 9-5 Sun- 9-5 Reachable by email and phone? Yes. Your social media platforms? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok. Appointments-only, or walk in okay?

Appointment only, can be booked directly via our website www.opuscouture.co.uk Number in team: 9 Your clients, how are they first finding you? Our largest volume of new brides come via word of mouth.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? We allow three guests for an Opus Couture appointment, and four guests for an Opus Atelier appointment (higher price point of dresses and exclusiveuse suite). I would say 60% bring the full guest number with them.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? How many guests they can bring, whether we have a particular dress, and the pricepoint of specific designers.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? Yes, but more often than not they’ll buy something completely different after our stylists make a few suggestions.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes, we ask in their pre-appointment interview, and also when they arrive and have settled in.

Do they stick to their budget? Each bride is different, but we find that most brides are willing to go above their original budget if the dress is The One. How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? Most start researching as soon as they’re engaged, and we like to say 12-18 months between purchasing a dress and wedding date.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? One to two visits before saying YES at Opus. Our numbers have jumped up significantly now that we are able to host appointments with no Covid restrictions. (Scotland was a little slower than England in relaxing the rules.)

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? We like to offer every bride the chance to customise her gown. That could be a simple belt addition or structural changes. Some prefer to stick to the original design, but our in-house alterations team are so talented, pretty much anything goes at Opus.

Are brides asking for discounts Brides don’t necessarily ask for discounts, but our event weekends (where we offer 10% off a particular designer) are always our busiest.

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NORA EVE BRIDAL B O U T I Q U E LT D Chesterfield When opened: July 2012 Labels carried: Jolie by Berta, Ella Kate Official, Made with love, Madi Lane, Maggie Sottero, Morilee, Rebecca Ingram, Ruby Lu. Opening hours throughout the week: Monday and Tuesday 10am–5pm; closed Wednesday; Thursday 12am–8pm; Friday 10am–8pm; Saturday 10am–6pm; Sunday 10am–4pm.

Reachable by email and phone? Yes. Your social media platforms? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok. Appointments-only, or walk in okay? It’s best to book an appointment but we’re always happy to see brides if we have a fitting room free.

Number in team: 4

PURE BRIDES Norwich

Your clients, how are they first finding you? Most of our brides come through word of mouth, although Instagram is a strong platform for us.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes – our brides love an entourage.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? How many people they can bring, what underwear should they wear and how payments work.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? We find most brides come in quite open minded and aren’t sure what styles will suit then.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes, our brides pop their budget in on our booking form.

Do they stick to their budget? Not always. We try to work within a bride’s budget, if they want to try dresses on that are over budget, we just make them aware of the price point.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? 12–18 months.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? Most brides say yes on their first visit, however some brides will go away to think about it and try more dresses on before returning.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons?

Most brides are happy to leave this to their stylist. I would say as little as 10% want to make their own choices.

Are brides asking for discounts We offer a bride a discount if they buy in their first visit as this frees up the diary for more appointments.

When opened: 2005 Labels carried: Allure Romance, Ellis Bridals, Evie Young, Maggie Sottero, Milla Nova, Rebecca Ingram, and a private label collection.

Opening hours throughout the week: 10am–5.30pm, and 9.30am–6pm on Saturdays.

Reachable by email and phone? Yes. Your social media platforms? Facebook and Instagram.

Appointments-only, or walk in okay? We work mainly with pre- booked appointments, but walk-ins are welcome.

Number in team: 9 Your clients, how are they first finding you? Google and recommendation mostly.

Are brides asking to bring family/friends with for their appointment? Yes, they do ask but we try and make this clear before they book and after they have booked in our follow up.

What questions are brides asking before making an appointment? We cover off a lot of FAQs on our website and social media platforms, so there aren’t that many questions ahead of their appointment. It’s mainly how long will the appointment last, how many dresses they can try on, and how many guests can they bring.

Do most have a good idea of what they want? They think they know what they want, but often end up with something different.

Do they give you a budget from the start? Yes, we have an idea of budget before we begin the appointment.

That’s really quite important as you can’t afford to make assumptions and we’ll always check with them before putting them in a gown that’s more than they want to spend.

Do they stick to their budget? They are usually pretty close to their budget, with the occasional bride going way over.

How far in advance of the wedding date are they starting the dress search? About 12-18 months in the most part, although we are still seeing some with just a few months to go.

What percentage are saying yes to the dress first time round? We’ve seen this number drop in the past few weeks. Early this year we were at well over 70%, but since May this has dropped to around 55% saying yes on their first visit. However, we do find that this always fluctuates depending on the time of year.

What percentage want an involvement with their gown, ie picking mix and match pieces or add ons? Not many want to mix and match pieces or choose add ons. They just buy what they see more often than not.

Are brides asking for discounts Our brides will occasionally ask for discounts on sale dresses, but hardly ever on a full-priced gown.

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To make an appointment to view the new collections, please contact: Michelle Blackburn: 07935 156275 | michelle@casablancabridal.eu

NOW AVAILABLE ON

Second Opinion The thinking process covers so much ground, from pondering solutions to day-to-day business problems, to baring one’s soul to friends and colleagues. Sue Lovell runs through the gamut of emotions that affect her life

shop owner that evening, re-living the events of the day, and she said that at times, she too doubted herself, questioned who she really was, as so many people saw her as her business, and didn’t think she had an identity other than that of her ’Shop Persona’.

For so many of us, outside of our family we are known more for what we do for a living, rather than for the people we really are. But then, we often are so tied up with our own businesses, that it is hard to separate our work life from our real life.

Work can be so all consuming, his week I heard myself utter the focus is on how other people those dreadful words, “Do you know who I am?” I drove are feeling, and we somehow lose ourselves. Is that just me, and does home from a meeting, in a everyone else feel totally whole, and stunned daze that I had actually said those words – out loud. Other people completely put together? It certainly feels like that sometimes. around me had heard me say it, and I see amazing women, so selfafter an awkward silence and pitying glances I left, distraught and mortified, assured, so complete, and so in control, and I am in awe. I honestly and so embarrassed. hurtle from one chaotic situation to For some reason, asking that hideous question, made me question another, trying to give off an air of calm, but I am sure everyone can see who I actually was, I found my me flapping, can see me falling. confidence was knocked and I was I do not like to appear on social questioning my own identity, and my media, I hate being in photos or videos own self worth. and will complete obstacle courses I was talking to a friend, another

T

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worthy of the SAS to get out of a group picture. But still, not being recognised stung!

I have been in places, miles away from home, and met people who know me through my business. I have been in airports and introduced as “My wedding dress lady”. In March of this year, I was recognised at the London Show from appearing in the pages of The Wedding Trader – fame at last.

But in general, I am a wallflower, I like to go through life, anonymous, I don’t feel I need validation or recognition, I just like to get through each day with everyone around me safe and as little drama as possible.

Changes 2022 will no doubt be memorable for many reasons. A year when weddings finally happened again, without Covid complications. For those of us who do alterations, as well as sales, it truly is a whirlwind season of boobs and ankles, as we pin, fit and get to see our storage rails empty, and our alterations rail swell.

I have never had so many alterations, as three wedding seasons merge into one. For many brides, so

bowels of hell. Our cat had decided it was far too hot for her to make her way outside, so had relieved herself of a very heavy load, in our bathroom.

Everyone in my family knows my gag reflex is on a hair trigger, so my gallant husband dealt with the situation, threw open the windows even wider to get a whisper of some fresh air, and we went back to a restless sleep.

We were woken ridiculously early, to the sounds of the lawnmower, and as the gardener cut our grass, we rose to start the day. I wished her a cheery good morning, I offered her a cuppa.

She couldn’t even look at me.

I had no idea what had got her so mardy on such a beautiful morning but I made her a cup of tea despite her grumpy demeanor. I stepped out of the back door, cup in hand, to be greeted by the clothes I was wearing the day before. Perfectly in place on the patio, outside the back door, looking for all the world as if I had Sharing carefully slipped out of my trousers I do have friends outside of the and my pants, and left them where Industry, but some of my closest and they fell. My pants were still inside my dearest friends are ones who I have trousers, cradling the contents met at a Harrogate catwalk, or a London Champagne bar, or who I “I have seen brides who have had from the cat in the crotch.

My idiot husband had sleepily helped find a dress long ago, and babies (plural), and who have and carefully dropped the who I now have ‘date night’ with. horrors of the night before out Some friends were once reps, changed shape and wedding of the landing window, rather who came to me to sell me plans completely to fit in with the than actually taking care of the dresses, but now we meet up to problem like a normal person. have fun, have a chat, and just ‘be’. new life that they now enjoy” We no longer have a gardener, We meet up at events, and also she never came back. My husband one Prosecco, as I cannot hold my just socially, and this month I am very drink; a half glass of something bubbly cuts the lawn now. much looking forward to meeting up with some BrideCo members for a Spa has recently seen me ordering things Understanding break – indeed as this very publication from London, that I have absolutely So that is what some people know of no recollection of at all, but my hits our inboxes and social media me, whereas others know me from unmistakable ‘x’ sits clearly at the platforms, I may be being vigorously work, from my shop, or from BrideCo, bottom of the orders). pummelled and gently tickled with or perhaps even from these pages. oils, as we meet up for the serious The person who didn’t seem to know Not all things to all people business of relaxation. me recently, was the one person who So my lovely friend shares with We chat, sit in bubbles, drink should know me better than anyone. strangers the events of a summer different bubbles, sit on towels and My beautiful Dad. evening. It was a hot night, and after in saunas, and then in the bar, and But it’s okay, it really is. He will talk an exhausting day, I dropped my we drink in the experiences and the about his daughter to me, and I can company of others, people who know clothes on the bathroom floor, threw see that she brings him joy, and she myself in the shower, and washed exactly the joys and stresses we all makes things safe, so whilst I have to away the heat of the day. It was such face. come to terms with the fact that he a hot night, we could hardly sleep, It may seem a frivolous luxury, may not always know who I am, in a but we were woken in the middle of but it is also a therapy, a detox and a strange way, I think I finally do. the night by a smell directly from the grounding, that reminds us all of who much ‘life’ has happened since they chose their dress in 2018/19 ready for the 2020 weddings, that never happened.

