ATTIRE...ATTIRE 23 Contents 52 Time for tea-length Regulars 28 Industry news Discover the latest...

ATTIREBridalBridal

WWW.ATTIREBRIDAL.COM

MAY/JUNE 2016 ISSUE 53

PLUS� Business tips� News and events� Retail technology

SHOW SPECIAL� White Gallery

� Interbride

Fashion Files Tea-length dresses

Pastel perfection

Spotlight on bridesmaidsLatest gowns, jewellery and accessoriesLatest gowns, jewellery and accessories

01189 785078 | [email protected] | www.rosacouture.co.uk

Rosa Couture

Enjoy beautiful dresses from Modeca Bridal for the 2017 season and celebrate our 70th birthday with us this year

w w w. m o d e c a . c o m | i n f o @ m o d e c a . c o m

Your first chance

to see the brand

new designs

WIN

£1000

credit

at the show,

each day

See the newest collections from:

Alexia Designs

Alfred Angelo

Allure Bridals

Benjamin Roberts

Bonny Bridal

Casablanca

Chic by

Hollywood Dreams

Concept Covers

Daniel Couture

Decorum

Eddy K

Elizabeth Dickens

Emmerling

Hilary Morgan

HT Headwear

Joan Calabrese

Madison James

Margaret Lee

Masterhand

Mia Mia by Alan

Hannah

Michael’s Bridal Fabric

Michelles Bridal

Omnisew

Perfect Bridal Shoes

Phoenix Gowns

Rosa Couture

Romantica

Rita Mae by Alan

Hannah

Sophie & Camilla

Special Day

The House of Nicholas

Tiffany’s

Tres Chic

Twilight Designs

Venus

Victoria Kay

White Collection by

Victoria Kay

Sunday 21st - Monday 22nd August

University of the West of England, Filton Road,

Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS34 8QZ

We are a group of Whole sale Bridal Manufacturers

who spe cialise in the sup plies of bridal apparel to retail

wedding shops. Our aim is to tour the country with

a number of regional shows where we can exhibit

our latest collections. You can visit us and view our

collections at your con ve nience at a local venue. We

have a number of com pa nies represented, covering all

aspects of the bridal indus try, which will be announced

before each show.

• First Look for many retail ers at

the new col lec tions.

• Spread the cost of buy ing across

the year by select ing a road show

to suit you.

• Take advan tage of the fab u lous

retailer incen tives.

• All our venues have free park ing

based in loca tions with great

trans port links.

• Lovely relaxed atmos phere in

comfortable surroundings.

• Reduce your retailer costs by visiting

your local show to save time, travel

costs and although we all love an

overnight stay, sometime it’s just

not con ve nient.

• Meet reli able and trusted suppliers, as

we only allow estab lished companies

to be involved.

Visit our website for full show listings

www.bridalroadshow.co.uk

This is your chance to see

the 2017 collections at

The Bridal Roadshow

www.bridalroadshow.co.uk

TheBridalRoadshow [email protected]*DOORS OPEN AT 10AM EACH DAY FOR EACH SHOW.

What is The

Bridal Roadshow?

Celebrating 50 years of exquisite hand-made italian couture, we’re looking for unique, progressive boutiques who offer exceptional customer experience, to carry our label in the UK. We warmly invite you to meet us at The White Gallery, 15-17 May on Stand 603, or register advance interest by telephoning our UK team on 01626 333541.

www.valentinispose.com

Tel: 01424 439165 | Victoria Kay Gowns | www.victoriakaygowns.co.uk


Victoria Kay

Tel: 01424 439165

ATTIRE 23

Contents

Time for tea-length52

Regulars28 Industry news Discover the latest bridal collections and trade events

38 Hine Insurance Rachael Carrington discusses protection that coordinates with bridal retailers without clashing on costs

42 Shop window Inspiration to dress your window in the latest summery sherbet shades

44 Retailer round-up We speak to three bridal retailers to find out about what’s happening at the shop front

107 ACID Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti Copying in Design, looks at the biggest IP myths in the design industry

114 Retail technology David Fairhurst, Head of Creative Online Marketing at Intelligent Retail, explains why it pays to plan ahead when setting up a new e-commerce website launch

116 PR and marketing Nicola Russill-Roy, PR Director at Propose PR, explains what’s coming out on top in terms of trends for cake designs, wedding stationery and flowers

123 Twitter update We bring you all the hottest news, stats and facts from our followers

The Fashion Files 52 Time for tea-length A showcase of short and sweet gowns for vintage-inspired brides

59 The collections The perfect accessories to match our two key bridal themes

61 Pastel perfection Be inspired by Pantone’s 2016 Colour of the Year, Rose Quartz, which is perfect for brides who don’t want to wear white

Columns106 Xedo Software Raymond O’Hare, Director at Xedo Software, reveals tips for doing business the easy way

118 Retail Bridalwear Association Nicola Garton, owner of The Wedding Shop in Colchester, Essex, and Chair of the Retail Bridalwear Association (RBA), discusses the temptation to overstock

120 Richard Designs Louise Dicks, Marketing Manager at Richard Designs, focuses on positive ways of working together for the good of the bridal industry

130 The White Closet Eve Broadhurst, Creative Director and Co-Owner of The White Closet, discusses reviewing designers with regards to new collections

61Pastel perfection

ATTIRE 23

24 ATTIRE242424424222 AAAAAAAAATAATATATATAATTTTTTTATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATAAAAAATAATTTTITITITTT REREREEEEEEEREREERERERREREEEEEEEE

97

Up & coming

66

A touchof colour

Profiles68 Rachel Simpson Shoes Julie Bonnar talks to Rachel Simpson about her passion for handmade shoes

88 Emma Hunt We talk to designer Emma Hunt about her eye for fashion, luxurious design and her new Echo collection

Features40 Retailer interview Wendy Peddleston, Designer and Owner of Qiana Bridals speaks about how she combines designing with running a boutique

48 Retailer profile Owner of Flossy & Willow, Laura Shepherd, talks about why she decided to open a second shop in Bradford on Avon

66 Up and coming We chat to bridal designer Poppy Dover about how her background in fashion has helped her grow her first bridal collection

70 Collection focus La Vie est une Fleur is one of the latest collections from Sharon Bowen-Dryden. We talk to her to find out more

90 Retailer profile Attire Bridal chats with Sarah Donnelly, owner at Manor Park Brides, who celebrates 10 years in business

92 Mix and match maids Find out what the key styles are for supporting ladies from leading bridesmaid dress suppliers

97 Touch of glamour We showcase some of this season’s hottest jewellery pieces for bridesmaids

Shows73 White Gallery Read on to find out more about the big bridal names exhibiting at Battersea Evolution in London this May

102 Interbride Find out about the international names that will be showcasing their latest bridal lines at Interbride this June

109 Capital calling This year’s London Bridal Show was an indication of optimism for the year ahead for the bridal industry

Capital calling109

68Rachel Simpson Shoes

92Mix and match maids

See us at the White Gallery on Stand 309

FOR STOCKIST ENQUIRIESKrystal Agency

Tel: 01204 888285Mob: 07935 156275

[email protected]

www.qianabridal.co.uk

ATTIRE 27

Editor’s letter

ATTIREBridal

Editor’s letter

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlexandra North

EDITORJulie Bonnar+44 (0)1376 535 [email protected]

CHIEF SUB EDITORLouise Prance

DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETINGTony Fields

SALES MANAGERMichael Richards+44 (0)1376 514 [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALESJan Griffin+44 (0)1376 535 [email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGERScott [email protected]+44 (0)1376 535 616

DEPUTY PRODUCTION MANAGERSarah Young

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERVicky O’Connor

GRAPHIC DESIGNERStephanie Hodder, Amy Smith

WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGERStuart Weatherley

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTCharlotte Potter

SUBSCRIPTIONSBeth Varney+44 (0)1376 514 000

KD Media Publishing LimitedPantile House Newlands DriveWitham, Essex CM8 2APwww.attirebridal.com

Attire Bridal is solely owned, published

and designed by KD Media Publishing

Limited. Whilst every effort was

made to ensure the information in

this magazine was correct at the

time of going to press, the publishers

cannot accept legal responsibility for

any errors or omissions, nor can they

accept responsibility of the standing

of advertisers nor by the editorial

contributions. The views expressed

do not necessarily reflect those of the

publisher. Attire Bridal is published

six times a year. Subscription rates for

overseas readers are £75 per annum

(incl. p+p), Cheques should be made

out to KD Media Publishing Limited

and sent to Attire Bridal @ Pantile

House, Newlands Drive, Witham,

Essex CM8 2AP.

ISSN 1758-0072

MAY/JUNE 2016

There’s no getting away from it, we’re well and truly into the show season with London Bridal Show under our belt already (see page 109 for the show review).

I also look forward to attending White Gallery this month and meeting more of you from the bridal world. Turn to page 73 for our preview of White Gallery.

As our owning company, KD Media Publishing continues on its path of growth across its trade and consumer-facing portfolios, we’ve been working hard to strengthen our brand positioning and national

presence - from the design of our publications to the development of key partnerships with the major shows. And as we bring some exciting synergies to our trade collection, we can assure you that Attire Bridal remains committed to delivering the same high-quality magazine experience with its sleek page designs to keep you and your business up-to-date with what’s happening in the bridal industry. In this issue, Louise Dicks, Marketing Manager at Richard Designs, focuses on positive ways of working together for the good of the bridal industry (page 120) and Rachael Carrington from Hine Chartered Insurance Brokers, discusses protection that coordinates with bridal retailers without clashing on costs (page 38).

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed putting together the fashion files for this issue. We showcase a wonderful selection of tea-length dresses (page 52) and taken inspiration from Pantone’s 2016 Colour of the Year, Rose Quartz, and flaunt dresses in this colour for brides who don’t want to wear white (page 61). Plus, we look at what bridesmaids will want to wear this season (page 92) and the jewellery that will complement their dresses (page 97).

Show season and new collections

Average Net Circulation: 3,201 01/07/2014 - 30/06/2015

PS – Follow us on Pinterest at www.pinterest.co.uk/attirebridal or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AttireBridalJulie

Julie BonnarEditor

Window dressing on page 42

Image courtesy of SAVIN London www.savinlondon.com

I love these warm-toned quartz earrings from Girls Love Pearls, complete with citrine and smokey quartz

gemstones and gold vermeil French wire hooks.

Editor’s pick

Fashion file 1on page 52

Up and comingon page 66

28 ATTIRE

Industry news Read on for our round-up of the industry’s movers and shakers.

DOUBLE AGENTHaving been a one-man show for 10 years, Maikel Martens has recently employed his husband Adam. Dutch-born Maikel kicked off his career in the bridal industry working for Venus, which he still works for, and following the tragic death of Michael Perry in 2014 he has been working for Emmerling.

Maikel and Adam will be working together to provide a professional, charming and totally customer-focussed team and can be reached by email on [email protected] or +44 (0)7879 296 322.

IJL’S BRIGHT YOUNG GEMS BURSARY PROJECT IS RE-LAUNCHED

IJL is welcoming a new guest designer judge to the Bright Young Gems panel and announces an important sponsorship support for the initiative. The IJL Bright Young Gems initiative enters a new era in its 11th year with British luxury fine jewellery designer, Shaun Leane, joining the selection panel. The National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG) Centenary Trust is providing valuable sponsorship support through travel and accommodation bursaries worth £200 for each of the five nominated Bright Young Gem designers.

“Every year, the Bright Young Gems programme offers five young innovative designers great exposure and an unparalleled opportunity to access their first commercial platform to showcase their work to such an influential audience. IJL welcomes more than 10,350 industry professionals from 64 countries during the three days of the show. It’s particularly rewarding to see how many of these young designers have then gone on during the past 10 years to become leading stars in the industry,” Sam Willoughby, Event Director, comments.

She adds, “We’re extremely grateful to have the support of all the major UK universities and colleges, together now with Shaun, one of the UK’s most creative contemporary designers, and the National Association of Jewellers.” Lindsey Straughton of The National Association of Jewellers says: “Bright Young Gems attracts applications from right across the country and this newly established NAG bursary will financially help the nominated designers take their first steps into the commercial world. As existing supporters of IJL’s very successful kick start mentoring programme, we’re delighted to now be part of this initiative. Several former Bright Young Gems designers have gone on to become high profile kick starters, and we want to encourage more young designers to take advantage of these two one-of-a-kind, yet seamless schemes, as part of fast-tracking their careers.” The closing date is Friday 20th May, 2016.

To apply, visit www.jewellerylondon.com/brightyounggems.

ATTIRE 29

News & events

Girls Loves Pearls fill a gap in the market

Following a re-brand last year and a renewed focus on the wholesale side of the business, Girls Love Pearls has taken on 12 new stockists including boutiques in Dundee, Northampton, Leicestershire, Ireland and Finland. “We started Girls Love Pearls to fill a gap, with highly sought after, elegantly designed jewellery, which is well made and affordable. We’ve stayed true to our word with commitment to quality and style and this is the key to our success,” commented Ruth Morton, the company owner. The re-brand has sparked a lot of new interest from bridal retailers, as it’s a good fit with their classic bride ethos. Whether brides are young or mature, skinny or curvy, pearls are still a bride’s preferred gemstone of choice that complements any wedding dress. Areas of the UK, Ireland and Europe are still available to retailers, and the company offer excellent incentives to both new and existing stockists.

For more information contact Girls Love Pearls on +44 (0)121 705 2244 or email [email protected].

MICHAEL’S BRIDAL FABRICS CELEBRATE 20 YEARS IN BUSINESSMichael’s Bridal Fabrics started in May 1996 and has always been a real family affair, currently employing 17 staff of which eight of them are second generation of family.

Originally the business was run from home, and moved into premises in January 2000, which the company quickly outgrew and moved to its current building of just under 5,000sq ft in October 2012.

Michael’s Bridal Fabrics, in the beginning, offered a cut length service on basic plain bridal fabrics, but over the years, this has been constantly extended to cover all types of fabrics suitable for the wedding guests including laces, silks, brocades, embroidered and beaded fabrics, and over the last 10 years adding edgings and motifs as well as a range of buckles, clasps and pearl or crystal brooches to its offering. The range now includes more than 350 lace designs, a similar number of both edgings and motifs, along with over 1,000 types of accessories.

The company can offer more than 600 plain fabric colours in around 100 different qualities. The company is now regarded by many of its customers to be one of the leading bridal fabric suppliers in the UK and Europe. Michael’s Bridal Fabrics currently export to more than 30 countries worldwide including as far away as Australia and supplies over 1,000 businesses, which are serviced by the family.

“We have wonderful team of staff that have working for us tirelessly and support us with the day to day running of the business,” says Barry Birstow, the owner.

See the company at trade shows. This year the company will be exhibiting at the Nordic Bridal fair in Malmo and Latvia in addition to the Paris Bridal Fair, Interbride, London Bridal Fair, Harrogate, and all the regional road shows that the company do together with a group of other bridal companies.

To find out more visit the website www.michaelsbridalfabrics.co.uk.

ATTIRE 31

News & events

Pronovias voted Best Wedding Dress Supplier 2016 Back in March, Pronovias was named Best Wedding Dress Supplier 2016 by the RBA in the UK. This is the third time that the company has won the award in the last four years. The accolade recognises service quality, delivery facilities and the management carried out by the brand.

The award is granted based on the results of a free vote by members of the RBA. The association was formed in 1995 and is the only business association for bridal sector retailers in the UK. Pronovias Fashion Group started out as a family business in Barcelona in 1922 and is now the world’s leading bridal firm, and is present in more than105 countries with 155 stores and through more than 4,000 sales points.

PONGEE, JIGSAW AND THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL PARTNER IN STUDENT EVENINGWEAR PROJECT Fashion retailer Jigsaw and silk fabric specialists Pongees are participating in a joint venture with the British Fashion Council (BFC) to give students the opportunity to design a capsule range of eveningwear.

