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ATTIRE
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 ISSUE 50
Bridal
Picture perfect
Pinterest made easy
Prom trends
We look ahead to 2016
Plus-size gowns
Designs to flatter
feminine curves
-VYVSJPVTMJOHFSJF
This season’s bestsellers
Celebrating our 50th issue!
WWW.ATTIREBRIDAL.COM
HARROGATE
REVIEW
Plus
Business
tips
News and events
Retail technology
Tel: 01424 439165 |
Victoria Kay Gowns | www.victoriakaygowns.co.uk
Contents
Regulars
18
Industry news
Discover the latest bridal
collections and trade events
38
Hine Insurance
Rachael Carrington talks about the
importance of having a business
continuity plan in place
54
Retailer round-up
We speak to four boutique owners
to find out how they mark their
boutique’s special occasions
56
Shop window
In celebration of our 50th issue,
we show you how to create a glitzy
and glamorous window display
Many happy returns
86
90
92
99
Retail technology
David Fairhurst, Head of Creative
Online Marketing at Intelligent
Retail, explains why you should
check your links
ACID
Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti
Copying in Design, caught up
with one of the UK’s best known
stationery designers to find out
why intellectual property is so
important to the brand
64
The Fashion Files
Columns
64
Many happy returns
Decorative lace appliqués and illusion
fabrics ensure the backs of these bridal
gowns are just as beautiful as the fronts
80
Xedo Software
Raymond O’Hare, Director at Xedo
Software, reveals how retailers can
convert online browsing brides into
concrete appointments
71
The collections
The perfect accessories to match our
two key bridal themes
82
Heidi Thompson
Heidi Thompson of Evolve Your
Wedding Business reveals how
Pinterest can not just generate sales
leads in the short term, but
in the long term too
88
Retail Bridalwear Association
Bridal shop owner and Chair of the
RBA Nicola Garton looks
ahead to the annual conference,
taking place this November
96
Richard Designs
The quieter months of the year
provide you with time to
fine-tune your customer
journey, says Louise Dicks
106
The White Closet
Eve Broadhurst, Creative Director
and Co-Owner of The White Closet,
discusses what she learnt from her
own big day
73
To boldly go
We showcase some distinctive designs
to help your brides stand out from
the crowd
PR and marketing
Joanne Childs, PR Director at Sprae
PR, offers advice on maximising
marketing opportunities around
in-store celebrations
Twitter update
We bring you all the hottest news,
stats and facts from our followers
73
To boldly go
ATTIRE 13 ·
Profiles
36
84
Montebello Bridal
Steven Jones, General Manager, chats
to us about his family’s long
association with quality design
36
Montebello
Bridal
Margaret Lee
With an impressive 42 years in the
bridal industry, this is a label
that’s stood the test of time.
Carl Monk takes us back to where it
all began
Features
84
28
Fabulous at 50
We celebrate Attire Bridal’s 50th issue
32
Strictly separates
We speak to leading promwear
suppliers to find out about
next season’s key styles
43
Curves and couture
We speak to four leading suppliers of
plus-size bridalwear to find out about
their best-selling designs
46
Starting out
New boutique owner, Lynn
Charrington, talks about
what inspired her to specialise in
bridalwear for fuller-figured women
49
Bridal lingerie
Sarah Janks and Moonrise Lingerie
reveal all about their latest collections
50
Retailer interview
Taffeta and Lace recently celebrated its
30th anniversary. We speak to owner,
Jill Court to find out the secret behind
the store’s longevity
53
Hot topic
Julie Macrae examines the reasons
behind declining bridesmaid sales
58
Retailer profile
Jana Svalbe, owner of Mode Bridal,
reveals the highs and lows of her first
year as a bridal retailer
78
Up and coming
Andrey Savin, Designer and Owner
of Savin London, reveals all about his
elegant bridal brand
Margaret
Lee
78
Up &
coming
71
14 ATTIRE
The
collections
94
Collection focus
Karen Dornellie’s new range of
separates offers brides greater control
over their wedding day look
Collection
focus
94
Shows
26
London Bridal Fashion Week
Our exclusive preview of LBfw 2016
60
Harrogate review
We interview a range of exhibitors to
find out how they fared at this annual
trade event
letter
Editor’s letter
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
Image courtesy of Mon Cheri
www.mon-cheri.co.uk
MANAGING EDITOR
Alexandra North
EDITOR
Demelza Rayner
+44 (0)1376 535 609
editor@attirebridal.com
SUB EDITOR
Tim Nelson
SALES MANAGER
Michael Richards
+44 (0)1376 514 000
michaelr@attirebridal.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Jan Griffin
+44 (0)1376 535 612
jang@attirebridal.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Scott Brothwell
artwork@attirebridal.com
+44 (0)1376 535 616
DEPUTY PRODUCTION
MANAGER
Sarah Young
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Vicky O’Connor
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Alex Bolton, Stephanie Hodder
ATTIRE
Bridal
Welcome to the 50th issue of Attire Bridal.
As launch editor back in 2007, it’s been an
incredible and eventful eight years that’s seen
the industry move with the times to embrace
social media and to provide top-class service to
today’s ever-demanding brides.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those
who supported us from the very beginning and
who still contribute to the magazine today – you
know who you are!
In this issue we look back at the recent Harrogate Bridal Show
and then ahead to London Bridal Fashion Week 2016, as well as
the first Bridal Roadshow event of 2016. To help you plan out your
buying for the coming season, don’t forget to pin up your free Attire
Bridal Year Planner for 2016 – it contains all the useful show dates
for the next 12 months.
Finally, if it’s business advice you’re after, Heidi Thompson
shows you how to maximise your reach on Pinterest, Joanne
Childs explains how to perfect your PR and marketing efforts, while
Raymond O’Hare talks technology.
Here’s to the next 50 issues!
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Charlotte Potter
Enjoy reading
KD Media Publishing Limited
Pantile House Newlands Drive
Witham, Essex CM8 2AP
www.attirebridal.com
This stunning forehead
band from Richard
Designs offers the
perfect mix of sparkle
and sophistication.
Fabulous at 50!
WEB DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Stuart Weatherley
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Kay Tilbury, Olivia Horrod
+44 (0)1376 514 000
Editor’s pick
Demelza
Fashion file 1
on page 64
Up and coming
on page 78
PS – Follow us on Pinterest at
www.pinterest.co.uk/attirebridal or on
Twitter at www.twitter.com/AttireBridal
Demelza Rayner
Editor
ISSN 1758-0072
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.
Window
dressing on
page 56
Average Net
Circulation: 3,201
01/07/2014 - 30/06/2015
ATTIRE 17
Industry news
Bridal Roadshow announces its
2016 events
The Bridal Roadshow will be kicking off its year-long schedule
of trade events in Worcestershire, with a two-day trade fair at
Chateau Impney. Taking place from 28th-29th February 2016,
it promises retailers a broad spectrum of bridal companies
specialising in accessories, bridalwear and more.
Looking further ahead, The Bridal Roadshow will be
travelling to Harrogate on 13th and 14th March, Dublin on 3rd
and 4th April, and Scotland on 17th and 18th April.
For the very latest events schedule, and an up-to-date list of
exhibitors, visit www.bridalroadshow.co.uk.
Read on for more information
about this season’s movers
and shakers.
AWARD WIN FOR
ALAN HANNAH
British bridal brand, Alan Hannah, has recently
been recognised in the Wedding Magazine
awards. Rita Mae was a finalist in the best
newcomer category, while Alan Hannah won the
accolade for best designer.
Find out more about both collections online at
www.alanhannah.co.uk.
Timothy Foxx diversifies into bridal
Tweed fashion designer Timothy Foxx has recently launched its first
wedding collection. Starting with two beautiful gowns, the Sophia and
Robyn designs embody the brand’s passion for tweed with its signature
twist on heritage design.
Rosalie Eustace, MD and creative director for the brand, explains the
creative thinking about the range:
“We’ve supplied mother-in-law outfits, groom and best man attire, hats
and wedding favours and for so long our customers have been asking us
when we were would diversify into wedding dresses. Now, we’re proud
to offer brides-to-be our quintessentially British-designed dresses with a
touch of tweed, offering something different and totally original.”
Find out more at www.timothyfoxx.co.uk.
Naomi Neoh unveils Summer’s Eve
Inspired by the enchanting beauty of the English countryside, the
new 2016 collection from Naomi Neoh includes the designer’s
signature floating silk chiffon skirts and use of delicate blush pink
and peach tones.
Fresh for 2016 is a guipure lace used for illusion necklines and
delicate straps, as well as a romantic oyster hue.
For further details about the Summer’s Eve collection, visit the
website at www.naomineoh.com.
18 ATTIRE
News & events
Linzi Jay celebrates its
20th anniversary
The team at Linzi Jay recently marked its milestone 20th
anniversary. Speaking about the company’s success, Managing
Director Neil Flatley said, “It’s a very different industry now
compared to 1995 but our principles have and will remain the
same throughout. We’ve been very successful by consistently
producing designs that sell well in bridal and childrenswear
stores. Customer service should be a seamless process for the
shop and this is always our priority - ask our customers ... they
will confirm!”
As a special thank you to retailers, anyone who placed an order
with Linzi Jay at Harrogate was entered into a prize draw to win
a £300 voucher to use at any spa, golf or weekend break at any
of the four-five star hotels throughout the UK from the Q
Hotels group. The lucky prize winner was Clifford Burr from
Ware, Hertfordshire.
Visit www.linzijay.co.uk for more information.
Amanda Wyatt releases 2016 collection
Comprising 32 new gowns, Amanda Wyatt’s stunning Promises
of Love collection offers bridal retailers a wide range of romantic
styles. From a fun and flirty tea-length gown, to a sleek silhouette
for a beach wedding, there’s something for almost every bride.
The Promises of Love collection showcases a palette of soft
tones and some fabulous full skirts for that fairy tale feel.
Go to www.amandawyatt.com to view the latest designs.
Helena Cotter, offering specialist coaching and courses for the
bridal trade, has recently joined Instagram. Find her online
at HCCoaching.
LE MU REVEALS AUTUMN/WINTER
COLLECTION
Offering stunning special occasion wear for little girls aged between
two and 12 years, Le Mu’s latest collection offers a stunning couture
gold and silver flower dress, as well as a pretty purple lace dress with
tulle skirt.
Expect to see layers of luxurious fabrics, oversized bows,
bejewelled belts and detachable collars, as well as a sizeable range of
complementary accessories.
All Le Mu’s garments are delivered in beautiful gift or dress bags to
keep them safely stored for the big day.
View the full collection at www.le-mu.co.uk.
ATTIRE 19 ·
SAVIN
- London -
For sales enquiries and exclusive previews please contact sales@savinlondon.com
News & events
IJL reports on successful show
This year International Jewellery London (IJL) celebrated
its 60th Diamond Edition with a glittering three day show at
Olympia Grand in London.
Sam Willoughby, Event Director, commented: “We’re
delighted with the results achieved at IJL’s 60th Diamond
Edition and would like to thank everyone involved in making
this year’s event such a resounding success. IJL just seems to
get better and better each year. Our exhibitors have praised
the great location, quality buyers and a superb environment
in which to conduct business, resulting in an increase in our
rebooking figures for 2016.”
Olympia, once again, provided an iconic setting for
over 550 exhibitors across 38 countries to showcase their
collections. New exhibitors and visitors alike reported a
positive atmosphere with excellent networking opportunities.
The Diamond Jubilee celebrations included a spectacular Late
Night Shopping Event, with an additional Catwalk Show
featuring a distinctive ‘Diamond Blaze’ scene, exclusively
curated for the anniversary.
IJL 2015 set many new records. These ranged from a record
155 new exhibitors (80 per cent of which were in fine and
designer jewellery) to positive growth in Diamond Club
members. Early records show there was a five per cent increase
in visitors, from over 40 countries, including UAE, Germany,
France, Switzerland, South America, Italy and Ireland - adding
to IJL’s reputation as a truly international event. Rebooking for IJL 2016 has broken all records with brands
such as Domino, Hans Krieger, Ti Sento, Storm, Sif Jakobs and
Tivon already signed up for 2016.
Next year the show takes place from 4th - 6th September at
Olympia Grand, London.
Visit www.jewellerylondon.com for further details.
Britten moves into new boutique
Specialists in beautiful bridal accessories, Britten has recently
moved into new premises in Bradford on Avon.
The 15th-century building was originally a tailors and later
an antiques showroom. The big windows, white washed floors,
oversized mirrors and regency-style chairs provide the perfect
backdrop for the open plan workshop and dedicated veil-making
room, visible behind the boutique area.
Find out more at www.brittenweddings.com.
Justin Alexander launches collection of
vintage-inspired wedding dresses
The new collections for Justin Alexander, Signature, Lillian West,
Sincerity and Seetheart launched in September.
This season the design team has focused on easy-to-wear
dresses that are elegant and sophisticated. Inspired by classic red
carpet styles, the brand new dresses offer intricate beading and
dramatic shapes.
Head Designer Tony Mentel said, “Glamorous and romantic
is how I’d describe the Justin Alexander spring/summer 2016
collection. Delicate layers of lace, tulle and organza combined
with cascade beading and illusion necklines to turn clean and
classic details into sophisticated design. We’re also excited to
unveil the new high-low silhouette that blends classic with sexy.”
For further information, visit www.justinalexander.com.
ATTIRE 21 ·
Linzi Jay welcomes new apprentice
As a result of an increase in demand for
Linzi Jay’s UK-manufactured products,
the firm has taken on an apprentice to
help with its growth in the design and
manufacture of these items.
Katie Leslie has joined Linzi Jay
on an apprenticeship from Blackburn
College where she will be with the
team four days a week and attend
college one day each week in order to complete her apparel
machinist apprenticeship.
Speaking about the initiative, Neil Flatley said, “We’re all very
excited about the opportunity and are keen to support British
manufacturing as much as possible, which gives us greater
flexibility, shorter lead times and creates job opportunities within
our industry and the UK.”
Sarah Janks unveils Elan Collection
twobirds Bridesmaid showcases
fresh colours
After the successful launch of the new Tulle Collection this
spring, multi-award-winning brand twobirds Bridesmaid has
now expanded its signature Classic collection with five brand
new colours for 2016. “We already had an extensive palette to choose from in
our Classic collection and we feel the new tones add another
dimension. We’ve been trialling them in the showroom for a
little while and the response has been really positive,” Michelle
Hailey, European Director of Operations remarked. “We expect
the colour mixing trend to continue for a long time and the
new colours can easily be mixed and matched with our existing
palette. Sage and rosewater is my new favourite combo!”
The deep tones of emerald and pewter are perfect for winter
brides, whilst the softer hues of baby blue and sage are expected
to be popular all year round. Visit www.twobirdsbridesmaid.co.uk to find out more.
Luxury bridal designer Sarah Janks recently unveiled her stunning
new Elan Collection comprising meticulous seam work, draping
cuts and delicate necklines. New for this season is a fluffy silk
organza jacket, scarf, cape and shrug, offering brides a timeless
addition to their bridal dress. The silver and ivory palette is
continued throughout, with intricate beading and crystals, while
four distinct belt styles provide an accessory that creates drama
against a classic gown.
To view the full collection, visit
www.sarahjanks.com.
Nicki Macfarlane opens its first shop
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Nicki Macfarlane recently
opened its first shop in the heart of Chelsea.
The boutique on Langton Street will stock its collection of flower
girl, page boy, party and occasion wear, as well as beautiful clothes
and accessories by Little Linens, Angels Face, Lila and others.
As well as the ready-to-wear collection, appointments can be
made at the Langton Street shop for bespoke enquiries.
Find out more at www.nickimacfarlane.com.
22 ATTIRE
Designer:
Mojgan Noorian Bellamy
London Bridal Show
London Olympia
6th -8th March 2016
New stockists enquiries are welcome
W: www.mojgan.co.uk
E: studio@mojgan.co.uk
T: 0207 293 0119
News & events
Flowergirl dresses get fresh new look
Damigella d’onore is a UK-based design label that specialises in
designing and hand-making beautiful bespoke bridalwear.
The firm’s pretty flowergirl dresses have been remastered in
beautiful new silk fabrics to coincide with the launch of some
new fresh styles for this year. “Classic pattern cutting was the
inspiration behind this relaunch; I simply wanted to create a
stunning collection which would stand the test of time,” says
Elena, the designer behind the label. “I would love to see our
dresses cared for and then kept as an heirloom to pass down to
the next generation.”
The dresses are carefully handmade from the highest quality
silks and satins, using couture tailoring techniques. They can be
enhanced by the use of handmade silk/lace roses, bows, sashes
or belts.
“We’ve found that as the popularity of coloured/patterned
wedding dresses grows, so has the call for matching flowergirls,”
says Elena. “This year alone we’ve found that champagne and
soft pinks are very popular. And with the rise of vintage-styled
weddings, we’ve enjoyed making the soft cotton vintage floral
prints too.”
For more information or to become a stockist please contact
Elena Maddison on bespoke@damigella-donore.com. Dower & Hall
releases Dewdrop
collection
Inspired by the gentle balance of
nature, Dewdrop is a brand new
collection of delicate pendants,
bracelets and earrings that would be
perfect for a wedding-day look.
Contemporary cutout silhouettes
allow the sparkly white topaz,
amethyst and blue topaz stones to
take centre stage.