Covid may have brought challenges, and disappointments, but it also gave them time to make babies, and new plans, find new loves and new adventures. I have seen brides who have had babies, (plural), and who have changed shape, and wedding plans completely, to fit in with the new life that they now enjoy.

No fitting is the same, as we design change, shape change, and size change, but what does remain constant is the excitement. People are getting married again, and not necessarily always to the person they originally intended. That’s life, we go with the flow, we may find people, and lose people, and we keep moving forward.

we are, and that we all need some downtime, and to find ourselves for a few moments. If the rewards my business has brought me is counted in friendships, and experiences then I am a mogul, and although none of that was in my opening business plan, and may not make my spreadsheets look any healthier, or my accountant any happier, to me, they are priceless.

It was whilst I was chatting with a bridal friend, who makes my heart sing, and my sides ache in that order, and I was bemoaning the fact that I was not recognised by someone who I clearly thought should know me.

She told me who she knows me to be. She told me that when she talks of me to others, she tells them how funny I am, and she shares our stories, and they laugh, I brighten up their day apparently, and they laugh hard, not with me, but at me.

Not bridal related, not business related, but she likes to tell others of a personal experience that I had, one I had shared with her over a Prosecco. (And It would have been

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Plus Points Peta Hunt picks her favourites of the latest collections designed for brides with curves, and delights in the choice available and the focus on construction

ESSENSE

HOUSE OF ST PATRICK

W

hen Susi asked me to write a piece on curvy brides I didn’t quite know where to start – I was always slim until the dreaded Covid when all I did was make banana bread, sourdough bread and toast – so that on my everyday shopping trip I’d never even considered size.

However, trying on a pair of leather trousers – and you may well ask why – and a T-shirt in a well-known high street shop has made me rethink my attitude somewhat.

Fashion sizes vary from one brand to another and even within a brand; there’s nothing more depressing than thinking you’ve trim down to a size 10 only to find a pair of XL jeans are too

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AESLING WATTERS

SOPHIA TOLLI

can’t expect it to stay up and hold everything where it should be. At this point I usually bang on about houses being built on good foundations, but you all know what I mean.

The dresses I have selected here are all great examples of bridal style, romance, fashion sense and wearability, everything you need in a wedding dress. Traditionally, wedding experts have said that ballgown and A-line wedding dresses are the most flattering silhouettes for plus size brides. They also recommend an empire waistline, or the oh-sotrendy off-the-shoulder (a fabulous way to show off your neckline and a great pair of earrings). But whatever small. Once you are trapped in a pair was no use wailing that they had mis- the style, it’s all about construction, of tight trousers and break out into a labelled the garments. I was a size 12. construction, construction.

Thank goodness for the lace up hot sweat and the lining clings to you But then we are not longer in 2010. more and more, you know you need Having always worked with models back, too; on shoots that gives you plenty of flexibility when there is no help, but the Spanish assistant who is who have been size 8 to 10, that to one on hand to do alterations. in the dressing room definitely doesn’t me was the norm. However, as a What has become obvious to me want to help you even with gloves freelancer I’ve recently worked on a the more I looked into the availability on. Even when I could stand up in couple of shoots with plus size girls of sizes was the sheer abundance of my plastic leggings and look in the (I’m not even sure that plus size is fabulously constructed dresses and mirror it was a bit of an eye-opener. a very nice expression!) The same separates to suit all shapes and sizes.

The chic, rock chic look I was going rules apply whatever size; it’s really Gone are the days where you placed for was not apparent in the mirror – I important that the construction of a a dress in front of the bride and said looked like a sweaty dementor who dress is good, regardless of whether “imagine yourself in that, but in had fallen into a laundry basket and it’s a slip dress or ballgown. If it’s come out wearing a child’s clothes. It lacking in form and support, you your size”!

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HERA COUTURE

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Our relationships now are more important than ever; we return to our favourite designers because they never let you down. We welcome their assurance that their dresses will fit and experience tells us that’s true.

People expect so much added value now and our industry has to work harder than ever to get bridesto-be through the doors. And when the do come to us it’s for our insight, style, trustworthiness, taste and most importantly, knowledge.

I was massively impressed with Catherine Deane’s jumpsuit look with a top and trousers. I loved the Elysee strapless dress in crêpe, so elegant.

I like as well the way that Ivory & Co dresses are constructed so well that

they will accommodate sizes up to a 32.

And I think designers at Maggie Sottero have been way ahead of the game for a considerable time, showing all sizes on the catwalk. I am a big fan of the mermaid dress with its long-line internal corset, flirty and flattering, and see more relaxed shapes in lace with high slash necks, in their Sottero and Midgley range. I thought the V-neck dress with soft floaty sleeves from White Rose was incredibly chic.

But instead of me banging on all the time about construction I asked a few of the designers to let me know what made their dresses special.

Read on...

SONSIE

REBECCA INGRAM

HOUSE OF MOOSHKI

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Elbeth Gillis Curve

ELBETH GILLIS

“The new buzzword in fashion is inclusivity. This important word has inspired Elbeth Gillis to create Curve, a five-piece capsule collection created with the plus-size bride in mind. The dresses within this collection reinforce Elbeth’s dedication to designing the perfect shapes for bridal gowns – simple structures with crisp, clean lines – and using romantic, lavish lace, designed to show off a woman’s curves. There are some sensational sleeves, ceaseless collars, beautiful bows and overskirts, which can be added to classic styles so that brides can put their own stamp on the dresses.”

Élysée

“Seraphine x Édition is contemporary minimalism and glamour perfected.

Sleek Mikado provides structure without forsaking comfort, creating a look that is both body-contouring and figure-flattering. A modern sculpted neckline and draped Mikado bodice with high back provides chic support while thoughtful seam placements leading down to the flared skirt ensure an effortlessly elegant look.

Covered buttons trailing down to the hem of the gown add a sweet, detailed finishing touch.”

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SAVIN LONDON

ELYSEE

Romantica

“The Silhouette collection is designed specifically with the curvy bride in mind, with higher backs up to the bra line, and tasteful plunges to accommodate the fuller figure.

Wide supporting straps or shoulders also allow for a bra to give support and confidence. There is no compromise on modern design and finish. Silhouette sizing goes up to a 32 as standard, but larger sizes can be made on request. The gowns are well structured, featuring up to 16 bones and an elastic internal corset when the design requires.”

Andrea Hawkes

Ivory & Co

“Although we don’t do a specific plus size collection , we do make our regular collection dresses in any size – I think the biggest last year was UK size 38,” says Sarah. “For bridal orders which boutiques take in sizes over UK 16, we can offer custom bust cup sizes in gowns as well as extra boning support within the inner corsetry, and can change button back gowns to ribbon up corset backs. Many of our new styles come with inner stretch linings for comfort and to support curvy silhouettes.“

Maggie Sottero

“We offer an inclusive range of wedding dresses, with most gowns available in US sizes 0 through 28.

Renowned for impeccable fit, this craftmanship is carried through in every size offering. As the dress size increases, so does the support and boning in the bodice to ensure that the gown is a perfect fit no matter a bride’s size or shape. And Maggie Sottero offers sister styles that feature additional support and coverage, for any bride who is interested. Several gowns also feature lace up corset options that mould the dress to the bride’s body, or hidden corsets to provide extra unseen support and structure.”

TEMPERLEY

ROMANTICA

ANDREA HAWKES

Says Andrea: “I designed Amaryllis as a celebratory collection, each look has a unique element that will allow our brides to truly express who they are. We have seen so much strength and determination in our brides over the last couple of years; it only seemed right to design a collection that will make them feel proud when walking down the aisle. It’s all about confidence and enabling them to really sparkle and shine bright whilst enjoying their special day surrounded by their loved ones. Amaryllis is a celebration of individuality.”

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Catherine Deane

MAGGIE SOTTERO

“We go up to a UK size 30 in the curve range which is all about inclusivity and accessibility. As a brand, we want all of our brides to feel fabulous yet comfortable. That is why our separates and dresses are in such light and delicate silks. We have carefully recreated a selection of our existing collection cut and tailored to curve bodies. Same style, same price, same relaxed Catherine Deane bride!”

Madi Lane

“Madi Lane dresses are available from a US size 2-28. Most of our designs feature our signature fusion construction inside the bodice that gives the right amount of support and defines the waistline.”

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WILLOWBY BY WATTERS

MADI LANE

SAVIN LONDON

CATHERINE DEAN

When it comes down to it, whatever size the bride, she wants that dream dress and the perfect fit. Retailers are enablers, and can make that dream reality with the right collections.

KENNETH WINSTON

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Contemporary, Opulent and breathtaking - The new AW 22 collection from Jennifer Wren Bridal offers your brides unique glamour on their big day. Please contact kerry@romanticaofdevon.co.uk for more information on becoming a stockist.

www.romanticaofdevon.co.uk

Why buy BRITISH

the designer is fulfilling your order here in the UK, that they are actually in the building where the gowns are being produced and that they are in charge of the design and production process from start to finish, so that if there are any problems they can be rectified straight away.

