The brides are back! This season saw the return of New York Bridal Fashion Week. Many designers celebrated another season with in-person events as well as a recovering bridal industry. The global COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns caused a major disruption in the bridal industry. According to The Wedding Report, the global COVID-19 pandemic locked downs caused a loss of 47 billion dollars in the bridal industry between 2020-2021.
The bridal industry is now on the rebound, with all lockdown restrictions removed. Nadia Manjarrez, a bridal designer, recently got married. Her needs as a bride inspired her collections as well as those of her friends who are getting married. Convertible gowns are revolutionizing the bridal market. Although her bridal line is still young, Manjarrez believes that versatility will be a key factor in the brand’s success. Manjarrez is already a popular designer in Mexico and plans to translate that popularity into America, focusing on more U.S. retail outlets.
Bridal Fashion Week: Brands are on the rebound after COVID-19 lockdown
Some brands have seen a rise in sales over the past year. FashionUnited was told by Anne Barge that 2021 was their best year, with more brides getting married after they were vaccinated. Although the brand has experienced a strong rebound, they acknowledged that COVID-19 was and 2020 were not without their difficulties. It was difficult to support stores due to supply chain problems and the disruption of the delivery schedule. The postponement of wedding dates also caused delays, which affected customer orders. The brand has since gained new retailers in Ohio and Canada, Florida, Florida, and Korea. This is great news for businesses as they are experiencing incremental international growth.
Rami Al Ali, a Dubai-based brand best known for its couture, has been growing their bridal business steadily since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Trunk shows have been the key to their success. The brand has built a loyal customer base through trunk shows at Panache in Beverly Hills and Neiman Marcus Dallas. They are expanding their ready-to-wear offerings, with their sights set on Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Ituwa, a Japanese designer, is another international brand that has been successful at New York Bridal Fashion Week. This brand, which is still very young, is enjoying incremental success worldwide. FashionUnited was told by a representative of the brand that they have received requests for photo shoots and are expected to be able to acquire many U.S. retailers.
The retail sector of bridal is on the rise, just like many other sectors, but it is showing signs of strength. Technavio predicts that the global bridal market will grow 13.5 billion dollars between 2021 and 2026. This is good news for the industry.