All pieces have been designed and crafted in Dower & Hall’s
London studio. The collection is available in sterling silver, 18ct
yellow gold vermeil and 18ct rose gold vermeil.
Find out more at www.dowerandhall.co.uk. Perfect Day Bride set to expand
One of Wiltshire’s best-loved bridal boutiques, Perfect Day Bride,
will be starting the new year in style, as it opens the doors to a
second bridal haven in mid-January.
Speaking about the new venture, Managing Director Laura
Shepherd says, “After the new-look Perfect Day Bride was so well
received, we set our sights on opening another boutique that’s as
cool and sassy, but stocks gowns at a different price point.”
Flossy & Willow will carry a wide range of gowns from such
brands as Watters and Lusan Mandongus, alongside a selection of
own-label designs.
Find out more at www.flossyandwillow.uk.
Retail sales grow faster than expected
Sales and orders grew on the high street at a much stronger rate
than had been anticipated in the year to September, with the
robust pace of growth expected to continue, according to the
CBI’s latest monthly Distributive Trades Survey.
The survey of 119 firms showed that sales volumes were well
above the average for the time of year, to the greatest extent since
April 2007.
Orders placed on suppliers grew at the quickest pace since
December 2010 and are expected to strengthen further.
Growth was broad-based across retail sectors, with the largest
drivers being grocers and clothing. Elsewhere, internet sales
volumes slowed slightly in the year to September, but were set to
pick up somewhat in October.
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Director of Economics, said, “As the
summer has been drawing to a close, consumers have been out
on the high street boosting sales and orders for UK retailers.
“Low inflation and the recovery in wage growth are helping
to stimulate consumer demand, but the slowdown in the global
economy and tight margins mean retailers won’t get ahead of
themselves as we head into autumn.
“Clothing and the food and drink sectors have led the way, and
with the general outlook for the UK economy remaining positive,
the expectation is that there will be further encouraging results
next month.”
ATTIRE 25
Capital
gains
Following a hugely successful debut event earlier this year, London Bridal Fashion Week will
return to iconic Old Billingsgate in May, 2016. Read on to find out more…
It’s not easy being a new trade show in an established marketplace, but
London Bridal Fashion Week (LBfw) has defied the odds to become one
of the hottest events on the industry circuit. With excellent feedback from
buyers and press alike, the trade show delivered an exclusive and stylish
showcase of the latest bridal collections to an invited audience of shops
from throughout the UK and overseas. What’s more, not only did LBfw
attract premier bridal designers and manufacturers to its debut event earlier
this year, but these heavy hitters were so impressed that they’ve already
expressed their support for 2016.
Speaking about his decision to return to the show for a second year
running, James Ellis, Director of Ellis Bridals and Kelsey Rose says, “The
first London Bridal Fashion Week was very successful for us, and it
was wonderful to be at the heart of such an exciting and well-presented
exhibition. Timing-wise, the show works perfectly as the launch for our
yearly Ellis Bridals and Kelsey Rose collections, offering our retailers
Wendy Makin
Sadoni
delivery of their samples ready for the brides’ buying season which we are
finding is getting earlier and earlier. Our retailers loved the experience of
Old Billingsgate and its beautiful location overlooking the River Thames,
perfect for al fresco summer drinks! We’re very pleased to be involved in
LBfw 2016 and are looking forward to another great season ahead.”
Alejandra Campos, Director of London Bridal Fashion Week, is
understandably thrilled about the show’s future. She says, “We can proudly
say that LBfw is a successful reality and we’re delighted to be continuing
our work with the industry to deliver an even better event
in 2016.”
MAKING PLANS
LBfw will return to London’s iconic Old Billingsgate for a three-day bridal
extravaganza from 13th-15th May, 2016. In a break from tradition, the event
will begin on a Friday and run to Sunday, offering retailers plenty of time
to view the 2017 collections and place their orders. As in 2015, an exciting
fashion show programme will run alongside the exhibition, featuring a
wide selection of the finest UK and international labels including Ellis
Bridals, Ritva Westenius, Anoushka G, Wendy Makin, Christine Dando
and Demetrios.
Indeed, LBfw is a truly international platform with the latest bridal,
evening and accessories collections from British and overseas designers and
premium labels.
Multi-award-winning Australian designer, Wendy Makin, showcased
her latest bridal collection at LBfw 2015 and has already confirmed her
support of LBfw 2016. She explains, “LBfw has been a great experience for
us. We’re really happy with the quality of the clientele and are so pleased we
did the fashion shows as once they’d seen our pieces on the catwalk, buyers
raced down to the stand to order before their competitors. It was a real
buzz! We’ve doubled our orders in comparison to the Harrogate exhibition
already. Everyone has been so friendly, it’s been a delight.”
26 ATTIRE
Retailer interview
Bridal Industry
Development
20 years experience in innovating
businesses within the Bridal Industry
Starting a Bridal Business
This can be a daunting task, contact us to book a
consultancy appointment to receive all the information
you need about the industry and preparing your business.
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Too much stock, Slow cash flow, Overdraft,
Can’t pay creditors, Need to increase sales?
Then contact me now - complete confidentiality assured.
Type of businesses that have used our services:
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FINISHING TOUCHES
Retailers seeking bridal jewellery, headpieces and other accessories will
be spoilt for choice at London Bridal Fashion Week, with the very best
in British brands supporting the exhibition. Speaking about his own
experience of the show, Neil Flatley, Managing Director of Linzi Jay, said,
“We previewed both Linzi Jay and Arianna at the inaugural edition of LBfw
and found the timing excellent. LBfw was the start of the best year’s sales
ever since we started the business 20 years ago. We’ve already confirmed our
presence at LBfw 2016 and are looking forward to the next edition.”
For the very latest information on London Bridal Fashion Week,
including a list of exhibiting brands, simply visit the website at www.
londonbridalfashionweek.com. Retailers can expect to see over 100
designers and premium collections in bridalwear, occasionwear,
eveningwear and bridal accessories. A
Anoushka G
New companies starting up
Existing retailers wanting to enhance their businesses
Bespoke designers wanting to expand into retail shops
Established businesses wanting to sell
Bridal Retailers Action Group membership
Bridal Retailers Network membership
Membership available to all new and existing
bridal retailers
Just two of the many benefits of becoming a member:
• Free bridal attire insurance for all your brides,
terms and conditions on request
• Preferential rates for credit/debit card services
Contact me now
Jane Watson
07500 33 44 80
janewatson@bridalbusiness.co.uk
www.bridalbusiness.co.uk
www.bridalretailersnetwork.com
www.bridal-retailers.com
CONTACT
13th-15th May, 2016
Old Billingsgate
www.londonbridalfashionweek.com
Online registration open now
Designed and made in the UK
To become a stockist please email us:
info@sallycrawford.co.uk
www.sallycrawford.co.uk
Opulent...Sumptuous...Breathtaking
ATTIRE 27
Time to celebrate
As we proudly unveil our 50th issue, Demelza Rayner takes a look back to where it all began.
today – Linzi Jay, Sassi Holford, Charlotte
Balbier and Mori Lee to name but a few.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the
many bridal companies that have supported the
magazine from the very beginning, not least True
Bride, Phoenix Gowns, Margaret Lee, Arianna
and Michael’s Bridal Fabrics. Without such
wonderful support, Attire Bridal would not be
the leading industry publication it is today.
and much more.
A relatively new development for the UK
bridal trade is the rise of social media. Today it’s
very much a part of the marketing mix, both for
a B2B publication such as Attire Bridal, and for
independent retailers. That’s why columns on
time-saving tips for Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook
and Instagram regularly appear across our pages.
TALKING TRENDS
INFORMATION HIGHWAY
Business advice was top of the agenda in issue
one, with columns about visual merchandising,
creating an enduring business and staffing
solutions. Today, we’re still passionate about
giving bridal boutiques the tools they need to
compete in today’s competitive marketplace,
with features on retail technology, legal issues
As launch editor of Attire Bridal back in 2007,
I’m delighted to see how the magazine has
evolved – along with the UK bridal industry
– over the past eight years. Here at KD Media
Publishing, we’ve a broad portfolio of B2B and
consumer magazines, including 17 County
Wedding titles that support brides up and down
the country in making their buying decisions.
It’s wonderful to have experience of both sides of
the wedding industry, which truly informs the
magazine’s editorial.
STARTING OUT
In the debut issue of Attire Bridal, we offered
a preview of BBEH, a trade event that’s still an
industry staple, albeit recently re-named The
Harrogate Bridal Show. While some companies
have folded since this time, it’s reassuring to see
that so many of the exhibitors are still thriving
28 ATTIRE
Back in 2007, there were two main articles in
our September/October issue – maternity bridal
and destination dresses. While both sectors of
the market have remained relatively niche for
UK brides, today it’s the plus-size bridal and
prom sectors that have seen the greatest growth,
as demonstrated by two showcase features that
appear later on in our 50th issue.
FURTHER CHANGES
Size matters and, from a respectable 74 pages in our first issue, Attire Bridal
now offers retailers more reading material than ever, with 132 pages allocated
to our May/June issue earlier in the year. We’re also now proud to announce our
independently audited ABC figure, which provides concrete evidence of our
distribution. This year, our ABC figure reached an average of more than 3,200
copies per issue that are sent to independent retailers, formalwear hire shops,
occasionwear shops and bridal accessories retailers.
Furthermore, we’re proud to be media partners for London Bridal Fashion
Week, taking place in London in May, 2016, as well as to the numerous Bridal
Roadshow events taking place up and down the country throughout the year.
We’re also delighted to partner with Interbride in Germany, one of Europe’s
leading bridal trade shows.
LOOKING AHEAD
One thing’s for certain, the UK bridal industry is inspiring, creative, competitive
and I’m thrilled that Attire Bridal continues to support independent retailers in
their quest to provide British brides with the very best experience. Here’s to the
next 50 issues! A
TOP NEWS STORIES FROM ISSUE ONE
* Jesus Peiro expands its presence in the UK bridal market.
* New regulations are introduced to allow couples to marry in a church of
their choice.
* Cameron Ross doubles its workforce and expands its premises.
* Benjamin Adams and Pink target the US bridal market.
MAIN CHANGES IN THE UK MARKET
SINCE 2007
* There are no longer two main bridal trade shows in Harrogate in March and
September. While the September show remains, focus has moved to London in
March and May, with a range of regional shows throughout the year.
* Social media dominates online marketing, proving a useful tool for bridal
businesses to connect with their customers.
* Bridal trade associations have evolved. While the RBA continues to support
businesses that have been trading successfully for five years or more, the more
recently formed BBRA supports brand new businesses. In addition, the BBSA is
now the voice for bridal suppliers, performing the previous function of the now
defunct BBA.
Studio 10, Bermuda House, 64C Roseville Road,
Leeds LS8 5DR
0113 2450232
email sales@sassobride.co.uk
www.sassobride.co.uk
Tel: 01424 439165 |
Victoria Kay Gowns | www.victoriakaygowns.co.uk
Strictly separates
We speak to leading promwear suppliers to find out about next
season’s key styles.
Prom Frocks
32 ATTIRE
Prom trends
IAN ELLISON, PROM FROCKS
www.promfrocks.co.uk
“For 2016, prom trends are becoming more sophisticated for an elegant
eveningwear look, and a little less girly.
“At Prom Frocks, we’ve introduced a wide range of eye-catching two-piece
gowns, which are going to be a big trend for 2016. We expect our jewel tones to
do very well this year, as well as our perennially popular pastels.”
AMANDA
O’NEILL,
RUBY PROM
www.rubyprom.com
“Our 2016 collection has a
new twist on past seasons
with the introduction of
laces. Our dresses with
sheer lace backs and yolk
necklines have subtle
beading for an elegant look.
“With regards to key
colours, dresses with a
sophisticated edge in
midnight and red, fitted
fishtails with lace godets
and trains in pretty peaches
and dove greys will do well.
“Sexy fitted jersey dresses
which drape beautifully
and heavily beaded red
carpet dresses offer a
glamorous look. We’ve also
introduced fun two-pieces
with full skirts in vibrant
melon and aqua.”
LUCAS
CHRYSANTHOU,
IMPRESSION
BRIDAL UK
www.impressionbridal.com
“Xcite Prom by Impression has
always been known for its slinky,
figure-hugging jersey prom and
party dresses that are wearable
for any special occasion. Lace
has been added to the 2016
collection, along with a brand new
tricot brocade. This stretch, cutout fabric in red, fuchsia, purple,
black and white is figure hugging
and looks great over a nude lining.
“Lace has also been added
to jersey gowns giving a fresh
look which can be worn for
any occasion. Long sleeves also
feature, as well as plunging and cut
out backs plus illusion necklines
and backs with beading.”
ATTIRE 33 ·
facebook.com/
promfrocks
www.facebook.com/promfrocks
Prom trends
LIZ HAYTER
AND AMANDA
BRADWELL,
ETERNITY PROM
NICOLE SWAIN,
DOM BRIDALS
www.mon-cheri.co.uk
www.eternityprom.co.uk
“This season, Eternity Prom has
focused on red carpet fashion
for an all-eyes-on-me look.
Styles focusing on Hollywood
glamour feature electric colours
and encrusted bodices, while
jersey fabric is very popular with
slinky or fishtail silhouettes.
“Two-piece styles or dresses
with back drama are also very
on-trend this season, with
illusion detailing or sexy cut outs
for girls to show off their figure.
We’ve also looked at fun designs
in floral fabrics with pretty
prints and ball gown skirts.”
“Mon Cheri offers all the key
trends for 2016, starting with
fun and chic two-piece outfits
with crop tops and either a full
floral skirt or a fitted formflattering design. Alternatively,
sleek and sophisticated styles
are proving extremely popular
with beautiful beading, soft
stretch fabric and pretty
intricate backs to impress from
all angles.
“Pretty illusion necklines
and backs will also feature
with finely placed beading
and embellishments to
complement the gown.
Timeless soft chiffon gowns
with delicately placed gold
and silver beading bodices will
also shine through and offer a
lovely subtle look for a classic
prom queen.”
CHRISTINE JONEJA, PARTNER AND
DESIGNER, CRYSTAL BREEZE
www.crystalbreeze.net
“Our 2016 prom collection is a true reflection of my Pisces birth sign
– two fish swimming in opposite directions. On the one hand, we’ve a
selection of fun and funky dresses ablaze with crystals, illusion and fully
cut-away backs and midriffs. There are layered tulle skirts in vibrant
colours with bubbly wired hems.
“Swimming in the opposite direction, we’ve a selection of softly draped
chiffon dresses with subtle colours and understated bead and lace
embellishment. These are simple silhouettes for that easy glamour look.
“Pastels lead the way this season with mint and aqua in the forefront.
Returning from the ’90s is the use of black lace over nude or red, along
with deep cherry, navy and other top-selling colours.”
ATTIRE 35
Maltese design
Steven Jones, General Manager of Montebello Bridal, chats to Attire Bridal about his family’s
long association with quality design.
When was Montebello Bridal
established and by who?
My mother, Giovanna Montebello, first
started designing bridal gowns in 1956 in
a tiny southern European country by the
name of Malta. Giovanna would design
and create dresses for special occasions
such as weddings as well as wedding
dresses in the Maltese and Australian
markets and her dresses were always
in high demand. She was reluctant to
produce the gowns on a commercial
scale because she never wanted to be in
the limelight. Mum was always happy to
continue to design and sew on a smaller
scale until we convinced her to create
designs to sell on a commercial basis
through retailers internationally in 2014.
In fact, she still prefers to remain out of
ßthe spotlight.
Which gowns do you predict will be
the best-sellers and why?
We initially started with over 100 designs
and narrowed it down to our final 17 for
the new collection. If we have to narrow
it down further, we’d choose Rita and
Delphinia because we believe there’s
nothing else on the market quite like
them. The two styles introduce an element
of jewellery into the design rather than
featuring heavy embellishments on the
dress; Rita offers understated elegance
whilst Delphinia is more flamboyant, but
both use similar design principals.
Would you say that Montebello Bridal
has a signature style?
Understated elegance at an affordable
price. Retailers are usually very surprised
when they receive a price list from us, as
36 ATTIRE
the collection is presented as a luxury
bridal label, but 80 per cent of the new
collection features dresses at or below the
£1,000 mark at retail. Our manufacturing
process cuts no corners – our dresses are
completely corseted with full boning and a
supportive cup. The finish is impeccable,
comparable with dresses costing twice the
price of our gowns.
Where are the gowns designed and
made, and for what reason?
The dresses are all designed locally in
Malta, with Giovanna playing a major part
in the design phase, and the family also
contributing to the designs by adding
elements to modernise her timeless
designs. To keep production costs down,
the gowns are manufactured in the Far
East. They are stringently checked and
Profile
tested by our own quality control team
in China to ensure our retailers receive
nothing but the best quality.
How often do you release new
collections, and what is the price
range of your gowns?
We release an annual collection but create
new designs throughout the year. This is to
keep the running costs to a minimum and
to make sure the price of the dress is as
low as possible.
How easy is it for a bride to request
changes to the gown according to her
individual requirements?
Where designs permit we offer the option
of zip or corset back free of charge. The
retailer can also request longer trains for
her brides as well as custom sizing for
rush orders at a small additional fee.