Member colleges of the BFC Colleges Council have each put forward one stand-out student application to design a piece for Jigsaw’s autumn collection, which goes on sale in September. The winning graduate’s design will be supported with a dedicated window display in at least one store and promoted via Jigsaw’s online and social channels.

The project’s focus is on exceptional design, fabric selection and innovation within fashion. Students have been asked to think about ‘the beauty of things made by hand, such as sculpture’.

To support the competition and inspire the collections, Pongees has created fabric swatches to complement Jigsaw’s autumn palette and show the range of silk crepes, satins and tulles that are available. “We can’t wait to see just how adventurous the students will be in their use of silk. Silk is often viewed as a classic fabric but we expect to see anything but classic designs in the entries,” says Will Steele, Managing Director, Pongees.

For more information about the competition visit the website www.britishfashioncouncil.com/education.

“We’re hoping the students will push the boundaries of pattern cutting, taking inspiration from origami, fabric manipulation, pleating and folding,” says a representative from Jigsaw.

LBfw cancelledIt was sad news to hear that that London Bridal Fashion Week isn’t going ahead with its May show, especially after its successful debut last year. Organisers, Mercury Trade Events put this down to lack of support from the bridal industry. The show failed to attract the required number of exhibitors and as such, the organisers took the decision to withdraw from the bridal buying calendar. Mercury Trade Events said they’d like to thank those who’ve supported the show over the past year. The news isn’t all bad for those who were set to exhibit in May, Mercury Trade Events has agreed to work alongside Ocean Media in order to minimise the disruption to those companies who had planned to exhibit in LBfw. Exhibitors will be offered a refund or offered the opportunity to exhibit at Ocean Media’s upcoming show – White Gallery.

Turn to page 73 for our preview on White Gallery.

Jigsaw’s spring collection features Pongees silk (model right)

32 ATTIRE

SADONI LAUNCHES ENCHANTED FOREST Known for its great quality, timeless-yet-trendy design and marvellous light chiffon, SADONI has announced the launch of the new Enchanted Forest collection for 2017.

After a breathtaking photo shoot, the company is excited to display the latest creations at the upcoming bridal expositions this spring. The line has been inspired by Nordic nature and the sensation of a modern fairytale, with highlights including a new mermaid silhouette and a range of transparent wrap dresses in

delicate lace. The wonderfully light overlays can be combined with a voluminous tulle dress or a slim satin dress in different colours to get the most romantic bohemian feeling.

The SADONI signature conveys a sense of simplicity, natural comfort and understated luxury, which is united by a great selection of accessories to encourage the bride to express her personal style. High quality pure silk and authentic French Lace, are key elements that flow through the collections, which are exclusively handmade in Northern Europe.

For further details visit the website www.sadoni.no.

HONEYMOON ESSENTIALSNeviti has just announced the Diamon’T range is back for 2016 with a fresh new look and every bride’s honeymoon essentials. The collection includes a beautiful selection of beachwear with a variety of colourful bikinis featuring Just Married text in pretty Diamon’T crystals and matching flip flops which leave a cute Just Married imprint as you walk across the beach.

The range also offers a ‘his and hers’ beach towel in pink or black and flipflops in black for men. Another fun addition is the Diamon’T Just Married T-shirts, which are perfect for wearing on your honeymoon or the day after your wedding.

To find out more, visit www.neviti.com.

EXCITING NEW PLANS FOR GILING & WHITE BRIDAL After four successful years of helping brides, Giling & White Bridal has made the decision to move out of the boutique and go solely online.

The company will be building on the recent success of its online accessory boutique and will be developing this side of the business further.

“Because we love what we do so much, it hasn’t been an easy decision to close our wedding dress boutique. We’ve really enjoyed meeting so many lovely brides and helping them achieve their perfect wedding day look. But our lease comes to an end in July and this seemed like the perfect time to explore these new opportunities. We hope customers will browse to see the amazing hand-picked accessories the new website has to offer.”

For more information visit www.gilingandwhitebridal.co.uk.

www.felicitycooper.co.uk01565 734 860

Please enquire to see if your area is available, large exclusivity given and low minimum orders.

07711 208586 or 01202 [email protected]

www.miasolano.com

If you would like to become a stockist, please contact Mark & Sam Everard

ATTIRE 35

News & events

BODY FROCK’S INNER SECRETBody Frock is moving into the bridal market and has a wonderful boho collection for brides and bridesmaids. Style-aware ladies will love this collection of dresses, which is full of femininity and grace, and has been the choice of many celebrities. Body Frock’s signature is that each dress includes an inner secret. A matching body control-sculpting slip ensures that the dress redefines your shape allowing you to ditch the control underwear. There are 12 new items in this collection including lace and opaque dresses in soft shades of the season. Dresses retail between £180 and £250.To view more of the collection, visit www.bodyfrock.co.uk.

Diary date for Dexter Black The Dexter Black Agency is showcasing its bridal designers latest collections from 15th - 17th May at the Grosvenor Hotel in London’s Victoria. Luxury bespoke fashion designer Clinton Lotter joins the agency this season sitting alongside existing designers Claire Pettibone Couture, Claire Pettibone Romantique and Israeli designer, Flora.

Dexter Black work with a hand-picked selection of high-end bridal designers appealing to luxury bridal boutiques across the UK. Owners Russell and Daniel work closely with all stockists ensuring excellent exclusivity to maximise sales. For further information contact Russell and Daniel at [email protected].

Clinton Lotter

ATTIRE 37

News & events

MORE STOCKISTS AND MINI COLLECTIONS FOR BRITISH LABEL, CATHERINE PARRY Three more retailers have become Catherine Parry stockists: Tamsin’s Bridal Boutique in Kidderminster, The Wirral Wedding House in Wallasey, and Rosina Brown Bridal in Stocksfield, Newcastle – bringing the total number of Catherine Parry stockists to 17.

“We’re absolutely delighted that these established and highly successful retailers have chosen Catherine Parry,” says the label’s co-owner Simon Ryan. “We look forward to extending the support that we offer to all of our retailers to help them to maximise the value of their investment in the label”.Meanwhile, the design team behind the British label has been working on two new mini collections launched at the end of April. A new collection of separate skirts and tops will enable retailers to create many different combinations and offer their brides a wide range of different looks without investing in a large number of samples plus a a new collection of tea- length dresses has been designed to meet the demand for short dresses. “When we launched the 2016 collection last September, the tea-length design 1605 prompted a number of enquiries for more tea- length styles and a number of our retailers expressed an interest in separates,” said Catherine Parry’s designer Maria Ryan. “These new mini collections demonstrate the importance that we place in the feedback that we receive from retailers and we’re confident that they will be well received as a result.”

Find more details on www.catherineparry.com.

BRITISH JEWELLER, SAMMIE JO COXON LAUNCHES DEMETER COLLECTIONLondon-based designer, Sammie Jo Coxon, a Central Saint Martins graduate and gemologist has designed her own refined jewellery collection. Having worked for Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and Katie Hillier, Sammie makes stylish, sleek and sexy pearl jewellery for the modern woman, banishing any assumption that pearl jewellery is a classic safe choice.

Named after the Greek goddess of harvest and protector of marriage, this range pays great attention to detail with each piece framing the body. Made in London’s Hatton Garden, Demeter is comprised of rings, pendants, bracelets and interchangeable earrings. With one-of-a-kind combinations of white sapphires, aquamarines, diamonds and freshwater pearls, each piece embodies a timeless and diverse quality.

“The collection was designed in-between helping my dad on his farm during harvest. I’d drive the combines and tractors, and when it rained working comes to a halt. During this time, I would head back to the farmhouse to design Demeter. In honour of the goddess of harvest, I have named the individual pieces in Latin for words associated with harvest and Greek mythology characters surrounding it,” comments Sammie. Brides can choose their own colour combinations; making them truly original to the wearer. To view the complete collection, visit www.sammiejocoxon.com.

Bohemian and beautiful Filiz Darby is a London-based designer specialising in couture made to order bridal and occasionwear that’s made using the finest silks, French laces and trimmings. The Savanah dress is a stunning piece made from ivory French corded lace and silk satin. The flounce detail around the bust creates lovely bohemian look and features a narrow shoulder straps and zip fastening at the back. With soft gathering at the waist, the pretty look is completed with a crystal beaded satin belt.

For more information about the company visit www.filizdarby.co.uk.

38 ATTIRE

The elements of a bridal retail business are what makes it so specialised, and the reason they thrive on the high street. But it’s these elements that can also be overlooked by a standard shop policy, which would have to be moulded almost beyond recognition just to provide a satisfactory level of cover. Bridal and formalwear shops work in ways that no other shops do. They have different peak seasons, stock that is custom-made, and also the need to accommodate in-house dressmakers along with their sewing machines and materials.

Stretching a shop insurance policy to fit the bridal retailers could lead to a schedule that’s not only pricier but one that falls short in certain areas. However, there are alternatives that are dedicated to the industry, and Bridalsure is one of them. There are currently more than 500 formalwear and bridal retailers subscribed to this, which is backed by 20 years of experience in the bridal sector, and endorsed by Bridal Industry Suppliers Association and British Bridalwear Association.

WHAT BENEFITS CAN A RETAILER EXPECT TO SEE FROM A SPECIALIST SCHEME THAT THEY WOULDN’T GET FROM A GENERAL SHOP INSURANCE POLICY? • Stock is a major factor – and while most shops will see

an automatic increase in cover for stock in the run up to Christmas, this isn’t a feature that’s going to be relevant for a wedding dress shop. Schemes that specialise towards bridal retailers instead offer an increase in stock cover during the wedding season when it’s most needed.

• Those who hire out dresses and suits can be reimbursed if their item never makes it back to its rightful owner, with new for old cover protecting clothes for hire while they’re in the shop. Any stock that’s worked on off-premises by a dressmaker should be covered too.

• Shops and services, which make their revenue through weddings, also rely heavily on taking their wares to and from exhibitions and fairs. Again this is something which doesn’t apply to other retailers. A specialist scheme will often also include the cover features needed to protect shops while promoting their merchandise at public events.

If you’ve encountered any problems in business this year, or you’re coming to the close of the

season and considering a review of your protection, speak to the bridal specialists to see how we can make your business run that little bit smoother despite any snags.

Bespoke coverRachael Carrington, an experienced Commercial Account Executive with Hine Chartered Insurance Brokers, discusses protection that coordinates with bridal retailers without clashing on costs.

A

ContactHine Chartered Insurance Brokers

+44 (0)161 438 0000www.hine.co.uk @hineinsurance

facebook.com/hineinsurance

40 ATTIRE

When did you open the Qiana Bridal and what prompted you to do so?We opened the boutique three years ago, a year after launching the Qiana Bridal label.

I’ve been in the industry for more than 30 years, with 10 of those years working closely with Lyn Ashworth at her studio in Kent until she retired. I originally met Lyn at Caroline Castigliano where I worked first as Fittings Manager at the Berners Street Store in London and then as Production Manager. It was hard work but gave me a great insight into realising that providing the bride with great quality and customer service is paramount.

After spending so many years within the industry, it seemed the right time to launch my own label together with my business partner, who has also spent many years with top London couturiers Lindka Cierach and Norman Hartnell. We bring to the business a wealth of expertise. The boutique is not just a shop but also a way of profiling the Qiana label. Can you tell us more about this?The Boutique serves us very well in promoting the Qiana Bridal label. We carry no other labels in the boutique at the moment. We exhibit at the National Wedding Show twice a year, so brides visit us from a very wide radius to buy their original Qiana Bridal gown. As well as our annual new collections, we also offer a bespoke service. We advertise heavily on social media which all helps in raising brand awareness with the brides. This also promotes our label and in turn drives brides to our stockists.

From a potential stockist’s point of view, the boutique has a really calm and relaxed atmosphere in which to visit and view

our full collections away from the hustle and bustle of the trade shows. However, we realise that because our boutique is in Sussex, it’s not always convenient for all our stockists to visit so we also exhibit each May at White Gallery in Battersea London, to launch our new collection.

How would you describe the Qiana label to brides-to-be? As a label we are ‘Proud to be British’ and make all of our gowns here in the UK and source quality fabrics from British suppliers. This is reflected in our gowns as they’re timeless and traditionally English gowns that have been inspired from the ’50s. The dresses are lightweight, comfortable and flattering to the bride with intricate detailing that has all been finished to the highest standards – we pride ourselves in our quality of finish. Glamorous styling

with fitted boned bodices, nipped in waists, full flowing skirts and frothy, flirty petticoats have become the signature style of Qiana Bridal. Attention to detail is paramount and, in the main, is in the form of delicate embellishments, using soft, delicate lace, and beading adornments.

Our bridal gowns can be either strapless with a choice of many varying jacket styles or other gowns have varying length sleeves and skirt lengths etc. Pretty cute collars and detailed backs all add to our signature style yet they have a modern twist.

As a designer, what extra do you bring to the retail side of the business?I like to spend a couple of days a week at the boutique, and on the days when I’m not there, I’m never very far away if I’m needed at any point during a bridal consultation. As the designer, I’ve created the design, cut

This is the maxim of Wendy Peddlesden, British designer and owner of Qiana Bridal. We talk to her about how she combines designing with running a boutique in Sussex.

Listen, reassure and advise

ATTIRE 41

Retailer interview

the pattern and seen the whole production process through, so I know every part of the bridal gown. Therefore if a bride requires any changes to design, I can tell immediately if it would enhance the bride’s figure type and her aspirations of her bridal gown. It’s so important to always listen, reassure and advise.

What do you enjoy most about your role and working within the bridal business?There’s something very special and fulfilling in designing a bridal gown. Seeing how the whole process comes together from the design being born to seeing it on your bride and being very proud of being able to realise her dreams and make it such an exciting and memorable experience. From the design point of view, the brides I see fuel my imagination and inspire me for future designs. It’s so invaluable to talk to brides and evaluate their ideas on how they feel that designs can be built upon. There’s always something new to learn and evolve in this business, and I find that so much can be learnt from young brides on how social media has played such a vital role in finding their wedding gown. This has helped me develop our marketing strategy for the future of Qiana Bridal.

How do you ensure that the service your boutique provides is second to none?Our reputation and unique selling point is built on quality of product and of services, which applies to both stockist and the bride. We pride ourselves on this and as soon as a bride enters the boutique for her bridal consultation, she has exclusive use of the boutique, which is closed for the duration of her appointment. Tea and cupcakes are the order of the day. Many brides have commented on this, saying that this makes them feel very special and un-rushed when deciding on the choice of bridal gown. Indeed, we try to make it a truly memorable experience for brides.

When it comes to the stockist, we know the importance of reliability, deadlines and delivery times, and it becomes very stressful for all involved if these aren’t adhered to. We embrace designer days, and pride ourselves in that extra piece of customer service as we have a great passion for what we do. By supporting the stockist, it in turn promotes and nourishes the Qiana Bridal label to grow.

How do you view the current state of the UK bridal market?It’s still tough in the bridal industry, although I think that there’s an increasing

optimism within the market. I believe stockists remain cautious.

What are your plans for the boutique over the next few years?Like most businesses, we’re always striving to increase footfall through the door. We may introduce another British label to add to our own collection in the future. The purpose of the boutique is more than just selling dresses, we’re a British high-end label which allows me to control the production process in order to meet every order on time, and I’m always available should a stockist have any technical queries. We train all our outworkers to the highest standards that our brides have grown to expect from our bridal gowns.

What advice would you give to new bridal shop owners with regards to creating a successful retail business? Keep to your budgets, don’t over spend and stretch your finances too thin. Keep in touch with social media, and off course, get to know your brides. We’re lucky as most of our brides have seen our website or previously visited us at a show so they already know the Qiana Bridal style of dress and that will never change.

CONTACTQiana Bridal

+44 (0)1424 846 791 www.qianabridal.co.uk

A

42 ATTIRE

Inspiration to dress your window in the latest summery sherbet shades.

