cover AB21 - Attire Bridal · 2013-02-07 · 61 Precious Formals We speak to Ms Ruby Ashraf,...

Plus� Industry news� Bridal fashions� Business advice

WE ANNOUNCE OUR AWARD

WINNERS

FORMALWEARStunning suits

and accessories

THE ROYALWEDDING

Latest news and views

RETAILER REPORT 2010

Profit from PromThis market shows no signs of slowing

JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE 21

NEWLOOK

www.JonathanJamesCouture.com

by

Regulars14 Industry News Find out the latest developments in the bridal trade

30 Retailer Interview Samantha Fawdry-Jeff ries bought an existing bridal business and made it her own

77 Up and Coming Be inspired by Yona Armstrong, who set up her thriving bridal shoe business when she was pregnant with her third child

84 Business Link Roma Bhowmick, Business Link advisor, explains the protocol to follow when seeking outside investment for your business

87 Shop Window Rianna Fry provides some ideas for creating a romantic Valentine’s themed display

95 Twitter Update We bring you all the hottest news, stats and facts from our followers

98 Speaker’s Corner We fi nd out how the Royal Wedding will benefi t the UK bridal business

Fashi

Flower Show42

Through the Ages

51

Fashion42 Flower Show Th is season’s bridal gowns are bursting with blooms. Here’s our pick of the best…

49 Th e Collections To accompany our two bridal fashion features this issue, we’ve compiled a selection of accessories to complete the look

51 Th rough the Ages Th ese dresses may all appeal to the modern bride, but they take inspiration from a much earlier era…

55 Designer Focus We speak to iconic bridal designer, Caroline Castigliano, as she prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her successful bridal brand

Columns59 Joe Sweeney Th is issue the BBA Chairman discusses the implications of split invoices and asks the question: who’d be a supplier?

71 Abigail Neill Award-winning bridal shop owner, Abigail Neill, off ers advice on setting yourself above the competition

48TheCollections

Mother of the Bride

67

Leigh Hetherington

72

38

Features25 Awards Results We’re delighted to be able to announce the winners of our very first Bridal Supplier Awards

33 Retailer Report 2010 British bridal retailers reveal this year’s successes and divulge their plans for 2011

64 Royal Wedding As speculation mounts on the identity of the designer who will be creating Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress, British bridal designers reveal how they would dress the bride-to-be…

67 Mother of the Bride Desirable dress designs for fashion- forward women

72 Special Occasion Shoes We showcase four key trends taking centre stage this season…

79 Prom Princesses Hot trends for the teens attending next year’s proms

88 Sharp Suits Leading formal wear suppliers reveal what grooms will be wearing in 2011

92 Collection Focus Talented British designer, Beverly Lister, talks us through her beautiful new bridal range

38 Leigh Hetherington We find out about Leigh’s stunning new bridal collection and her passion for quality British design

61 Precious Formals We speak to Ms Ruby Ashraf, Designer and CEO of Precious Formals Inc about her views on the UK prom market

23 The Essential Collection Exclusive update on the industry’s newest bridal trade event, taking place next July at Stoneleigh Park, including an interview with the Show Director, Mark White

Shows

Profiles

Shop Window87

Prom Princesses

79

Special Occasion Shoes

Editor’s letter

EDITORDemelza Rayner

+44 (0)1376 535 609

[email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTRianna Fry

+44 (0)1376 535 613

[email protected]

SALES MANAGERMark White

+44 (0)1376 514 000

[email protected]

SALES EXECUTIVESMelissa Gilbert

+44 (0)1376 514 000

[email protected]

Emily Aldred

+44 (0)1376 514 000

[email protected]

DESIGN MANAGERVicky O’Connor

[email protected]

+44 (0)1376 535 616

DEPUTY DESIGN MANAGERSarah Barnes

SENIOR DESIGNERSophie Handley

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSLaura Perry, Steve McKea,

Hayley Kilminster

PRODUCTION MANAGERStuart Weatherley

STUDIO ASSISTANTLeanne Walsh

SUBSCRIPTIONSAlice Henson,

Charlotte Tannett

+44 (0)1376 514 000

KD Media Publishing Limited

Broseley House Newlands Drive

Witham, Essex CM8 2UL

www.attirebridal.com

Attire Bridal is solely owned, published

and designed by KD Media Publishing

Limited. Whilst every effort was made

to ensure the information in this

magazine was correct at the time of

going to press, the publishers cannot

accept legal responsibility for any

errors or omissions, nor can they

accept responsibility of the standing

of advertisers nor by the editorial

contributions. The views expressed

do not necessarily refl ect 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 @ Broseley

House, Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex

CM8 2UL.