How many stockists do you have at
present, and how do you decide which
retailers you would like to partner?
We currently have 24 stockists
internationally, which is set to grow by
about 25 per cent over the next three
months as the new collection has done
extremely well for us in Australia. Our aim
is to be a major label in the European
market as well as in Australia. The essence
of our growth is to remain organic: we
don’t take part in bridal fairs and rely on
our agents to present our label – this is all
aimed at keeping the dresses affordable.
We decide on our retailers through their
history and reputation in the industry, their
operating hours, website and their drive
to be different from other retailers in their
area, as well as the bridal labels they
currently stock.
In which countries are you currently
available. Are there any territories
you’d particularly like to expand into?
We’re currently available in Malta, the
US, UK and Australia. We’d like to have
a strong presence in Europe as well as
Latin America where we believe our design
philosophy is suitable to these markets.
Can retailers expect to see you at any
bridal trade shows over the next 12
We never intended to be a mass-market
months? If so, which ones and why?
producer and so we want to work with
In order to keep the dresses affordable
boutiques who offer something a little
while still producing the highest quality, we different in their stores at a price point
rely on our sales agents in their respective
incomparable to other dresses of the
countries to show our collections. The
same quality.
massive costs associated with attending
bridal fairs are essentially paid for by the
How would you like to see the brand
retailer through the cost of the gowns.
grow over the coming years?
We prefer to work on the quality of
It’s difficult to predict how the label will
manufacturing with our label and have our
grow, we see it as an organic process
agents display them on a
of bringing on like-minded retailers who
one-to-one basis with
are driven and want to offer distinctive
genuinely interested
design, whilst offering a competitive
Contact
prospective retailers
price point. Taking my mother’s
Montebello Bridal
who can see the
philosophy, we prefer quality,
+44 (0)1204 888 285
value in our range.
www.montebellobridal.com not quantity. A
ATTIRE 37
Forward planning
Rachael Carrington, Commercial Account Executive with Hine Chartered
Insurance Brokers, talks about the importance of having a business
continuity plan in place.
How do you cope when your bridal shop is struck by a situation that forces
you to temporarily stop what you’re doing? Without considered steps
in place, you run the risk of letting down customers, suppliers, and staff.
Luckily, the steps don’t need to take much time or effort and can give you
clear direction at a time when everything seems up in the air.
“Look into prevention measures. Once you know
the threats, you know how to protect against it.
This may include back up suppliers and increased
computer security.”
PLAN AHEAD
There are plenty of time constraints in wedding planning, not least when it
comes to creating your customer’s perfect dress. You may need to order in
the material, create a mock up and check for measurements, and get to work
on the finished article.
The last thing you need as a bridal retailer is for your business to be hit by
a problem that causes further delays, whether this is something minor like
repair work that means you only have to close for a day or two, or a much
more serious incident such as a flood or your main fabric suppliers going
out of business.
The sign of a good service is not to avoid these problems altogether; after
all, they’re usually an unpleasant surprise to even yourself and generally
unavoidable. It’s how you handle them and your resilience as a business
which gives you the footing to maintain a good service for your customers,
whether this means calling in a favour from another shop or calling on
financial reserves to quickly find another supplier.
“A business continuity plan allows you to bounce back
with greater energy after an issue and needn’t be
complicated, especially for a business with a smaller
workforce, such as an independent shop.”
PREPARE YOURSELF
A business continuity plan allows you to bounce back with greater energy
after an issue and needn’t be complicated, especially for a business with a
smaller workforce, such as an independent shop.
In its simplest definition, a business continuity plan is a series of preagreed steps that you put in place in case your business is unexpectedly
affected by adversity and you’re struggling to meet the daily demands of
your operations and the expectation of your customers.
specifically. How likely is it that your supplier will go out of business or
you’ll have a data breach on the work computer that stores all of your
customers’ details?
3. Look into prevention measures. Once you know the threats, you know
how to protect against it. This may include back up suppliers and increased
computer security.
4. Plan for the immediate aftermath. Decide which team members are
responsible for which areas, such as communication to those outside the
business including customers, and emergency arrangements such as sourcing
alternative business premises.
5. Create a list. Put together a list of essential contacts, which might
include the contact details of your employees, alternative material suppliers,
insurance contacts, and anyone else that your plan deems essential.
6. Look ahead to recovery. Consider temporary alternatives that will allow
you to continue trading after an upheaval, which can include a short lease
on temporary premises. Each alternative needs to fit the specific problem.
7. Test your plan and keep it up to date. By practising the plan, everyone
will know what they need to do and you can be aware of any pitfalls in
advance. Any time your business undergoes a change, make sure the plan is
still a good fit.
For more information on business continuity planning and business
interruption insurance, contact the team at Hine who have specialist
knowledge in the bridal industry and would be more than happy to advise
you further. A
WHAT YOUR PLAN MIGHT LOOK LIKE
By taking the following steps, you can be better prepared and equipped for
what might be in store in the future:
1. Create your team. For a small business, two people are enough. Whoever
steps up should ideally have a good head for figures and be highly organised.
2. Analyse threats. Make a list of the risks that could threaten your business
38 ATTIRE
Contact
Hine Insurance
+44 (0)161 438 0000
www.hine.co.uk
@hineinsurance
facebook.com/hineinsurance
Creating Exclusive Luxury
Bridal Gowns
Now Actively seeking stockists
For enquiries please contact - 01323 741419 Email – enquiries@qianabridal.co.uk
www.qianabridal.co.uk
The Bridal Roadshow
WIN
£1000
AT EAC
H
The Bridal Roadshow is a dedicated exhibition by
Bridal Suppliers where ranges can be showcased in
the retailers local area, staged across the year.
EVERY
SHOW
DAY
We pride ourselves on ensuring a welcoming atmosphere at the shows where
retailers are put first. Check out our website for updates and information.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
SUNDAY 28TH - MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2016
The Chateau Impney, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0BN (J5, M5)
SUNDAY 13TH - MONDAY 14TH MARCH 2016
The Cedar Court Hotel, Park Parade, off Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, HG1 5AH (A1)
SUNDAY 3RD - MONDAY 4TH APRIL 2016
Red Cow Moran Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin 22, Ireland
SUNDAY 17TH - MONDAY 18TH APRIL 2016
The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort, Cumbernauld, Scotland, G68 0EW
See online for our show exhibitors
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
t: 01827 55123
e: thebridalroadshow@yahoo.co.uk
www.bridalroadshow.co.uk
Plus-size bridal
Curves AND COUTURE
We speak to four leading suppliers of plus-size bridalwear to find out about their
best-selling designs.
MATT LIBRACH,
SYDNEY’S CLOSET
www.michelle-bridal.com
When did you launch your plus-size range and how has the collection
evolved since this time?
Five years ago we launched our Signature Collection of wedding
dresses designed exclusively for plus-sizes. The collection focuses on
informal designs ideal for casual and destination weddings that are all
the rage today. Then curvy brides planning more traditional weddings asked us to
create more formal plus-size gowns with the same attention to detail
that creates a flattering fit.
This is how we came to launch Michelle Bridal by Sydney’s Closet in
2014. The range caters exclusively to fashion-savvy brides who dream
of romantic, elegant and sophisticated bridal gowns in classic and
contemporary designs to wear on their wedding day. Where are you based and what prompted you to bring your ranges to
Harrogate this September?
Michelle Bridal is based in St. Louis, Missouri in the middle of the USA.
We showed the range at Harrogate because we received so many requests
from brides in the UK to buy our range of plus-size wedding gowns. How did retailers react to your plus-size range? Stockists reacted with delight at our on-trend designs, outstanding
construction and fit. And they were overjoyed at the wallet-friendly
prices that allow them to boost their profit margin.
What is the size and price range of your plus-size gowns? Michelle Bridal is available in US sizes ranges 12 to 32, approximately 16
to 36 in UK sizes. The collection ranges in retail price from £369 to £659.
Which is your best-selling plus-size style and why do you think this is? Stockists fell in love with our Chloe wedding gown from the 2016
Michelle Bridal Collection as it’s an A-line design that flatters every full
figure. The embroidered lace bodice with straps, scoop neckline, fitted
waist and organza skirt with chapel train create a flawless look for the
modern bride to accessorise with her own fashion personality for a special
wedding-day look.
How important is it for a retailer to stock a specialist plus-size range,
rather than simply larger sizes of mainstream styles? To be successful selling to curvy brides, stockists must offer gowns
designed specifically to fit a full figure. You can’t just take a size six dress
and try to make it in a size 24 – it doesn’t work. The gown won’t fit
properly if you just make it bigger. As the bride’s body gets fuller, the
dress must be constructed to accommodate her curves in all the right
places. At Sydney’s Closet, we bring more than a decade of experience
designing special occasion dresses for plus-size women and teens. The
curvy customer is our only customer. That focus gives us expertise and
authority designing dresses to fit and flatter full figures with details that
make a difference.
ATTIRE 43 ·
MICHELE O’NEILL, CALLISTA
www.callistabride.com
What can retailers expect from the 2016 Callista collection?
We continue to push forward with fashion forward styles – this season we’ve
included little matching jackets, veils and illusion capes.
Which gown do you predict will be a best-seller and why?
Our new best seller is a style called Bangkok, a slim style lace dress with a matching
jacket and veil. The design really flatters the shape of the bride while the lace is very
unusual and is adorned with freshwater pearls.
What is the size range of the collection?
Callista is available from a UK size 18 to 34. We do also offer made-to-measure for a
small extra charge, for those brides who don’t fit into our size range.
What percentage of your stockists exclusively sell plus-size?
I think only around 10 per cent are just plus-size shops, but we anticipate that this
number will grow over the coming years.
How has the demand for plus-size gowns changed since you first launched Callista?
The demand has grown tenfold. Although we have always made gowns up to size 34,
the Callista collection is designed with construction and styling for fuller-figured
brides – it’s not just a scaled-up regular dress.
VIVIEN FELSTEIN, VEROMIA
www.veromia.co.uk
What can retailers expect from the 2016 Sonsie collection?
Retailers can expect more beautiful best-selling dresses from Sonsie. This
season we’ve gone for an elegant look, and dresses are available with a hint
of colour. Which gown do you predict will be a best-seller and why?
I believe Son 91507 will sell well. This is an elegant and simple dress made from
satin, with some beautiful but blingy beading.
What is the size range of the collection?
Our collection ranges from a size 18 to size 32. We also provide a made-tomeasure service.
This is quite a niche market so stand-alone plus-size shops are few and far
between. I would say around 10 per cent.
How has the demand for plus-size gowns changed since you first launched
the Sonsie collection?
Our Sonsie collection has become more and more popular as shops take on
board that there are a lot of plus-size brides out there who are willing to spend
money on their bridal gown, but can’t buy on the internet or just a normal
bridal gown in a bigger size. The plus-size bride needs support in all the right
places and Sonsie fits the bill for the curvy, confident woman.
44 ATTIRE
Plus-size bridal
RACHAEL ROWLES, ALLURE WOMEN
www.allurebridals.com
What can retailers expect from the 2016 Allure Women collection?
We focused on texture and structure when designing our 2016 Allure
Women collection.
As the winner of the Bridal Buyer 2014/5 Plus Size Bride Award, retailers
can expect us to continue our pursuit of excellence in our award-winning
bridal designs, while producing stunning gowns to accommodate and flatter
every woman.
Each of the Allure Women gowns is designed with the same care and attention
to detail we pour into every aspect of our collections. We design the Allure
Women collection with our brides in mind – we want them to feel completely
beautiful, comfortable and thrilled on their big day. With this in mind, we offer the same styles in our main collections and mirror
them into our Women collection. This is a big selling point for our retailers, as
brides would never know the difference if they saw our dresses in the shop.
The most important selling point for a retailer is that we have a different size
chart for Allure Women to ensure the dress is cut for the curvier bride, helping to
flatter their curves and also the structure is different internally to give them the
best shape possible, without them feeling labelled as a plus-size bride.
Which gown do you predict will be a best-seller and why?
Allure Women W330 will undoubtedly continue to make strides in the bridal
market, due to a universally flattering silhouette. You’d be hard pressed to find
more on-trend details, from lace to Swarovski crystal beadwork to a keyhole back. What is the size range of the collection?
Our Allure Women Collection starts at a US size 14. It has a completely different
size chart to our other Allure Bridals collections.
We understand that the curvier brides deserve to have the dresses cut to a
slightly different pattern to the dresses that look identical in our main collections.
This, teamed with our patented construction, is an ideal design element for
fuller-figured women, as it not only promotes the dress’ shape, but keeps our
brides incredibly comfortable.
We’re continuing to take on new stockists of our Women collection on a daily
basis, several of whom specialise in plus-size.
Our stockists include Heavenly Bodies Bridal, Curvaceous Bridal, A Class
Brides, Bridal 88, POSH of Eastbourne, Lisa’s Bridalwear, Rossetti Brides Ltd
and Shades of White.
How has the demand for plus-size gowns changed since you first launched
Allure Woman?
The fashion world has opened its eyes to the diversity of image in the past years.
Women of all shapes and sizes have always been beautiful, but this perspective has
been embraced more recently in the bridal fashion industry – so the demand for
more plus-sized gowns has increased dramatically. This is so exciting and we’re
proud to design gowns to make every bride-to-be shine her brightest on one of
her most important life events. A
ATTIRE 45
Starting out
We speak to new boutique owner Lynn Charrington about
specialising in bridalwear for fuller-figured women.
As a new bridal boutique, what
initially inspired you to specialise in
plus-size bridal?
I got engaged in December last year, and being a
high street size 26 I was somewhat apprehensive.
I was worried about the experience, but definitely
didn’t want to settle for a style or type of dress
that someone might typically associate with a
plus-size bride. I was looking for a wow factor, a
dress that would make me look and feel amazing.
This made me even more apprehensive as I wasn’t
sure I’d find it.
“ I was upset that as a plus-size
bride, I wasn’t able to find the
styles I wanted. So I decided to
do something about it and am
now able to offer those in a similar
situation to me a solution.”
I initially spoke with some dress makers and,
though they could have made me something
amazing, I couldn’t tell what it looked like until
it was finished so it was too much of a risk. I
wanted to avoid ‘skinny’ bridal shops as I knew
I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the staff, or
having to go hide in a backroom somewhere. So,
I started looking for plus-size options. I knew
my choice would be limited, but I couldn’t find
a specialist boutique within a few hours’ drive
of Bath – my home town. Even after finding
some, the websites looked old fashioned and I
wasn’t sure I’d find my perfect dress there. Once
I arrived, I was expecting to find options that
fitted me, but the dresses in my size were all oldfashioned and quite underwhelming, mainly
just A-line. I wanted to try on the more exciting
gowns that they only held in a size 16 or 18. I
also found a dress I fell in love with that went
up to my size, but no one in the country held it
46 ATTIRE
in anything above a size 12 so I couldn’t try it
on. I was upset that as a plus-size bride, I wasn’t
able to find the styles I wanted. So I decided to
do something about it and am now able to offer
those in a similar situation to me a solution.
We stock fabulous dresses in a range of styles,
in sizes that will actually fit when the bride tries
them on.
range of petticoats and corsets up to a 48F. I have
also ordered a garter option and umbrellas from
there too. I am hoping to find some other lingerie
options that will go up into the 50 plus. I am also
going to be stocking a beautiful range of veils
from Elizabeth Dickens. Their range is huge and I
can offer my brides anything they could possibly
want and more.
Which designers are you stocking
and why?
Why do you feel it’s so important to
specialise in plus-size bridal, rather
than offer a plus-size collection within
a more general mix of bridal designs?
I wanted to focus on designers that had
considered plus-size brides during their design
process. Things like slightly higher backs,
stronger boning, flattering designs etc. This is
why I am stocking Callista and Sonsie. They each
have beautiful gowns in such a wide range of
styles which was hugely important to me. I also
did a lot of research into which designers went
up into larger sizes. These designers often create
beautiful gowns but not all would be suitable
for a larger bride. So, I will also be stocking
Cara Mia, Allure Woman and some designs
from Madison James. I carefully looked at all
the dresses they offered, the style, where they
would pull you in, how high the backs were etc.
to narrow down the actual dresses I would be
stocking. I am so pleased that I can offer such
beautiful gowns to plus-size brides. I was actually
quite surprised at the wide range of options
available to me as so many boutiques do not hold
the larger size samples, even if they can go up to
that size.
Which accessories are you currently
stocking and why?
I have spent a long time looking for plus-size
bridal lingerie and undergarments. I was really
struggling to find them and was starting to get
quite disheartened. Then I found Jupon at The
Harrogate Bridal Show. They have an excellent
As a plus-size bride myself I know the insecurities
we can feel. I did not want my brides to feel
uncomfortable or feel like they were just visiting
a back room. I am passionate about providing
plus size brides the same choice, opportunity and
experience a thinner bride would be provided
with, without feeling like they were an add on
to another bridal boutique. This is the most
important part of it all to me.
When do you open and are you
planning a special launch day to
mark the occasion?
I opened in the second week of October which
was incredibly exciting. I have decided to hold
a big launch party and catwalk at the end of
January to celebrate and to invite brides that I
have already spoken with. It will also give me a
chance to wait for all the dresses I have ordered
to come in and to develop contacts with other
suppliers and models (as well as some real life
plus size brides). A
CONTACT
Perfect Princess Bridal
www.perfectprincessbridal.com
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Dickens
Dickens
+44 1353 723675 • email: ninaandalan@freeuk.com • web: elizabethdickensveils.co.uk
Lingerie
Taking shape
Sarah Janks and Moonrise Lingerie reveal all about their latest collections.