Sweet DELIGHTS

True Bridesmaidswww.truebrides.co.uk

Wedding vintage rose cake stand, £7.50, Neviti+44 (0)1494 883 428www.neviti.com

Pink gold-foiled guest book, £10.99, Ginger Ray

+44 (0)845 680 2975www.gingerray.co.uk

Apple Pink retro pattern cushion cover, £8.40, TryPinky+44 (0)20 3608 1414www.dawanda.com

Pastel mermaid flower crown, £48, Rouge Ponywww.etsy.com/uk/shop/rougepony

LSA polka wine glasses, £28, Black by Design+44 (0)1889 502 716

www.black-by-design.co.uk

Bespoke bridal botanical Liberty print shoes, £475, Hetty Rosewww.hettyrose.co.uk

Candy Stripes wall artwork, starting from £72.40, Urban Road+00 61 455 285 336www.urbanroad.com.au

Handmade blooming floral cosmetic bag, £18, Blank Insidewww.blankinsidedesign.co.uk

st

wwwwwwwwww.w.www hehehhettttyryryy osose.e.coco.uukk

Playbulb bluetooth candles, £19.95, RED5+44 (0)333 577 7334www.red5.co.uk

44 ATTIRE

Retailer round-upWe speak to three bridal retailers to find out about what’s happening at the shop front.

Laura Shepherd, Perfect Daywww.perfectdaybridal.net

What’s the most popular gown that you sell at the moment?

Our brides love the beautiful bridal separates by Charlie Brear. There are no gowns in particular that are really standing out, but I think this is because there are so many options for the bride to create her own look from the many labels that we stock. The flexibility and style of Charlie Brear’s gowns make them a real hit with our brides and so many of them travel for miles to see our edit of separates. Do you have any plans to stock new designers this year? If so, who and when?Yes and I just can’t wait! We’re thrilled to become a stockist for the amazing Anna Campbell collections: Spirit and Gossamer. These beautiful new additions will be with us soon, and we’ll have a range of shapes and styles so I’m sure there will be a dress for everyone. We have no doubt that our brides are going to love these styles and the Anna Campbell label is the perfect addition for Perfect Day. What are brides currently asking for and is there a particular trend that you’re seeing? The current trend seems to be simple, clean lines and good quality dresses. In fact, I would say that the simpler and less fuss the better. This exquisite, pared-back look gives the bride the versatility to accessorise with flowers and jewellery and to really bring her gown to life in her own way. In particular, the Jesus Peiro dresses are great for creating your own style with their clever tailoring and impeccable placements of laces or sparkles. Charlie Brear

ATTIRE 45

Retailer roundup

Odette Lister, Brides By Solowww.bridesbysolo.co.uk

What’s the most popular gown that you sell at the moment?We always have a diverse range of just under 200 dress styles in our shop, and so sell a little bit of everything. Fishtails to ballgowns and everything in between are popular at the moment. However, overall fit-and-flare lace with a detailed back is still most popular. Colours of the season include light gold, champagne and blush. Do you have any plans to stock new designers this year? If so, who and when?We’re always open to stocking new designers but like to decide on these at the

main trade shows so it gives us chance to compare the styles against other designers. We’re currently looking for a label that no one else locally stocks that will retail around £900-£1000. What are brides currently asking for and is there a particular trend that you’re seeing?Brides are just starting to ask for fabrics other than lace. The ’50s themed dresses seen to have a big influence at the moment in terms of necklines, straps and sleeves. The ballgown is back and from our recent buying trips we can see the ’80s and ’90s influences are coming through in gowns. The trend for coloured shoes under a dress is now very common. Brides are moving away from traditional large, sparkly tiaras and moving more towards combs and flower crowns. Veils are still very popular, especially single tiers and in all lengths.

Rebecca Franklin, Fleur de Lys Bridal www.fleurdelysbridal.co.uk

What’s the most popular gown that you sell at the moment?There are a few, so it’s difficult to choose, but the Stella York 5959, Emma by Maggie Sottero and Prinia by Sophia Tolli have all been firm favourites and all very different in style. We had our first Ronald Joyce designer weekend this year, which was a sell-out, and this range continues to be really popular.

Do you have any plans to stock new designers this year? If so, who and when?We do really well with the nine designers we currently stock, so don’t have any immediate plans to take on a new label. However, if demand was high for a particular range, or we’re blown away by a new designer, we’d certainly look in to it.

What are brides currently asking for and is there a particular trend that you’re seeing?Brides are asking for a real variety of styles from strapless and sleeveless to fishtail and classic fit. We’ve noticed a trend this year for more princess and ballgown style dresses but the straighter cut styles always sell really well too.

A

Stella York

Maggie Sottero Rosamund

See our beautiful Nature’s Diadem Bridal Accessories Collection

at White Gallery London - Stand 400

WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT

[email protected] +44 (0) 7876 232344

50 + wholesale bridal belts from £[email protected]

www.lilybella.co.uk

Enchanting special occasion

+44 (0) 20 7821 9499 Clothes to treasure for a memorable day

48 ATTIRE

It takes twoWe talk to the Laura Shepherd, owner of Flossy & Willow, about why she decided to open a second shop in Bradford on Avon.

What inspired you to set up a second bridal boutique business in the same town? We noticed a gap in the market for gowns in the price point of £900-£1500. We wanted to give the store the same fabulous ethos and branding as our first shop Perfect Day but cater for brides who don’t have or don’t wish to spend larger amounts of money on a dress. Also in a perfect world, we would love to have a dress

for everyone, but as we all know this doesn’t always happen. The Flossy & Willow boutique offered us a second opportunity to capture brides in a slightly different market.

How did you go about finding the perfect premises for a second bridal shop?Originally, we were looking at opening in a different town but premises fell through. However, I think this was fate! As now we’re up and running it works so beautifully being able to feed any turn downs from Perfect Day into Flossy & Willow and brides love having two experiences with our staff – it works really well.

What makes Flossy & Willow different from your first business, Perfect Day and what can the new boutique offer bride’s that the first couldn’t? Flossy & Willow appeals to a different market. Our marketing, advertising and PR is aimed at a different demographic to Perfect Day, and allows us as a business to capture a new audience. The new studio offers

a friendlier price point and an array of other designers.

Who are the key members of staff and what are their strengths?Kerry Munday and myself are still very much involved in the business and oversee daily, weekly and monthly jobs and goals. We have initially set up with a studio manager Alex; she oversees the business and most importantly ensures our customer service is spot on. Our longest standing employee is Julia. We call her our fairy godmother as she has 25 years’ experience in the industry – you face a problem, she can solve it! We’ve also recently taken on a new member of staff called Hannah, who is super stylish and key to the creativity of the business going forward.

What has been the response to the new boutique? Any highs and lows? We’ve been blown away with the local support. We’re seeing so many more brides that previously wouldn’t even consider Perfect Day due to its price

ATTIRE 49

Retailer profile

point of £1,700 upwards. The local businesses and friends in

the industry have all rallied round to help us promote our new venture and we’re so very grateful for their support. There are always highs and lows in any business. A high for us is most definitely that we were able to open a second business that is very low maintenance as all the systems and processes were already in place from what we had learned from Perfect Day. Our staff has made it possible for us to realise our dream and five-year goal that we had for the business.

The lows are pretty much the basics, worrying about things such as, “have we picked the right designers?”, “what size dress shall we order on samples?”, and “Is the diary full?” They’re all things you can’t control in the first few months of business, but after six months of trading you can look at facts and figures and see if you’ve made the right or wrong decisions along the way.

Which bridal designers are currently stocked at Flossy & Willow and why?

Will you be stocking more designer names in the future? We have some amazing designers. We chose Mikaella by Paloma Blanca for its simplicity and romance, Willowby by Watters for the boho bride wanting a more relaxed look, LM by Lusan Mandongus for lace loving brides, Eliza Jayne Howell for the glamour and a new addition coming very soon!

Apart from gowns, what else do you offer the bridal party? Apart from a fabulous experience from the moment a bride-to-be walks through the door; we offer private appointments and provide an experience they won’t forget, including bubbles!

What are the most challenging aspects of running a second bridal shop?Doing everything twice! Each year, our biggest challenge is making sure we have the right collections for the brides you want to attract. It’s easy to sit on Instagram looking at the

beautiful images, but at the end of the day, you have to fill your rails with dresses that will sell and make the business profitable.

Do you exhibit at any bridal fairs?No. We’ve moved away from this approach and are trying to go with the times and do things that we feel will have much better return.

Do you have any other plans for the future?Lots, but that would be telling! For now we want to maintain two successful businesses, reward our team and enjoy every moment. A

Contact Flossy & Willow

+44 (0)1225 867 600 www.flossyandwillow.co.uk

W: www.mojgan.co.uk E: [email protected] T: 0207 293 0119

Designer:

Mojgan Noorian Bellamy

Harrogate bridal show

11th - 13th September 2016

New stockists enquiries are welcome

ATTIRE 51

Fashion files

ATTIRE BRIDALFashion FilesFILE

1

PLUS

Up and Coming

FILE2The Collections

Fabulous accessories to match our two

key fashion trends.

FILE

3

Time for tea-length

Short and sweet gowns for vintage-inspired brides.

Pastel perfection

Be inspired by Pantone’s 2016 Colour of the Year, Rose Quartz, a perfect shade for brides who don’t want to wear white.

We chat to bridal designer Poppy Dover about how her background in fashion has helped her develop her first bridal collection.

Modeca

FILE4Louise Bentley

52 ATTIRE

TIME FOR Short and sweet gowns for vintage-inspired brides.

Qiana Bridal+44 (0)1424 846 791www.qianabridal.co.uk

tea-length

52 ATTIRE

ATTIRE 53

1

2

3 4

1. True Bride +44 (0)1273 728 637www.truebride.co.uk

2. Wendy Makin Bridal Designs +61 7 3823 0100www.wendymakin.com

3. Mark Lesley+44 (0)1621 784 784www.marklesley.co.uk

4. Mojgan Bridal Couture+44 (0)1202 525 123www.mojganweddingdresses.com

File 1

ATTIRE 53

Elizabeth DickensElizabeth DickensElizabeth Dickens

+44 1353 723675 • email: [email protected] • web: elizabethdickensveils.co.uk

ATTIRE 55

Rita Mae +44 (0)20 8804 1444www.ritamae.co.uk

ATTIRE 55

File 1

56 ATTIRE

1 2

3 4

1. Chanticleer +44 (0)1242 226 501www.chanticleerbrides.co.uk

2. The House of Nicholas + 44 (0)20 8802 1339www.thehouseofnicholas.co.uk

3. LouLou +44 (0)20 8368 1500www.louloubridal.co.uk

4. Louise Bentley+44 (0)20 8368 1500www.louisebentley.com

56 ATTIRE

White Ivy is proud to present its stunning new bridal jewellery collections to : White Gallery

2016 (London) and the Harrogate Bridal 2016 Show.

We will also be introducing beautiful new

additions to our unique 2016/17 collection at European Bridal Week in Essen, Germany

2016.

Our new jewellery ranges include, tiaras, hair combs, birdcage veils and hair accessories.

Expertly crafted from Swarovski Crystals and Freshwater Pearls our products are uniquely

and intricately designed to ensure both

www.white-ivy.com

t: 01474 556166 | e: [email protected] House, 1 Lord Street, Gravesend, DA12 1AW

Also Wedding Travel Boxes

For Weddings Abroad to take the dress through as

hand -luggage

www.emptybox.co.uk 01306 740193

Wedding Dress Boxes Keep it, Treasure it, Empty Box It!

Plus Beautiful Bride’s Accessories

ATTIRE 59

Fashion file 2

The CollectionsWe showcase a collection of fabulous accessories to match our two key fashion features.

Elegant accessories to accompany shorter bridal styles.

TIME FOR TEA-LENGTH

PASTEL PERFECTION Add a classic statement to soft-hued gowns.

Athena Bridal Jewellerywww.athenabridaljewellery.com

accessories mpany shorter yles.

ries

Freya Rosewww.freyarose.com

Ellis Bridals www.ellisbridals.co.uk

Girls Love Pearlswww.girls-love-pearls.co.uk

Wedding Factory Directwww.weddingfactorydirect.com

Geckowww.geckojewellery.com

Victoria Fergusson www.victoriafergusson.co.uk

Le Soulier www.lesoulier.co.uk

Claudia Bradbywww.claudiabradby.com

Freya Rosewww.freyarose.com

www.nixa.se

ATTIRE 61

PASTELBe inspired by Pantone’s 2016 Colour of the year, Rose Quartz. Perfect for brides who don’t want to wear white.

Victoria Kay+44 (0)1424 439 165www.victoriakaygowns.co.uk

perfectionFile 3

ATTIRE 61

62 ATTIRE

1 2

3 4

1. Mori Lee +44 (0)845 561 5522www.morilee.co.uk

2. Emmerling +49 (0)96 215 0249www.emmerling.eu

3. David Tutera+44 (0)1954 232 102www.mon-cheri.co.uk

4. Alan Hannah+44 (0)20 8804 1444www.alanhannah.co.uk

62 ATTIRE

ATTIRE 63

Bonny Bridal +44 (0)1761 402 515www.bonny-bridal.co.uk

ATTIRE 63

File 3

64 ATTIRE

1 2

3 4

1. Ladybird +44 (0)35 525 0611www.ladybird.nl

2. Orea Sposa +39 02 215 2176www.oreasposa.com

3. Christine Dando +44 (0)1909 774471www.christinedandobridals.com

4. Modeca+31 85 489 9270www.modeca.com

64 ATTIRE

66 ATTIRE

When did you start your bridal business and what inspired you to do so?I’ve spent the last eight years designing for high-end fashion houses, and while I loved the frenetic pace and the creativity, something about the longevity and romantic sentiment of bridalwear always appealed to me.

I was asked to design a one-off bridal top for a friend who wanted to cover her arms for the ceremony. I created a modern yet feminine top with a tipped back hem like a veil and embroidered flowers on the shoulders. My friend looked amazing and the feedback from guests and the press was really positive. It was then I saw the

opportunity to play with ideas and bridge the gap between bridalwear and fashion.It was about a year ago I decided to think seriously about creating my own label. The aesthetics and brand ethos just grew very naturally from this initial concept of layering modern pieces together. Based on my knowledge and experience in the fashion industry, I was confident that I could design a range of luxury wedding garments that was contemporary and exciting but also had a sense of elegance and bridal tradition that feels so magical.

What made you change paths from high-end design to bridal, and has this influenced your collections? As a trained fashion designer, it’s always felt natural to challenge convention and seek out new ideas. The process I use to create the bridal collection is the same process as any high-end fashion label I’ve worked for before.

This way of thinking has influenced my

modern pieces, which I hope broaden the horizons of traditional bridalwear. It’s an exciting time to be a bride with access to so much information online. I think it’s resulted in women, now more than ever, being open to new ideas and creativity. A confidence is growing among brides to stand out and express themselves more, which makes the collaborative part of my job that much more enjoyable. What inspires you about bridal design?With bridalwear, the gown means so much more than any item the bride has worn or will wear again and this is inspiring. It’s symbolic as well as a beautiful item and represents so much. I also love the history of traditions within the design, such as colour and fabric, which gives a base structure for me to play around with. I love to see how much I can re-design a tried and tested idea without losing the basic concept. There are traditions in bridalwear but fortunately no rules!

We chat to Poppy Dover, Bridal Designer, about how her background in fashion has helped her grow her first bridal collection.

Style and synergy

ATTIRE 67

Up & coming

A

How would you describe your latest collection and how often will you be releasing new designs? The Love Stories collection is themed around the iconographies of love. Cupid arrows, love hearts, curling roses, interlacing initials, butterflies and swallows have been delicately embroidered among the garments in the collection to ‘pared-back decadence’. It embraces a fun and flamboyant show of love, yet approaches it in a feminine way with subtle white on white texture and pattern. The fabric used in the collection is the finest natural silk, matte crepe, silk organza, chiffon and tulle with each dress maintaining a balance of timeless luxury.

Where are your bridal designs made, and for what reason?The garments are made in India by a small and talented team of seamstresses. They are artisans who take pride and enjoyment in what they do. India is a special place and somewhere I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many times.