Most UK designers who produce here are fairly small and you can feel that you are speaking to an individual artist rather than a department in a huge corporation. Even if a dress has to be returned for any reason, it’s straightforward and you don’t have to deal with re-exporting and long waiting times. We also share a cultural familiarity and speak the same language so communication money and hand over the goods. is always easy and usually free from Most brides will visit your salon many misunderstanding. This makes for a times, from choosing their dream seamless process from your bride dress through to fittings and final choosing her dress until the big day delivery. itself.

Over this time, a relationship of Your business can be stressful and trust develops and part of this trust at the same time very rewarding. We is knowing that you can deliver what know that you, as retailers, are at the your bride wants through confidence front line in dealing with emotional in your own designers or suppliers. brides and their often very high When buying British you know that expectations. If you can share this

Leading UK brand, Alan Hannah, with its portfolio of in-demand labels, is proud of its ability to deliver awardwinning collections to its retailers and their customers.

Boss Alan Hannah talks us through the company’s ethos

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ithout question, the wedding dress carries so much more emotional expectation than any other garment a woman will ever wear. It is imbued with meaning, symbolism and the realisation of dreams.

As you all know so well, in our industry we don’t just take the

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with your designer and let them take some of the burden in helping to assuage worries and details about their dress, then it makes your life so much easier. expectations.

Perfect timing We are not immune from the Today’s brides tend to expect a demand for fast fashion, and having a short lead time for delivery and can’t British-made label gives you a huge understand why our industry takes advantage over competitors who so long to make their dress. Here at can’t offer this service.

Alan Hannah, our gowns are often How many brides have you turned bespoke and made to a very high away because their wedding is in a level of technical month’s time? All We are able to deliver expertise, but you need to do is we are able give us a call while our dresses in a matter of to prioritise your bride is in the and adapt to salon and speak weeks. In fact, we have your bride’s to our designer been known to deliver a Marguerite, to customisations and deliver our dress within a week when find out whether dresses in a the time scale is absolutely necessary matter of weeks. possible along with In fact, we have any customisations. been known to deliver a dress within If the bride requires special sizing, a week when absolutely necessary. again we are just on the end of This is impossible when ordering the phone and if we need to do a dresses from overseas and it gives toile (mock up bodice) to get the fit you such an advantage when trying absolutely right, you just need to fit to meet the moderns bride’s high this and pop it into the post and we

will do the rest.

We are on first name terms with all our customers and we know that it makes their life much easier if we can deal with the sometimes exacting expectations of their brides.

Sometimes brides change their mind on details and we can incorporate these at short notice and adapt the design fairly close to the delivery date. You can really prioritise selling gowns and focus on your customer needs if you don’t have to deal with the hassles of importing and working through the barriers of language and bureaucracy.

Because every dress is produced here, delivery is easy and quick and also less expensive for you as the retailer, and at less risk of being held up in the delivery process because of customs bureaucracy and delays.

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Taking responsibility More and more people are looking at the ethical and ecological aspects of the supply chain in relation to their purchases and this definitely includes brides . Most suppliers would like to think that their production is responsible and often visit factories abroad to ensure that this is the case.

Most retailers, however, don’t get the chance to check this. If your designer makes their dresses here in the UK, you can be absolutely sure that the workforce is paid above the minimum wage and that working conditions are good.

How do you know this for a fact?

First, it’s the law, and second, you can easily visit and see for yourself.

Most of our retailers have visited us. They are always welcome here, and can speak to their brides and tell them that their dress is made in

a clean, modern factory and design studio where the people are paid properly and have a very comfortable working environment. Our clients not only know our designer, but have chatted to our production staff and seen them at work.

Important, too, is that spending your money with British designers keeps resources and investment in the UK and employs people here who pay tax, and that funds our own NHS and other infrastructures.

If you support British-made design you are also supporting British skills and expertise and this in turn enables us to train tomorrow’s designers and seamstresses. Keeping these precious skills in the UK is surely an amazing benefit of buying British.

More and more consumers are really interested in the ethics of the supply chain and the ultimate proof

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of this is seeing how your dresses are made with your own eyes. We are also in control of our own fabric supply and are gradually replacing all our fabrics with eco alternatives made from recycled and natural materials.

All this creates a wonderful story which incorporates British ingenuity and skills as well as taking ethical and environmental responsibility for our own product.

The provenance of our dresses is completely transparent and open to scrutiny. We are so proud to be part of a tradition which spans hundreds of years of knowledge and investment in people.

When you relate this to your bride she can own this story as part of the choice she has made when choosing the most important dress she will ever wear.

Meet the PRO & MINI

To put the power of Propress into your customer’s hands, contact us for reseller opportunities.

Tel: 020 8417 0660 | Email: hello@propress.co.uk propress.co.uk | @propressUK

A new force in the bridal industry Creating Magic Together: The merger of Interbride Fashion Fair and European Bridal Week has been announced

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he board members of the Interbride Fashion Fair and the organisers of United Fairs’ European Bridal Week have confirmed that these two industryleading trade events are merging into one, establishing a powerful single force that will serve to consolidate the bridal fashion industry as a whole, from both the supplier and retailer perspective. The slogan: “Because Passion Unites Us” could not be more appropriate in this vibrant environment.

By joining forces to create the biggest and most important bridal platform in northern Europe, the two trade expositions are able to meet the

demands of their many thousands of visitors who see a single event supported from the established experts – Interbride Fashion Fair and European Bridal Week – as key not only to developing the market in Germany, but also attracting widescale global interest. “Creating Magic Together” is the statement that says it all.

Bringing together the diverse skills of both parties serves to further strengthen this dynamic proposition. Exhibition visitors will be offered a multifaceted portfolio of internationally-respected, top-quality brands from houses distinguished by their individuality. And with all the

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major names in one arena, under one roof, retailers will clearly be better able to focus on their buying decisions. It was this premise, a shared desire to support the retail trade to the highest level despite the global economic and political challenges, that has resulted in the development of the impressive new annual event, which provides new and prospering impetus for the industry.

European Bridal Week, 1-3 April 2023 at Messe Essen in Essen, Germany, will undoubtedly be the most efficient industry and communication meeting point for the industry as a whole. europeanbridalweek.com

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Twinkle Toes We asked some of the top shoe designers and makers about forthcoming trends

CHARLOTTE MILLS UK RRP range: £255-£295 Number of styles: 35, plus wide options Fabrics and embellishment: Ivory pearl leather, crushed pearl glitter, pearl studs, tulle bows.

Stand-out features: Each pair of Charlotte Mills bridal shoes comes complete with the phrase ‘Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.’ An original silver sixpence coin is fitted into each left shoe.

Key trend for the new season Pearls are still a top trend, along with block heels – brides are wanting not only a stylish bridal shoe but a comfortable one as well. That’s why we only offer block heels, and every style in multiple heel heights.

T: +44 (0)161 971 1827 E: press@charlottemills.com W: www.charlottemills.com

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FREYA ROSE UK RRP range: £295-£975 Number of styles: 40, ten of which are dyeable Fabrics and embellishment: Satin, suede and leather with silk satin, crystal and pearl embellishments.

Stand-out features: Shoes to treasure forever. Handcrafted genuine mother of pearl heel. Intricately hand-cut, inlaid and polished. Iridescent natural pearly shell is used to create unique wearable works of art. Other precious materials used within the signature mother of pearl heels are sterling silver and brass.

Key trend for the new season Block heels - modern, sturdy, comfortable block heels (high & low) that see you effortlessly over any terrain; from summery grass weddings to beautiful cobbled street celebrations. These jewelled block heels are the perfect balance of comfort and style, giving height without added strain on the feet.

T: +44 0845 371 4466 E: wholesale@freyarose.com W: www.freyarose.com

DI HASSALL UK RRP range: £275-£395 Number of styles: 24 Fabrics and embellishment: Butter soft suedes, organza, French lace, Italian satins, feathers, pearls and embroidery.

Stand-out features: Fabulous floral embellishments with pearl and diamanté accents, hand embroidery featuring sequinned flowers, with pearls and seed beads, glossy pearl embellishment and feather fringing.

Key trend for the new season Chunky glossy pearly mules for that red carpet thigh high split glamour, and deeply romantic floral embroidered courts and mules in blush suede with ivory embroidery.

T: +44 (0)7486 390 554 E: di@dianehassall.com W: www.dianehassall.com

RAINBOW CLUB UK RRP range: £75-£175 Number of styles: 22 Fabrics and embellishment: Lustrous ivory satin, and some styles with intricate lace uppers and all over glitter finishes.

Stand-out features: : Rainbow Club’s shoes feature their Bliss Comfort technology - the brand’s signature padded linings, as well as a super-soft underfoot cushioning, designed to give day-long support. Each shoe has a hidden blue crystal in the sole.

The majority of satin shoes can be hand-dyed using the brand’s unique Colour Studio service – great for mums and guest, too.

Key trend for the new season Embellishment in all forms –glamorous crystal work, 3D floral detailing, chiffon bows and oversized pearls in fashion-forward block heels and skinny party styles.

T: +44 (0)1392 207 030 E: shoes@rainbowclub.co.uk W: www.rainbowclub.co.uk J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 61

LAURE&LAY UK RRP range: €279-€319 Number of styles: 880+ Fabrics and embellishment: Finest Italian leather, intricate details.

Stand-out features: Some styles can be personalised with an engraving on a detachable charm.