When did you officially launch the Sarah
Janks shapewear range and what prompted
you to do so?
We launched the range in May of this year
after almost three years in development. We
had so many brides asking us for underwear
solutions for low-back dresses, and after
searching high and low we couldn’t find
anything in the market that offered our brides
both low-back and shapewear in one package. How have bridal retailers responded to
the collection?
We had a great initial response at Market in
New York with the collection, and valuable
feedback for ongoing future developments. How many pieces are there in the collection
and which do you predict will be your bestselling designs?
We currently have five pieces in the collection,
with the best-sellers being the legging
Contact
Richard and Tanya Hall,
Moonrise Lingerie
www.moonriselingerie.co.uk
bodysuit and the dress bodysuit. How often do you plan to add to the
bridal collection?
We have an additional style coming out
which will be a brief bodysuit, but right now
we’re concentrating on improving our current
offering, based on customer feedback. Contact
Sarah Janks,
Smooth and Slim
www.smoothandslim.com
Why is it so important for bridal retailers to
stock a selection of shapewear alongside their
bridal gowns?
It’s an option to upsell to the bride and
provide them with a complete solution for
their wedding day. When fitting a dress, one
of the most important elements is a bride’s
underwear choice, and well-fitted, supportive
underwear will enhance her figure and the
drape of the gown.
Do you have a minimum order?
Our minimum order is 12 pieces at wholesale.
What can retailers expect from
Moonrise’s 2016 collection?
After a great launch of our Harmony
plus-size bra this year, 2016 will see the
launch of our new Faith plus-size bra
set, which will range from sizes 36D to a
40H. Faith will feature a plus-size bridal
bra with matching brief and thong.
Which piece do you anticipate will be a
best-seller and why?
One of our biggest sellers for 2016 will
be the floral low back corset. With many
more dresses featuring low backs or
lace designs, we feel that this will be the
most popular and appropriate choice
for brides to be. This corset also has a
matching brief or thong.
What is the price range of your
lingerie collection?
Both of our own designs, the Harmony
and Faith bras are priced at £44.99, with
the matching brief and thong priced at
£14.99 each. Bridal garters start at £8.
What support can you offer to your
retail stockists?
We can offer a great support package to
include a drop ship facility for items that
they don’t have in stock. All sizes are held
in stock with us for peace of mind.
Finally, we provide all images and point
of sale along with social media support.
What would you recommend as a
starting package for a new bridal
retail stockist?
I would say a good starting package
would include 12 bras (one of each
size), six briefs and six thongs. This way,
it’s possible to see what works and sells in
your store.
What else can we expect from Moonrise
Lingerie in 2016?
We will also be launching some new
handmade wedding garters. A
ATTIRE 49
Still going strong
Gloucester-based Taffeta and Lace recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. We speak to owner
Jill Court to find out the secret behind the store’s longevity.
When did you open Taffeta and Lace and what
prompted you to do so?
I first opened Taffeta and Lace 7th September,
1985, so we’ve recently celebrated the 30th
anniversary of the business. After studying
fashion in Manchester, a friend asked me to
design and make her wedding dress. This was
such a success that I then decided to advertise my
services to brides-to-be and was inundated with
requests – that was the beginning of the shop!
How has the business evolved since this time and
what have been the most significant milestones in
its development?
At first I used to design and make most of the
gowns, but now the majority of wedding dresses
in Taffeta and Lace have been sourced from
designers and manufacturers. There have been
no specific milestones, in that we’ve kept to our
original principal of providing good in-house
service and value for money. This has served us
50 ATTIRE
well for 30 years and we have no intention of
changing our approach.
beautiful on their important day – it’s the most
rewarding aspect of the job.
You recently celebrated your 30th anniversary –
how did you mark your occasion?
We invited all customers – past, present and
future – to join us for a glass of champagne and
nibbles. We will also be offering special discounts
to our brides-to-be.
What’s been the highlight of your time in bridal
retail to date?
It’s always lovely when previous customers, whose
dresses I would have designed and made for them
many years ago, return for their daughters’ bridal
gowns. We’re particularly grateful when those
customers bring in their old wedding photos to
show us!
What criteria do you have when sourcing and
selecting your designers?
There are four different factors to consider when
we choose who we’d like to work with. The price
has to be commercial and competitive while still
offering brides quality. We also value loyalty and,
of course, excellent service.
What do you enjoy most about your role and the
bridal business in general?
I love helping our customers to look and feel
How do you ensure that the service your boutique
provides is second to none?
We’ve a wealth of experience in the British bridal
industry. We’ve a comprehensive knowledge of
the fabrics and construction of the dresses. We
know exactly what can and cannot be done. But
– most of all – we’re perfectionists and wouldn’t
allow a bride to leave the shop unless her dress
fits perfectly.
Retailer interview
CONTACT
Taffeta and Lace
+44 (0)1452 419 181
www.taffetaandlace.co.uk
What do you believe is key to running a successful
bridal retail business?
Knowledge of the industry, genuinely caring
about the service you provide and always
maintaining a comfortable environment for
customers are key factors in ensuring the
continued success of a bridal business.
What are the main challenges you face as a
bridal shop owner and how does this compare to
the challenges you faced when you first opened?
In the 30 years that we’ve been in business the
market has changed significantly. Many more
suppliers, many more bridal shops and now
internet sales means that today’s bride has a much
greater and for some an overwhelming choice
of gowns.
How do you view the current state of the UK
bridal market?
It’s becoming too large – the number of bridal
gown suppliers out there is increasing at a faster
rate than the demand for them.
What are your plans for Taffeta and Lace over
the next few years?
From l to r: Wendy Preston, Tina Preston, Jill Court, Cherylle Khodabaccus
owners with regards to creating a successful retail
Taffeta and Lace will continue – as it has been
business with longevity?
doing for the past 30 years now – to offer a
quality and friendly service to its brides for many Know your market and have a good seamstress to
hand. Be prepared to spend a great deal of time
more years to come.
with your brides helping them to choose their
perfect dress. A
What advice would you give to new bridal shop
ATTIRE 51
BBRA
Hot topic
Julie Macrae, BBRA member and owner of Serenity Brides in Colchester,
examines the various reasons behind declining bridesmaid sales.
BBRA members are seeing bridesmaid sales
decline in traditional bridal shops across the
country at an alarming rate and an informal
survey of members has identified many reasons
for this worrying trend.
Television programmes such as Don’t Tell
the Bride, where grooms are encouraged to buy
maids dresses in high street stores, are widely
being blamed. The Internet is also a contributory
factor. It’s well known that you can buy the same
dress from the same designer in the USA at a
much lower price than the UK, so some brides
are using this route with the American shops,
discounting the value on the customs form to
save on duty.
High and mighty
With high street stores competing in the market,
brides can purchase maids dresses in stores such
as Debenhams, Coast and Monsoon. However,
online there are many good quality options too.
Not only is the price point much lower, but the
dresses usually require no alterations which can
mean a further saving of perhaps £50 per dress.
This means for the average wedding, cost savings
of £100s outweigh the risk that a guest could
turn up in the same dress as the bridesmaids.
Our shop regularly encounters brides who
bring their low-cost bridesmaid dresses in when
they try on wedding dresses. We’re constantly
surprised at the style, quality and price compared
with our designers’ offerings. Most are priced at
under £100 and many are less money than we can
buy for.
One of our BBRA members bought her
daughter’s bridesmaid dresses online to save
money. She said that it was good quality and
– even after import tax and VAT – it was still
much cheaper. So, if bridal shop owners are being
driven to find better prices, it’s hardly surprising
that the general public is doing the same.
“Many traditional bridal shops feel
they’re not being supported by the
designers, with high minimums,
soaring price points that out of
reach for most brides and – in
some cases – stock choices are
being made by the designer and
not the shop. ”
Selecting suppliers
Many traditional bridal shops feel they’re not
being supported by the designers, with high
minimums, soaring price points that out of reach
for most brides and – in some cases – stock
choices are being made by the designer and not
the shop. This leaves samples taking up rail space
and investment in the brand not paying off.
Many members are giving up the fight and
have decided not to stock maids dresses any
more. A rail of bridesmaid dresses will not bring
in as much profit as a rail of wedding gowns and,
although the investment is lower, without doubt,
the time and trouble dealing with bridesmaids is
far higher than brides, for less reward.
One BBRA member stopped selling maids
dresses over a year ago and says it’s the best
decision she ever made as there was no point in
investing in collection after collection, just to
have them sitting on the rail and taking up space.
She says that sales were fabulous five years ago,
but the decline was too great to ignore. Other
BBRA members have tried cutting their profits,
but are still struggling to make sales.
Seeking a resolution
Members have voiced their concerns to designers,
but so far there has been very little response. Yet
it could so easily be solved!
Designers have to address the problem or sales
of bridesmaid dresses will continue to migrate
to the high street chains and will no longer be
available in many traditional shops. The price
points must be competitive as, although brides
will pay more than the high street, they’re not
prepared to spend two or three times the price!
Even brides with high budgets will seek out
better prices for maids gowns – we have a local
high-price-point bridal shop that’s developed its
own brand, selling at £89. It’s available in just a
few styles and colours, but we understand the
gowns sell well.
Another member believes that designers
should create a range of standard popular styles
that can be mass produced (therefore cheaper)
and stocked by the shops in a full range of offthe-peg sizes and in around five or six popular
colours. This is not a difficult task as designers
know what styles sell well, and the most popular
colours, but we would still have to examine
whether we could make a profit from selling
them so cheaply.
There is a massive market being lost to high
street stores and the Internet, so if Debenhams
and other multiples can sell a chiffon sparkly
dress for under £100 then surely the designers
can also produce some ready-to-buy designs at a
competitive price? This would bring the brides
back to the bridal shops and whilst there, they
may even go for something a bit more expensive
which would be a win-win situation for both the
shop and the designers. A
Contact
BBRA
www.britishbridalretailersassociation.co.uk
If you have any thoughts about the above topic,
send your comments to editor@attirebridal.com
ATTIRE 53
Time to celebrate
We speak to four retailers to find out how they mark their boutique’s special occasions.
What was the last business anniversary
of your boutique and how did you
celebrate?
Our last business anniversary was 16th
June when we celebrated eight years. This
date’s also Mel’s birthday so we wouldn’t
be able to forget it! We all celebrated
with a nice meal and a few proseccos.
How do you create a celebratory atmosphere in-store for all your
brides-to-be all year round?
We run various campaigns and events throughout the year to
Deborah Griffiths, Lola Bridal
What was the last business anniversary of your
boutique and how did you celebrate?
We celebrated our third anniversary in August
and held a Lola Bridal selfie competition as
well as dressing our window with pictures of
our brides. The competition attracted plenty
of entries from girls taking selfies – both in and
outside the boutique – and posted with the
hashtag #lolabridalselfie on social media. The
window display attracted lots of attention and we spent most of our time
cleaning the windows from people pointing at the pictures! We loved it
though and it really raised our profile.
All our brides and guests are offered prosecco and a ‘congratulations’ when
they arrive. We have a wall with pictures of our brides on their wedding day
in the boutique for new brides to see and this combination always adds to
the excitement of the appointment. There’s a natural interaction and plenty
of fun between the staff, brides and guests and usually plenty of celebratory
hugs (and more fizz) when the bride chooses her dress!
When will you begin to celebrate the festive season in-store and how do you
make it special for your brides-to-be?
We often start the festive season during the last week of November, as we
want to get as much festive cheer in before we close for Christmas. Prosecco
is swopped for mulled wine and cupcakes are replaced with mince pies.
There’s often a little gift for the bride when she chooses her dress during
54 ATTIRE
maintain a great atmosphere in-store. This includes designer
weekends, accessory evenings, sample sales, special offers and
promotions, and a few charity prize draws.
When will you begin to celebrate the festive season in-store and how
do you make it special for your brides-to-be?
We just love Christmas. Claire starts planning her window months
in advance. We do something different every year and Claire has a
great mind for thinking of imaginative window displays. Once of our
favourite props is our Narnia lampost!
We usually change the window towards the end of November and
adjust it once again in between our Christmas and New Year break.
We always wear Christmas jumpers and festive hair bands on our last
Saturday of opening prior to our Christmas break, and offer brides
glasses of bubbly and mini mince pies to encourage the festive spirit.
December as well. We’ll play Christmas songs and the boutique is decorated
to create the perfect atmosphere. Our window display reflects the season
with a gorgeous dress and all the festive trimmings!
Image courtesy of Dominic Tucker
Melanie Storer and Claire Jackson,
Wedding Belles of Four Oaks
Retailer
Retailer
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roundup
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Rachael Leaitherland, Atelier Bride
What was the last business anniversary of your
boutique and how did you celebrate?
I’m actually looking forward to the first
anniversary of Atelier Bride in November, and
am thinking about ways to celebrate. It’s hard
to think of a way to acknowledge everyone
who has played a part in our first year – family,
friends, suppliers and brides – but we will
definitely be doing something special to mark
the occasion.
I love Christmas, and we’ve always had a tradition at home of decorations
going up on 1st December. This is the same for Atelier Bride, and last year
the windows were adorned with a selection of snowflakes, twinkly lights
and two giant elves!
Individual appointments certainly help to make each customer feel special,
and the focus is well and truly on the bride and her big day. If a bride
decides to buy one of our dresses, then the corks pop and the fizz flows
while we deal with the slightly less exciting paperwork!
When will you begin to celebrate the festive season in-store and how do you
make it special for your brides-to-be?
Kerry Munday and Laura Shepherd,
Perfect Day Bridal
the first of December, everyone who visits will see all our decorations
and, of course, there will be plenty of mince pies. Our love of Christmas
plus our love of bridal means that it’s a special time for anyone to visit us. A
What was the last business anniversary of
your boutique and how did you celebrate?
We love a celebration at Perfect Day and
there’s been a lot to raise a glass to over the
last year! In March, we marked four years
as owners of Perfect Day with a re-launch
– our website and branding had a complete
makeover as did the boutique itself. We
commissioned an exclusive photoshoot in honour of the occasion and
enjoyed a sneaky night out with our wonderful staff and families to
celebrate. It was a very special moment for us, so there was no way we
were going to let it pass unrecognised!
From the moment brides walk in, we’re there for them. We spend a lot
of time getting to know about brides and we get super-excited when
they tell us their proposal stories. There’s usually a bit of dancing, a lot of
hugging and even some jumping up and down with excitement! When
‘the one’ has been found, brides receive a little gift from us to celebrate
and we love to pop the champagne corks too, especially at designer
events when there has to be fizz for everyone.
When will you begin to celebrate the festive season in-store and how do
you make it special for your brides-to-be?
We’ve already started the Christmas countdown! Kerry kick-starts
Christmas from 1st September and she’s more of a fan of the festive
season than any child we know! We finalise our plans in mid October
and these will include everything from window decorations and the
transformation of the boutique interior to the blogs we’ll publish over
Christmas and New Year to selecting the cards we’ll send to brides. From
ATTIRE 55
Gold glass heart bauble, £4,
The Contemporary Home
+44 (0)2392 469 400
www.tch.net
Muscat London
www.muscatlondon.com
m
Aurora gold branch tabl
table
le
lamp, £153, Artisant
ti
Artisanti
+44 (0)345 259 1410
1410
www.artisanti.com
Pastel perfection gold circle
fan decorations, £7.99,
Getting Personal
+44 (0)845 217 6382
www.gettingpersonal.co.uk
Gold mosaic hurricane
lamp, £110, Puji
+44 (0)20 8886 3000
www.puji.com
GOING FOR gold
In celebration of our 50th issue, we
show you how to create a glitzy and
glamorous window display.
Heart-shaped mirror, £98, The
Chandelier & Mirror Company
+44 (0)1892 541 355
www.chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk
Moorish gold side table,
£175, Alexander & Pearl
+44 (0)20 8508 0411
www.alexanderandpearl.co.uk
Gold wire bowl, £16, Oliver Bonas
+44 (0)20 8974 0110
www.oliverbonas.com
Gaga gold console table, £395, The
French Bedroom Company
+44 (0)845 644 8022
www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk
56 ATTIRE
Gold beaded wreath, £26,
The Contemporary Home
+44 (0)2392 469 400
www.tch.net
Pastel perfection gold Mr & Mrs wooden sign, £12.99, Getting Personal
+44 (0)845 217 6382
www.gettingpersonal.co.uk
New
E
£22vie belt
50 + wholesale bridal belts from £16
wholesale@lilybella.co.uk
www.lilybella.co.uk
0161 456 2211 • joanleewholesale@btconnect.com
www.joanlee.co.uk
Finding the
perfect premises
Jana Svalbe, owner of Mode Bridal, reveals the highs and lows of her first
year as a bridal retailer.
What inspired you to set up a bridal
boutique and when was its official
launch?
Mode Bridal opened its doors on 29th November,
2014. For me, it was about fulfilling a dream
through transferring my experience in delivering
world-class customer service in my previous
career to bring the best style, quality and service
to brides.
How long did it take you from the
initial idea to opening?