Because of this, the collection is inspired by the traditions of India during the colonial era of the British Raj. Within the brand aesthetic, there’s always a sense of this spirit, combining India’s ethereal romance with a touch of British drama and eccentricity.

What makes your collections stand out from other bridal designers?I deliberately didn’t look around at what other designers were doing. I wanted to start with a clean slate and in doing so, I’ve created a one-of-a-kind concept that feels modern and unlike any other bridal designer out there.

The collection offers a small classic range of dresses that are well cut and made from luxurious fabrics. I’ve also built on that by creating a larger range of playful and embroidered sheer tops to mix and match over them.

My tops, veils and veil skirts are designed to make a modern impact when walking down the aisle, and during the special day, they can be removed for dinner and dancing. These pieces can easily be worn again with a floaty skirt or with a pair of jeans. This way, the memory of that special day can live on.

What’s your favourite dress you’ve designed so far and why?In terms of popularity, the Whole Hearted Dress is the one that gets the most response. Its cut-out heart on the back is so evocative, and provides an element of surprise when walking down the aisle, its simple but so effective.

The True Romance top probably is a good representation of what the collection is all about. It embodies expression, freedom and femininity, but balances it with a quiet and modest strength. It takes a confident bride to wear it but ultimately it’s empowering and will set her apart.

What’s your favourite part of the dress design process?Seeing the design ideas come to life through my figure sketches is one of my favourite parts of the whole process. It’s a timeless skill that people seem to respond to and has led me to selling the sketches framed as original one-offs, signed or with a personal message from the gift-giver.

Where can retailers get to see your collection over the next 12 months? I will be exhibiting at White Gallery between 15th and 17th May, and will have the full Love Stories collection on show.

What do you hope to achieve in the next five years? I hope to have an established the brand that offers brides something a little different and won’t fail them on a quality and luxury service. The brand caters for different cultures, ages and nationalities, so I’d like to see the wholesale side of the business grow internationally. I will also be looking to establish an accessory and gift range alongside the main collections.

ContactPoppy Dover London+44 (0)7876 594 389

www.poppydover.london

68 ATTIRE

In my shoesJulie Bonnar talks to Rachel Simpson about her passion for making handmade shoes.

When did you start the business and what inspired you to do so?I spent several years designing for the high street as a freelance designer. It was around the time when Primark launched, and it was all about copycat and cheap fashion. I distinctly remember being sent the same Topshop boot for development by three of my clients, and thinking how creatively soul-destroying it was that they were all copying each other.

At the same time, I was making bespoke shoes for clients in my workshop at the bottom of the garden, and many of these commissions were for wedding shoes. It’s this hands-on love of shoemaking that has always been the driving force behind my designs. I’d always intended to start my own brand one day, so the combination of the lack of originality on the high street, and the desire for well-made, one-of-a-kind wedding

shoes made the Rachel Simpson brand come together when it did.

What would you say is the signature style of Rachel Simpson? Understated. I’ve always been told that I’m commercial as a designer – when you’re at university it’s seen as a bit of an insult if you’re not a fashion maverick but I’ve always been pretty comfortable with it. Particularly when it comes to weddings, most people don’t want crazy or out-there styles, but that doesn’t mean that they want same old same old.

My signature style combines wear-ability with something a little bit different; on trend as well as timeless, elegant but a little quirky too.

What makes your shoe label stand out from other shoe designers?Hopefully, its originality – as a design-led brand, I’ve always kept myself to myself when it comes to new ideas. I do keep an eye on current trends, but

I’m not led by what everyone else is doing.

We design beautiful shoes for weddings, rather than ‘wedding shoes’ if that makes sense. Make our shoes in different colours and they’re just as nice to wear for all occasions.

What do you predict will be your best-sellers for 2016?We’re very much in love with mixed metallics this year and have combined silver and gold together to give a really bespoke warmth to our shoe, which is versatile and also complements a wide range of looks. We also have other wonderful colour combinations of rose gold and blush tones, as well as dove grey and palest blue.

Are there any trends that retailers should look out for this season?The choice of silver or gold no longer applies – the modern mix creates something truly original. Floral is also

ATTIRE 69

Profile

a huge trend to look out for – we’ve added it to lace, appliqué, as well as on shoe clips and accessories.

How often do you release new ranges?We tend to launch one main collection each spring, followed by a smaller capsule collection around autumn-time.

In addition we’ve started doing smaller runs of limited edition shoes here and there, which is fun. I think customers expect it now, and are always on the lookout for something new and exciting.

Tell us about the accessory range collaboration with award-winning UK brand Laurel Lime and how these co-ordinates fit in with your style signature?We’ve worked with Laurel Lime for years now, and it’s just a lovely partnership. Their look is very innovative and wearable, much as is ours. Our brides like being able to match their accessory and shoe style. The shoe clips came about for brides who loved the understated look but had their heart set on a bit of sparkle. These have grown in popularity, leading to us introducing more and more accessories to complete the look.

How many stockists do you have presently, and how do you decide which retailers you’d like to partner with?Our wholesale side is in the process of some very exciting changes at the moment. We’re looking for like-minded retailers who share our passion for design and beautiful products. It’s been a challenging year, as the brand has grown more than we’d ever anticipated. As a result, we’ve made a lot of investment into our systems and infrastructure, so we can offer a service as good as our product has always been.

Can retailers expect to see you at any bridal trade shows over the next 12

months? If so, which ones and why?We were at the New York Bridal Market in April, where we debuted in October. After significant growth in interest from international brides, our export business has gone from strength to strength, and is a key focus area for the coming year.

We’re also giving our Birmingham showroom a rather lovely makeover, so we can see even more of our wholesale and retail customers in-house over the perfect mix of good shoes, good cake and good coffee!

How would you like to see the brand grow over the coming years?I’m really happy with how we’ve grown since we launched in 2008. We’ve built the brand steadily, shoe by shoe, and always with our core values and design integrity at the centre.

Every member of our team is passionate about the brand, and I’d like to think that comes through in everything we do. It’s nice to receive as many lovely emails as we do from our customers, because more often than not the compliments are as much about our team and customer service as they are about our shoes.

I’d like to see the brand continue to grow and keep developing beautiful shoes and accessories, with lovely people at the core. Some people say you shouldn’t be too nice in business but I disagree – for me, that’s exactly what it’s all about. A

Contact Rachel Simpson

+44 (0)121 433 5492 www.rachelsimpson

shoes.co.uk

70 ATTIRE

ContactSharon Bowen-Dryden+44 (0)7801 446 985

[email protected] www.bowendryden.co.uk

La Vie est une Fleur is one of the latest collections from Sharon Bowen-Dryden. We talk to her to find out more…

Life is a flower

70 ATTIRE

ATTIRE 71

Collection focusWhat prompted you to launch the new collections?After a bit of a break, I wanted to bring back my passion for design and creativity, and love for beautiful and exquisite things back onto the high street. The new collection of bridal gowns reflects a renewed appetite in brides for a dress that’s beautifully designed and crafted, exquisitely beaded with the best Swarovski crystals, and something to treasure.

My own wedding last year was inspired my separates collection. As a second time bride with a ‘mature’ figure, I still wanted to feel glamorous and look gorgeous. As a forgotten category, but on the rise, I set about designing a collection of pieces that reflects the need for choice and flexibility, and caters for all occasions.

How would you describe the signature style for both of the collections?La Vie est une Fleur is a collection of original haute couture, whimsical, but still elegant and glamorous gowns, which come in a variety of translucent fabrics with beautifully worked floral embroideries and Swarovski crystals.

Silhouettes include body skimming, super sexy, satin and lace gowns with cheeky unlined beaded bodices to dramatic full dresses swathed in contemporary floral embroidery.

The collection colours are hand-dyed barely there, slightly aged shades with an option to always order in ivory or one of the 129 colours that we can offer.

The separates collection complements

the gowns and provides an opportunity for stockists to cater to all ages, shapes, sizes and themes, and to give the bride or mum a truly bespoke experience. What inspired the collections and what fabrics and techniques have been used in the designs?I suppose indirectly a move to living in the country to a home looking out over fields of golden corn, with fragile wild flowers borders that swayed in the wind has inspired me. The embroideries capture the feel and nuance of swathes of daisies, pink poppies and cornflowers, exquisitely interpreted in laser-cut and reworked traditional artisan thread work.

My favourite fabrics are tulle, organza, lace and soft liquid satin, which have been cleverly combined with innovative embroidery techniques to recreate a romantic and feminine impression.

What sets the collections apart from others on the market?The quality and imagination of design and making haute couture gowns accessible to the high street through a small chain of exclusive boutiques makes it different.

All my gowns and separates are hand-dyed, handmade and beaded to order making both collections very flexible so that any important changes to any details, colour, silhouette and embroidery can be done.

Quality control and timeliness is paramount, so a stringent double layer checking process for these dresses is in place that ensures the utmost quality at all times and that deadlines are adhered to.

Which of the designs do you predict will be your best-sellers and why?The gown, Poppy Fields, cleverly pays homage to vintage ’50s styling and corsetry but with modern quirky bold floral embroidery. The gown, Forget Me Not, is a soft slinky, relaxed bohemian style satin and tulle dress with attention to superb floral detail and is on trend for a country or festival wedding.

What is the price range of the collection?The La Vie est une Fleur gown collection wholesales from £450 for a tea-length dress to fully embroidered ballgown at £1500. The separates range from £400 to £1200.

How many stockists do you have in the UK and what criteria do you use when choosing your retail partners?We’re looking for a small network of exclusive boutiques throughout the UK and abroad – we currently have four UK stockists, and this is increasing weekly.Retailers are invited to be a Sharon Bowen-Dryden (SBD) stockist based on the calibre of the existing designers they already have in store, with the equivalent price point gowns.

Ideally a SBD stockist has an attractive boutique with a relaxed environment, where there’s an appointment policy, so that sales staff have the time to consult and advise the bride on the various options available to create that individual SBD gown.

Where can potential stockists view your designs? Will you be exhibiting at any shows in the future?I’ll be exhibiting at White Gallery in the UK this May and in New York in October and welcome stockists to come and have an informal chat. A

ATTIRE 71

White Gallery - May 2016- Stand 704

www.sassobride.co.uk | [email protected] | 0113 2450232

ATTIRE 73

White gallery

Event Director, Wendy Adams from White Gallery London (WGL) speaks to Attire Bridal about why this spectacular show remains one of the foremost events in the global bridal trade industry’s calendar, and offers a glimpse of what can be expected – as well as how to join in with the #wgl16 social media buzz.

Can you please tell us a little more about the re-mastered layout of the venue – what can we expect to see that’s different to previous years?Battersea Evolution is a semi-permanent structure that’s erected each year in September for 10 months. I’m sure everyone will agree that the new mezzanine level and impressive wood and glass staircases leading from the reception make White Gallery London even more spectacular!

What exciting talent from first-time exhibitors to returning favourites, can we expect to see at the show? Many fabulous designers are showing for the first time, including Immaculada Garcia, Monique Lhuillier, Olvi’s, and Rupert Sanderson. Designers returning to WGL include Anoushka G, Sadoni and Watters; and the show will feature many new talents such as By Catriona, Charlotte Simpson, Poppy Dover, Rasha London and The Season Hats.

Of your returning British exhibitors, which are some of the most notable names in the industry we can look forward to seeing again? The best of the Brits include Caroline Castigliano, Alan Hannah, Stephanie Allin and Sassi Holford.

White Gallery London enjoys a truly global experience in terms of its exhibitors – aside from the traditional powerhouse countries that produce some of the leading lights of the industry, are there any new emerging countries, which

will bring inspired talent to the show floor this year? The White Gallery London roster of top-name designers attracts global players from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Lebanon, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and the USA. Of course, there are also the UK names who put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain.

“White Gallery London is the only trade event worldwide

that from day one established rigid exhibiting criteria and has

never faltered in maintaining the highest standards. That way,

only the best-known designers are permitted to show.”

74 ATTIRE

IN BRIEFWhen: 15th - 17th May, 2016Where: Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, LondonOpening times: Sunday, 9.30am - 6.30pmMonday, 9.30am - 6pm Tuesday, 9.30am - 4pm Website: www.whitegallery.comAbout: White Gallery London is organised by Ocean Media Group. Launched in 2010, WGL is recognised worldwide as one of the leading international trade fairs for the finest in bridal design. In this seventh edition, Battersea Evolution will be transformed into an exclusive and elegant showroom, wherein the leading names in design will showcase their new collections to the world’s most exclusive wedding wear retailers and key international press.

JOIN THE WGL SOCIAL BUZZWhite Gallery London posts regular content and updates throughout the year on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Exhibitors and visitors can join the conversation by following WGL on its channels: Facebook: White Gallery Londonhttps://www.facebook.com/WhiteGalleryLondon Twitter: @whitegallery Instagram: @whitegallerylondonDon’t forget to use the hashtag #wgl16 !

As we anticipate the unveiling of some outstanding 2017 collections at WGL, what do you predict will be some of the stand-out trends?Silhouettes will range from the sleek and slinky to lavish gowns with voluminous skirts. There’ll be lots of skin on show, with plunging backs, adventurous lace ‘tattoos’ and statement layering. The newest crop of fabrics will include brocades and jacquards and laces that have moved on from the plain and pretty to the heavily beaded and exotic. Accessories, like jackets, detachable skirts and flowing capes will get lots of attention, as will a new wave of separates dressing, with suntanned midriffs on display.

Can you please provide an overview and highlights relating to this year’s programme?

Stylish catwalk performances will feature on Sunday and Monday and introduce the very newest looks. There’ll be a fabulous party on Sunday evening at 6.30pm with plenty of drinks and nibbles and the Buyers Lounge, in its new setting on the mezzanine, will offer free bubbly throughout the show.

Year-on-year, WGL continues to show growth – what are your projections for 2016 over 2015 in terms of visitor/exhibitor numbers?We will aim to see the show continuing to grow, although the focus is very clearly on quality not quantity. In line with our global representation of exhibitors, our visitors come from 28 different countries including Lebanon, Mexico and Australia. A

ATTIRE 77

White gallery

ALAN HANNAHStand No. 109www.alanhannah.co.ukAlan Hannah will be launching its new collection on the catwalk at White Gallery. Designer Marguerite Hannah has created some exquisite pieces, which are beautiful and have a gorgeous light touch of luxurious embellishment.

Italian chiffon and organza are the key fabrics giving a flowing and romantic feel to the new pieces. They’ll also have some sculptural and structured dresses in mikado and silk zibeline. Colour will feature strongly with some unusual pastels, as well as gold and silver brocades and damasks. Buyers should look out for their dramatic and exciting couture show on the 15th May.

Meet the designersHere’s some of our favourites who will be at the show:

MIRANDA TEMPLETONStand No. 606www.mirandatempleton.co.ukMiranda Templeton is showcasing around 40 new designs across the range at White Gallery. The Refined Florals collection is a move away from the blousy, bohemian style that has been dominant and a return to more intricate styles of embellishment.

Showstoppers include the stunning new demi-vines, which are a mix between a comb and vine, and are incredibly lightweight and easily pinned into the hair. They also have wonderful new woven beadwork vines called Willerby and Worthing. These are delicate and breathtaking, and include an innovative Porcelana Fria technique, which produces delicate porcelain like flowers. Also on display will be the beautiful new jewellery range that has been created to wear with backless dresses.

Gold is also making a welcome return with several of their key pieces now available in both gold and silver options.

78 ATTIRE

SASSI HOLFORDStand No: 305www.sassiholford.co.ukAward-winning designer Sassi Holford will celebrate 35 years in British bridal design with a collection dedicated to her mother at this year’s White Gallery London. Sassi Holford, who is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading bridal designers, will launch her Twenty17 collection at the trade show with an exclusive fashion show taking place at 1pm on Monday 16th May.