Key trend for the new season block heels, fine platforms T: +49 (0)2132 9685204 E: hallo@laure-lay.com W: www.laure-lay.com

Galia Lahav’s bridal shoe collection

G WESTERLEIGH UK RRP range: £90-£110 Number of styles: 44, and 13 new in December Fabrics and embellishment: Satin, embellished with pearls, crystals and lace Stand-out features: Offering the ultimate in comfort, every shoe is padded not only at the sole and the front but also, where style allows, at the back. Beautiful packing includes a free pair of gel pads and heel grips – great for in-between sizes.

Key trend for the new season Block heels, in different heights, gleaming pearls.

T: +36-30 123 0236 E: info@westerleigh.hu W: www.gwesterleigh.com

This range is designed with the same attention to detail, craftsmanship and quality that is the focus for the bridal gowns from this Tel Aviv-based house.

The six-style collection caters to the fashion-forward bride for whom every detail on her wedding day has been considered. Produced in Italy using the leading manufacturing techniques and finest materials, the shoe range is crafted from soft nappa leather, rich crepe satin, subtle calf suede, elegant lace, and glittery tulle in shades of ivory and silver. Current styles include sophisticated d’Orsay pumps, sexy slingbacks, open-toe platform sandals, edgy peep-toe booties, and sleek high vamp pumps, all featuring a signature sculpted 105mm heel that denotes the sexy and bold Galia Lahav brand.

Prices range from US $750-$1,595.

Find out more at www.galialahav.com/ product-category/bridal/shoes/

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THE PERFECT BRIDAL COMPANY UK RRP range: £80-£155 Number of styles: 170 options including matching bags Fabrics and embellishment: Dyeable satin, intricate laces including sequin and beaded detailing, crystal embellishments, and sparkle fabrics.

Stand-out features: Super comfortable fittings, breathable cushioned leather insoles. Customisable by adding shoe clips and straps, as well as colour match dyeing.

Wide fit and larger sizes available. Superior craft box packing; matching handbags for all products.

Key trend for the new season Elegant points with block heels from low to high, pearl and crystal embellishments feature heavily, as well as sheer laces and illusion panels.

T: +44 (0)455 823814 E: an@theperfectbridalcompany.com W: www.theperfectbridalcompany.com

A great occasion With weddings back on the agenda and parties in full swing, women are taking every opportunity to dress up in style and go with the glow

B

e they proud mums of the bride and groom, delighted wedding guests, attendees at special events, or best friends who can’t wait to be bridesmaids, there’s a brilliant choice of occasionwear out there that will keep them more than happy. Looking the part is what counts, so here’s our pick of the looks that promise to be the season’s

DRESSED UP Style: DU465 Fabric: Stretch crepe Special features: Attached scarf over shoulder Colours: Jazz pink, navy, cobalt or silver Size range: UK 16–32

Pieces in new collection: 30 RRP: £739 Minimum order: 18 pieces Delivery: July–mid August Contact: Avril Forbes E: avril@veromia.co.uk www.veromia.co.uk

ALFRED SUNG BRIDESMAIDS Styles: D833_D834_D835 Fabric: Organdy Special features: Three classic neckline options with a full pleated skirt that moves beautifully.

Colours: 22 colours plus this beautiful Penelope Floral Print Size range: US 00–30 Pieces in new collection: 10 RRP: POA Minimum order: Just 1 piece Delivery: 7-10 weeks E: stylists@dessy.com www.dessy.com

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VEROMIA OCCASIONS

THREAD BRIDESMAIDS

Style: VO8118 Fabric: Stretch crepe and chiffon petal fabric Special features: Attached scarf over shoulder Colours: Slver or cobalt blue Size range: UK 8–20 Pieces in new collection: 25 RRP: £325 Minimum order: 24 pieces Delivery: July–mid August Contact: Avril Forbes E: avril@veromia.co.uk www.veromia.co.uk

Style: TH090 Fabric: Whisper satin Special features: Cutout tie back, front slit Colours: 24 Size range: US 00–30 Pieces in new collection: 6–10 RRP: POA Minimum order: Just 1 piece Delivery: 7-10 weeks E: stylists@dessy.com www.dessy.com

DESSY COLLECTION

LABELLA

Styles: 3100 Fabric: Lux charmeuse Special features: Twist cuff oneshoulder princess line trumpet gown Colours: 26 Size range: US 00–30 Pieces in new collection: 6–10 RRP: POA Minimum order: Just 1 piece Delivery: 7–10 weeks E: stylists@dessy.com www.dessy.com

Styles: 3216U Fabric: Sparkling stretch Special features: Layered slit skirt, lace embellishments, highlight at waist Colours: Navy, purple, royal blue, dark red Size range: UK 8–26 Pieces in new collection: 125 RRP: £299 Minimum order: No minimums Delivery: 12–18 weeks E: mail@ginocerruti.com www.ginocerruti.com

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INVITATIONS

BY VENI Styles: 29662C Fabric: Soft crepe Special features: V-neckline, Detachable shoulder pads Colours: Vintage rose, stone, sapphire, navy, frost, carnival, aubergine Size range: 6–30 Pieces in new collection: 28 RRP: £500 Minimum order: N/A Delivery: N/A E: enquiries@ronaldjoyce.com www.veni-infantino.com/

VENI INFANTINO Styles: 991930 Fabric: Crepe Special features: Bateau neckline, ¾ sleeves, beaded neckline detail and beaded belt Colours: Aubergine, forest green, ivory/taupe, ivory/ vintage rose, ivory/navy, magenta

Size range: 6–30 Pieces in new collection: 43 RRP: £625 Minimum order: N/A Delivery: N/A E: enquiries@ronaldjoyce.com www.veni-infantino.com/

COUTURE CLUB by Spain´s luxurious design house Rosa Clará

is created to celebrate contemporary womanhood. With a focus on clean lines and sophisticated silhouettes, this collection is for the cosmopolitan, modern Mother of the bride or groom. The fabrics are fluid, the colours brighter and the prints less traditional. Fabrics include crepe, brocade, organza, lace and chiffon, and sizes go up to UK 32. There are 100 dazzlers in the new collection.

Contact England & Wales: Jonathan Wheeler +44(0) 777 586 1444; Ireland and N.Ireland: Rory McGurk +353 87 260 1695; Scotland: Sona Houston +44(0) 758 309 3832 J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ 65

BRIDESPEAK

We asked newlyweds and those about to say “I do” how they coped with the lifestyle changes that came with the pandemic. And we got some fascinating answers “Well, we waited two years or so. Bit nails, tugged hair, took up baking, made contact through social media with people we hadn’t seen for years. Fretted about our dresses.

We learned to play poker (not well), and watched a huge amount of rubbishy television. So, when it was suddenly okay to realise our dream, we put those months behind us and focused on celebrating. The staff at the boutique where we bought our gowns were amazing and sorted alterations (needed after all that cake-consuming) really fast as we were worried the freedom to go ahead would be halted again. The only thing that sadden us both was that certain friends and family members couldn’t share our long-awaited day.”

Sam and Lizzie

“After all those ons and offs and repeated disappointments because of restrictions, we decided that rather than play it down and be discreet, we’d wait and do it big time. Big celebration, big numbers, the biggest cake imaginable, music and dancing and a dream of a dress that my chosen bridal boutique just knew would work for me. It is big, too, with detachable sleeves and a big floaty overskirt so I’ll be able to change my look several times. Are we being extravagant? Yes, and we deserve it.”

Ruthie and Charlie

“Of course it wasn’t what we’d planned, and what I’d looked forward to since I was a kid, but the smallness and intimacy of what I now refer to as our Little Day was so very special. I did wear the dress I had picked at the start, a big frothy number, and I love the photographs of just the two of us, looking for all intents and purposes, like we had stepped away from the crowd. Will we be having a follow-up wedding? Nope.

Our Little Day was a dream come true, just realised in a different way.”

Lara and Pete

“We did the best thing possible. Hung up our wedding kit for another day and made a baby instead. He’s a year old now, and a dream come true. We will get round to replanning a big day soon, but I want our little Jack to be there.”

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“I know this sounds crazy, but having to stay put didn’t really bother us, especially as we both work from home anyway. We used Zoom almost every day to talk to friends and family and probably spent more time in conversation than we would normally. And we also got to know our young nieces and nephews which would not have happened normally. After much thought, we have now replanned our wedding and are going to combine it with a holiday somewhere exotic. Just the two of us. I hadn’t made a firm decision about my dress when we first got engaged – I had wanted a real classic originally – and my favourite shop did not try to pressurise me, which I am so thankful for. I have now been back to them and picked, with their help, a beautiful boho look made up of trousers, a top, and also a skirt, so I’ll be able to take my pick when we get back home and have a really relaxed party.”

Cindy and Max

“I have to say, in retrospect, would our wedding have been better with all those friends and family on the original list? It was perfect being just us, a long way from what we envisaged, and every minute has become a special treasure that will stay with us forever.

I’m not sure that would have been the case if we had spent the day entertaining guests. I had always planned a chic, simple slip dress with a shawl that had been my grandma’s, and that’s what I wore. My other half, I have to say, wore jeans and a linen jacket!”

Sonja and Fredric “The best thing that came out of the covid situation and being stuck at home was realising that my intended one was not the best thing for me. We split up a year ago and I felt so free, despite the pandemic restrictions in place. I have now met someone else and we are talking about life together and a wedding is on the cards. Last time round, I went to three or four different bridal boutiques and was so undecided about what I wanted (that makes sense now), but now I have an appointment set up with just one who stayed in contact in the early days of lockdown and was also a great listener when I decided to call off the relationship. I want that consultant with me on my special day.”

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MAGGIE SOTTERO

CARTA BRANCA

ATELIER EMELIA

FRANCE

I T A LY

USA

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS Peta Hunt wanted to call this feature ‘Around the World in 80 Dresses’ but gave up on that idea realising 80 would just be too much to take in!