I’m a very driven person and once I commit
myself to something, I throw everything at it.
The idea was first born in March, 2014, and by
June I placed my first order of stunning Terry Fox
wedding dresses. By November, the website was
live and I was ready to go forwards.
Who are the key members
of staff and what are their
respective roles?
Mode Bridal has been open for eight months
now so it’s still very new. As an owner, I have
the ultimate responsibility for every aspect of
the business, from buying the collections, to
marketing and seeing the customers.
My partner, Davide is an incredible help
and does a lot of the project management and
planning for me. For example, he’s totally in
charge when it comes to exhibiting at The
National Wedding Show and is organising
everything to make sure that both Mode Bridal
and our customers get the best out of the show.
Where are you based and how did you
go about finding the perfect premises?
The plan was always to find premises that
would deliver the luxury experience and the
convenience for brides. After a much research, I
decided that to deliver a truly personal service,
the best place for my business was at home.
Mode Bridal is based in Hove, which is a
58 ATTIRE
part of Brighton, East Sussex and we’ve set up
a beautiful and luxurious studio as a part of
our house. Brides absolutely love visiting our
studio as it gives them total privacy, a relaxed
atmosphere and flexibility with appointment
times, thereby making it the ultimate shopping
experience.
Plus brides have all the convenience of easy
parking, close proximity to the train station and
we’re within such an easy reach from places like
London, Guildford and Tunbridge Wells.
How have you created a point
of difference in your boutique,
compared to others in the area?
Everything we do is about exceeding our
customers’ expectations and we have really
focused on two key aspects of what our
customers want: the dress and the experience of
buying it.
All of our bridal gowns are lovingly made
to the bride’s measurements in the UK, Italy
or France using beautiful and precious fabrics
combined with incredible dressmaking artistry,
with emphasis on elegance and originality.
We’re based in a private studio where twohour luxury appointments with one-to-one
service come as a standard and we really work
around bride’s schedule. Our customers get our
full attention, the best styling advice and a truly
personal experience.
How have you found the first year of
trading? What have been the highs
and lows?
This year has been absolutely fantastic and I’ve
loved every minute of meeting new customers
and building Mode Bridal. There are always days
when things don’t go your way, but overall, it’s
been really good fun.
We’ve achieved some amazing things in a very
short space of time that we’re very proud of. For
example, social media is becoming increasingly
important and we’ve built a 3.5k following on
Facebook that just keeps growing every day.
We’ve also been named the finalist in category for
Best Bridal Retailer Website in The Bridal Buyer
Awards this year.
Retailer profile
Which bridal designers are currently
stocked at Mode Bridal and why?
Will you be welcoming any more
names over the coming months?
We started the business with just two collections
of wedding dresses and a collection of bespoke
bridal accessories by Donna Crain to accompany
our gowns.
Anna Tumas is a renowned Italian designer
who creates most beautiful and elegant gowns
using some incredible fabrics. All of Anna’s
dresses are handmade in her studio in Rome and
they’re truly amazing. We’re very proud to be her
exclusive stockist in the UK.
We also have some gorgeous fairytale wedding
dresses by British award-winning designer Terry
Fox. Terry’s dresses are full of a vintage boho vibe
and she uses subtle colours in her gowns that are
extremely popular with our brides.
In addition, we’re very excited to welcome
two new additions this autumn. We introduced
an amazing French brand – Lambert Creations
– in August and then welcomed Alan Hannah’s
stunning couture collection in September.
How has the business evolved since
the boutique first opened?
£1,000-£3,950 so we’re able to accommodate
most bridal budgets.
What do you enjoy most about
running your bridal shop?
Everything! Undoubtedly, I love to see my
business grow and do well, but most of all I adore
meeting brides and making them happy. The
emotion and positivity I get from brides when
they’ve visited Mode Bridal is amazing and gives
me this incredible feeling that makes all the hard
work worthwhile.
What are the most challenging
aspects of running your bridal shop?
I think for me they’re the same challenges
experienced by all small business owners. You
have to be good at everything and balance a
huge variety of tasks. I’ve been lucky enough to
work with many small businesses in the past, as
well as manage businesses myself as a part of my
previous career, so I’ve plenty of experience to
fall back on. Plus I have a great support network
from my partner Davide, our designers and the
incredible professionals I work with.
What are your future plans for
Mode Bridal?
We take every opportunity to learn from our
The medium-term goal for Mode is to become
customers and are constantly listening to their
a must-visit bridal shop in Sussex. Long
feedback. As a result we’ve worked
term…who knows what’s in store for
really hard to find collections of
us, but the ambition is to take the
wedding dresses which fit in with
success of the boutique beyond
our core brand values of quality
Mode Bridal
the borders of Sussex. A
and style, but are much more
+44 (0)1273 930 990
accessible to brides in terms of
www.modebridal.co.uk
price. Our price range now is
CONTACT
ATTIRE 59
Yorkshire’s finest
We take a look back at the recent Harrogate Bridal Show to find out how retailers responded to
the exhibitors’ new collections.
Lisa Al-Amoodi, Victoria Kay
www.victoriakaygowns.co.uk
“Well, what a show we had at
Harrogate! We had a fantastic
response to our Victoria Kay
2016 collection, as well as
to our brand new label –
White Collection”
Mojgan Bellamy, Mojgan Bridal Couture
www.mojgan.co.uk
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest
in our collection at The Harrogate Bridal
Show. Retailers noted that our designs were
original, refreshing and inspirational.
It was a fantastic experience and we can’t
wait to attend The London Bridal Show in
March, 2016.”
Neil Flatley, Managing Director, Linzi Jay
www.linzijay.com
“It was a good show for Linzi Jay and Arianna,
and we opened up what look like some very good
overseas accounts. We’re also having an ongoing
discussion with a European agent which will
hopefully open up a new market for us.”
60 ATTIRE
Tony Bromilow, Agent Modeca UK and
Dick van Zutphen, Director at Modeca
www.modeca.com
“Going to Harrogate is always a pleasure,
and for Modeca it was great to be part of
The Harrogate Bridal Show. We’re getting
stronger in the UK market – working with
the top stores here is fantastic. We were
overwhelmed by the positive feedback we’ve
received on our Modeca collection, as well
as on our inaugural collection, Le Papillon by
Modeca. Getting to know from our Modeca
partners that re-orders are already coming
in gives us the proof that we are on the right
track. This is how we want to continue with
our customers and friends in the UK, and
also further afield.”
Karen Dornellie, Karen
Dornellie and Rainaway Bride
www.karendornellie.com
“We had a great show with a
lot of really positive feedback
on the new collection and
Rainaway Bride. I had
enquiries from as far afield
as Norway and Denmark for
Rainaway Bride, and the new
veils could be going as far as
Buenos Aires.
Although I really enjoyed
this great event, I may only
venture as north as London
next time, due to significant
travel delays.”
Harrogate
Nicki Flynn, True Bride
www.truebride.co.uk
“Harrogate September 2015 saw the 10th anniversary of True Bride, and what better way to
celebrate than with our most successful show to date? We hosted our first ever catwalk show, which
drew quite the crowd and created a real buzz on the stand, leaving not a single seat empty. Lots of
guests chose to stand so as to not miss out on all the action!
“The launch of standalone, vintage-inspired tea-length bridal collection Brighton Belle went down
an absolute storm, with unprecedented demand from retailers to stock the label in their boutiques.
As always, our bridesmaid collections True Bridesmaid and Luna Bridesmaids by Nicki Flynn
received a lot of attention and compliments on their original designs, while our True Bride and Nicki
Flynn bridal collections saw some of the top most-wanted styles we’ve ever debuted at a show!”
Michelle Barrie, Eddy K.
www.eddyk.com
“We’re delighted with the overwhelming
response to the 2016 Dare To Dream
collections at The Harrogate Bridal Show.
It has been a great success during the 21st
anniversary for Eddy K. as we’ve opened new
accounts in the UK and Northern Ireland.
“We’re now preparing for designer events
with our retailers which take place over the
next few months.”
Alan Dicks, Elizabeth Dickens
www.elizabethdickensveils.co.uk
“Harrogate was a great success for us, with
new accounts added to our customer base
and good orders from existing customers. One
of our stand-out stars was the Magda veil and
were pleased that there was an air of buoyancy
to the bridal market.”
Raman Bhangle, White Ivy
www.whiteivy.co.uk
“Harrogate
this year was
great for White
Ivy as our new
collection was
well received,
especially our
hair chains.
We were over
the moon with
the amount
of interest
and orders
placed, and
look forward to adding new pieces to our
collection in time for the shows next year.”
Phoebe Stockman, Design Director at
Decorum Bride
www.decorumbride.com
“This year’s
Harrogate show
seemed to be
buzzing, giving
the sense of the
good old days.
Decorum Bride’s
new collections
were really well
received. We
were delighted
with the results
of this year’s
show and we
look forward
to 2016.”
Simon Ryan, Global Bridal Brands
www.catherineparrybridal.com
“Whilst only the second time that Catherine Parry has exhibited at The Harrogate Bridal Show
since the label launched in 2014, it was clear from speaking to retailers that our extensive
advertising campaigns have been hugely successful in raising awareness for the brand and we
met a number of boutiques who had come to the show looking for the label. We’re absolutely
thrilled with the response to our 2016 collection, which we launched at the show, and we’ve had
some amazing feedback both in terms of the designs and the outstanding value that the gowns
offer. It was lovely to catch up with so many of our existing stockists and to hear how well the
label is repeating for them, and we were absolutely delighted to sign a number of new stockists
at the show, including our first retailers in Scotland and Northern Ireland.” A
ATTIRE 61
RandallRibbons
Mother of the Bride or Guest,
we can tailor make your perfect
wedding hat or fascinator.
www.randallribbons.co.uk
Randall Ribbons, 12 Frederick Street, Luton, LU2 7QS
Tel 01582 721301 ✺ Fax 01582 611054
Email sales@randallribbons.co.uk
White Ivy is proud to present its stunning
new bridal jewellery collections to the
Harrogate Bridal 2015 Show, Stand - C77.
We will be introducing beautiful new
additions to our unique 2016 collection.
Our new jewellery ranges include, tiaras,
hair combs, birdcage veils and hair
accessories.
Formed of Swarovski Crystals and
Freshwater Pearls our products are crafted
in unique and intricate designs ensuring
both flawless style and quality.
www.white-ivy.com
t: 01474 556166 | e: info@white-ivy.com
Waterman House, 1 Lord Street, Gravesend, DA12 1AW
Fashion files
ATTIRE BRIDAL
Chanticleer
Fashion Files
FILE
1
Many happy
returns
Decorative lace appliqués
and illusion fabrics ensure
the backs of these bridal
gowns are just as beautiful
as the fronts.
2
FILE
The
Collections
Gorgeous accessories
to match our two
key fashion trends.
PLUS Up and Coming
Andrey Savin chats to us about his iconic
British bridal label.
Jesús Peiró
FILE
3
To boldly go
We showcase some
distinctive designs to
help your brides stand
out from the crowd.
ATTIRE 63 ·
Le Papillon by Modeca
www.modeca.com
returns
MANY HAPPY
Decorative lace appliqués and illusion fabrics ensure the backs of these
bridal gowns are just as beautiful as the fronts.
64 ATTIRE
File 1
1. Danielle Couture
+44 (0)1689 831 841
www.phoenixgowns.co.uk
1
2
3
4
2. Savin London
sales@savinlondon.com
www.savinlondon.com
3. Chanticleer
+44 (0)1242 226 501
www.chanticleerbrides.co.uk
4. Eddy K.
+44 (0)1204 888 285
www.eddyk.com
ATTIRE 65 ·
Lilly
+45 7585 9955
www.lilly.eu
File 1
ATTIRE 67 ·
1. Mori Lee
www.morilee.co.uk
68 ATTIRE
1
2
3
4
2. Private Label by G
+44 (0)1765 530 282
www.kennethwinston.com
3. Qiana Bridal
+44 (0)1323 741 419
www.qianabridal.co.uk
4. True Bride
+44 (0)1273 728 637
www.truebride.co.uk
If you would like to become a stockist,
please contact Mark & Sam Everard
07711 208586 or 01202 424477
prettymadesmia@hotmail.co.uk
www.miasolano.com
Sabatiné
The Bridal Wholesaler…
Wh sa
...making
aking buying easy
ea
Would like to congratulate Attire Bridal on
UHDFLQJWKHLUth Anniversary Edition
At the Bridal Wholesaler we have adapted
apted our w
way of
u unique ap
p o h
wholesaling to the changing market. O
Our
approach
ort and money!
guarantees to save you time, effort
Our mobile exhibition unit is a luxury mini boutique with
award-winning designers being displayed and even better
it is driven directly to your boutique!
We have stunning products from Wendy Makin Bridal
Designs, HT Headwear, Windsor Bridal Jewellery & The
Lace Wedding Veil Company.
www.glitzshoes.com
What’s new?
HT HEADWEAR has a fantastic new
collection, with lots of options for your
brides. All headpieces are handmade
in England and can be tailored to each
brides own colours or taste and with
nearly all of their birdcage veils being
detachable so the brides are left with a
delicate headband or stylish headpiece
for the evening, they are a perfect day
into evening solution!
RUJHWLQWRXFK6DOHV2IÀFH
e-mail sales@glitzshoes.com
Wendy Makin’s
new ‘French
Collection’
introduces some
beautifully soft
colours such
as Nudes,
Champagnes, tea
rose and muffin.
For this new
collection Wendy
wanted the bride
to feel glamorous
and comfortable
on their wedding
day, two things
that don’t normally
go hand in hand,
but Wendy creates
this beautifully.
Where will The Bridal Wholesaler
be visiting in the coming months?
Handcrafted by Kelly
Beautiful collections of ready to wear, original
and trade only pieces available.
www.tantrumsandtiaras.org
Tantrums-and-Tiaras
Tantrums_tiaras
The Bridal Wholesaler will be visiting boutiques in the
Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria. However if
you aren’t in those areas and would like a visit, just call on
07771542042
or drop us an email: info@thebridalwholesaler.co.uk
File 2
The Collections
We showcase a collection of fabulous accessories
to match our two key fashion features.
Pink by Paradox
www.paradoxlondon.com
Benjamin Adams
www.benjaminadamslondon.com
Many happy returns
Enhance pretty backs and illusion fabricss with
stunning shoes and headpieces.
Glittzy Secrets
Glitzy
www.glitzysecrets.com
ww
ww.glitzysecrets.com
g
TO BOLDLY GO
Emm
Emmerling
www
ww
w.emme
www.emmerling.co.uk
Rachel Simpson
www.rachelsimp
www.rachelsimpsonshoes.co.uk
Standout accessories to accompany this season’s
most dramatic designs.
Richard Designs
www.richard-designs.com
Lily Bella
www.lilybella.co.uk
Stephanie Browne
www.stephaniebrowne.com.au
Nymphi Design
www.nymphidesign.com
ATTIRE 71
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Dickens
Dickens
+44 1353 723675 • email: ninaandalan@freeuk.com • web: elizabethdickensveils.co.uk
Abujani Sandeepkhosla
info@abusandeep.com
www.abusandeep.com
File 3
To boldly go
We showcase some distinctive designs to help your brides stand out
from the crowd.
73 ATTIRE
ATTIRE 73 ·
1
2
3
4
1. Kelly Faetanini
melissa@kellyfaetanini.com
www.kellyfaetanini.com
74 ATTIRE
2. Jesus Peiro
+34 902 200 490
www.jesuspeiro.com
3. Madeline Gardner New York
www.madelinegardnernewyork.com
4. Mori Lee
www.morilee.co.uk
File 3
Alan Hannah
+44 (0)20 8804 1444
www.alanhannah.co.uk
ATTIRE 75 ·
1
2
3
1. Ronald Joyce
www.ronaldjoyce.com
76 ATTIRE
4
2. Winnie Couture
www.winniecouture.com
3. Gemy Maalouf
www.gemymaalouf.com
4. Savin London
sales@savinlondon.com
www.savinlondon.com
Pushing the boundaries
Andrey Savin, Designer and Owner of Savin London, reveals all about his daring, timeless and
elegant bridal brand.
various areas: history, architecture, fabrics, patterns
and textures. Different environments bring different
inspirations, but ultimately I try to create pieces that
will stand the test of time, be remembered and look
just as great in years to come as they did on that
special day.
When did you decide to create your own
bridal collection, after previously only
working on bespoke commissions, and why?
Creating my own bridal collection was always the
ultimate goal. It allows me to reach different brides
simultaneously and share our stunning gowns
on a different scale. We will always continue our
bespoke service, and of course we can offer bespoke
adjustments to the bridal gowns in our range to
our stockists.
When did you create Savin London and
with what business aim?
The brand was established in 2013 and focused
on bespoke bridal and eveningwear pieces. It was
important to us to build a reputation and an atelier
that could support the most extravagant creations.
Why was it so important to be able to make
your bridal gowns on-site?
Savin London is very much a British brand, so
producing the gowns at our London atelier is an
integral part of the label’s DNA.
We’re able to offer passion, dedication and
craftsmanship in everything we do. Customers can
come to us and choose from our range of beautiful
gowns or they can bring us their own ideas and we
can create something completely bespoke.
We work with the very best fabrics, trimmings
and raw materials in order to create our gowns.