This collection is especially close to Sassi’s heart as she has dedicated it to her mother, who sadly lost a short battle with cancer at the beginning of the year. Speaking of the collection, she said: “My mum loved everything different and unusual – she was truly one-of-a-kind. I wanted to dedicate this collection to her because of her original style. She was and always will be my biggest creative influence.”

The UK designed dresses will showcase Sassi’s expertise for creating innovative and stylish fabric combinations with beautiful silhouettes and shapes. A splash of colour, stunning crushed lace, rose-satin belts and straight cut necklines all feature in this eclectic collection.

With brides looking for less traditional designs, this collection encompasses tailored styles and fashionable two-pieces. There are more amazing pieces from The Bride Decides, which is a concept collection that gives brides the freedom to create their own individual style on their wedding day look with beautiful accessories and finishing pieces. Sassi added: “I love mixing perfectly plain gowns with subtle shades of colour, textured fabrics and accessory detailing such as belts and sashes.”

LOUISE BENTLEYStand No 211www.louisebentley.comLouise Bentley’s 2017 collection is inspired by romance and is all about the fabrics. Soft, sheer transparent fabrics teamed with corded lace, organza and chiffon as well as opulent skirts in crisp paper taffeta and tulle. Vintage brocade and rich silk duchess satin are used to perfection to create full voluminous skirts. Crepe that drapes is complemented by lace and chiffon. Heavy pearl beading and uneven hemlines add a contemporary twist. The collection is predominantly made up of long skirts but there are a few heavenly short designs for those wanting something a little more retro.

SAVIN- London -

To make an appointment, please contact [email protected]

WHITE GALLERY LONDON15th-17th May 2016

STAND 613

EXCLUSIVE BRIDAL RUNWAYS:

Monday 16th May @ 3pm

ATTIRE 81

White gallery

SASSOStand No: 704 www.sassobride.co.ukSasso has gone all out for White Gallery and has some gorgeous new colours and accessories to tempt your brides. Introducing an inky-washed soft lawn, lace and Swarovski pearls and crystal as well as beautiful miniature handmade flowers in soft pantone shades. Adding for the first time an interesting twist to contemporary jewellery, Sasso is unveiling something bespoke, very bold but with a delicate design, which the company is keep it under wraps until the show. Also look out for the new sorbet shade of feather.

QIANA BRIDALStand No: 309www.qianabridal.co.ukQiana Bridal will launch its 2017 Regal Splendour collection with impeccable styling that you would expect from the company. It includes its signature glamorous style of fitted boned bodices, nipped-in waists and full flowing skirts but this season sees added drama to skirts, dramatic embellishments to bodices with interesting, delicate necklines using soft laces, intricate beading, translucent fabrics and organza. Designs are of a high quality that would satisfy the most discerning bride.

SAVIN LONDONStand No: 613www.savinlondon.comQuintessentially British luxury bridal label, Savin London will present its new collection, Timeless Opulence at White Gallery. Inspired by neo-classicism, the collection reflects the desires of modern and timeless brides. Breath-takings laces, silks and a flourish of feathers walk down the runway, encapsulating the brand’s vision for luxury and British bridal glamour.

82 ATTIRE

CHERISHED Stand No: 400www.cherishedvintage.co.ukFor their debut at White Gallery London, British bridal accessory design studio Cherished will present the Nature’s Diadem collection, which is a fine-crafted luxury headpiece and accessory collection that celebrates the beauty of floral and leafy forms. This collection is delicate and fragile but also architectural in presence with intricate handmade flowers and leaves combined with sparkling Swarovski pearls and crystals in a soft pastel palette of pale pinks, silvery greys, blues and blush.

Many of the designs have a sculptural quality with lush three-dimensional floral forms sweeping through the hair. The collection is perfect for the elegant or bohemian bride and includes headbands, hair combs, slides as well as versatile hair vines, some of which can be used as neckpieces or belts, plus a capsule collection of co-ordinating jewellery.

VALENTINI SPOSE Stand No: 643www.valentinispose.comLaunching for the first time in the UK, celebrated Italian couture gown designer Valentini Spose reveals its exceptional hand-made couture label and new concept in bridal retailing at White Gallery.

With 50 years’ experience in dressing women for the most important dress of their life, Valentini Spose opens the door for a new generation of bridal styling in the UK.

Graziana Valentini has excelled in a daring collection of exquisite Italian silks, French and Austrian lace, crisp cut mikado and finishing touches of Swarovski, freshwater pearls and hand-painted silk flowers. Every gown is a work of art and has been made to a bride’s exacting measurements by hand in Italy using traditional methods.

The company thrives on its relationships with boutique owners and brides-to-be and makes it possible for both to visit its workrooms in Southern Italy on bridal tours, where they can see the gowns being made and meet the seamstresses who have been making them. This little slice of heritage brings personality to every gown and the production is just six to eight weeks, making the opportunity to be part of Valentini Spose’s vibrant, UK team network very appealing. Supported by exciting collaborations in marketing and retailer support, it’s about more than adding a few more gowns to your shop’s collection.

Kate Hopewell Smith

WHITE IVY Stand No: 603www.white-ivy.comWhite Ivy is proudly showcasing its latest jewellery collections and will include stunning new headwear crafted from Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. New additions to its catalogue include the ever-popular bridesmaids range that comes in beautifully bespoke redesigned packaging.

Kate Hopewell Smith

84 ATTIRE

SHARON BOWEN-DRYDEN Stand No: 606a www.bowendryden.co.ukSharon Bowen-Dyrden will be showcasing her new haute couture collection La Vie est une Fleur, which includes whimsical, but still elegant and glamorous gowns in a variety of translucent fabrics with beautifully worked floral embroideries and Swarovski crystals. Silhouettes include body skimming, super sexy, satin and lace gowns with cheeky unlined beaded bodices to dramatic full dresses swathed in large contemporary floral embroidery. The collection colours are sheer hand-dyed slightly aged shades with an option to always order in ivory or one of the 129 colours on offer. The separates collection complements the gowns and provides an opportunity for stockists to cater to all ages, shapes, sizes and themes, and to give the bride or mum a truly bespoke experience.

KAREN WILLIS HOLMESStand No: 610www.karenwillisholmes.comKaren Willis Holmes returns to White Gallery for the third year and is excited to be showing the latest collections for Bespoke, Wild Hearts and KWH by Karen Willis Holmes that offer stockists and brides an amazing variety of styles, silhouettes and price points.

Karen Willis Holmes will also be debuting in the UK the new DYG Design Your Gown collection. Taking the ethos of the Bespoke Collection one step further, Karen has thoughtfully designed a collection of bodice and skirt separates. All pieces in the collection work seamlessly with each other and allow brides to design their own gown. With more than 90 combinations, brides will be spoilt for choice.

ELIZA JANE HOWELL Stand No: 307 www.elizajanehowell.comRenowned designer Gill Harvey has brought together her years of experience to create the Eliza Jane Howell Bridal collection. Named after her grandmother, the Eliza Jane Howell Bridal collection has been designed for the modern day bride who would love to wear a dress that oozes the glamour, sophistication and decadence of the golden age of fashion. The collections take inspiration from vintage gowns, and epitomise grown up glamour. The new 2017 collection features the label’s signature dramatic style with the latest plunging backs and higher necklines in a range of soft colours.

See us at the White Gallery on Stand 309

FOR STOCKIST ENQUIRIESKrystal Agency

Tel: 01204 888285Mob: 07935 156275

[email protected]

www.qianabridal.co.uk

ATTIRE 87

White gallery

CATHERINE DEANEStand No: 310 www.catherinedeane.comCatherine Deane will showcase the newest bridal collection, which is a fusion of fresh styles and timeless shapes, harmonised with a heady mix of textured floral lace, dreamy silk chiffons, and soft tulle skirts. All of the elements combine to create one-of-a-kind pieces that allow brides to be feminine and feel special. This collection will appeal to the modern bride with a creative mind with figure-hugging silhouettes as well as soft romantic-feel overlays that will take the bride from ceremony to celebrations effortlessly.

CAROLINE CASTIGLIANO Stand No: 101www.carolinecastigliano.comUltra-feminine meets sensuality with Caroline Castigliano’s new collection, Love is in the Air. The luxury collection features modern separates, detachable trains and an array of wonderful soft coffee and cream colours. Sensual low-backs and plunging necklines deliver a powerful interpretation of understated opulence, while the whimsical silhouettes offer modern brides lots of choice. Structured silk zibeline and marocain crepe is key this season alongside soft georgettes and satin-faced organza. Intricate laces are strong with soft-corded laces and exquisite beading. The collection comes in a soft colour palette of ivory and hints of mocha. Also new is a full complementary accessory collection of headpieces veils and belts.

88 ATTIRE

Designer resonance

We talk to designer Emma Hunt about her eye for fashion, luxurious design and her new Echo collection.

When did you start designing bridalwear and what inspired you to do so?Having graduated from Kingston Polytechnic with a degree in fashion design, I finally decided after many years of designing as a hobby, to start up my own business in 1997 and thus, the Emma Hunt label was born. Combining my flare for fashion and awareness of garment construction, I design and make a small collection of wedding dresses.

What do you enjoy most about working in the bridal industry?I love working in the bridal industry; it’s the satisfaction of making someone the most important dress that they will ever wear.

Have there been any key milestones in your career so far?

The launch of our Echo collection in 2014, which was our first diffusion range, Echo. This line mirrors the quality and aesthetic of our London collection and is available at selected stockists across the UK and Ireland.

Can you describe the Echo collection, and what brides its aimed at? Echo is our new retail diffusion collection, offering a more attainable selection of our designs. The range has been created with the same care, attention to detail and elegance that our London collection and bespoke dresses are known for. What makes your designs different form other bridal collections? We have silk on the inside as well as the outside for extra luxury. The collection is made by hand in

ATTIRE 89

Profile

London, and features soft silhouettes and discreet structuring to create wonderfully flattering gowns. We strive to use only the best quality fabrics, such as crepe-backed satin and silk marocain to ensure that the dress feels as amazing to wear as it looks. Delicate finishing touches such as appliquéd corded lace and Chantilly eyelash trims, along with exquisite beaded embellishments, make Echo dresses extra special and memorable. Dresses within the collection start from £1,900.

What are your best-selling gowns, and do you have a favourite?The best-selling dresses this season are Claudi, Greta and Freya, but I don’t have a real favourite as they all come to life on the right bride.

Where are your gowns made, and why?We currently still make all our dresses either in-house or at my machinist’s studio. This way, we have complete control over the quality and perfection of the production.

How often do you release a new gown collection?We have released a new Echo collection for the last two years, but as our dresses are timeless, we haven’t introduced new dresses this season. We do offer a bespoke service to anyone wanting a one-of-a-kind piece.

How many stockists do you have currently, and how do you decide which retailers you’d like to partner with?We currently have seven stockists. It’s important to us that every boutique selling our dresses offers good

customer service and which puts the bride first.

Where can retailers go to see your designs? We have a London showroom in Wimbledon where we welcome retailers for their own private viewing.

How do you plan to grow your business over the coming years?We’ll continue to promote the collections through a wide variety of social networks and media publicity. A

Contact Emma Hunt

+44 (0)20 8879 7871www.emmahunt.co.uk

90 ATTIRE

Attire Bridal chats with Sarah Donnelly, owner at Manor Park Brides, who celebrates 10 years in business.

What inspired you to set up a bridal boutique business? I decided to set up the shop after getting married myself, and realised that there wasn’t a bridal boutique in the area. I saw a great opportunity to open a boutique and here we are 10 years later. We had a wonderful grand opening and made a big thing about unveiling our new shop sign. The first customer who came through our doors ten years ago was the person that I asked to cut the ribbon into the next years and beyond.

You’ve recently refurbished the shop – what made you decide to invest in this refit? Our original shop layout worked but we decided that the décor was looking tired and I knew I wanted a

fresh look. I opted for grey laminate flooring, grey damask curtains and black tubs chairs. We designed new business cards and dress labels to blend everything together – it was the new shop sign that truly completed the refit.

Which bridal designers are currently stocked at Manor Park, and why? We stock Mori Lee, Eternity Bridal and Christina Wu bridesmaids, Hilary Morgan, Alexia Designs and we look forward to receiving our new collection from Rosa Couture, which we brought from the recent Bridal Roadshow in Droitwich.

Apart from bridal gowns, who else in the bridal party do you cater for? We have a large selection of

A diamond occasion

ATTIRE 91

Retailer profile

bridesmaid and prom dress, and we also offer menswear from Cameron Ross. We’ve a great selection of tiaras and veils from Twilight Designs and Elizabeth Dickens too.

Who are the key members of staff and what experience do they bring to the business? I manage the shop full time and my best friend Karen Bruton is by my side every Saturday. She has more than 15 years of bridal experience and is fantastic in guiding brides through the shapes and styles they might not have tried on before. Lucy Hewitt joins us on a Sunday, and keeps us updated with what trends she sees happening in the market.

What changes within the bridal industry have you seen over the last few years? We came into the bridal industry when the internet started having a big effect on how brides purchase their wedding gown. However, we’re now noticing brides are realising that the ‘bargain’ dress that they’ve seen isn’t what as it’s described to be, and are returning back to the shop as they’ve missed out on the service, support and the whole dress-buying experience that you get from bridal shops. Recommendations are also a big part of our business model.

What are brides asking for this summer in terms of trends?Many brides are interested in the soft tulle flowing gowns, which create a romantic feel to the occasion, while others are asking for boho and vintage-inspired gowns. We have an

interesting selection of gowns to cater for brides whatever they envisage for their big day.

Have you seen any changes in the bridesmaid market recently, and why do you think this has happened? We’ve definitely noticed a change and are currently updating our bridesmaid section to come into line with what brides are asking for. Soft tulle bridesmaids’ dresses are coming in all sorts of colours including dusky shades of pink, blue, lilac and lavender and are a strong talking point here. Bridesmaid dresses with glitter are really popular in rose gold shades, with exciting new fabric to work with creating a very different feel to the wedding party. It’s essential we carry matching adult, junior and infant dresses, for a diverse, all-ages party of bridesmaids.

What has been your best-selling gown over the last 12 months and why do you think this is?We have two dresses that sell equally

well. These are Mori Lee 2610 and Eternity Bridal D5201 – both of these stunning dresses are lace fitted gowns and are popular choices for customers to try on first.

I’d personally like to thank our stockist for their continued support at Manor Park Brides over the last 10 years, and I look forward to seeing what changes the next decade brings. A

Contact Manor Park Brides

+44 (0)121 747 8103 www.manorparkbrides.com

ATTIRE 91

92 ATTIRE

Angel B +44 (0)113 258 8454 www.angelbbride.co.uk

MIX AND MATCHmaidsWe speak to leading bridesmaid dress suppliers to find out what the key styles are for supporting ladies.

92 ATTIRE

ATTIRE 93

Bridesmaids

Linzi Jay +44 (0)1254 665 104www.linzijay.com “The current trend for bridal parties is for bridesmaids to wear different colours and a chance to show their own individual style. We’re seeing much more of this, especially in pastels. As with the majority of our bridesmaid collection, the popular EN339 style is available in both long and short lengths, which can also be customised further by adding detail to the waist with either a brooch or belt.”

True Bride +44 (0)1273 728 637 www.truebride.co.uk “Luna by Nicki Flynn is a collection of red-carpet-worthy bridesmaid dresses for the bridal party looking to make a statement. Maids will ooze glamour with this range of elegant silhouettes and decadent detailing. The line of has lots of new designs that will be added shortly.”

Little Bevan +44 (0)20 7821 9499www.littlebevan.co.uk“Lace is still a popular choice. The Bettina bridesmaid dress is very versatile and available in teen sizes all the way through to an adult size 14. This lace dress features a slash-neck lace with V bodice back, ¾ length lace sleeves and soft gathered knee-length lace skirt. This dress is available in celadon green dupion silk with ivory chantilly lace overlay and made to order at our London workshop. It’s available in 30 colours, making it perfect for all bridesmaids.”