So here is her edited version of the styles that demand your attention

I

’m going to start by saying I only thought a couple of countries ever made wedding dresses in any kind of numbers, which were China, of course, from high end to well, let’s not go there; a bit of everything in Turkey, hand beaded in India; and the US. I had no idea until the war broke out what a huge manufacturer of wedding dresses Ukraine was – and not just for their own designers but for many others. Those manufacturers are tough people, resilient and strong, and a

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giant applause to them for moving factories and carrying on and trying to supply the rest of the world with their products and not disappoint thousands of brides-to-be who had ordered their dream dress.

Another point I’ve never really taken on board until now is just how important bridal shows are. (A sharp intake of breath there… I actually said that!). I always took them for granted and felt they were a terrible labour of love and a bit of an inconvenience,

KATY CORSO

ROSA CLARA

SPAIN but once they were taken away from us due to circumstances beyond our control, I think we truly appreciated just how much they were missed and needed.

Who would’ve thought that when I went back to Harrogate I was flooded with affection for the city and all the halls and the mad hotels I’d stayed in there. I was well known a few years ago for handwriting notes and giving them to reception on leaving because of things like flies on the windowsill, carpet gripper showing where the carpet had worn away, carpets so sticky you kept your shoes on! I remember the time I had one room that was so small I could sit on the bed put my foot in the shower and turn the television on. My assistant at the time didn’t even have a number on his room – basically it was a cupboard with a bed in it.

On my trip pre-Covid, I walked into my room to hang up my clothes for the annual awards only to discover there

UKRAINE wasn’t a wardrobe or even a peg to use; I even looked in the bathroom to see if there was one there, but no, there wasn’t. You don’t think of checking these things when you arrive and register at a hotel, assuming all you need and want will be at the ready.

At this same hotel, I had to send my breakfast back three times because I couldn’t separate the scrambled egg and smoked salmon that came in one great big pile.

There were so many stories about hotels in Harrogate but once the exhibition stopped, so did those conversation starters and hotel comparisons. It was then that I realised Harrogate was like staying with some dodgy relative who you dread visiting, but when you’re there it’s like you’re wrapped up in some warm blanket of charm, love and friends. But I’m British, and it’s my job to complain about things.

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GREECE

FRANCE Flying out I loved the glamour of travelling to New York to see the collections, though I must admit it was a bit of a nightmare and extremely expensive running from one designer show to another praying that they would all be in the same area. But there was something fundamentally wonderful and inspirational about standing in the road on 5th Avenue sticking your

arm out and demanding to be taken downtown as quickly as possible and then running away from your friends the second the show was over to try and steal a taxi before they got there.

I love to go to Milan, though it’s never been my favourite city.

However, the last few times I went there I experienced the real Milan and really got to grips with it, and with my mosquito repellent because those

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BELGIUM

MODECA

DEMETRIOS

RIME ORODAKY

VIKTOR & ROLF

MADI LANE

BLAMMO BIAMO

BELARUS

AUSTRALIA

HOLLAND Italian Mossies bite like hell!

As members of the press corps, we would meet up and exchange opinions on various designers and point out new ones, and I was always happy to see when British designers made it in Milan, too.

Then of course is the mothership of exhibitions – Barcelona. Its brilliant PR team, the availability of fantastic photographs, and party after catwalk

CLAES IVERSEN

CHIC NOSTA LGIA

PALOMA BLANCA

CHINA

DENMARK

HUNGARY party, and the always sensational Pronovias event.

There are so many shows I haven’t been to – Chicago, Essen, Atlanta – each of which has its own vibe and serves a different purpose. But the thing they all share is that they’re there to showcase great collections in one place, to their own audience, which is often an international one.

In terms of design direction and

VALENTINI

JULIE VINO

DAALARNA

CANADA

ISRAEL trend setting, each country has its own unique handwriting, too. For example, lacey gowns from Australia have a slightly boho vibe and look amazing in pictures because in the sunlight everything looks relaxed, while northern Italy is known for over-the-top dresses full of ruffles and the south is much more sassy in approach. In America, I think it would be fair to say, design personality

I T A LY varies almost from state to state, from east coast slick to west coast laidback.

Dresses from around the globe I thought with this piece I could pick out key trends that were more prevalent in one country than another but there are distinct universal trends – you get quirky in all countries.

I do consider Spain to be

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ELIE SAAB

HERA COUTURE

IVAN YOUNG

M A L AY S I A

SPAIN

SOUTH KOREA outstanding in its offering at the moment, but the UK has really strong designers (I’m gonna make Susi promise to let me do my next piece on UK collections to show that I am not biased).

The statement-making Israeli beadwork seems to be quieter and more controlled but their dresses are still full of sass for me. And I’m keen on a lot of the eastern block designers,

and those beautiful gowns from Ukraine.

Australia has had a huge impact on the broader market over the past few years, especially because ‘elopement’ (aka boho and destination weddings) is popular everywhere.

The USA has amazing labels and so many great designer names like Oscar De la Renta whose brand continues after his death. Obviously, it’s not for

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NEW ZEALAND

ELENA MORAR

VESTAL

MARCO & MARIA

LEBANON

UKRAINE those watching their budget, but what I’ve learned since the world woke up again is that there are a lot of fabulous affordable dresses today’s brides can choose from.

There’s brilliant lace from Spain and Italy, a certain design cheekiness from France, and the all-important commercial collections from the USA. Thank heavens for the world of dresses out there.

ELBETH GILLIS

ERSA ATELIER

AGNIES ZKASWIATLY

ROMANIA

SOUTH AFRICA

VERA WANG

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

POLAND

USA There are fine designers in every country, offering something beautiful, individual, and special; our job is to find them and to introduce them to our audience – retailers and their brides who want to always be that one step ahead.

I hope you like my selection here of gowns for the new season, chosen for their design bravado, individuality and sheer good looks.

USA

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GETTING NOTICED Considering outsourcing your social media? Nikita Thorne of Big Day Agency offers some top tips for finding the right supplier to meet the specific needs of your business

good reputation on social media takes time. It is best to carve out that time to ensure best practices are taking place and goal progress is monitored. So, if you are finding social media is getting forgotten about, or you no longer have time to manage it yourself, then you should consider outsourcing.

More and more couples are using platforms like Instagram and Facebook as part of their wedding ocial media is a crucial tool for research stages. They often use social media to validate their any business in the wedding decision regarding who to work with industry. For bridal retailers or purchase from, wanting to be in particular, social media confident in certain suppliers and provides an opportunity to showcase ensure that theirs is a business they the styles you have available, give can trust. your brand a clear personality and So, if you simply do not have the interact with brides who are in the time or the energy to put effort into market for their bridalwear. These your social media marketing, then you outcomes then have the potential to should definitely look at outsourcing convert initial interest into a sale. it to an experienced and professional When outsourcing your social media, it is critically important that you team that can support you in achieving your goals. have access to a marketing agency Big Day Agency supports wedding with a deep understanding of the businesses with their marketing wedding industry, as well as direct through consultancy and activity access to engaged couples, and of course the digital marketing expertise. management. Here are their top So, it is no surprise that many business tips for finding the right partner to support your business’s social media owners consider outsourcing this marketing activity. element to wedding marketing experts like Big Day Agency.

1 Choose someone you trust When you choose to outsource your When the time is right social media, it is true that you’ll give Between supporting your brides, managing your team and trying to find up some control which can be nervewracking when you are so used to a spare moment for your personal doing it all yourself. That’s why it’s so life, running a bridal retail business can be hectic! Growing and building a important to choose someone you

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can trust.

Instead of using your own instincts, and in many cases minimal knowledge of platform algorithms, with the right partner you’ll feel confident that your social media marketing is in the hands of knowledgeable specialists who you can trust.

You’ll be able to see success in a way that is systematically calculated and most importantly, regularly discussed with you so you are always in the loop and part of the strategy.

This helps you to maintain control of what gets posted, without the stress of worrying if you are doing it correctly or keeping up with the algorithm.

Top tip: Ask them how their client relationships work. For example, at Big Day Agency, we begin our relationship with social media partners by scheduling a proper discovery call and handover session. From then on, clients receive a monthly status report and a quarterly strategy and feedback session. You’ll deal with one person throughout the relationship and they will be your main contact.

They’ll get to know your brand, your ethos, your tone of voice and be able to communicate with your audience in a way that feels right to you, but has their expertise behind it.

2 Top skill sets for a fraction of in-house hiring You want to get a great service for a price that isn’t going to break the bank. Because of this, you’re probably weighing up whether to hire in-house

or outsource. Considering the service you would need, the cost to hire talent with comparable expertise to an agency, along with the time it takes to hire and train; you’ll likely find that outsourcing is a pretty good deal!

The typical social media management solution involves the following specialist skills: • Copywriting • Project management • Strategy and content planning • Image editing • Cross-platform algorithm understanding • Analytics When hiring in house, you’d need to consider how many hours that individual would need to work for, how much to pay them for their skills, and

other employee benefits.

When outsourcing your marketing, you can expect to pay either a monthly fee, an hourly rate, or individual project-based fees. You also won’t need to worry about the additional cost of pensions or national insurance.

When you consider the time and cost involved to hire an individual or team to manage your social media with all of these skill sets, the cost could be considerably higher than outsourcing.