As a brand, we try to push the boundaries and
experiment with different techniques, while
retaining the quality and the timeless aspect of
each design. Each piece has to represent the best of
British style and elegance.
What inspires you about bridal design?
In my world, weddings are one of those rare
moments when brides are dreaming without
78 ATTIRE
reservations. It’s a very special time when you’re not
limited by conventions, but guided by a desire of
a stunning and beautiful vision. It’s a privilege to
create bridalwear.
Can you tell us a little about your
design background?
My true passion for the industry started in Paris,
where I lived for over 10 years and worked for
exclusive fashion houses such as Lanvin. During
this time I was fortunate enough to take on a lot
of responsibility within the ateliers that I worked
in and really understand the importance of the
craftsmanship and the dedication required to create
truly luxury pieces.
French fashion has the timeless essence that I
hope my designs evoke.
Six years ago I moved to London to discover a
different side of the industry – its innovation and
distinctive boldness. One fashion designer I worked
for was Vivienne Westwood and – to me – she is
the ultimate expression of those qualities that make
British fashion so desirable the world over.
With these experiences I knew I wanted to create
an elegant, timeless, yet daring brand.
How would you describe your style?
Timeless and elegant. I draw my inspiration from
How would you describe your latest
collection and how often will you be
releasing new designs?
Heavily inspired by Art Deco, the White collection
by Savin London embodies the luxury, the glamour
and the exuberance of the modern bride. Each
piece has been carefully designed to emphasise the
feminine silhouette and enhance the allure of the
bride-to-be. Sumptuous silks and fine chiffons are
combined with delicately embellished laces to create
a showstopping yet feminine look. For many pieces
the lace is hand placed and moulded onto the dress
in order to achieve the perfection required for each
individual piece. Our collection was been presented in May 2015
during the White Gallery tradeshow in London and
in October during New York Bridal Week. On both
occasions it was welcomed with resounding success
on the runways, on the stands and in the press. We
plan to continue presenting new collections twice a
year – in London and New York – with additional
capsule collections that we will develop during the
year. We’re always creating and developing new
bridal designs.
What’s your favourite dress from the
current collection and why?
Up and coming
Contact
Savin London
www.savinlondon.com
There are so many. Each dress is different and
special. The Angel dress has been showered with
attention by press and buyers, but there are many
more – Marcie, Talia, Laura, Loanna dresses are all
absolutely stunning and would make any bride feel
special on her big day.
How many stockists do you currently have?
We currently have stockists in Austria, Germany,
France and the USA, but we are looking to expand
further afield.
Aside from the UK, which other markets
are you keen to explore?
By choosing to present in London and New
York, we are targeting all potential markets. The
reach of each trade show is international and we
would like to see our beautiful pieces in different
countries, from America to Japan, Europe, Russia
and the Middle East. We’re looking for brides that
appreciate quality and share our values.
There are number of designers that deserve
admiration. Personally I really admire designers
who build, maintain and grow their in-house
ateliers, such as Ralph & Russo. In my opinion, this
level of craftsmanship is vital for the industry to
achieve the excellence required.
Can bridal retailers see your designs at any
UK or overseas trade shows?
If you could design a bridal gown for anyone
in the public eye, who would it be and why?
Our collection has just returned from New York
Bridal Week (at Pier 94) and will be showcased in
London in May, 2016.
A few names come to mind including Natalie
Portman, Stana Katic, Hilarie Burton and many
others. If I’m completely honest, as a designer, I do
not pursue the public eye at all costs. Each bride is
special and original, and will be treated as such.
What type of retailer is your collection
most suited to?
We work extremely closely with the stores that
represent our brand and anybody who is passionate
about delivering the very best service for brides is
more than welcome to work with us.
Which other fashion designers do
you admire and why?
What do you hope to achieve in the
next five years?
Expanding our brand both on domestic and
international markets and reaching our brides
everywhere. A London-based store is also one of
the projects we are working on and will happen
very soon. A
ATTIRE 79
Appointments by request
Raymond O’Hare, Director at Xedo Software, reveals how retailers can convert
online browsing brides into concrete appointments.
We all spend lots of money in our businesses on
things that we can’t always see a direct return on.
This is especially true across the bridal industry.
Do we really know how many extra sales we make
because of the money we spend on advertising,
marketing or on wedding fairs and local events?
TEMPTING BRIDES INTO STORE
Digital marketing is starting to make it easier
to quantify the return we get for our spend, but
for most people in our industry, it’s probably a
case of “I’ve always done it this way, and so I’d be
afraid to stop now.”
When pushed for more feedback on this, most
bridal retailers will admit that the only thing that
really matters to their businesses is the number of
appointments created. Once a retailer gets a bride
into their store, they know what the odds are of
converting her into a customer. So it’s simple then – just book more
appointments and you will close more sales.
Obvious, really! But for years, this has been easier
said than done. Up until now, that is. This is the
key point I want to focus on in this important
50th edition of Attire Bridal (congratulations,
everyone at Attire – keep up the great work).
TURN LOOKS INTO LEADS
How many prospective customers browse your
website in the wee small hours of the morning,
or on the train on their way home from work?
They love the designers you stock and they
admire the look of the dresses. But that’s where it
stops. They might take a note of your telephone
number – they might even note down your
email address, but then they stumble on another
website for another store; and somehow your
boutique gets relegated down their priority list.
We all know that this is how most brides do their
initial research, but in the majority of cases, we
don’t allow them to engage with us and take any
positive action.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could add a clever
little appointment request widget onto your
website, so that brides who are impressed by what
80 ATTIRE
you’re selling can book an appointment at your
store there and then? They could be researching
and browsing at a weekend, or in the middle
of the night, or from a beach in Florida. But,
whatever the time and wherever they are, they
can take action right away and connect with
your store at the exact moment they have
become interested. Sounds like a great idea? Well now you can do
this by incorporating a clever little appointment
request widget. This simple function will ensure
you capture lots more interested brides at the
earliest possible stage, allow them to book an
appointment with you and, most importantly
of all, give you the opportunity to start building
your relationship with them even before they set
foot in your store.
1
Add website address
This will be the website address of the site where you would
like the widget displayed
Add website address here*
2
Select a style
3
Select a theme
4
Update the title
Max 50 characters
Preview
Book Appointment
BOOK APPOINTMENT
Name
Surname
Email address
Telephone number
Wedding Date
Appointment Date
Notes...
O AM
O PM
Preferred
Appointment Time
5HTXHVW$SSRLQWPHQWŹ
MAXIMISE YOUR SOFTWARE
If you already have the Xedo Retail software,
you can start using this widget right away. You
can even add it to the websites of any business
partners you work with (with their permission, of
course), thereby increasing the number of places
where potential customers can engage with you.
Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to just take
my word for this, so we asked Joy Dowell of
Mia Sposa Bridal in Newcastle, who uses the
appointment booking widget, and she had this
to say:
“We find that our brides prefer the
convenience and ease of being able to request
their appointments at a time suitable to them.
In everyone’s busy lives, appointments can be
requested 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Even if the initial time requested is not
available, we are always able to get in touch and
book a mutually convenient appointment.”
In any business, it’s a balance of several
differnt factors that ensures success, and this is
undoubtedly the case within bridal.
However, what the industry
specialises in is great customer
CONTACT
service and attention to
Xedo Software
detail. Ensuring you can
www.xedosoftware.com
engage with more brides
at an earlier stage will
undoubtedly equate to more
dresses being sold. A
HELENA COTTER
+44(0) 1582 451238
+44(0) 7896 944759
Are you fully prepared for the future
of your business?
Invest in your most important asset:
Your staff.
After the excitement of being finalists in the Bridal Buyer Best
Headdress Collection 2015 quickly followed by the opening of their
new luxury accessories boutique in Heirlooms Ever After’s local
market town it’s safe to say the girls have had an extremely busy year.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there with the recent announcement
of an exciting collaboration with Dajana Basic London. Vanessa &
Rachael have been busy designing an exclusive collection, due to be
launched at the end of the year, to complement Dajana’s beautiful
Peony Collection as seen at this year’s White Gallery. The girls have
said how much they enjoy making complementing bespoke designs
to suit designers’ own collections. Working together to create the
perfect accessories gives a level of exclusivity to the boutique and
in turn the brides who would much prefer to have an accessory that
has been specifically made with their dress in mind and personalised
to complement her own choices. If you are a designer and would like
unique and exclusive pieces made for your collection, please get in
touch with Heirlooms Ever After to discuss further.
Vanessa & Rachael - 01629 732745
trade@heirloomseverafter.co.uk | trade.heirloomseverafter.co.uk
Specialist Coaching and Consultancy
services for the Bridal Industry.
Let me show you how to work smarter, not harder,
in this niche Industry.
Call or email me for details.
info@helenacotter.co.uk
www.helenacotter.co.uk
Enquiries from overseas retailers always welcome
HCCoaching
PICTURE this
Heidi Thompson of Evolve Your Wedding Business reveals how Pinterest can
not just generate sales leads in the short term, but in the long term too…
You might know that Pinterest is big for
weddings. Well, it turns out that big is an
understatement. Weddings are hugely popular
on Pinterest and one in three engaged couples
are using it to plan their wedding. Your ideal
client is more than likely on Pinterest – are you?
Pinterest is a powerful and original social
network because so many engaged couples use
it and your content lasts longer than it does on
any other social network. I still get traffic from
pins I created years ago. You also don’t have
to pin as often as you have to post on other
social networks because that content isn’t tied
as closely to the time it was posted. People will
find your pins minutes, days, weeks and even
months after you post them.
Before I get into giving you specific tips
on how to use Pinterest, make sure you sign
up for a business account. This allows you to
have a link to your website on your profile
and gives you access to analytics that will help
you discover what works and what doesn’t
work. To set up your business account go to
wwwpinterest.com/business, and to watch
the tour I’ve created of Pinterest analytics go
to www.evolveyourweddingbusiness.com/
pinterestanalytics.
“Pinterest is a powerful and original
social network because so many
engaged couples use it and your
content lasts longer than it does on
any other social network.
I still get traffic from pins I created
years ago.”
82 ATTIRE
MAKE IT ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMER
All of your marketing needs to be focused on
what your customer is interested in. Think
about what else your ideal customer purchases
that doesn’t compete with your product. You
may want to create Pinterest boards that focus
on this. You could showcase jewellery that goes
perfectly with your wedding dresses and even
break it down further by style. The point here is
that it isn’t all about you and your products.
Oreck (the vacuum cleaner company) does
a surprisingly good job of this on Pinterest.
Their pins are related to the home and include
cleaning tips, home décor and cooking. They
also create pins about their products but it isn’t
the main focus.
GET SPECIFIC WITH YOUR BOARDS
Your customers are doing more than just
buying a dress, they’re planning a wedding
and entering into a marriage. Let’s say you sell
vintage wedding dresses. It makes sense for you
to create boards about all of the other parts of a
wedding that tie into that vintage theme. Create
a board just for vintage wedding photography
or vintage wedding menswear. You don’t have to
create all of these pins, you can share things that
you find on Pinterest and on other sites.
You could even break up your own wedding
dresses into more specific boards than just
vintage wedding dresses. You could have a
‘vintage lace wedding dresses’ board and a ‘short
wedding dresses’ board just to name a few. This
helps people find what they’re looking for when
they search through Pinterest. For this reason,
it’s important to keep the names of your boards
obvious. You don’t have to get clever with the
names, just make them clear.
PIN YOUR BLOG POSTS
Pinterest isn’t just about pretty pictures. It is
now the 4th largest traffic driver worldwide.
To get your share of that traffic, make sure all
of your pins link back to the page on your site
where people can find the image.
You can actually pin your blog posts by
creating a simple graphic to go along with them.
You can do this by using a free image tool like
Canva or Picmonkey. Tall images work best on
Pinterest so I include one in each of my blog
posts. Canva actually has a Pinterest post option
that sets the ideal dimensions for you and makes
it easy to create images.
PIN OTHER PEOPLE’S CONTENT
Many people think that they have to create all
of their own original pins, which simply isn’t
true. You can repin content that you find on
Pinterest to your boards and your followers will
discover it. You’ll also get the credit for helping
them out.
You can add the browser bookmarklet to
your web browser of choice so that you can pin
something from a website that you’re on with
the click of a button.
USE KEYWORDS IN ALL OF
YOUR DESCRIPTIONS
When you pin an image you get the option
to enter a description. Instead of entering
something like ‘Alfred Angelo 8507’ enter
‘This dramatic drop waist lace Alfred Angelo
wedding dress is perfect for a vintage wedding!
The crystal beading, pearls and satin flowers
make for elegant touches that I absolutely love.
If you’re looking for a lace back dramatic dress,
I think you’ll love this.’ See the difference?
Column
“Many people think that they have to create all of their own original pins, which simply isn’t true.
You can repin content that you find on Pinterest to your boards and your followers will discover
it. You’ll also get the credit for helping them out.”
Not only is the second description much more
valuable, it’s going to be found in Pinterest and
Google search for the terms within it.
If you need help figuring out which words to
use in your description, listen and make note
of how your customers actually talk and what
words they use to describe things. Chances are
they will use different words than you would.
ADD A PINTEREST PLUGIN TO
YOUR WEBSITE
If you want people to discover you on Pinterest,
make it easy for people to pin photos from
your website. Let other people help you to
market yourself !
If you have a Wordpress-based website
like I do, there are countless plugins that can
accomplish this for you. I really like SumoMe
which has a great Image Sharer tool that
displays social share buttons when someone
hovers over an image on your website. SumoMe
does a lot more than just this and I use it to
display email signup forms, create heatmaps of
how people use my site and a whole lot more.
You can find out about all they offer online at
www.sumome.com.
and it may give you ideas about potential
partnership opportunities with other businesses
that you share an audience with.
For more detailed analytics, you can sign up
for a service like Tailwind that actually allows
you to schedule pins as well. This will help
you to figure out which of your pins are most
popular and exactly who is interacting with you
USE PINTEREST FOR RESEARCH
on Pinterest.
It’s incredibly easy to find out what people
Pinterest can generate a lot of traffic to your
are pinning from your website. To do this,
website and help you get more sales but only if
simply visit www.pinterest.com/source/
you take the time to use it properly. It doesn’t
insertyourwebsitehere.com. Just insert
have to be a lot of time, even just 10 minutes
your website where I’ve put
per day really adds up and you’ll start to
‘insertyourwebsitehere.com’.
see more and more traffic coming from
Are people pinning your
Contact
Pinterest in your website’s Google
images to boards that
Heidi Thompson
Analytics. Just get started and do it
contain complementary
Evolve
Your
Wedding
Business
bit by bit each day and you’ll be well
brands or products? This
www.evolveyour
on your way to making more sales
will help you get to know
weddingbusiness.com
thanks to Pinterest. A
your customers better
ATTIRE 83
A Family Business
With an impressive 42 years in the bridal industry, Margaret Lee
is a label that’s stood the test of time. Carl Monk takes us back
to where it all began…
When was the Margaret Lee label
established and by who?
The Margaret Lee label was established
in 1973 by my father, Jim and my mother,
Margaret. Margaret Lee has always
had its roots in fashion – my father is a
fashion designer and my mother a sewing
machinist, so the rag trade is in my blood,
and it felt quite natural to train on the
design side of the business when I joined
the company over 25 years ago. I now
head up the design side of the company.
How has the label evolved since this time?
What have been the most significant
moments in its development?
When I joined the company, we
manufactured every gown in the UK with
over 50 machinists in-house. Today I still
design the collections in house, but all of
the manufacturing is offshore. This was
a significant change in the company’s
structure at the time, as design and
production had always been very
hands-on in the UK. Luckily, the change
was pretty seamless. I now find that
I spend a great deal of time abroad
finalising new styles and checking
production, but with today’s technology
and by spending time abroad at the
factory, we still manage to keep it very
personal and hands-on. Our special
relationship with the factory is of
considerable benefit to our customers.
Why do you think Margaret Lee has stood
the test of time, where some other brands
have struggled?
There is no magic formula to success.
I think that every company in the bridal
industry has struggled at some point in
their history. For me, everything starts with
design, you have to have a great product,
and excellent customer service but, above
all, listen to your customer and you won’t
go far wrong.
84 ATTIRE
How important is the location and history
of the company to its success?
It’s very important – Margaret Lee was
born in the east end of London which in
the ’60s and ’70s was the centre of the
universe where fashion was concerned.
My father, along with a great deal of the
rag trade moved east during the late
’70s. Essex then became the home for a
large number of skilled workers from the
fashion industry and this contributed to the
growth and success of the company over
following years.
How often do you launch new bridal
collections and what is the price range of
your gowns?
We launch two bridal collections and two
occasionwear collections each year, the
launch being in February and early August.
The bridal collection is priced from £219 to
£375 wholesale and the Occasions from
£99 to £169 wholesale.
What inspired the 2016 bridal collections
and what fabrics and embellishments
have been used in the designs?
This is possibly the most difficult question
to answer as I don’t think I get inspired
to design a collection, I get inspired to
create an individual gown by something
as simple as a beautiful piece of lace.
It’s what hopefully makes each gown
individual, and the collection diverse,
interesting and, above all, commercial.
The 2016 collections comprise a wide
selection of fabrics from satins, tulle and
chiffon, with lace still being very prominent.