ISSN 1758-0072

To celebrate the fi rst issue of the New Year, you’ll notice that we have introduced some striking new design layouts in the magazine. Over the past few weeks we’ve worked hard to come up with some up-to-date, reader-friendly designs to revamp the magazine. We’re extremely pleased with how it’s turned out and really hope you’re just as impressed.

Also experiencing something of a makeover is our online presence, www.attirebridal.com. We hope you fi nd it easy to navigate, packed with information and an invaluable business tool for sourcing new suppliers.

As any business owner knows, keeping your offering fresh, current and in-tune with your target market is essential for long-term success. In this issue, award-winning retailer, Abigail Neil reveals how, despite plenty of competing businesses in her locality, she stays ahead of her competition. Indeed, it may be heart-breaking to see a brand new bridal boutique opening just down the road, but by continuing to offer excellent customer service, showing professionalism at all times and being committed to doing the very best you can for your brides, you’ll always reap the benefi ts of your efforts.

Also in this issue we focus on the Royal Wedding. Leading British designers reveal how they would dress Catherine Middleton on page 64, while key industry fi gures predict the impact the happy event will have on the British Bridal Market on page 98.

With only seven months to go until The Essential Collection, Event Director, Mark White, answers some of your most pressing questions about this new trade event. Turn to page 23 to fi nd out more.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of the very fi rst Attire Bridal Supplier Awards, who are revealed on page 24, and to wish you a happy and successful New Year – here’s to a fabulous 2011!

Demelza Rayner

Editor

Cover image courtesy of Charlotte Balbierwww.charlottebalbier.com

January/February 2011

Editor’s letter

These sparkly shoes from Crystal Couture really caught my eye

this issue. We interview the founder of the company,

Yona Armstrong, on page 77.

Valentine’s inspired window dressing on

page 87

Caroline Castigliano profi le

on page 55

Special occasion shoes on page 72

EVANGELINE ROSE BRIDAL BECOMES FIRST UK STOCKIST OF MAKEPIECEEvangeline Rose Bridal in Surrey has become the first bridal boutique in the UK to stock the sustainable and eco-friendly clothing label Makepiece, designed and made in Todmorden, Yorkshire. The collection further enhances Evangeline Rose Bridal’s focus on British designers and brings a new dimension to brides looking for style with a difference.

Featuring a wide range of heavyweight winter shrugs and capes together with delicate sheer shrugs for summer weddings, the Makepiece collection at Evangeline Rose Bridal offers beautifully designed attire to complete a chic bridal look. Manufactured using wool and mohair from British farms and the brand’s own flock of sheep, every collection promises few chemicals and a low carbon footprint.

Visit www.evangelinerose.co.uk or access www.makepiece.co.uk to find out further details about the brand.

Following the official announcement of the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton on 16th November 2010, and the subsequent news from Clarence House that the happy couple plan to marry on Friday 29th April 2011, the British Bridal Industry is gearing up to cope with sudden worldwide interest. As we go to print, speculation is still rife as to who will be honoured with the task to design Catherine’s wedding dress. A British bridal designer is deemed most likely, with Bruce Oldfield, Vivienne Westwood and Amanda Wakeley all suggested to be strong candidates. All the latest news will be posted on our newly redesigned website, www.attirebridal.com.

Industry news We reveal the latest news from the bridal industry…

Baba-C releases new bejwelled headpieces

Inspired by the classic beauty of vintage but given a modern

twist, Baba-C’s new collection is every fashion-

conscious bride’s dream. Each piece is a true designer work of art. No two are ever the same as they are made

entirely by hand. Brides can decide on the size,

colours and components integrated into the design.

Each can be worn on or off the band, at the front, side or

back of the hair. The headpieces can also be worn as a fabulous choker, a

stunning cuff or even attached to clothes to give a glamorous focal point. They also come in a variety of styles and are available as a set of smaller pieces which can be worn clustered together or separately. For more details send an email to [email protected].