Did you know, the average UK salary for a full-time social media executive is £24,847* per annum? *Source: Glassdoor https://www. glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/social-mediaexecutive-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm

3 Know what success means to you and set measurable goals Success looks different for everyone. In order to be sure you are getting good results, you need to communicate what that means for you and your business with your chosen agency. For some, they want to grow their following. For others, it’s about driving leads to their website. For many, it’s a mixture of a number of different things. A handful of clear and achievable goals that are easy to assess and measure are key to this.

A good agency will be realistic, assess what should be achievable and monitor the progress. They should be able to give feedback to you on how things are going each month in a report and provide insight into whether targets need reassessing or if there are

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additional things that can be done to boost the ability to achieve the target (ie putting spend behind advertising). If the target is not achieved, they should be able to look back at what happened and assess what should be tried next time to achieve this.

following? Are you looking to create a 5 What can generally be expected?

TikTok account? These are the kinds For most, the desired results are of questions a media agency will be achieved at a steady rate, with some asking. ups and downs depending on what’s been tried and tested during that time • Whether you would need support with community engagement – are or the impact of changes to platform you able to spend a few minutes algorithms. On the odd occasion a day replying to comments and you may see the goal achieved very 4 Manage your expectations engaging with similar accounts to quickly through a boom, but this will Building a business takes time and yours? Is this something that you’d not happen on every occasion. as mentioned above, success looks You can expect your chosen partner prefer a media agency to take over? different to everyone. It’s important to communicate the progress with you ●• The kind of activities you’re needing to manage your expectations; just as support with – do you need help with on a regular basis (usually through a building a multi-million pound business monthly report) and identify what’s copywriting, media management doesn’t happen overnight, you can’t or content creation? Or perhaps all going well, where changes need to expect to have gained thousands three? be made, and what opportunities are of followers within days of hiring an ● • What you can still do yourself vs available to help reach your goals. agency. You need to look at the data you what you need total support with currently have and assess the patterns to 6 Be clear on your requirements – do you want to still be posting or be able to formulate achievable targets. You would expect a bride to have done would you like a media agency to When you hire an agency, you are some research on styles and designers take full responsibility? hiring someone with the experience and that you stock before they enter the ● • Your ideal monthly budget for expertise to be able to mathematically outsourcing – how much are you boutique. analyse your current results and predict willing or able to spend?

Outsourcing for social media the path ahead. They will be setting ● • Finally, what you envision your management is the same. Make sure these realistic targets with you and relationship with the agency you have an idea of the following may be able to offer their insights of achieving –what are your long term things so that you can get accurate past campaigns based on your desired goals and when would you like to quotes and avoid wasting your results. reach them? valuable time: • The platforms you would like to feature on – do you just want to focus on increasing your Instagram

Big Day Agency are wedding industry experts and specialists in social media marketing, working with many different businesses across the industry from venues to bridal boutiques. If you are looking to outsource your social media marketing, contact them to arrange a free, no obligation discovery call to discuss your needs.

bigdayagency.co.uk/contact | 01235 773462

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TOP TIPS FOR BRIDAL RETAILERS ON TIKTOK If you’re a bridal retailer who wants to be active on TikTok but you don’t know where to start or how to use it for commercial gain, don’t worry, you are not alone! To help you make the most of this popular social platform, the marketing team at Guides for Brides share the strategy that led to nearly a quarter of a million views of just one of their TikTok videos

1

CO PY T R ENDS

TikTok is ALL about trends. Get started by watching videos on your ‘For You’ page and giving them a go yourself.

It’s an easy way to make content because you simply copy another video and put a new caption that matches your brand.

Sounds too good to be true, and against all your copyright principles?

This is how most of the viral TikTokers have built their empire of followers and is the accepted way to use this platform. Of course original content is great too, but you can just as easily get views and likes from doing lip sync videos and dancing videos as you can from creating content from scratch, so it can be a good way to get started.

2

G ET SP OT T ED

Your Tiktok success depends on the algorithm showing your videos to a relevant audience. If enough people engage with it, the algorithm shows it to more people, and that’s how content can go viral.

It’s hard when you are busy, but to gain a following on TikTok you should ideally post every day, or at least every few days.

The TikTok algorithm favours accounts that post consistently so this will help to get your videos shown to more people and increases your chances of a video going viral. Unlike some platforms, there’s no risk of overloading your audience by posting too much content.

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3

ADD COM M ERC IA L CON TEN T

As a bridal retailer, you need to be showing off your dresses, shoes and accessories as much as possible.

Think about showing all the dresses a bride tried on and comparing it to the one they chose, or showing images of different dresses to ask your audience which they like the best.

The possibilities are endless, but remember to include some content featuring you and your team, as this helps your audience and followers to get to know you as a company.

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4

E X P E R I M E NT

TikTok is about having fun whilst making films that fit your brand.

There’s a lot to be said for trying new types of content and putting your business a bit more ‘out there’. For example, if you usually film lip sync videos to trending sounds, you might want to change it up by adding videos of you giving tips and advice to your audience, showing them a ‘day in the life’, or even just recall a funny encounter or experience. Try videos of different lengths, so if you usually post short 15 second videos, have a go at making a one or two minute video once in a while.

5

ADD CAPT IONS AN D HASH TAG S

Captions are a huge part of conveying your message and getting your video to perform well. Aim to write short, engaging captions that either explain the video further or add an extra level of humour. Even if you can’t think of a caption, always include some hashtags that are relevant to your business. Aim to have about 3-5 hashtags with keywords such as ‘bridal’, ‘weddings’, ‘engagement’ and ‘wedding dress’ in the majority. You can also use hashtags which relate to the sound, as shown above!

6

IN TERACT

As with all social media channels, it’s not about just broadcasting your content. You’ll also need to spend time interacting with other content creators, understanding what works for your competitors, and responding to messages left on your videos to encourage more interaction.

The guru of wedding TikToks, Gideon Hermosa, has noticed that comments with a minimum of five words seem to be favoured by the algorithm.

G E T START E D So, get started today and create a business TikTok account for your bridalwear shop. You never know where it could lead to over the next few years since TikTok is currently the fastest growing platform and a great resource for you to build an online presence!

Finally, remember to include links on your TikTok page to your website and your Instagram, so that couples can find out more about you and your business and - hopefully - book in a visit!

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Fads, societal trends, and Wow Factors N Think about it. Can the above be viewed as short term gimmicks, or longterm genius marketing strategies? Helena Cotter has a view

ight time online purchases have gone through the roof as people buy more when they are relaxing at home and have had a drink or two.

As a result, many bricks and mortar designer clothes shops and boutiques (non-bridal) now offer luxury shopping experiences by serving alcohol, cakes, nibbles and treats while their customers browse and possibly buy something.

Today, due partly to the demand for online shopping, our bridal retailers are also under tremendous pressure to constantly think of novel and unique ways using wow factors to attract and delight potential customers and their guests.

Retail customers are even more keen to be part of this culture in all aspects of luxury shopping – and that includes bridal.

Wanting to be (or continue to be) the number one hot spot; the must-

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visit boutique is more important than ever. There’s always going to be competition and now more than ever there are many, many bridal retailers all wanting a slice of business, so anything you can do to further stand out from the crowd can only be a good thing.

With this in mind, I thought it might be a perfect opportunity to talk about the pros and cons of offering more of a relaxed, fun, party like atmosphere in what is firstly a retail business environment.

I always say to my customers, my job is not to tell anyone how to run their business; all I aim to do here is look at these innovative phenomena as an outsider.

Moving with the times Only you will know how far you wish to go in terms of what you choose to offer your potential customers. It is important, too, to recognise when

If you choose to serve or are serving alcohol, remember the customer’s judgement and inhibitions may be clouded/lowered.

Brides will probably need a clear, unmuddled head when making such a large financial and emotional purchase.

We don’t want them having to deal with buyer’s remorse, because they bought a wedding gown on impulse, cheered on by their guests. That dreaded Monday morning ‘phone call when they say they’ve changed their minds.

When it comes to sales, there can be the dangers of alcohol-induced choice paralysis, or they may buy more than they intended to. This can affect all brides and is not good for business.

Be very aware of appointment timings. When you make it so comfortable that the customers are in no hurry to leave, the last thing they want to hear is “My next bride is here”.

All that rapport you’ve worked hard to build with them will now come crumbling down.

Your next bride probably arrived on time and won’t want to be kept waiting because another appointment has overrun. You’ll need to work extra hard to build that new relationship.

On that note, it is important to retain some professional boundaries.

When you become the bride’s best friend, you are making it very easy for them to say no to you – as they would a good friend. Striking the right balance between professional and friendly(ish) is imperative.

Think about detail Over offering is never a guarantee You need to stay ahead. Fads and of a sale. I appreciate money is not trends come and go, attention to detail and consistency should be your going to be your primary motive foundation stones as they are second when offering alcohol/treats etc. First and foremost, I am sure you wish to nature and demonstrate success, give your customer the most fabulous trust and longevity. appointments, which they’ll never As always happens, when the majority of boutiques follow your lead forget. Creating memories to last.

To be honest, I know you offer that by offering similar drinks/snacks, it anyway, regardless of the addition of will reach saturation point, become delicious treats. the norm, and you’ll need to be Having said that, we don’t want thinking of new wow factors to help potential customers to use your you again stand out from the crowd. good is good enough.

Offering alcohol and treats may not be a sustainable long-term strategy but it is certainly an innovative pairing, offering drinks etc. whilst shopping. It is of the moment, a 21st century way to shop.

There is certainly room for it in this industry as it can relax otherwise nervous brides and perhaps give them a little extra confidence.

The over offering/over delivering approach can be the initial attraction to draw customers through your door.

We don’t want it, though, to become the main attraction that you are famous for.

It is wise therefore to not rely solely on this, as when the temperature cools, you’ll need all your professional sales and customer skills in order to succeed.