Embellishments include crystals and
pearls, with just the hint of soft colour to
contrast particular pieces.
Which trade shows do you attend and
which one works best for you?
For the retailers, the industry has gone a
little exhibition mad, so we concentrate on
The Harrogate Bridal Show, and take part
in the Bridal Roadshows which take place
across the country. We also visit our clients
at their stores, which we prefer, as there is
nothing better than being one-to-one with
your customers.
Profile
Profile
How do you view the current market
and what trends, both in product and in
business, do you see emerging over the
coming months?
The bridal market has come through a
particularly difficult few years, but I think
that the last 18 months has seen it turn
the corner. There’s more optimism which
has led to increased order levels. Most
customers are looking for something
that’s a little different, so the key is have
a diverse collection. Our occasions/prom
offering continues to go from strength to
strength, it’s pure fashion and all about
having the right designs at the right time.
How many stockists do you have at
What are your future plans for the
present, and how do you decide which
bridal business?
retailers you’d like to partner?
My mother has now retired from the
business and my father is taking more of a
We have 87 customers at present, and we
have particular retailers that are targets for
back seat as far as the day-to-day running
the future. In the main, it’s the customer
of the company is concerned. My plan is
who chooses Margaret Lee.
to build on their legacy, to design great
We’ve always looked for
gowns and continue the adventure
quality not quantity,
they started over 40 years ago,
Contact
and I’m glad to
which is Margaret Lee. A
Margaret Lee
say that all of our
+44 (0)1621 826 834
customers have
www.margaretlee.co.uk
quality.
ATTIRE 85
Correct connections
David Fairhurst, Head of Creative Online Marketing at Intelligent Retail,
explains why you should always check your links.
The work that I do on many levels involves a series of quite easy-tounderstand tasks all based on sound principles plus a modicum, well,
let’s make that a large chunk, of common sense. Yet when it comes to
search engine optimisation (SEO) and dealing with Google, my job
also includes being on constant 24/7 alert for change.
SEO at the basic level involves finding out what search engines are
looking for and making a website as close a fit for those requirements
as possible, which is great if you have a fixed set of ‘rules’ to work with,
however, Google (quite rightly) loves to improve, and this means the
rules are subject to constant change.
I mention this because, even though you may think your website
is already optimised and performing at its peak efficiency, the things
which were done to your website to make it perform so well in the
past may mean you will fall foul of Google’s ever-changing rules, if you
don’t adapt to those changes.
Add to this the fact that there’s now a very real possibility of what is
termed in the industry ‘negative SEO’, that is, a competitor building
links to a website in order to get that website penalised – a possibility
which has become far more real with the very latest updates to
Google Penguin.
I’d have to state, negative SEO is rare, but I’ve personally seen
examples of this, and without constant monitoring, irreparable damage
would have been done.
“Google now recognises that site-wide links are
perhaps a bad thing, so has downgraded results
for these types of links, in fact, discounting the
effectiveness of these links.”
GOOGLE AND LINKING
Google used to love links. Links were an easy way for Google to
establish if a certain page out there on the World Wide Web was
important, appreciated and liked.
Unfortunately, because Google has come to rely on links a little
too much, giving external links the biggest importance in rankings, a
whole industry of link spammers was created, who’d create irrelevant,
poorly written content from which to link from, polluting the entire
web with rubbish and spoiling Google’s search results.
Google was upset. Google users were upset. Nobody wins, except
of course the spammers, who overnight had a multi-billion dollar
industry and millions of willing customers, all of whom wanted to be
at the number one spot in Google.
Thankfully, Google’s grown up a bit and for nearly a year now has
been severely tightening up on linking rules, expanding and clarifying
their own Google Webmaster Guidelines so that it’s now clearer
what’s considered to be bad linking practise.
This means trouble for website owners and spammers alike –
practises which were fully acceptable and legitimate ways to gain links
in past years are now seen by Google as link spam, so these links need
to be cleaned up, the upside being that the web spam industry has also
been severely curtailed.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Firstly, check those site-wide links. This is where a link is put (usually
by inclusion in a footer file or section in a website template) onto every
page in a website. These used to be the mainstay of rankings for web
design companies, SEO companies and any online resource, which
offered a free service or
page out there on the World Wide Web, including certain popular free
blogging platforms like Wordpress.
With site-wide footer links, a company offering web design could
get millions of links quite easily to that company’s homepage, without
doing any additional work. Every site that was launched by that
company would potentially have thousands of links pointing directly
back to the web designers’ homepage.
Google now recognises that site-wide links are perhaps a bad thing,
so has downgraded results for these types of links, in fact, discounting
the effectiveness of these links. This isn’t a penalty, it just means that
86 ATTIRE
CONTACT
David 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.
after the first link from a website, all others become less effective.
Remove site-wide links where you can, as this type of mass linking
from one domain to another is very easy to spot for Google; but don’t
stress if you can’t remove them completely, Google is aware that
site-wide links are prevalent and has compensated for this accordingly.
Next on the list needs to be weeding out links from irrelevant
websites and web pages. It used to be common practise to get links
from online bookmarking websites, forums and blogs and if these
are on-topic, these links will still give your website a small boost in
rankings, but links from irrelevant content will definitely ensure that
Google will be ‘smelling a rat’.
Audit the relevance of the links you have coming into your website,
if these are from pages with little relevance to what you offer, have
little real useful content and are stuffed with advertising, then remove
the links if possible. If not, and as a last resort, disavow the links via
the Google Webmaster Disavow page – this will tell Google directly
that you don’t trust these links coming into the website and that
Google should ignore them.
“Even though you may think your website is already
optimised and performing at its peak efficiency, the
things which were done to your website to make it
perform so well in the past may mean you will fall foul
of Google’s ever-changing rules, if you don’t adapt to
those changes.”
DON’T RELY ON CHANCE
The one thing business owners need to do is to make sure that their
website is constantly monitored and checked for compliance with
Google’s ever changing rules.
Google’s own Webmaster Tools – www.google.com/webmasters
is both free and fully featured. However, this won’t warn you if your
links are falling foul of changing Google algorithms, only give you
infuriatingly cryptic messages if the worst should happen and Google
decides to penalise your website. What you really need is to analyse
your links and weed out the bad ones before Google takes action.
There are many different ways to weed out bad links; nowadays it’s
no longer a case of having to do this manually. Many online services
are now available to offer very fast and efficient analysis, meaning less
time spent managing external linking. Choose a service which can be
updated and which offers monitoring – a one-off consultation and
analysis really doesn’t cut it nowadays.
Ask your online marketing/SEO company what they use to identify
bad links; this should definitely be part of the ongoing process of
optimisation of your website! A
Question time
Nicola Garton, Chair of the Retail Bridalwear Association (RBA), looks
ahead to the annual conference, taking place this November.
Another Harrogate has come and gone; the
months seem to fly by so quickly and, before we
know it, Christmas will be upon us. There’s still
something very special about a buying trip to
Harrogate, the halls and layout are so familiar
and the fact that it takes place in a beautiful town
makes it such an appealing place to visit. There’s a
real buzz about the place and the local restaurants
are packed out every night with the bridal
industry, all relishing a chance to go out and
socialise. The RBA stand was busy with lots of
enquiries and the AGM had the largest turnout
ever. This just goes to show that we all feel that
we want to be part of something meaningful and
for our stores to stand out from the crowd and
be recognised as some of the most professional in
the industry.
Industry guide
The RBA Buyer/Supplier guide seems to have
been received very well. We’ve made a lot of
effort to get this off the ground and I hope
our members find it useful when making that
all-important purchase. The issue of exclusivity
seems to be one which is becoming more and
more of a problem for stores and we have tried to
make it a central part of the agreement. We need
to have a decent area of exclusivity to thrive and
suppliers have to take this more seriously.
The Bridal Buyer’s Awards ceremony was
“The issue of exclusivity seems to
be one which is becoming more
and more of a problem for stores
and we have tried to make a central
part of the agreement.”
88 ATTIRE
“The next RBA annual conference
is going to be held at Barnett Hill
in Surrey on 22nd-23rd November,
2015. This is a great chance to
attend informative and insightful
talks as well as enjoying an
overnight stay with dinner, wine and
a light-hearted quiz.”
outstanding this year, with over 600 guests
attending the glittering black tie event. The
RBA is a proud sponsor of these awards and
congratulates all the finalists and the winners for
their brilliant achievements. After the awards
ceremony, many danced the night away and I’m
sure there were several sore heads in the morning.
Annual conference
The next RBA annual conference is going to
be held at Barnett Hill in Surrey on 22nd-23rd
November, 2015. This is a great chance to
attend informative and insightful talks as well as
enjoying an overnight stay with dinner, wine and
a light-hearted quiz.
The speakers will include Dean Norman
from DSN Accountants on the importance of
knowing your facts and figures, with helpful tips
on how to make your business more profitable.
The Hine legal team will be taking about contract
and consumer law, with a questions and answers
session, while Richard Lill will be attending to
give us a talk on the industry from a supplier
point of view, with questions from our members.
Finally, a representative from a bridal blog will
talk about the importance of social media and
showing how important this marketing tool can
be for your business.
This will be a great opportunity for all
members to take some time out of their busy
boutiques to focus on their businesses. It’s great
to bounce ideas off other retailers and we all
know how many of our problems are shared
issues. Bridal retailers are often very isolated
and this is a great chance to get together with
like-minded retailers and really learn how we can
improve our businesses and our profits. A
“It’s great to bounce ideas off other
retailers and we all know how many
of our problems are shared issues.”
Barnett Hill
Contact
The Wedding Shop
info@theweddingshop.co.uk
www.rbaltd.org.uk
Tara Lee UK
Manufacturers of
Flower Girl & Holy
Communion Dresses.
MadeinEngland
LEAD TIME 2-4 WEEKS.....TO BECOME
A STOCKIST CONTACT Tara Lee sales
07815758037 email..gloria@taralee.co.uk
MadeinEngland
www.taralee .co.uk
First person
Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO caught up with Caroline Gardner recently, one of the UK’s
best known leading and most prolific stationery designers, to ask a few questions about why
intellectual property is so important to the brand.
Caroline’s distinctive designs now stretch across various product categories,
including paper, accessories and lifestyle, all linked by her design hand
print of quirky use of colour and placement. Her signature look is an
ever-evolving modern classic; products and designs born of traditional
production techniques and values.
No strangers to the debilitating effects of copying, Dids wanted to find
out Caroline’s approach to design protection.
What’s the importance of your brand to your company?
We’ve spent and continue to spend an enormous amount of time, effort
and money in building the Caroline Gardner brand. Over the 22 years
we’ve been trading, we’ve always attached huge importance to delivering
quality in everything we do and, of course, as the awareness of the brand
has increased, our customers have learnt to appreciate and trust that quality.
They now rightly anticipate and expect it in everything we do, and in
everything that’s associated with the Caroline Gardner brand.
The intellectual capital which underpins your business combines
creativity and innovation with the quality of design, product, service
and people. How do you protect these valuable assets?
Our intellectual property (IP) is the life blood of our business and we will
do everything to protect it.
What three recommendations would you give to Government to
support industry and those that work in the design sector?
1. Invest more in design education.
2. Continue along the path of the criminalisation of IP infringements
and extend the new law to unregistered designs, and publicly naming and
shaming miscreants.
3. Make it easier and less costly for small businesses to protect what is theirs
both domestically and internationally. Figure it out
According to the Greetings Card Association Market Report 2014, £1.29
billion was spent on single cards in the last year and more cards are bought
per person in the UK than in any other country – 31 per person – an
astonishing 884 million single greeting cards were bought from retailers of
all shapes and sizes in 2013.
It makes sense, therefore, for all designers and those involved in the
greetings and gift sector to become ‘IP savvy’. IP isn’t rocket science and a
positive and proactive approach to IP can help to protect original designs
and contribute to growth and brand safety. A
CONTACT
How does IP infringement impact upon your growth potential? Have
you experienced an increase or decrease in copying in recent years?
Our consumers have learnt to trust the Caroline Gardner brand and
many actively seek out the new designs and products we bring to market.
IP infringement which sets out to pass off another’s work for our own,
breaches that trust by actively duping the customer into purchasing
something different from that which they think they’re purchasing,
often meaning that they end up buying something inferior and certainly
something they hadn’t intended to. In simple terms, the IP infringer is
defrauding the customer, and clearly that inevitably has an impact on our
business on various levels.
ACID values the support of Caroline Gardner as a longstanding
member and supporter of the organisation. How have you benefitted
from this association?
The ACID brand has itself grown in stature over the years, ACID now has
an industry reputation for championing the good practice of IP protection
and seeking to help uphold the laws, such as there are. By associating
publicly with ACID, as we have done, and by publicly highlighting past
issues we’ve had with IP infringers, the company has benefited from that
reputation, and I hope that the would-be copiers will think twice next time.
90 ATTIRE
ACID
www.acid.uk.com
Charlize
Hammasa, Antonette, Nella
Desiree
Beautiful dresses, affordable prices
Seraphine
+44 208 573 0914
•
sales@verisebridal.com
•
www.verisebridal.com
Create a BUZZ
Joanne Childs, PR Director at Sprae PR, offers advice on maximising
marketing opportunities around in-store celebrations.
As we approach the end of another year and
look forward to 2016, it’s an ideal time to get
a jump start on events planned for the coming
months. Do you have any celebrations planned
for the new year? Are you approaching any
business milestones or have you scheduled any
other in-store celebrations? Do you and your
business celebrate all the holiday periods or
seasons, optimising the different opportunities
available to you? Did you win any awards this
year that you wish you’d made more of, or have
you missed out on shouting about some other
major announcements?
Before you start your PR plans for 2016,
evaluate what worked for you and what didn’t
in 2015, and consider how you can improve
things for the year ahead. Here are some tips
on how you can maximise PR opportunities
around major announcements, business
milestones, anniversaries or award wins within
your business or boutique.
FESTIVE AND
HOLIDAY PERIODS
Before we start 2016, there is the festive
season to celebrate first. If appropriate for your
business, why not consider creating articles,
images or blog posts that can capitalise on the
92 ATTIRE
holiday season? Discussing a topical issue such
as Christmas, Easter or Valentine’s Day is likely
to increase audience attention as it’s at the front
of people’s minds. Try and incorporate holiday
themes and sayings into content and use images
that can be used on social media to highlight
your business. For example, share your seasonstyled boutique windows, post Christmas,
Valentine’s or Easter-inspired mood boards, and
match these to bridal gowns and accessories.
A business birthday or
anniversary is a perfect
excuse for a celebration
and a valuable marketing
ng
opportunity too.
perfect excuse for a celebration and a valuable
marketing opportunity too. They’re a good
way to mark progress in your growth, reinforce
your credibility and track record, and they
also help to build your business and personal
brand, so it’s well worth recognising and
celebrating them. To maximise your birthday
or anniversary PR and marketing power, look
at creating articles, images or writing blog posts
and sharing the announcement and celebration
across your social media platforms.
For added pizzazz, why not think about
running a competition or offering a discount
code or voucher? If it’s a big event, you could
even look at throwing a party. If you have
employees that have worked with you for a
while, you could consider rewarding their
efforts, as well as offering new customers gifts to
mark the occasion.
ANNOUNCEMENTS,
BUSINESS MILESTONES
AND ANNIVERSARIES
Whatever your next announcement – whether
it’s launching a new product or service, or
expanding into a new market – you need
to reach your target audience effectively
and generate a buzz around your business.
Remember that December is a busy month for
all. Some journalists start to wind down for the
year to enjoy the festive period early, especially
when there are additional bank holidays. As
a result, you should try and keep any major
announcements until the new year. Aim for
your major announcements to be published in
January or – if you have to announce something
straight away – then do so at the beginning of
December to ensure that journalists are ready
to react.
A business birthday or anniversary is a
AWARD WINS
No matter what size your business, you can
enter a relevant award. These come in all shapes
and sizes, and there’s a huge variety of awards
around from local to national, industry based
or awards that have a specific entry or business
criteria. Deciding which ones to enter can be
challenging, but it’s important to weigh up
Discussing a topical issue
such as Christmas, Easter
or Valentine’s Day is likely
to increase audience attention
as it’s at the front of
people’s minds.
the time and effort it would take to enter against the potential gain.
Winning a business award has the potential to offer a number of key
benefits including external recognition for you and your business.
There is, of course, the PR and marketing element. Whether this
comes in the form of coverage in the media, the use of the awards logo
in marketing activity such as direct mail, advertising and collateral,
or whether it’s just word of mouth between colleagues and families
of the winners, this kind of third party recognition can be used to
reward and motivate a team.
Hopefully these tips have offered you some
inspiration or ideas when it comes to
planning your year ahead and maximising
Contact
your business PR opportunities.
Joanne Childs
We also offer some weekly PR and
Owner & PR Director
marketing tips on our blog ever
at Sprae PR
Tuesday so if you are looking for
www.sprae.co.uk
some more inspiration or top tips,
info@sprae.co.uk
please visit our blog online at
+44 (0)7720 893 867
www.sprae.co.uk A
@SpraePR
Designed and made in the UK
To become a stockist please email us:
info@sallycrawford.co.uk
www.sallycrawford.co.uk
Opulent...Sumptuous...Breathtaking
Mix and
MATCH
Karen Dornellie’s new range of
separates offers brides greater
control over their wedding day look.