Source: PA

News & events

Recent rise in winter weddingsAccording to leading department store, Debenhams, winter weddings are up 28% on the previous year, with the week of Sunday 26th December now as popular as the first week in July, previously known as the peak wedding week.

The change was noted when the Debehnams Gift List Service experienced a record number of couples registering lists in September and October for weddings taking place from November through to February.

Alterego expands the Gracya Bridal CollectionAfter negotiating a new deal with Gracya, Alterego have been able to significantly improve on their prices for this top quality European brand. Furthermore, they are passing on all of these savings to their resellers. Prices on current stock lines and pre-order lines have been reduced with immediate effect, and the new price list with rrps is available on their ftp site. For further details email [email protected].

Lily Bella Bridal have just released their new 2011 vintage chic ‘Romance’ collection of bird cage veils. The collection offers silk flowers and a fully removable vintage inspired brooch along with French net bandeau veil. This unique veil means brides can wear the flower hair piece on their wedding day then remove the vintage inspired brooch to enjoy forever

The new collection includes pearls and diamante along with many different types of feathers. The distinctive French netting can be worn in a variety of positions to achieve just the right look, whether it is worn alone or alongside hair jewellery or flowers.

Owner and designer of Lily Bella, Kirsty Griffiths said: “These days more and more women choose bird cage veils to complete their wedding look as they are extremely light and go perfectly with long and sleek gowns as well as with flirty and short dresses.”

For further details, visit www.lilybella.co.uk.

News & events

News & events

Vintage inspired glamour from Tantrums and TiarasBritish designer, Kelly Scully, has recently released her 2011 bridal collection, entitled ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’. Th e 1920s-1940s style headpieces comprise several original styles, which are all handmade using Swarovski crystals and pearls along with diamantes, feathers or a bird cage veil.

“I have really enjoyed creating this new range which adds the fi nishing touch of designer class to the outfi ts of the bride and bridesmaids, without the need for the designer prices,” says Kelly. “Th ey have been attracting huge attention from brides who have seen them at my studio before they were offi cially launched.”

In addition, Tantrums and Tiaras are also introducing the new ‘Indulgence’ range, with new pieces planned for release throughout 2011.

For further details, visit the website at www.tantrumsandtiaras.org. Tantrums and Tiaras will be exhibiting at our new bridal trade show, Th e Essential Collection, taking place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from 17th-19th July 2011.

Arianna has recently designed and manufactured packaging for their headdresses that can be disposed of environmentally, as opposed to the clear plastic boxes that have been used in the trade for many years.

“The boxes also come with a certifi cate of authenticity which then entitles the bride to return her headdress to our factory where its components can be converted to jewellery piece of her choice,” adds Neil Flatley, Managing Director.

Little Eglantine releases new collectionFrench designer, Stephanie Staub, famous in the UK for her stunning fl owergirl dresses and pageboy outfi ts has just launched her new winter collection for 2011. Th is winter, girls will be wearing ¾ length sleeves dresses, with a playful and contemporary twist.

“My ‘Claire’ fl ower girl dress has an obvious French touch, says the designer. Matching fuchsia and grey is a trend in France right now. During winter, one oft en tends to choose darker colors, but I think that little girls should keep their spark even during that period of the year. Th e fuchsia taff eta brings light and fun to this winter fl ower girl dress.

It is quite original and yet very classic. I designed the sleeves to be ¾ length so that the girls are warmer and still enjoy a trendy dress.” Being a mum of two, the designer knows that good fi t and quality fabrics are important, and that it

is even more important that children actually want to wear the clothes!She has searched the world for the most unique fabrics and she devotes her time to design garments

based on the wishes of the brides-to-be.For further information, visit www.littleeglantine.com.

Linzi Jay create compact tiara displayLinzi Jay have come up with an innovative idea, following requests from customers at recent exhibitions.

“We came up with the idea of a desktop tiara display unit that is lightweight and portable yet very striking and effective.The central tube is hollow, enabling the customer to fi ll with fairy lights, coloured card or even crystals - all of which will highlight headdresses and tiaras. It is no more than 24” tall so is not intrusive but will give the display some real impact when viewed.”

Priced at £45 each, the tiara stands can be ordered online at www.linzijay.com with a 10% discount during January and February.

Bridal retailer benefi ts from T CardsThe ‘always on display’ feature of T Cards Wedding Planning chart has been a crucial aid in the growth and expansion of one of Birmingham’s premier wedding attire and gown shops - The Dressing Rooms. In just four months over 600 gowns were sourced for those special days in someone’s life: for coordinating and planning such a large throughput of gowns, shop owner Rebecca relies totally on T Cards Direct display boards.