Giving great customer service, being attentive, listening to them and ensuring their comfort in conjunction with the extras you may choose to offer, can further enhance their shopping experience.

The minute your brides walk through your door, they are thinking about wedding dresses. However, initially, the way you decide to sell your business (and whether your customers choose to buy from you) depends on whether they trust you to deliver now, and how you will look after them for the whole of their shopping journey.

They will be weighing you up when they meet you – regardless of what, if anything, you choose to serve them.

boutique for a fun day out when they clearly have no intention of buying anything from you. You know the ones who state “I am not buying today” when they walk through the door! So, preparing well for your appointments is vital.

VIP appointments I understand there are some bridal retailers who will never charge for appointments and that’s ok too. As I’ve said before, you must do what you believe is best for your business and your customers.

However, dedicated special appointments certainly can and do work. During my research for this feature and speaking to many clients, I learn that brides/groups who are paying for a VIP appointment tend to feel more committed to you and your business, and go on to actually buying something.

Alcohol sales Beer sales have dropped dramatically over the past five years and wine sales have dropped for the first time in 25 years. Demand for non-alcoholic beers, wines and mocktails though have increased by nearly ten percent.

When serving alcohol, we should remember some people may be trying to cut down on their booze intake. We see this during #dryJanuary and #soberSeptember which are heavily promoted during the year.

You’ll want to check licensing laws and regulations to ensure you are compliant.

It may not be for everyone, but trying it and monitoring how successful it is will show you the way forward for your own business.

In summary, I say if it works for you, keep doing it!

Helena Cotter E: info@helenacotter.co.uk W: .helenacotter.co.uk Insta: hccoaching Twitter: @HCSalesTrainer Linkedin: Helena Cotter

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Smartwatch News of three, though Samsung’s market share is growing as Huawei’s declines in the wake of its expulsion from the Android community.

Will the Watch 8 be a major upgrade from last year’s Watch 7?

Rumours say not. There may be a more powerful processor, but a bigger battery to eliminate the need to charge the watch every night is being discounted, as is a bigger screen. Even health monitoring features such as skin temperature measurement (for tracking fertility), blood glucose levels (for diabetics) and blood pressure monitoring (for athletes) seem to be off martwatch fans are on the menu for the time being.

Who’ll be first? tenterhooks at the moment In fact, most interest is focussing on The Pixel Watch will launch this with rumours swirling about new models from Apple and autumn, probably at roughly the same the possible launch of a new Watch SE for the budget-conscious user, and a time as the Galaxy Watch 5 from Samsung, and Google about to enter rugged watch for sportspeople.

Samsung. the market.

Here’s where I need to make a Rumour has it that three models The most important new watch is personal statement. I’m not a big fan will be launched including a topundoubtedly Google’s Pixel Watch, of smartwatches. They are very stylish of-the-line Pro version with a larger given the search giant’s history of and all, but the screens are too small producing very powerful hardware as screen and a bigger battery, plus an ultra-robust glass and case. The other to be of much practical use except for a testbed for its software. notifications of incoming messages Teaser images from Google’s recent models will be a mid-range Classic or new cute cat vids on TikTok. developer conference show a It seems now that we consumers In fact, if you are not careful circular face, a rounded body your expensive wrist-jewel can and a side button, but little must choose between the Apple degenerate into a machine for more detail. What is certain is that it will incorporate a lot and Android universes and never driving you nuts with beeps every few minutes. of fitness tech from specialist mix and match.

When Steve Jobs announced maker Fitbit, which Google the first Apple Watch, I admit my bought recently for $2bn. The and a more affordable, smaller device. initial reaction was irritation that the main health sensor will probably be guy who had made the wristwatch But the main buzz has centred the Fitbit heart rate monitor which obsolete by creating the iPhone on the Apple Watch 8, probably measure blood oxygen levels and should now have the effrontery to launching in September.

ECG readings. It may even measure suggest we all spend a fortune on Apple’s smartwatch is easily the body fat percentage. most popular such device, outselling a new watch that would need to be Google worked with Samsung on the nearest rival, Samsung, by a factor charged every night. the latest iteration of Wear OS, the

It’s all happening, as the big boys get ready to strap their latest offerings onto our wrists so we can supposedly run our lives – and assess our health needs – any time day or night. Great news? Maybe not, says Chis Partridge

S

version of Android for phones and other wearables. Wear OS devices can be tightly bound to Android phones, bringing popular features such as Google Pay, Google Maps and Google Assistant to your wrist.

However, Wear OS is now incompatible with Apple’s iOS so smartwatches now fall into two nonspeaking camps, as iOS has never been able to talk to Android. It is a bit sad, but as time goes by it seems that we consumers must choose between the Apple and Android universes and never mix and match.

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Of all the places to mount a miniature computer, the wrist is about the most awkward. Looking at the screen close-to means holding your arm at a very uncomfortable angle, making using it to make phone calls a painful experience.

One of the most hyped features of the average smartwatch is the ability to monitor health and fitness.

Nowadays all the main brands can count the steps you take, tell you how many calories you are burning, measure your heart rate and detect sleep apnoea.

But how accurate are they, really?

You would think counting steps would be easy, but because smartwatches are attached to your wrist rather than in theory but the sensor can be put off the accuracy of smartwatch calorie your ankle they tend to interpret hand counts as plus or minus 30 per cent, by skin colour, hairy wrists and even movements as steps which is not very which is barely better than sticking a how tightly the watch is strapped helpful. Clever software helps but on. Much better results are gained finger in the air and guessing. step counts are rarely more by a heart monitor on a chest accurate than plus or minus 10 Some estimates put the accuracy of strap, but the only people who per cent. wear them are professional smartwatch calorie counts as plus Calorific burn is particularly athletes or professional difficult to measure accurately or minus 30 per cent, which is barely hypochondriacs. without specialist scientific In fact, the only thing that better than sticking a finger in the air smartwatches do better than equipment, but smartwatches claim to do it by complex phones is making contactless and guessing. algorithms that estimate the payments - a masterful sweep power you have been putting in and of the wrist over the terminal and the Even the heart rate monitor is less thus the energy you have expended. than 100 per cent accurate. They work job is done.

The result is less impressive than you So if all you want to do is tell the by shining infrared light into your wrist might think - some estimates put to illuminate your pulse, which is fine time, get a nice wristwatch.

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WEDDING TRADER GOES LEGAL Every issue we bring you the latest information on new legalities that could affect your business. This is where advice from the experts really matters...

B Corporations And Fashion – To B Or Not To B make themselves more transparent and reinvent their brand. Prada has also recently expressed interest in obtaining B Corporation certification, a move that could accelerate B Corporations to become the industry standard.

Many fashion brands and stores have been subjected to considerable scrutiny and criticism over their use of unethical practices and questionable supply chains, including: •the use of real fur by Canada Goose in their jackets his month, Ermenegildo •Uniqlo, Zara and Nike because of Zegna announced that practices within their supply chains it was linking executive •And of course, the collapse of Rana pay to climate targets Plaza in Bangladesh which resulted as part of its new environmental in the deaths of over 1,100 people strategy. Meanwhile Kontoor Brands and which Primark had previously appointed a new global head of been warned that the structure and ESG (Environmental, Social and working conditions within the factory Governance). were unsafe.

But some brands are going As such, becoming certified as a further and addressing becoming B Corporation may allow a fashion B Corporations as was the case in October 2021 when Chloe announced brand to stand out in a saturated marketplace as a company that is that they had achieved certification truly conscious of their environmental as a B Corporation. A legacy fashion and social impact or, on the other brand has taken drastic steps to side, to demonstrate that they are atoning for past unethical practices by overhauling their entire structure.

Paul Taylor, Fawad Rashid and Steve Sidkin of Fox Williams explain what B Corporation status is and the growing interest from businesses who wish to change their way of working

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Are you B’ing real?

Inevitably, the recent trend of becoming certified as a B Corporation has been met with cynicism and criticism. The fashion industry is heavily geared towards 84 ♦ W E D D I N G T R A D E R ♦ J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

PART

1

marketing and presentation, and competition is intense.

Due to this, many have criticised the recent trend of becoming certified as a B Corporation as a method of ‘greenwashing’.

(See [https://www.fashionlaw. co.uk/2022/03/22/fashiongreenwashing-and-esg-are-yousitting-sustainably/]. Greenwashing refers to a marketing strategy in which consumers are persuaded that a company’s products, policies and practices are environmentally friendly when they may not be.

There is definitely a benefit to be had for a fashion brand to become certified as a B Corporation as it provides them with tangible evidence to market their products as environmentally friendly. The B Corporation status can be used across all marketing materials and can allow a brand to distance themselves from the controversies that plague the fashion industry.

Whilst greenwashing may be a bold accusation to level at a fashion brand seeking B Corporation certification (due to the rigorous certification process), there are some criticisms generally of B Corporation status that do not help to address the matter.

The first is that whilst B Labs require transparency from a B Corporation, the certification process is not as transparent as they may

make out. One example of this is that B Lab’s corporate governance board sets the standards that companies are assessed against but they do not show all of the results and performance of each company against these standards.

There is also no requirement to file an annual report detailing a company’s performance, except for those that are publicly listed.

The grass is greener Despite this criticism, there are thousands of B Corporations that became certified in order to make a difference in the industry and ensure that they are running a sustainable operation. For example, Patagonia became certified as a B Corporation as they aimed to reduce their carbon footprint and change the way businesses operated in the fashion industry.