94 ATTIRE

The Dessy Group +1 646 638 9600 www.dessy.com “The Dessy twist wrap dress allows bridesmaid to wear different looks. Create classic or sexy styles by just wrapping the dress bodice differently. The fabrics are soft, draped and packable, making them perfect for destination weddings. This dress style is available in 25 colours with lots of new season’s shades to choose from.”

Mark Lesley + (0)1621 784 784 www.marklesley.co.uk “Mark Lesley has some sublime gowns in a wonderful range of shades from fresh pastels to rich jewelled colours. Whether your customers are looking for short or long hemlines and decorative detail or classic styles, there are gowns to suit everyone.”

Ronald Joyce +(0)845 833 2525 www.ronaldjoyce.com “Ronald Joyce’s bridesmaid collection has been designed for the body-conscious bridesmaid, but still remains glamorous and can be worn for a number of different occasions. Gowns come in a stunning colour palette featuring and a variety of lengths.”

Nixa Design +46 855 695 900 www.nixa.se “European label Nixa has a wonderful selection of Swedish designed bridesmaid dresses that are characterised by simple clean lines and attention to detail. We love the wide lace straps on gown C1019, while the peach-coloured gown C1012 is ideal as a maternity option.”

t: 01494 721223m: 07525 861533

[email protected]

We make exclusive, absolutely stunning, original design, handmade bridal hair accessories. All our designs are unique, individual and customisable. We use only the

finest quality materials; Swarovski Crystals, Freshwater Pearls and Swarovski Glass Pearls. We believe in timeless in our designs. With us, our bride has the right to look the

fairytale princess she always wanted to be! Check our website to see what we have to off er you!

Star Gem Bridal @StarGemBridal

BLOSSOMdesigned in the uk since 1986

01202 477873 | www.blossom.co.uk | [email protected]

ATTIRE 97

Bridesmaids jewelleryThe Bridesmaid Collection from Glitzy Secrets www.glitzysecrets.com

We showcase some of this season’s hottest jewellery pieces for bridesmaids

Touch of glamour

Bridesmaids jewellery

98 ATTIRE

Elements of mix and match This super simple crystal and diamante design from Linzi Jay is a wonderful choice for bridesmaids, and is available in a wide range of colours to suit lots of dress shades including fuchsia, light sapphire, peach, pink, ruby, Tiffany and vintage. It makes a wonderful keepsake and looks great paired with jeans and a top after the big day and is something that can be worn again and again. For more information, visit www.ariannatiaras.com and www.linzijay.com.

“One of the most simple and cost-effective ways to achieve a professional styled look

is to focus on colour coordination and contrasting, where bridesmaid can choose

jewellery to complement their dress,” Victoria Swan, Designer and Managing

Director, Glitzy Secrets.

Vine finery The new collection from Athena Bridal Jewellery combines feminine flowers, rich fabrics, pretty pearls, and charming details to create gorgeous pieces that will be loved by brides and bridesmaids alike including this Marielle vintage-inspired hair vine. To find out more visit www.athenabridaljewellery.com.

New coordinating collection Bridal accessories label, Glitzy Secrets has launched a new collection called The Bridesmaid Collection. The range offers the largest selection of bridesmaid accessories in one dedicated collection to be found within the UK. With 74 contemporary designs of beautifully dainty jewellery pieces styled with a hint of the classic ’50s and made with Swarovski crystals and faux pearls. This collection has wonderful coordinating colour sets with mix and match items so bridesmaids can style for their own look, with all pieces retailing from a purse-friendly £35. Shown here are the duck egg dream earrings, set on silver tone and surrounded by sparkling pale aqua crystals to create a feminine and romantic pair of studs. For more information visit www.glitzysecrets.com.

ATTIRE 101

Bridesmaids jewellery

Gorgeous giftsWhite Ivy has a new collection of bridesmaid jewellery pieces that come in two alternative packaging options so that they can be given as wonderful gifts. Choose from a simple bridesmaid gift card

or in White Ivy’s classic boxed packaging. The bridesmaids’ collection has been hugely successful since its launch last year At White Gallery and is now one of the company’s most popular ranges. For more information visit the website, www.white-ivy.com.

Heyday hairbands One of best-selling pieces from Lily Bella is the Rosanna hairband. It’s a beautiful ’20s inspired piece that is encrusted with rhinestone crystals in a pretty design and set onto a silver hairband. It works beautifully with a bandeau veil, birdcage veil or mini birdcage or perfect on its own for bridesmaids. To view more from the collection, visit www.lilybella.co.uk.

Gem-licious jewellery sets Stargem has a lovely readymade handcrafted selection of pearl jewellery sets. Each set comprises of necklace, bracelet and earrings in silver with freshwater pearls, and is presented in a pretty gift box. Colours include cream, pink, peach and purple. The company can also make these to order in lots of different colours and in varying lengths. Prices start from £120. Check out the brand’s other pearl jewellery available on the website www.stargemshop.co.uk.

Pearls of wisdom This classic bracelet comprises of creamy freshwater pearls, and is finished with a silver toggle style clasp and beautiful heart-shaped charm. It’s also available to complete the set is a necklace. The flower girl’s bracelet measures approximately 6in in length and the pearl measures around 4mm and available from Girls Love Pearls. To view the full range visit the website, www.girls-love-pearls.co.uk.

102 ATTIRE

International bridal event

The fair for wedding, bridal and occasionwear fashion is regarded as one of Europe’s most important platforms to order the new collections. Last year around 5,500 international buyers visited the show from around 50 countries to conduct business. With a portfolio of 150 international manufacturers both well-known and new brands from Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, and the US, the show was truly international. Founded in 2012, Interbride was an initiative set up by 23 wedding, bridal and special occasions manufacturers with the aim of starting a qualitative fair for the bridal industry. It’s become a top-class forum for renowned manufacturers, new labels and promising newcomers across 15,000 sq metres of hall floor space. Now in its fourth year, it’s rapidly establishing itself as a premier European trade event. This year, the trade show will be one day shorter due to the current booking situation at Messe Düsseldorf. “We’re considering this as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to be able to make the impact of the fair’s duration on visitor numbers more measurable,” says Ulrich Wendel, Managing Director of Messe Dusseldorf.

International manufacturers and buyers will gather under one roof at the trade fair, Interbride, at the end of June this year.

IN BRIEFShow: Interbride International Bridal FairDate: 25th - 27th June, 2016Location: Messe Düsseldorf, GermanyOpening hours: Sat-Mon 9am-8pm, Tue 9am-5pmWebsite: www.interbride.eu/en

YOUNG DESIGNERS IN THE SPOTLIGHTFor the second time, the fair is offering international young designers a presentation platform at the show to promote their works to an audience of international manufacturers, specialist retailers and media representatives. The show is a wonderful opportunity for bridal designers to get noticed. We look forward to viewing the winner’s work.

ATTIRE 103

Interbride

Meet some of the key exhibitors:

LADYBIRDStand No: Hall 14, B028

www.ladybird.nl

Bridalwear brand Ladybird is active on the international market with leading brands including Ladybird, Ladybird Vintage, Ladybird Princess, Ladybird Silhouette, Ladybird Plus Size, Affinity by Ladybird and Emma Charlotte. Throughout Europe, the brands; Ladybird, Affinity Bridal and Emma Charlotte have an exclusive network of dealers, and will be showcasing the new 2017 collections at this show as well as at its own Ladybird Dealer Event in Huizen, the Netherlands.

NIXA DESIGNStand No: Hall 13, D016

www.ladybird.nl

Nixa Design was founded in Jonkoping, Sweden in 1998. Its Scandinavian collections are characterised by simplicity and clean lines making the dresses refined and sophisticated.The Nixa Limited bridal collection, launched in 2016, has short delivery lead times and good prices, while the new collections for 2017 have already been well received by both existing and new customers. The Nixa Bridal 2017 contains light airy materials, lovely laces and classic satin and silk mikado dresses in modern cuts with decorative waistbands. Gowns include both basic dresses without trains that are ideal for weddings in the city or on the beach, as well as dresses with wide skirts and longer trains for a dramatic appeal. With everything from basic to classic, there’s something for everyone, and also a wide range of larger sizes. In addition, there’s an extensive range of accessories including boleros and separate tops, as well as beautiful lace veils. Nixa Evening and Bridesmaids collection including lace, taffeta and chiffon dresses, sophisticated full lace dresses to a sequin top with printed leopard skirt.

ELIZABETH DICKENSStand No: Hall 14, B031

www.elizaebthdickens.co.uk

Elizabeth Dickens is a first time exhibitor at the show and looking forward to seeing what the continent has to offer. The company is a leading supplier of bridal veils in the UK and will be showcasing its best-selling feature veils with beautiful lace appliqué edges.

104 ATTIRE

EDDY K.Stand No: Hall 14, D017

www.eddyk.com/dreams

The new Dreams collection dares every bride to dream of the perfect dress for her special day and presents a wide range of styles to choose from. The new Eddy K. Dreams range for 2017 embraces the bride’s vision of their wedding day, bringing it to life with gowns that fulfil any bride’s fantasy. The collection includes a wonderful selection of dresses that are embellished with crystal beads and feature only the finest fabrics, laces and materials. Some brides want a fairytale wedding with a lavishly embroidered gown that trails gracefully behind them, while others want something more simple and modern with sleek lines. Eddy K. recognises that each bride is an individual and has her own style so created a collection that has a modern mix of traditional, romantic, simple and contemporary dresses do there’s something for every bride out there.

MODECAStand No: Hall 14, C007

www.modeca.com

Modeca will be showcasing its 2017 Modeca and Le Papillon collections. The label will also be celebrating 70 years in bridal and celebrating by offering its customers a glass (or two) of bubbly on the stand. Le Papillon by Modeca includes dresses in the finest lace and stretch lace with a vintage feel as well as dresses with shaped waists, figure-sculpting classic lines, contemporary peplums, high necklines and open backs. The collections have a good range of UK sizes starting from 8-30 and dresses from £250 up to £650. Popular styles include Soft and Stacey, shown here from the 2016 Le Papillon by Modeca collection.

DOM BRIDAL, MON CHERI AND SOPHIA TOLLIStand No: Hall 13, A010

www.mon-cheri.co.uk, www.sophiatolli.co.uk

Mon Cheri Bridals is celebrating a wonderful 20 years of providing beautiful bridal gowns across UK and Europe this year. DOM Bridals, a family-run company and has been representing Mon Cheri across UK and Europe since 1996 is looking forward to a year of celebration. Festivities will continue at the show with DOM Bridals launching a brand new Mon Cheri collection especially designed with European fashion in mind. The collection has a variety of impressive styles and silhouettes. DOM Bridals is also showcasing its 2016 collections, which feature romantic, fresh and eclectic designs from David Tutera for the Mon Cheri collection, La Dolce Vita collection from Sophia Tolli Australia and presenting the Enchanting by Mon Cheri with charming collection designed for today’s modern bride.

Next year, the show’s motto is ‘Back to the roots’ and it will take place from 27th-30th May, 2017. With an earlier date, the event will be held again in the well-known Halls 8, A and B in the Düsseldorf exhibition centre.

Beautiful dresses, aff ordable prices

+44 208 573 0914 • [email protected] • www.verisebridal.com

Charlize DesireeHammasa, Antonette, Nella

Seraphine

106 ATTIRE

Raymond O’Hare, Director at Xedo Software, reveals tips to do business the easy way!

I’m sure you have all heard of the KISS principle. No? Well, it stands for ‘Keep It Super Simple’! It’s an approach which can be applied to almost any subject you can mention. In fact, you can buy a KISS book on a whole variety of subjects. But so far, no one has written the KISS book on running a bridal store – at least, not that I know of. If any of you are thinking about doing it, I’d love to talk to you!

Over-complicating matters The fact is, everyone in business is guilty at some point of over-complicating things. Sometimes you might make your pricing a little bit more difficult than it needs to be, or perhaps your approach to discounts and special offers can only be understood if you have a PhD in Mathematics. Or maybe, you have a very convoluted sales and marketing

message or perhaps your website is too busy and complex.

On closer examination of any business in any industry, you’ll always find ways to simplify things, and I would encourage each and every one of you to take a couple of hours away from the frontline sometime in the near future to examine where you could make things simpler for your customers, your suppliers, your staff and, ultimately, yourselves.

My guess is that you’ll find a number of ways to improve your business by making things simpler and, as always, technology should play a big part in helping you achieve this. Here are some examples to get you thinking about it:

• Do you make it easy for your customers to make appointments with you?Can they book an appointment (or at least request an appointment) directly from your website? If not, then why not? This is a degree of simplicity that would be appreciated, and probably expected, by your customers and your staff.

• Are your customer bookings and fitting room allocations easily viewed and understood by all your staff ? This basic requirement should be available in all bridal stores – ideally in a digital format – and should be accessible by all staff. Shuffling through the scribbled pages of an old paper diary doesn’t present a very professional image to your customers or suppliers.

• When was your website last updated? If it’s been a while, your customers and prospective customers will likely spot this. You can bet that there will be other stores that are making it much simpler for brides to find them, appreciate the service they offer and allow them to book an appointment. At the very least, you need to offer this as well.

• How simple and clear are your dealings with suppliers and designers? How do you communicate with them? Do you place orders by phone, by email or by post? Could this area be streamlined and simplified? You have a responsibility to make collaborating with your suppliers more straightforward.

This may sound like obvious advice but I would urge you all to take a long, hard look at your shop and ask yourself this all-important question: “Is it about time that I gave my business the KISS of life?”

Keep it simple – always

A

CONTACT Xedo Software

www.xedosoftware.com

“My guess is that you’ll find a number of ways to improve your

business by making things simpler and, as always, technology should

play a big part in helping you achieve this. ”

“You can bet that there will be other stores that are making it much simpler for brides to find them, appreciate the service

they offer and allow them to book an appointment.”

ATTIRE 107

Acid

Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO, looks at the biggest IP myths in the design industryIntellectual property (IP) is quite complicated and surrounded by many myths. Two of the most common myths, thought by copyists to be a defence, are “If someone makes seven changes or a certain percentage change to a design it becomes a new design.” The second is, “Registering designs is useless because if you make one slight percentage change in the design the registration is invalid!” Those who “alter” designs by making a few changes and think they’re creating new designs could be in for a very sharp shock and land on the wrong side of the law! The good news is that designers are getting more IP aware than ever to protect their original designs.

The top two IP Myths“If I change a design or artwork by a percentage it becomes a new design.” Wrong! It’s neither the number nor percentage of changes that somebody makes to your design. It’s the importance of the elements which have been taken from your design that is used in deciding whether your rights have been infringed. This will always vary from case to case.

Related case studyArtist Colin W Thompson was amazed to spot remarkably similar cards to his Flocking Sheep range being produced and sold by a previous client without permission. If anyone spots these for sale via retail outlets or on the internet please notify ACID to assist with enquiries.“Registering designs is useless because if you make one slight percentage change in the design the registration is invalid!” Wrong! The test for whether a design infringes a registered design is whether it creates a different overall impression as the registered design on the informed

user. It’s not simply about counting the number of elements of the design which have been reproduced or changes that have been made to it.

The other latest IP myths are:“How do I register Copyright?” You can’t! In the UK, Copyright arises automatically upon the creation of a new and original work in a tangible form (e.g. a design drawing or greeting card); there is no requirement for registration. Copyright protects written or published works such as books, songs, films, web content and artistic works.

Will posting a copy of my work to myself help to prove its origination? Known as the “poor man’s copyright”, posting a copy of your work to yourself is not a reliable method for proving origination. The reason is that the method can be easily faked and manipulated. For example, an empty and unsealed envelope can be posted and the work sealed inside at a later date to give the impression it was created earlier. It’s unlikely this evidence would stand up in Court.