Read on to find out more…
What prompted you to launch your new
collection and how does it differ from your
current bridal offering?
I moved into a new studio on the Isle of Wight
last year and to help local brides, I started selling
pre-loved and sample wedding dresses. However,
many times brides would like the top of one
dress, but the skirt of another and there wasn’t a
way to combine the two.
I, therefore, decided to create a collection of
mix-and-match garments to solve the problem
and allow a bride to design her dress. A range
of belts, brooches and veils would create the
finishing touch.
Also, research into upcoming trends was
showing separates as a forward-thinking way
to go with bridal design. Until this point, I
specialised in veils and headpieces, but it was nice
to expand my vision and create a whole image for
my brides.
94 ATTIRE
Who designed the range and how would you
describe its signature style?
All items are my own design – I was aiming for
timeless elegance with a touch of my quirky style,
but using good quality fabrics and with a high
end finish.
What inspired the collection and what fabrics
and embellishments have been used in the
bridal designs?
I combined feedback from my past brides and
tapped into the current trends to produce a
beautiful basic capsule collection that can be
added to later on with other trending accessories.
I’ve used a chantilly lace with a duchess satin,
tulle and Swarovski pearls, but the collection
can be made in other fabrics such as guipure or
corded lace.
Fabric samples come with the collection to allow
another choice for the bride.
What sets the collection apart from others on
the market?
I offer a way for stockists to cover a lot of styles
within a great package, enabling them to cater for
all tastes, but keeping within budget.
The final design can remain as separates or can
be made into a traditional dress if desired.
Which of the designs do you predict will be your
best-sellers and why?
My Alana skirt has been popular as it still taps
into a vintage vibe and makes for a more practical
wedding outfit with the shorter hem length. The
Abigail bodice is a flattering design for most
brides too.
What is the price range of the collection?
Depending on the combination, a finished dress
will cost from £1,250 to £1,400 not including all
the accessories.
Collection focus
Contact
Karen Dornellie
www.karendornellie.com
What type of retailer is the collection most
suited to?
It’s best suited to a mid-range market, i.e. retailers
wanting to offer designs for any bride and any
style. It’s particularly perfect for a more quirky
boutique with individual brides looking to mark
their own personality on their outfit.
What type of bride do you anticipate will select
this collection for her big day?
One who has firm ideas of how they want
their dress to look, and who’s keen to add any
personal design accents. Also, a bride wanting to
buy a dress that caters for any size issues, as the
separates can be bought in different sizes.
How many stockists do you have in the UK and
what criteria do you use when choosing your
retail partners?
At the present I’m stocked by Rock the Frock
in Essex, but I’ve been concentrating on
selling direct to brides so far. This year, my
aim was to develop my range to tap into the
wholesale market and expand further afield. As
I’m currently based on the Isle of Wight, my
immediate customer base is limited.
Where can potential stockists view your designs?
I have my studio here on the Isle of Wight where
the collection is permanently on show, but I will
be planning mainland adventures to showcase my
collection in 2016.
If a stockist is particularly interested, I can
arrange a viewing in a mutually convenient place.
If you could design a gown for anyone in the
public eye, who would it be and why?
Paloma Faith has to be my biggest girl crush and
I’d love to push my quirky design ethos to create
a fantastic gown for her. A
ATTIRE 95
Time to evaluate
The quieter months of the year provide you with the perfect
opportunity to fine-tune your customer journey, says Louise Dicks,
Marketing Manager at Richard Designs.
I’ve written countless times about the importance
of using the quieter winter months to prepare for
the coming year. We’re fortunate in this industry
that we have time annually to spend reviewing
what we’ve done, and are able to make changes
for the months ahead. So many other industries
are busy all year round and have to make time
to stop and review ready for the next year. Any
preparations you make now will ensure that 2016
runs more smoothly, effectively and, as we all
hope, more profitably.
Before you make changes to your shop
decoration, your website, your ordering
procedures, your marketing strategy or any
other aspect of your business, take time to think
deeply about the message you want to give to
96 ATTIRE
your customers. This message must be obvious
from the moment they first discover you, to their
wedding day and beyond. Does every part of
your business pull together towards your goal?
Only once you have determined this should you
begin to put changes in place that will help you
to reach your targets.
So what is your customer’s journey? They
must first find out about you by either passing
by your shop in person, in which case, ensure
your shop front portrays your chosen message,
or they may find your website or a mention
of you online, so you need to make sure your
online and social media presence fits in with
your voice. Any advertising or reference of you
in local press, or at wedding fairs must also give
the correct impression. Moving onto the next
stage, your procedures for dealing with incoming
enquiries need to be controlled and consistent,
whether that be by email (which provides great
opportunities for adding marketing messages
either in a signature or the email itself ) or by
telephone. When customers visit your store
in person, your staff, your waiting area, your
“Any preparations you make now
will make your 2016 run more
smoothly, effectively and, as we
all hope, more profitably.”
Column
interior, your fitting rooms, your samples,
everything should be in line with the image you
are trying to project. Then there’s the paperwork
involved with the purchasing process, followed
by fittings and aftersales – everything should be
consistent for your brides.
Find your niche
So, what kind of shop do you strive to be? For
example, are you a personal store? Do you focus
on interacting with your brides in a sociable,
friendly way? Do you create a fun atmosphere
for your customers and converse with them on
social media? Or do you want to be a professional
shop, a reliable, trustworthy place to purchase
your once-in-a-lifetime gown, a place which
offers impeccable service, attention to detail and
a faultless experience? Or are you a budget store?
Do you put an emphasis on providing brides with
fantastic prices, rather than promising above and
beyond service? Or are you more of an intimate
store, offering an exclusive and private experience
for your brides who trust you to be discreet?
Whatever you choose to be, be different.
“Respect the strengths of your
competitors, and keep to your
boundaries and you can all thrive
in a competitive marketplace.”
Don’t just do things because other stores do. It’s
good to offer something different to the other
stores in your area. Respect the strengths of your
competitors, and keep to your boundaries and
you can all thrive in a competitive marketplace.
Once you’ve decided on your message,
whatever that might be, work with your team to
make it happen. Know your strengths and inform
your customers of these, through all and any
channel that they have an interaction with your
business. Regularly talk your message through
with your staff so that they continue to project a
consistent voice through their interactions with
customers. Discuss your plans with your suppliers
so that they too can help you.
Getting organised
Now’s the time for action – plan your advertising
and marketing for the next year and ensure the
message is consistent throughout. Tidy up your
website and social media presence so that it’s
up-to-date and in line with your goals. Make
adjustments to your store, your decoration and
layout, as well as your shop window and even
forgotten spaces like waiting areas, fitting rooms
“Whatever you choose to do this
winter, make sure you relax and put
your feet up before the fun starts all
over again in January!”
and toilets. Ensure your email responses to
customers are consistent and use your chosen
voice, and that your email signatures give the
correct message. For example, does having
an automated response email give the right
impression, or should you instead have a target
time for responding to enquiries? Ensure you and
your staff have a consistent telephone manner,
and are all falling within the boundaries of your
company’s ethos. Correct and adjust your sales
routine to ensure your brides are receiving the
experience they expect after receiving the promise
through seeing your advertisements, viewing your
website and speaking with you by telephone or
email. Perfect your paperwork and make sure
anything the bride takes home with her reminds
her of the type of company you are. Put a plan in
place for your aftersales, including how your deal
with alterations, fittings, collection of a dress, or
selling extras such as bridesmaid dresses.
Once you’ve thought this all through and put
it into action you can spend your busy time next
year focusing on what you need to do, not what
you wish you were doing. Whatever you choose
to do this winter, make sure you relax and put
your feet up before the fun starts all over again
in January! A
Contact
Richard Designs
www.facebook.com/
richarddesigns
www.richard-designs.com
ATTIRE 97
The Bridal Roadshow
WIN
£1000
AT EAC
H
The Bridal Roadshow is a dedicated exhibition by
Bridal Suppliers where ranges can be showcased in
the retailers local area, staged across the year.
EVERY
SHOW
DAY
We pride ourselves on ensuring a welcoming atmosphere at the shows where
retailers are put first. Check out our website for updates and information.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
SUNDAY 28TH - MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2016
The Chateau Impney, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0BN (J5, M5)
SUNDAY 13TH - MONDAY 14TH MARCH 2016
The Cedar Court Hotel, Park Parade, off Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, HG1 5AH (A1)
SUNDAY 3RD - MONDAY 4TH APRIL 2016
Red Cow Moran Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin 22, Ireland
SUNDAY 17TH - MONDAY 18TH APRIL 2016
The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort, Cumbernauld, Scotland, G68 0EW
See online for our show exhibitors
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
t: 01827 55123
e: thebridalroadshow@yahoo.co.uk
www.bridalroadshow.co.uk
Twitter Twitter
WEB WATCH
Attire Bridal is at the heart of the online bridal community. Here’s a
quick update on what’s been happening…
Total num
ber
followers of
:
8,295!
SHORT AND TWEET
Kerry Cook, Sales and Marketing Manager, explains why Twitter is such
an invaluable social network for Linzi Jay.
Company name: Linzi Jay
Follow me at: @linzijayuk
When did you set up a Twitter account and what prompted you to
do so?
Our Twitter account was set up in 2011, but it’s only really been used
over the past couple of years. A lot of our customers are active on
Twitter so we find this social media platform is a great way to keep
stockists involved and updated with new products, events, and the
latest industry information.
,EW]SYVFYWMRIWWFIRIÁXIHEWEVIWYPX#-JWSLS[#
Yes, we receive many tweets from our customers containing images of
our products in their shops and brides on their big day wearing Linzi
Jay products. This has generated many more followers and we have
raised brand awareness among overseas customers, as well as UK and
Ireland. We now introduce our new stockists via social media so brides
can see which shops we’re supplying.
,S[SJXIRHS]SYX[IIXERH[LEXHS]SYX[IIXEFSYX#
We try to tweet as often as possible – daily is the aim. We tweet about
new products, upcoming events, customer achievements and awards,
celebrity weddings, news items of interest, unusual wedding stories and
basically anything of interest to shops and brides.
Welcome to our
newest followers:
@lacegracebridal
@kirstymariekmd
@wpflowerdesign
;LEXEHZMGI[SYPH]SYKMZIXSÁVWXXMQIX[IIXIVW#
Keep it short, interesting and to the point. Images are good to tweet for
visual impact.
New bridal boutique
in Bristol
Special occasion
accessories
Wedding paper
flower design
@niaprx
@houseofollichon
@naomibrides
;LMGLFVMHEPGSQTERMIWHS]SYIRNS]JSPPS[MRKSR8[MXXIV#
We enjoy following all of our customers so we can keep up to date with
the daily goings on within their companies, for example when they’re
nominated for and win awards. It’s worth following bridal magazines to
stay proactive within the industry. The Daily Mail and OK magazine are
both great for celebrity weddings and red carpet trends. A
Bridal and fashion
PR firm
Luxury bridal jumpsuits
Bridal salon in
Staffordshire
This month on Twitter we’ve mainly been:
°Celebrating our 50th issue
°Tweeting from the Harrogate Bridal Show
°Retweeting hot industry stories
°Showcasing fresh boutique openings
We’re now following:
Bridal designer
Bridal accessories
Bridal boutique
@daniellecbridal
Danielle Couture
@butt3rflybridal
Butterfly Bridal
@bridalounge
The Bridal Lounge
ATTIRE 99
ATTIRE
Bridal
Online
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.
Supplier Directory
Improved supplier directory, enabling instant
access to 100s of bridal suppliers.
Back Issues
Every issue of Attire Bridal is now available to
download from our Back Issues Archive.
Twitter
Live Twitter feed, giving you
real-time industry updates from
www.twitter.com/attirebridal.
If you would like to find out more, log onto
100 ATTIRE
ATTIRE 100
Next issue
Nymphi Design
Next Issue
Spotlight on prom
Twinkle twinkle
Tiaras and hair decorations
Special occasion shoes
Top footwear trends
Rachel Simpson Shoes
Ruby Prom
Our advance preview
Plus
Business tips
News and events
Retail technology
ISSUE 51
January/February 2016
Advertising deadline: 7th December, 2015
Available from: 1st January, 2016
ATTIRE 103
ATTIRE Bridal
ATTIRE
NOVEMBER/DECEMBE
R 2015 ISSUE 50
WWW.ATTIREB
Picture perfect
RIDAL.COM
Pinterest made eas
y
Prom trends
We look ahead to
BER/DECEMBE
R 2015
online
ISSUE 50 NOVEM
Subscribe
Bridal
2016
Plu s-si ze gow ns
Designs to flatter
feminine curves
-VYVSJPVTMJOHFSJF
HARROGATE
REVIEW
This season’s bes
tsellers
Celebrating our 50th
issue!
cover-GOLD ISSUE
COVER 2_AB50.indd
WWW.ATTIREB
1
Plus
Business
New s and
Retail
tips
events
technology
RIDAL.COM
20/10/2015 11
Register online at
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.
SUBSCRIPTION FORM
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Tick one or more of the boxes below which best describes your business
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104 ATTIRE
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Alternatively, fill in the form opposite and post to
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Essex, CM8 2AP UK or telephone us on
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Top 5 reasons to subscribe
1
2
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It’s free for anyone working in the
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Each issue will be delivered direct
to your door.
Find out about forthcoming trade
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Be one of the first to preview next
season’s collections.
It’s packed with informative features
to help boost your business.
On Display
<UP[-5VY[OÅLL[0UKZ[,Z[3V^LY9VHK5VY[OÅLL[2LU[+( :>
;LS!-H_!
We offer a fast, reliable and friendly service on our continually increasing
range (currently over 3,500 choices) of bridal fabrics, embroidered and
beaded edgings, motifs and accessories.
Our range of dress accessories now exceeds 950+ articles including many
brooches and buckles with crystals.
Showing at: The Bridal Roadshow near Reading, UK - 6th-7th September
The Harrogate Bridal Show, 13th - 15th September
Email: admin@michaelsbridalfabrics.co.uk - www.michaelsbridalfabrics.co.uk
ATTIRE
Bridal
To advertise here call Jan on 01376 535 612
or visit www.attirebridal.com
Please mention Attire Bridal when
calling advertisers
ATTIRE 91
Strive for
imperfection
Eve Broadhurst, Creative Director and Co-Owner of The White Closet,
discusses what she learnt from her own big day.
On 8th August, 2015, I married my lovely fiancé
Blaine in a field on my grandad’s boat moorings
at ‘The Wedding in the Willows’.
It was roasting hot and we enjoyed a very
relaxed day, which included over 170 of our
friends and family, babies
and dogs, surrounded by
willow trees and a gently
bubbling river.
Considering Blaine and
I both work in events and
weddings – Blaine is the
operations manager for a
festival company – you
would have predicted
our day was preplanned and organised
to perfection. This
certainly wasn’t the case
and I am so glad.
The music played wasn’t from my Spotify
list, everybody ate later than planned, my dog
Daphne barking at the exact moment I said “I
do” wasn’t in my dream-wedding scenario, and
Blaine wearing his sunglasses (without realising,
he says) when we exchanged vows didn’t even
occur to me.
However, because of all these things and
countless other little sparks of human/dog
nature, we didn’t stop laughing until midnight
when the booze and dancing finished all our
guests off and they happily swayed home.
Looking back
Now that I have the gift of hindsight, it’s much
easier to advise brides on their weddings in
general, and I have a new appreciation for losing
control and letting events take their own path.
This way, you aren’t the knackered hostess, and
you can appreciate the real reason why you are all
there, which is to celebrate with the people who
you genuinely love and want to spend time with.
106 ATTIRE
Programs such as How The Rich Get Hitched
show a very different side to weddings and I’m
not too sure that it’s a healthy one. As they
encourage brides to strive for the perfect dress,
the ultimate venue, the most expensive ring,
sublime photos, perfect, perfect, perfect…
could it be a tad boring? And,
more to the point, it’s simply
unattainable.
You could achieve all this
perfection and still have an
annoyed aunty and a ripped veil, so
what’s the point?
Sense and sensibility
I know that the basics have to be
there, and most brides use their
wedding as an opportunity to show
their creativity. This is wonderful, but
only if it’s not at the expense of your
sanity and sleep.
This notion of perfection and wedding
dresses is a tricky topic. I’m sure all bridal
boutique owners will have experienced the same
conversation where a bride’s confused about a
fabric creasing when she bends … it’s fabric, so
it bends when you do!
Sometimes brides
have unrealistic
expectations about
what a dress can
accomplish. They are
wedding dresses, not
magical garments that
can defy gravity.
Keeping this balance
of realism and feeling
fabulous is a delicate
science and different for
each bride that walks
through the door.
One thing I can say is that there were no
mirrors at my wedding, so I didn’t even once
consider what I looked like, as I was having too
much fun.
Surely this is what it’s all about? A
Top moments from my wedding (none of
which were in any plan):
• Dancing to Snoop Dog with my dad.
• My flowergirl Jessica on the DJ’s
microphone shouting, “Get your hands
up in the air!” to the crowd.
• My brother surprising me and
projecting films onto the side of the
marquee for the kids.
• Getting changed into jeans and a
jumper, walking the dogs and finding
all the couples who had paired off
throughout the day.
i n f o @ m o d e c a. c o m | w w w. m o d e c a. c o m

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