The criteria to become a B Corporation is also rigorous, and companies that voluntarily undertake this process do not do so lightly as it can involve an overhaul of their group structure and allow access to a B Lab’s analyst to review the entire dayto-day operations. A step that anyone attempting to greenwash would be unlikely to take, particularly if there are environmental or ethical issues within their supply chains.

As such, a company would need to restructure to remove any unethical or questionable environmental practices to even be considered for B Corporation certification, and in turn become ‘greener’ and more sustainable.

As the world continues to combat climate change, and consumers become more conscious of the environmental impact of corporations, the B Corporation may continue to be a popular way to prove that fashion brands are moving towards more sustainable practices.

What is a B Corporation?

A B Corporation is a business that meets the criteria set by B Lab, an international organisation that sets standards and policies for

businesses. To become certified as a B Corporation, a company must meet B Lab’s standards of “social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability”.

Many household names have restructured into a B Corporation and become more profitable and outperformed their competition.

Ben and Jerry’s is a prime example of this. They achieved B Corporation certification in September 2012 and their profitability continues to outshine the majority of their competition in the food and beverage industry.

Becoming a B Corporation To become certified as a B Corporation, you must fulfil the criteria set out by B Lab, who carry out an assessment (called a B Impact Assessment) of the business’ impact on its workers, customers, community and the environment.

Businesses must score a minimum of 80 points (out of 200) to become certified.

B Lab will first meet with the business to review the completed assessment and responses provided.

Publicly listed companies are treated differently to private companies in relation to their B impact assessments, with the assessments of public companies being made available online.

However, you will also need to demonstrate a legal commitment to becoming a B Corporation and certain language surrounding the commitment to having a material positive impact on society and the environment and requiring directors to prepare an annual impact report amongst other things, to be inserted into the articles of association of a UK company.

If you decide that after becoming certified, you no longer wish to remain a B Corporation, the certification can be surrendered, as Etsy did in 2017. At the time, Etsy reported that to maintain its certification, it would be required to change its corporate structure,

which it would not do “because converting is a complicated and untested process for existing public companies.” However, this announcement came the same day the New York Times ran an in-depth piece about the transformation Etsy has been undergoing to a more profitdriven company under its new CEO. Take home points To summarise, the key advantages of becoming certified as a B Corporation are: • You can take the first step to becoming more socially and environmentally conscious about the impact of your business • Your company is able to market a social and environmentally friendly image with real substance to support its claim • B Corporations can still remain profitable and in fact are some of the most profitable companies in their respective markets • It may help to rehabilitate any prior unethical practices by demonstrating real steps that the company is taking But… • The process to becoming certified is robust and can be time consuming, and require significant resources • The entire structure of the company will require an overhaul which will require significant time and cost • There is no guarantee that the company, even restructured, will pass the B Impact Assessment to achieve certification • Some may be concerned that becoming a B Corporation can deter the focus of a company from profitability.

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PART

2

Price Fixing ‘Be ye never so high, the law is above you.” Although stated in a High Court ruling 45 years ago, this statement could also be made today about the King of Trainers, JD Sports.

Stephen Sidkin, partner and Anna Agbebi, an associate at Fox Williams LLP explain

– or is persuaded – not to discount from a brand’s RRP. Secondly, in horizontal agreements.

This occurs when two parties at the same level in the supply chain agree to sell at a particular price. In this way, neither is undermining the other’s turnover by engaging in a price war.

This is what happened in the case of JD Sports. The only difference being that as an agreement between JD Sports and Elite Sports (which operated the Gers Online website), it also involved Glasgow Rangers.

The three parties allegedly agreed that JD Sports would raise its price from £55 to £60, to align with the prices being charged by Elite Sports n June 2022, JD Sports confessed on the Glasgow Rangers’ website.

However, as the Competition and to “cartel activity” after it had been found to fix the prices of Glasgow Markets Authority has only published its provisional findings, it remains Rangers FC’s replica football kit that lasted between September 2018 uncertain whether the CMA will decide that Glasgow Rangers has and July 2019. infringed competition law and will fine Price fixing is condemned under the football club. both UK and EU competition laws.

The underlying reason is that where Fines price fixing occurs, consumers lose JD Sports has announced that it out. expects a £2 million fine – a significant Price fixing itself comes in two sum of money although less as far varieties. Firstly, in what are called as JD Sports is concerned given its vertical agreements where a brand turnover and profitability than Dar agrees with a stockist that, for example, there will be no discounting Lighting, which was recently fined £1.5 million by the CMA for breaking from recommended retail prices.

However, resale price maintenance competition law by restricting the level of discounts retailers could can occur at any stage of the supply chain, such as when a retailer agrees offer online.

I

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This amount was almost twice its net profit in the last financial year, which should act as a warning of the financial impact these kinds of fines can have.

The findings come after the CMA fined JD Sports £4.3 million for breaching an order which prohibited JD Sports and Footasylum (after their merger was blocked) from exchanging commercially sensitive information without prior consent, and forced them to alert the CMA if any information had been shared.

In addition, still to come is the result of the CMA’s investigation of JD Sports involving alleged price fixing reelating to the replica soccer strip of Leicester City football club.

Price fixing in fashion The decisions of competition law regulators across Europe demonstrate that price fixing occurs in a swathe of industries. But possibly because of the role fashion plays in society, the industry accounts for more than its fair share of price fixing occurrences.

Twenty-two years ago, JD Sports was engaged in the price fixing of Man United replica kit. Then, in May 2022 the European Commission undertook a number of unannounced dawn raids of some fashion companies amid concerns that they were engaged in anti-competitive activities.

This followed on from its announcement earlier this year that

it was investigating Pierre Cardin for alleged restriction of cross-border and online sales of Pierre Cardinlicensed products, as well as sales of such products to specific customer groups.

Belle Lingerie v Wacoal Meanwhile, back in the UK, Belle Lingerie has commenced an action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal against Wacoal for various anticompetitive and discriminatory measures Belle Lingerie (Belle) sells products on eBay and Amazon as well as via its own website. Wacoal is a leading global manufacturer and wholesale supplier of luxury branded lingerie and swimwear.

Belle has claimed that an assortment of discriminatory measures were imposed on it selectively. These included: • a retail price maintenance policy • a minimum retail price policy • an online platform ban.

The online platform ban required Belle to align its advertised and retail prices with Wacoal’s recommended retail prices on all eBay sites around the world. If that was not the case.

Wacoal wanted Belle to de-

Guarding against price fixing For many businesses, fixing prices can appear attractive. It can provide comfort that your competitors will not be engaged in a price war (having price fixed) or that brand positioning will not be undermined.

Sometimes price fixing can occur without management being aware (for example, where an area manager decides that price fixing equals increased sales equals improved Changes in competition law annual bonus). But the risk of being The beginning of June saw the found out exists. introduction of changes in both UK Sometimes outing will occur as and EU competition laws. Whilst a result of whistleblowing after a these changes have implications, distributorship agreement is ended particularly for the selective distribution business model, there is or a supplier decides no longer to supply a particular stockist. Being no change in the law as far as price fixing is concerned. An agreement by alert to price fixing – which can come in a variety of forms including two parties at different levels of the agreements as to when a brand is to supply chain to fix prices will result in an infringement of competition law. go on sale – is important.

Nor is there any change in the Contact us consequences.

We regularly advise companies on The inclusion in an agreement of competition law issues and how to an unlawful price fixing provision comply. will render the agreement void and www.fashionlaw.co.uk third parties will be able to claim damages. What will be interesting www.foxwilliams.com to see is whether, given JD Sports’ © 2022 Fox Williams LLP share price performance, any group litigation is brought by shareholders. list Wacoal’s products from eBay sites so that they were not visible in consumer searches in third countries. Belle claimed that there was a common aim of maintaining or stabilising retail prices for the Wacoal products, which would certainly have an effect on competition in the UK. The case is currently headed for trial in mid-September.

Wedding Trader is working closely with Fox Williams under whose care fashion businesses flourish with everything from securing intellectual property rights to renegotiating agency agreements and commercial leases. (www.fashionlaw.co.uk; www.foxwilliams.com)

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“When I was invited as an RBA member to take part in the article about brides’ attitudes, I sat down and thought long and hard about the changes everywhere that are the result of Covid and the restrictions we lived with for so long. And I really began to look at things from a bride’s perspective. When their most important day was wiped off the calendar, they felt robbed, and heartbroken. It’s our job ongoing to be supportive and instill confidence.”

JENNIFER WREN

“I loved the London Show and White Gallery, especially earlier this year, but to be honest there is nothing like Harrogate, and I can’t wait to get down there in September to see the latest and greatest in bridal. For many of us it was the first bridal trade event we ever attended and nothing can measure up to the delights of this country town, and the show that Wendy and Georgia stage tirelessly year after year.”

“Reading your regular heavyweight legal columns does make me realise how little I actually know about the big world of business out there and the correct ways to do things. In fact, sometimes I even struggle a little trying to understand the detail. But when I do, and relate it to retail, and to suppliers, I do start to see things from a different perspective. And that helps me look at the best – and safest – ways forward, and how to properly assess the rights and wrongs. It is very hard in this small community of ours to put friendships on one side when sound decisions are needed”

“Are separates selling well for everyone else? My staff are finding brides are keen to try on the look, especially with trousers, loving what they see in the mirror, but they are not buying into the concept, even when we position it as an alternative party idea.

Ups and downs, ins and outs, I’d like others’ views but so much to look forward to on this before I get to Harrogate.”

And Finally

Got a view you want to share with like-minded others? Want suggestions from industry colleagues? All you have to do is get in direct touch: email me – susi@rogol-goodkind.com – and we’ll get the conversation going. We are for retailers, and about retailers.

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Helena Cotter

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