The best way to deal with origination issues is to ensure all stages of design development that go into the creation of a work are signed by the author, and dated, then stored in a safe place. Such documentation could include sketches, drafts, plans etc. However, once the work’s complete, filing a copy of the work with a recognised third party such as a solicitor, bank or independent organisation will help provide evidence of a latest possible date of creation. ACID offer such a service through the ACID Design Databank. Approximately 25,000 designs per year are logged with ACID. This does not add to unregistered rights such as Copyright or design right but provides the all-important, third party evidence of the design(s) existence on the

date of receipt. Strong evidence, should it ever be required, to prove your design origination.Can I use quotes and pictures of famous people on my products, artwork or designs? In truth, the answer to this question is not simple, but in view of recent case law, in the first instance the answer would be ‘no’, not without permission. In the UK there is no concept of protectable image rights per se, but celebrities can protect their images and famous quotes of theirs through the tort of passing off.

The right of celebrities to do this in the UK was first really established in the case of Irvine and another v, Talksport Ltd [2002] EWHC 367 where the famous racing driving, Eddie Irvine, successfully sued Talksport Ltd for unauthorised use of his image. The same occurred much more recently in Robyn Rihanna Fenty v Arcadia Group Brands Ltd (T/A Topshop) [2013] EWHC 2310 (Ch), a case where Rhianna sued Topshop for unauthorised use of her image on a t-shirt. Both these cases concerned the use of images being taken to endorse another brand without the celebrities’ permission, but the same could equally apply to a quote if that celebrity was very well known by the quote.

A company wants to use my artwork. How do I earn money from this but keep ownership of my work? Generally, in this scenario you would exploit your artwork through licensing. This would allow you to retain the legal rights in the artwork itself but the license would essentially grant someone else the legal right to use that work and in turn will normally specify a fee payable to you for this license, known as a ‘royalty fee’. There are three main types of license, an exclusive license, a sole license and a non-exclusive license.

There are always exceptions to the general rule, and it may well be the case that what you wish to do will fall into one of those exceptions. Always think about contacting your IP solicitor or, if you are a member of ACID, their legal affiliates offer initial free advice, really useful in cases like these. A

CONTACTTo find out

more, visit

www.acid.uk.com

do you know the difference?Original or copy:

Elizabeth DickensElizabeth DickensElizabeth Dickens

+44 1353 723675 • email: [email protected] • web: elizabethdickensveils.co.uk

ATTIRE 109

London Bridal show

Capital callingThis year’s London Bridal Show took place in March and was an indication of optimism for the year ahead for the bridal industry.

London Bridal show

ATTIRE 109

110 ATTIRE

The show took place at Olympia in March and saw a big turnout of retailers from across the UK, as well as those who travelled from far further afield. When it comes to indicating the health and wellbeing of the bridal marketplace, attendance at major trade events says a lot and visitor numbers at this year’s London Bridal Show suggest that the bridal industry is in great shape now.

The event registers 10 per cent increase in visitors year-on-year, with international buyers accounting for 25 per cent of the total, the increase coming most notably from France and Eire. Exhibitors showcased everything from beautiful gowns, veils, bridal jewellery, shoes and accessories for the big day. Retailers were in shopping mode and keen to see the latest collections from some of the biggest names in the business, while spending time looking at what new and upcoming design houses had to offer.

SOUGHT-AFTER STYLINGThe London Bridal Show is Europe’s first buying event of the season and it gave out a clear signal that glamour dressing leads the way. Styles to look out for include daringly low backs, mermaid dresses with swishy tails, body-hugging silhouettes, and lace motifs on nude tulle, creating a tattoo effect on the skin.

Brides who harboured the dream of being a fairytale princess on their big day were not left out and will almost certainly fall in love with the astonishing array of ball gowns that the key designers are showing for the 2016/2017 season. Designs include sumptuous dresses with whittled-down waists and voluminous skirts, some made

of layer upon layer of tulle, organza, chiffon and lace, others in simple, elegant fabrics such as mikado, skillfully sculpted to form the desired fullness.

Alongside the perennial laces, there were jewelled and embroidered appliqués introducing a different surface texture, and wonderful jacquards with magnificent patterning that needed little more than a bead-worked belt to make the right impressions. There were plenty of knee-length and tea-length ’50s-style dresses to be seen – it made little difference as long as the message of design confidence and quality make was present.

In occasionwear, buyers were wooed and wowed with an amazing rainbow of colours

“It was brilliant. Mark Lesley did wonderfully in terms of increased sales and new customers and the Donna Salado label was simply outstanding,” said Mark Lesley, showcasing his

eponymous labels, as well as his designer bridal collection

and occasionwear label Candy Quinn.

[email protected]

www.helenacotter.co.uk

HELENA COTTER

Enquiries from overseas retailers always welcome

+44(0) 7896 944759 +44(0) 1582 451238

Specialist Coaching and Consultancy services for Bridal Retailers.

Let me show you how to work smarter, not harder, in this niche Industry.

Call or email me for details.

HCCoaching

Make the commitment to invest

Your staff.

I shall be attending The White Gallery on

Monday the 16th & Tuesday the 17th May.

Contact me today to arrange an informal

chat at the show.

07711 208586 or 01202 [email protected]

www.miasolano.com

If you would like to become a stockist, please contact Mark & Sam Everard

ATTIRE 113

London Bridal show

and beautiful fabrics chosen for their drape-appeal, with a fair amount of sparkle to add to the red-carpet experience. Celebrity dressing remains key in this sector of the market, where standing out is essential.

EXCEPTIONAL FEATURES FROM THE SHOWOne of the show’s main features was the Monday seminars, run by experts for experts. Retailers who attended this got to hear first hand about every area of the business, and how they could improve their own operations by taking note of what others were doing.

Everything from entering awards and dealing with difficult customers to closing sales successfully and working with suppliers was covered, and the buyers lapped up the information presented to them.

Another key attraction is the programme of catwalk performances, which saw some breathtakingly fresh collections that stepped out in style and showcased the newest silhouettes for the season ahead.

Always playing to a full house, this catwalk presentation is a carefully-edited cross-section of collections that helps retailers become early adopters of the trends, while also seeing first-hand how expert styling introduces the perfect accessories for each look. Taking part on the catwalk this year was Alexia Designs, Casablanca Bridal, Diane Harbridge, Essense of Australia, Laybird, Lilian West, Tanya Grig, Tres Chic, Veromia and Victoria Kay.

For further information, visit the London Bridal Show website, www.thelondonbridalshow.co.uk.

A

114 ATTIRE

As a seasoned online marketer, I’ve probably seen every possible scenario when being asked to promote a website, however it always surprises me when clients are totally on-board with the advice that I give and it really makes my day when it happens.

Recently I was asked to promote a new e-commerce business. That’s fine, it’s something that I’ve done many times, but this particular e-commerce business is so new that it doesn’t exist yet, as the website which will be powering the business is perhaps three months away from completion and isn’t even at the design flat-file stage!

So how exactly do you promote a business that’s unable to trade and doesn’t have any visible online presence? The answer is, you can’t! However, that isn’t the full story…

WHY COMMUNITY MATTERSThere’s a very good reason why old, established online retailers have stable incomes and that is the fact these websites generally have lots of repeat business. Getting repeat business relies on lots of happy, communicative customers who are willing to share knowledge of your business online. This is great for established businesses, but if you have no e-commerce trading history and are starting a brand new online venture, how can you get the ball rolling when your new e-commerce website is nowhere near ready for launch? The answer is show people what they can expect and then build community.

TEASER CAMPAIGNS AND BLOGGINGIf you don’t have the ability to launch your e-commerce website with all of its associated revenue generating product content straightaway, then do what you can to start building a community and getting people interested in what you will be offering. The way to do this is to create a content-rich holding page for your website and a good quality blog with regularly updated content.

If you already have your domain for your new e-commerce website registered then get some hosting set up and create an informative, well written holding page telling people what they can expect when your new e-commerce website arrives.

Laying the groundwork for e-commerceIntelligent Retail’s David Fairhurst explains why it pays to plan ahead when launching a new e-commerce website.

“If you don’t have the ability to launch your e-commerce website with all of its associated

revenue generating product content straightaway, then do what you can to start building a

community and getting people interested in what you’ll be offering. The way to do this is to create a content-rich holding page for your website and a

good quality blog with regularly updated content.”

ATTIRE 115

Retail technology

You’ll also need a blog – I recommend Wordpress as it’s easily the market leader in terms of functionality and user base, being open source and with a vast array of community produced plugins and themes to use. Your blog should be installed in a sub-folder of your main domain (www.littlepeckers.co.uk/blog/ for instance) which means any content you add to your blog will be adding to the overall search engine effectiveness of your website as a whole.

After your blog is set up and you’ve installed a simple design – get blogging! The sooner you add content to your blog the better as this will start to build up history with search engines and make it more likely that the content you write will appear in search results for related key phrases.

SOCIAL MARKETINGOf course, as you’ve planned ahead, you’ve already grabbed your social media accounts for your new business and that’s good because you’ll need these next when it comes to promoting all of the content you’ve created on your blog and holding page.

Get all of your social accounts associated with your holding page and when you’re ready, tell the world about the amazing products you’ll be offering.

TRACKING RESULTSYou may not think that it’s important to track results at this stage, however I’d urge you to get a statistics package installed at the outset. This helps to build up a clearer picture from day one of what people are looking for, so you don’t have to guess. I’d suggest using Google’s own Analytics package (google.co.uk/analytics) and Search Console (google.co.uk/webmasters) which will give you all the data you need and more. Using Google search console will also mean you can submit sitemaps for both your holding page and blog, which will speed up indexing of your new pages and mean you get results even quicker.

YOU’RE A BLOGGER, GET THOSE LINKS!Links from one website to another are used by Google to gauge the

popularity of any website. If your website has lots of high quality links from respected websites then it is going to rank well. Believe it or not, now is the time to get some of the best, most valuable links your new e-commerce business will ever have! Because you’re running a blog at this point, not an e-commerce website, people are more likely to give you links as you’re not directly trying to sell anything, so get out there and ask for some links! Approach other website owners and ask for links from their related content to yours, this will do your new business the world of good later on…

MOVING FORWARD WITH E-COMMERCEOf course there will be a point when your brand spanking new e-commerce website is ready for launch. You’ve put in all the hard work writing product descriptions and category content and your designers have done a fantastic job of presenting all of this information with some great imagery. What now? Well, I’d suggest that you keep blogging and posting on social media. All of that community you have built up will still be wanting your content and Google will be loving your dedication to the cause. Plus, I guarantee you’ll be thanking your foresight and planning when the revenue starts pouring in. A

CONTACTDavid Fairhurst is Head of Creative

Online Marketing at Intelligent Retail.

David has been involved with search

engine optimisation (SEO) and web

development since 1999 and has spoken

at many different retail and SEO

conferences including Spring Fair and

SES London. Contact David on

+44 (0)845 680 0126.

Retail technology

116 ATTIRE

WEDDING STATIONERY“Look out for metallic colours and in particular rose gold. This has definitely caught the imagination of the fashion world, and has been customised for wedding stationery,” says Vaishali Shah of Ananya, www.ananyacards.com. Flora Strong florals make a real statement when it comes to stationery. Flowers, which are big and small, bold-coloured or delicately hued, are popular looks. The nature trend continues to be well liked, even extending to wild flowers and the countryside. Think romantic meadow

prints and carefree summer days. Botanical illustrations – sketched imagery and hand drawings can be intricate and delicate.

Pink and green is a lovely combination with a light and fresh feel, suitable for a spring or summer wedding. Pink symbolises love and romance and green represents harmony, balance and nature, so is perfect for a romantic wedding, whether inside or al fresco.

Foliage Here, the leaf takes centre-stage. Rust, orange and yellow-coloured leaves can set the perfect tone for your autumn wedding, which shades

Nicola Russill-Roy, PR Director at Propose PR, explains what some of her clients have to say about what’s coming out on top in terms of trends for cake designs, wedding stationery and flowers.

BIG DAYTRENDS

WEDDING CAKES

Pastel prettyPastel colours such as pinks, corals, yellows, baby blues and mint greens are always a great choices for spring and summer weddings. Size mattersTall cakes are the most popular; the bigger the better in most cases. The average number of tiers now is six to eight. Tall wedding cakes really have

the wow factor, so brides should make sure they put it on display to really show it off.

Cupcake-tastic The individual cupcake is a more informal and casual style of cake. The cupcakes can be arranged on tiers and displayed in a similar fashion to a traditional wedding cake.

“Brides are becoming more confident and are thus happy

to order a wedding cake based on their own tastes,” says

Marie Sinclair, founder of GC Couture, www.gccouture.co.uk

ATTIRE 117

Retailer interviewPR and marketing

of green bring a sense of freshness and are perfect for spring/summer weddings. Outlines and illustrations look wonderful on stationery.Tropical florals are big this year with birds of paradise, pineapples and bright colours, which we’ve seen a lot on the catwalk. This trend lends itself to outdoor and rustic weddings, so imagine barns, garden weddings and venues heavily inspired by nature. Envelope liners have also increased in popularity.

Indigo Shades of blue are highly adaptable to a style preference; deeper shades like indigo, royal and navy blue can give a regal, sophisticated look while lighter shades like teal and sky blue can give a summery feel for nature lovers. Combine with white, yellow or green for a fresh, crisp look or metallic for sophistication and glamour. Indigo works very well with other shades to give interesting colour combinations and palettes. Blue stationery can also work at your ‘something blue’ for a wedding.

Geometric Geometric designs are a perfect fit

for those who want to make a bold statement with patterns. These can be as complicated or simple or ornate as you like. From structured geometrics, mosaic patterns, bold diagonals, contemporary stripes and checks to colour blocking, abstract and tribal. WEDDING FLOWERS “Hanging floral décor is a trend from across the pond to decorate marquees and over tables. Floral ring corsages are the next thing after floral crowns, necklaces and brooches,” says Liz Inigo Jones from Blue Sky Flowers, www.blueskyflowers.co.uk.

Metallic Rose gold has been very popular this year for containers and hardware. Teamed with blush, it makes a wonderful combination, and also used as a warm highlight with pale blues and soft greys.

Bringing the outdoors inLess structured arrangements of wild and dried flower posies are a wonderful look. Loose, wild displays inside receptions and ceremonies gives that inside-out garden look, expanding on to table displays.

Red undertones, pinks and purplesOmbre colours from dark to light in one arrangement or a series of vases are really popular. A sequence of deep purples, rich reds, pinks and ending in blush is a hot colour combo.

Flower wallsThere is often a suitable place for a flower wall behind a ceremony space or framing the top table, and it’s a great backdrop for a selfie station or photo booth.

Cascading bouquetsOversized bouquets will be essential for lots of brides this year.

Boho Nature textures like feathers, wood slices, antlers, faux fur throws and tipis are strong look for nature lovers.

CONTACT Propose PR

+44 (0)20 3286 5992@ProposePR

www.proposepr.com

A

118 ATTIRE

We’re now well and truly into the new season of trade shows, with the first London show of the year, London Bridal Show already having taken place in March. We’re all on the lookout for new labels and collections to attract brides-to-be into our shops.

Temptation to overstock One of the problems with so many shows and so many labels to choose from is the temptation to buy too much. Overstocking with samples can be a recipe for disaster, leading to lower profits and dead stock. As a bridal boutique, we’re encouraged to do this by suppliers offering deals with free samples if we order more than a certain amount. It’s easy to get a little carried away and order the unusual dress for the window display! Sale rail or sell on? The main issue that seems to be in a lot of retailers’ minds is what to do with all these unwanted dresses. Some bridal retailers sell their old and discontinued dresses on to second-hand sellers such as Swoon and once-worn shops, but some retailers feel this is just fuelling more competition for us.

Why sell our samples at such low prices to other retailers when we could surely sell them at those low prices within our own stores. Space can be one issue; it’s hard in a

small shop to hold onto unwanted dresses until sale time, or you may want a cash injection into your business that selling a load of samples in bulk can bring.

Re-evaluate stock The old saying goes that 75 per cent of sales come from 25 per cent of your stock and this is worth bearing in mind when we go buying. Do we really need all these samples in our stores and what effect would it have on your sales if you had half the stock in your shop? It can be easy to get into a label collecting mentality and even when we know a certain label isn’t really working for us anymore we can still find it hard to move on maybe because of personal relationships we have made. Sometimes it’s a really tough decision to let a label go and there’s always the feeling that next year’s collection will perform better.

