IN CONVERSATION WITH

The Bridal Collective

With three brands – Enzoani, PEN.LIV and ÉLYSÉE – in the portfolio and sub collections within Enzoani and ÉLYSÉE, this is a house that gets bigger and better each season. We caught up with sales supremo, Mark Stevens

Tell us about the design talents behind your labels. The design team behind Enzoani’s collections and the brand new PEN. LIV is led by award-winning Artistic Director Kang Chun Lin, a graduate of the London College of Fashion, who brings an avant-garde inspiration to a timeless design aesthetic.

Kang Chun has been designing bridal gowns for over 20 years, and he leads a team that continuously strive to improve and expand on their prior work and accomplishments, cementing Enzoani’s standout status and revered reputation in the world of bridal.

Christopher Russell and Mark Russell joined the company as Artistic Directors of the ÉLYSÉE division in February 2020. They are well-known for their exceptional ability to create sumptuous and opulent gowns reminiscent of the golden age of European design.

Chris and Mark have more than 15 years of experience at some of the world’s leading bridal and eveningwear houses, and share an influential design aesthetic that has resonated with brides around the world. They spend several months in Paris each year drawing inspiration from the city’s rich history of decorative arts and design, as well as the latest trends in modern fashion.

Where have you chosen to show the portfolio this season? This year was the selling season we had all been waiting for as we were thrilled to be showcasing the brand new 2023 collections face-to-face again!

The collections were met with great enthusiasm at London Bridal Week, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week and Interbride, not forgetting the Bridal Collective UK launch event held at the beautiful Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and multiple EU pop-up events around Germany and the Netherlands.

We were fortunate enough to have Mary Nguyen join us on our stand at London, Barcelona and Düsseldorf, and for many of our retailers and recently extended platinum partners the opportunity to be able to speak directly with the company’s CEO was a real bonus. It truly has been an exciting and successful year for trade shows and events!

Are you doing one collection a year for each brand? Yes, each of the Bridal Collective lines releases one collection per year. We have always maintained that a once-a-year collection is beneficial to our retailers, especially after the past two seasons when they have had to endure pressures the likes of which we have never experienced before.

In the UK, we will have a full launch of all collections at our private event, which is usually staged in the late spring, in early May time.

ÉLYSÉE ÉTOILE, ARAMIS

ENZOANI, SUMMER

Your key fabrics going forward, and embellishments? There is no compromise when it comes to quality and construction.

Bridal Collective sources the highest-grade fabrics and Swarovski crystals, and every wedding gown we produce is custom-designed, custom-made and skilfully hand- beaded – most take several hundred hours to create.

There has been a wonderful reaction to the floral laces used in the 2023 Enzoani collections. Summer is proving to be a standout this season for botanical lace sprinkled with 3D floral motifs.

ÉLYSÉE ATELIER, DEMETER ENZOANI, SIERRA

What are you finding your stockists are asking for most? Lace is still at the forefront of retailer’s minds, but slowly we are seeing a calling for more traditional-styled gowns such as Simplicity and Sierra from Enzoani. Whilst Aramis and Marilyn from the Étoile collection are proving to be very popular.

Are ‘adaptables’ still big – is it something brides themelves are asking for, or retailers are initiating that conversation? Yes, we are still being asked for adaptable gowns, and of course we listen and provide. A classic example of the adaptability of the Elysée creative team is Demeter. Named after the Greek goddess of the harvest, Demeter is all about the regal glamour! This fully-beaded, sequinned Chantilly lace mermaid dress features a classic illusion lace bodice with a modern, curved neckline and exposed boning details. This sparkling beauty has a sexy super-high slit, signature double sculpted hem, and is paired with a dramatic detachable overskirt that highlights the curves while narrowing the waistline for a figure flattering ballgown look. The overskirt also comes with pockets!

What do you find is your best way to reach brides themselves? The route to reaching brides is different for everyone. The first tool newly-engaged brides reach for is social media or a quick Google search. Social media is key for brides-to-be on their wedding journey. Providing engaging content for the perfect Pinterest board or eye-catching Instagram reels is vital.

Partnering with knowledgeable, trusted retailers is also key as their reputation for providing an unforgettable experience will speak volumes to brides-to-be.

How many stockists do you have worldwide? Each season, the Bridal Collective continues to expand with the aid of growing consumer and media support, achieving a strong national and global presence with offices established in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and South Africa, along with dedicated retail locations in over 60 countries. We are proud that our collections are available to brides in over 200 recommended retailers.

Your recommended price range? Bridal Collective has collections retailing from £1,335 in the LOVE collection to £6,765 in ÉlYSÉE ATELIER. So, you can see, here at Bridal Collective we aim to cover most market segments for our retailers.

Are you finding we are over the challenging times? We truly hope so. Bridal Collective weathered the Covid storm extremely well – any issues that we experienced were a direct impact of external providers caught up in the global crisis that is still hindering everyone.

Retailers and Manufacturers still face many challenges; it’s the Bridal Collective’s aim to help our partners as much as possible until we can all truly say that all global challenges are behind us all.