The other new retailer on the scene is the ‘off the peg’ retailer buying up unwanted stock and dealing direct with factories to

sell dresses at vastly reduced prices to brides. These retailers are cropping up all over the country and causing great problems for local independent retailers. Huge stores with hundreds of dresses under £500 are also putting pressure on the independent retailers giving the impression to the bride that their prices are overly high. Thankfully for lots of brides, price is not the only factor and whilst it’s true to say that the modern bride wants value for money, she also wants amazing service and a dress she loves.

What the bridal industry needs to do is find a solution to all the unwanted dresses clogging up the rails, and the Retail Bridalwear Association (RBA) is working towards finding a long-term plan that will benefit all its members. A

Nicola Garton, owner of The Wedding Shop in Colchester, Essex, and Chair of the Retail Bridalwear Association (RBA), discusses overstocking.

ContactThe Wedding Shop [email protected] www.theweddingshop.co.uk www.rbaltd.org.uk

For the love of a label

“There’s a huge temptation to buy too much when new

labels first launch,” says Nicola Garton.

RandallRibbonsMother of the Bride or Guest,

we can tailor make your perfectwedding hat or fascinator.

www.randallribbons.co.ukRandall Ribbons, 12 Frederick Street, Luton, LU2 7QSTel 01582 721301 Fax 01582 611054Email [email protected]

LOV

EITS

OM

UC

HLO

VEI

TSO

MU

CHw

ww

.love

itso

muc

h.ne

tpa

mel

a@lo

veit

som

uch.

net

120 ATTIRE

I’ve noticed within the industry, and I’m sure you have too, some complaints being aired by shops about suppliers, or by suppliers about shops, or by both shops and suppliers about brides. It’s such a damaging attitude to take, and can become something of a bad habit that drags those down around you.

Shared goals We need to remember that we’re all working towards the same goal; to ensure that the women of this country have the opportunity to look and feel amazing on the most special day of their lives.

In order to succeed, we need to pull together, not against each other. Our relationships as suppliers and retailers, or as consumers and retailers are so important

to the continued success of the UK bridal industry – our bridal industry. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if we were all just a little bit nicer to each other?

The way consumers buy is changing We all know this, and it’s likely that you’ve been bombarded with this message for the last few years. The whole industry has been trying to work out how best to deal with this change. But be reassured, it’s not just our industry – never before has such a significant shift occurred in consumer’s buying habits, and the whole world has also been struggling with these changes.

I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, and hope you can too, as this year seems to be growing in brightness as everyone settles

into new ways of working. If this transition has taught us anything, it is that we need to be constantly evolving and improving to keep up with this fast-paced, consumer driven world.

Embracing change You may have seen your suppliers changing over the past couple of years, but be confident that this is a good thing. For some reason, change is difficult for people, and the more sudden the changes are the more we struggle to feel comfortable with them. But you need to keep in your mind that your suppliers have changed for the good of their relationship with retailers. The changes they’ve made are driven by what we need, and how we are also changing. Behind every decision that we make, as a business, is you

Louise Dicks, Marketing Manager at Richard Designs, focuses on positive ways of working together for the good of the bridal industry.

Positive relationships

ATTIRE 121

the customer.Another thing, we can take from this

shake-up of our industry is the reassuring knowledge that the bridal world is not ready for online retail – nowhere near ready! The vast majority of brides want to buy from the shops, they want the experience and reassurance that only you can give them.

This year has been a busy year so far, with more and more orders for brides coming from our customers every day. This is proof enough to conclude that the bricks-and-mortar bridal stores are still safe and sound. We’ve survived through 31 years in the bridal industry and two recessions, and we can see that things are still good, things are still growing, and the future is positive. The bridal industry is glad that we’ve stood by our commitment to not sell online or to online retailers, and we’ve come out the other side unscathed.

As an industry, we can show that we’re strong and have enough skills, business insight and sheer determination to make our businesses work. For example, take the big chain stores. They have a few shops, they know what they’re doing, they look after their brides and they provide a product and service you don’t.

That doesn’t mean that independent shops have to suffer. Instead our bridal boutiques have stood strong, kept up with the times, and come out the other side stronger and more tuned in to their bride’s needs. Clearly, we’re best when we relax, focus, and do our jobs well, rather than turning on each other in a desperate attempt to make sense of factors beyond our control. Those that have survived the recent changes are the ones that have kept moving forward, and kept progressing their goals.

Channeling energies Looking for fights among our own industry, is surely a waste of time and energy. Having a bee in your bonnet and baring your fists is not a badge of honour. I feel that we have an instinctive need to be defensive, to feel that we’re fighting for something, but we must channel that energy into improving ourselves, and our businesses, and working alongside others and pulling together.

After all, we all came into this industry for the same reason. No-one starts a business in bridal with the single goal of making money, I’ve never met someone who owns a bridal business and doesn’t care about the bride and her wedding day. We need to remind ourselves of this as it unites us and keeps us all focused.

Focusing on good relationships Suppliers needs you, as a customer, in order to be successful. Understanding this and accepting it may allow you to have a more relaxed state of mind as you realise that their focus is always on you. Every decision that we make as a company is based on the needs of our customer. Knowing this enables you to trust in your supplier and be comfortable with the changes or improvements they make. If you can’t find this trust in your supplier, ask yourself why. Is it something you’re doing or something they’re doing? Have you spoken to them about it and asked them why they made a certain decision, or

why they do things a certain way? Only then can you understand their reason, and if it turns out that their drive is helping you to help your brides, then surely there can be no hard feeling between you.

We need each other in order to be successful, and it does no good to working relationships if there’s bad feeling lurking beneath. We all know that problems fester often because we aren’t communicating well enough, and a problem that goes unnoticed goes unresolved. If you have a worry concerning your suppliers, just speak to them. Ask them to explain the reasoning behind their decision, and open the conversation in an unreproachful way.

ContactRichard Designs

www.facebook.com/richarddesigns

www.richard-designs.com

A

Column

“Taking the time to understand each other’s points of view

can only strengthen our relationships, and therefore

our industry.”

Finally, I just wanted to thank everyone who voted for us in the UK Wedding Awards for Best Accessory Supplier. We entered with no expectation of winning, and we were honestly so shocked and grateful to have been voted as the winner. I feel that this is recognition of the work that our team has put into getting our name in front of brides, driving business to your stores, and helping brides to find their perfect accessories. Thank you for giving us this boost, as it has given us the determination to continue and to make even more improvements with our marketing and product development.

ATTIRE 121

ATTIRE 123

Subscription

Attire Bridal is at the heart of the online bridal community. Here’s a quick update on what’s been happening…

WEB WATCHTotal number of followers:

8,757!

Twitter

SHORT AND TWEETRob Clark from KD Media Publishing explains why Twitter is such an invaluable social network for its portfolio of trade and consumer-facing publications, with special focus on County Wedding Magazines: Follow me at: @CountyWeddings

When did you set up a Twitter account and what prompted you to do so? Being a publishing company with a growing portfolio of trade and consumer titles, we’ve had to be on the pulse of social media developments from the word go. For County Wedding Magazines specifically – a collection of 18 regionally-focused wedding magazines – we’ve had a solid presence on Twitter for the last six years.

Our @CountyWeddings Twitter account has a loyal and targeted following of almost 33,000, a number, which is growing daily. It’s another important platform from which we can serve our customers, interact with readers and keep up with the hottest trends so that we can continue to deliver exceptional media experiences. It’s been a fantastic tool for research too. In today’s fast-paced climate, when everyone is running their business on-the-go, our team of editors have had to adapt – and they’re all fiercely involved, and reap the benefits of extended networks and on-the-fly communication.

Our number of tweets is on an upward curve. We’ve recently revised our social media strategy and now have a dedicated e-marketing coordinator. And you guessed it, we tweet about anything that’s related to the world of weddings. We actually just smashed our monthly Twitter record for March – our tweets earned 131.5K impressions over the 31 days!

You can’t break it, so don’t be afraid to try it out. To have any impact on your business you do need to be a regular tweeter. Don’t be content to just sit back invisibly retweeting – make a statement, and enjoy it!

We follow as many bridal companies as we can – established or brand new, chained or independent, large or small. It’s the only way we can progress and deliver an outstanding collection of magazines.

This month on Twitter we’ve mainly been:Retweeting the latest industry storiesShowcasing fresh boutique openings

Sharing our followers’ successes

We’re now following:Everything but a Bride@ButaBride

Shoe Clip

Boutique

@ShoeClipBoutiq

Bewildered

Bride

@BewilderedBrid3

Welcome to our newest followers:Monique Lee Millinery Designer @MLMhats

NY International Bridal Week Bridal trade show in NY @NYIBW

Style My Aisle New online wedding magazine @Style_MyAisle

124 ATTIRE ATTIRE 124

Featuring excellent usability, easy navigation and bags of content, www.attirebridal.com is updated daily to ensure you’re in touch with the latest industry news and trends.

Download our latest issue, free of charge online. Those working within the bridal retail trade can register to receive free regular copies of the magazine.

If you would like to find out more, log onto

Improved supplier directory, enabling instant access to 100s of bridal suppliers.

Online

www.attirebridal.com

Supplier Directory

Back Issues

ATTIREBridal

Every issue of Attire Bridal is now available to download from our Back Issues Archive.

Live Twitter feed, giving you real-time industry updates from www.twitter.com/attirebridal.

Twitter

124 ATTIRE

Next issue

ATTIRE 127

Plus

Next Issue

Business tips

News and events

Retail technology

ISSUE 54

July/August 2016

Advertising deadline: 3rd June, 2016

Available from: 24th June, 2016

Flower girls

Freya Rose

Little Bevan

Spotlight on mums

Sassy occasionwear for mothers of the bride

Veil trendsWhat’s hot in headwear

Dresses for the little ones

All that sparklesJewellery for all the wedding party

ATTIRE 127

Next issue

Silk Veil

128 ATTIRE

ATTIRE

ISS

UE

53 MA

Y/JU

NE

2016

WW

W.A

TT

IRE

AC

CE

SS

OR

IES

.CO

M

AccessoriesATTIREBridalBridal

WWW.ATTIREBRIDAL.COM

MAY/JUNE 2016 ISSUE 53

PLUS� Business tips� News and events� Retail technology

SHOW SPECIAL� White Gallery

� Interbride

Fashion Files Tea-length dresses Pastel perfection

Spotlight on bridesmaidsLatest gowns, jewellery and accessoriesLatest gowns, jewellery and accessories

Attire Bridal magazine, the leading trade title for the bridal industry, is available free of charge, six times a year, to qualified registered readers.

Subscribers based outside the UK may receive six issues per year for a £75 fee.

Subscribe

Register online at www.attireaccessories.com

Alternatively, fill in the form opposite and post to Attire Bridal magazine, c/o KD Media Publishing Ltd, Pantile House, Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex, CM8 2AP UK or telephone us on+44 (0)1376 514 000.

1 It’s free for anyone working in the bridal industry.

2 Each issue will be delivered direct to your door.

3 Find out about

forthcoming trade shows

and exhibitions.

4 Be one of the first to preview next season’s collections.

5It’s packed with informative features to help boost your business.

SUBSCRIPTION FORMAre you responsible for purchasing?

Yes No

Name

Company Name Job Title

Address

Postcode

Telephone Facsimile

Email Address

Tick one or more of the boxes below which best describes your business

Independent Bridal Retailer Wedding Planner

Multiple Bridal Retailer Other (please specify below)

Department store

Number of employees

1-5 6-15

16-30 31-50

51-100 101-300

301-1,000 1,001 +

Annual turnover

£0 - £25,000 £25,001 - £50,000

£50,001 - £100,000 £100,001 - £250,000

£250,001 - £1,000,000 £1,000,001 - £5,000,000

£5,000,001 - £10,000,000 £10,000,001 - £50,000,000

£50,000,001 +

Do you wish to receive a free copy of Attire Bridal Magazine?

Yes No

Signature Date

Top 5 reasons to subscribe

Register online at www.attirebridal.com

online

ATTIRE 129

On Display

Our range of dress accessories now exceeds 950+ articles including many brooches and buckles with crystals.

Showing at: Bridal Roadshow Bristol, UK- 21st - 22nd August 2016

The Bridal Show Harrogate, UK - 13th - 15th September 2016

Textile Forum London, UK - 12th - 13th October 2016

Email: [email protected] - www.michaelsbridalfabrics.co.uk

Trade Eighty...Silks

The Silk Suppliers of choice for many discerning Bridal and Couture Designers.

From the lightest Silk Tulles to the heaviest Duchesse Satins and Crepe Marocaines

as well as Digital Prints,Laces and Embroideries.

E: [email protected] on a Next Day Service

Some satin shoes are classed as non-dyeable nowadays but we can dye them all. Our revolutionary dye can dye all brands of satin/lace bridal shoes and bags.

Most importantly Dreamcoat is water-resistant. We can also dye LEATHER shoes and bags

and SINAMAY hats to any colour.

www.baboucha.comPO Box 405, Potters Bar, EN6 9AB t: 01707 859502

love now

130 ATTIRE

Bridal boutiques are at the mercy of designers at various times throughout the year, particularly when we’re waiting for deliveries or when some of our favourite dresses are discontinued. Equally, there are times when designers can have a positive outcome on the business, for example, when there’s a new best-selling collection or a celebrity endorsement.

Assess and appraiseEach year, we have a reflective period around April when we can evaluate how each designer has performed, how the dresses sold and how brides actually felt about the gowns. It’s very easy to confuse a well-tried-on dress for a best-seller, so a bit of bookwork to tally up the sales figures always proves surprising as we have dresses that have been tried on hundreds of times, yet actual sales are thin on the ground.

At this point, its popularity in the store becomes irrelevant and actual sales matter. Equally, there are always some dark horses

and there may be gowns that have had sales trickling in without us realising it.

Promote and clarificationWe also should look at how much promotional material we’ve created for each designer during the year like Instagram posts, Facebook articles, photo shoots, trunk shows or catwalks. When considering all this information alongside sales, you will see a clearer picture and sometimes, the results can be surprising.

Bridal boutiques work hard throughout the year to promote each designer equally

and inspire brides into trying styles which they might not otherwise know about. This kind of promotion is hugely valuable to the designers, and the approachable stepping stone between inspirational designers and

our opinions are useful and needed by both brides and designers.

Be creative There are some wonderful images from creative people within the industry that show the dresses and accessories in new and innovative ways that sometimes outshine the designers campaign shots. This is because they aren’t constrained by the designers brand or corporate image, so free feel to explore different genres and styling techniques to sell the collections you stock.

With the year’s activities weighed up, we can then look at how we plan to move forward with each designer. The ideal situation involves buying six to eight new samples, which should include popular-selling dresses as well as some window-display winners that will bring brides in.

Have courage in designer’s convictionHowever, if sales of a particular collection have been poor, but your promotion and enthusiasm for the designer remains constant, then I believe that you should be allowed a recuperation period where you don’t take on any new samples or have a lower minimum order, as these costs can cause huge hits which can take months to recover from. Take valour that as a bridal business you know your customers and sometimes following your own instinct provides the best results. So choose from the new collections wisely, and look forward to them arriving in autumn.

Fingers crossed for a fruitful and exciting year of new collections.

Eve Broadhurst, Creative Director and Co-Owner of The White Closet, discusses reviewing designers with regards to new collections.

“Collections that you really like may not be the ones that

actually make you sales.”

ContactEve Broadhurst The White Closetwww.thewhitecloset.co.uk

A

In a matter of minimums

ATTIRE...ATTIRE 23 Contents 52 Time for tea-length Regulars 28 Industry news Discover the latest...

Documents

Transcript of ATTIRE...ATTIRE 23 Contents 52 Time for tea-length Regulars 28 Industry news Discover the latest...