The boards enable Rebecca and her staff to see at a glance actual months when clients require their Wedding Dresses, Bridesmaid’s Dresses or Prom wear. “T Cards systems are so simple and practical to update we could not manage without them,” says Rebecca.

Investment in a complete T Cards Direct - Wedding Planner board – with capacity to manage nearly 500 gowns a year is only £225, yet it can have a major impact on improving the effi ciency of any business. A quick glance at the board immediately shows busy periods and highlights when pressure will be on their seamstresses, crucial in enabling Rebecca to plan staff holidays more effectively. For further details, visit www.tcardsdirect.com.

Th e wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April 2011. Th is will be a bank holiday in the UK.

Offi cial Clothing Ltd has just launched its brand new online presence at www.offi ciallygorgeous.com. Visit the site to view their latest prom designs.

According to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive Trades survey, the volume of sales on the high street was higher in November than a year ago, for the fi ft h consecutive month, as shoppers started gearing up for Christmas.

Yarwood-White have recently moved to a stunning new location, Th e Medicine Garden, Cobham, Surrey. Th e location is stunning and has several shops and a small cafe for visitors. Visit www.themedicinegarden.com.

Peggy Porschen, the leading bespoke cake designer has just opened her fi rst Parlour on the corner of newly regenerated Elizabeth St. in Belgravia.

2011 DREAMS COLLECTION

www.tusneembridal.co.uk+44 (0)161 292 0122

News & events

Will Catherine Middleton wear Clogau Gold?Following on from the announcement earlier this month of Prince William’s engagement to Miss Catherine Middleton, talk of the Royal Wedding is still a hot topic.

Clogau has been an object of particular interest due to their association with past and, possibly, future royal weddings.

Clogau’s Welsh gold is extremely rare. Since 1923, the Royal Family have been using the same kilogram of pure Clogau Welsh gold to make generations of the Royal Family’s wedding rings including The Queen, The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall. In 1986 a kilogram of pure Clogau Welsh gold was given to The Queen for her 60th birthday.

Speculation as to whether Prince William and Catherine Middleton will follow royal tradition and use Clogau Welsh gold for their wedding jewellery spread to news channels and publications in Clogau’s home country of Wales to as far as New Zealand.

Set up in early 2010 by three girls at diff erent stages of their wedding planning, OneFabDay.com is the only dedicated Irish wedding blog, aiming to off er Irish and UK brides and grooms original, interesting and beautiful inspiration and ideas for creating their perfect wedding day.

“We each work in the digital world and so spend a lot of time online,” says Naoise. “We were each very inspired by American blogs like OnceWed and StyleMePretty but were very disappointed to fi nd nothing similar in Ireland. Discussing it among ourselves, we found the American blogs great for inspiration but diffi cult to use on a practical level. Th e wedding styling is oft en quite diff erent to Ireland and all the suppliers are US-based, so their use is limited for couples on this side of the water actually planning their weddings.”

Specifi cally featuring suppliers and services that are easily available to Irish and UK brides, OneFabDay.com has already received excellent feedback from photographers, venues and suppliers that have been featured.

“We are always looking for submissions and information from wedding suppliers, whom our audience would be interested in - many Irish brides order or buy lots of wedding items from the UK,” fi nishes Naoise. For further details, email [email protected].

SIMPLY DEVINE PARTICIPATE IN FUND-RAISING EVENINGLeeds based leading law fi rm, Cobbetts, hosted an evening of glamour and fun with a “Give from the Heart Fashion Show” to raise funds and awareness for the British Heart Foundation.

Held at the Alea Casino in Leeds, the female staff of Cobbetts went down the catwalk wearing LK Bennett dresses and hats and fascinators by specialist hat shop Simply Devine of Tadcaster. Hair was fashioned by Cutting Room Creative.

Says Liz Devine-Wright owner of Simply Devine: “we wanted to show how you could easily change your offi ce outfi t into a powerful race-day creation by wearing stunning headwear and just a change of handbag.”

Bridal stores see surge in enquiries from spring bridesMia Sposa, the UK’s largest high-street network of bridal and men’s formal wear stores, has seen a 15 per cent increase in enquiries from brides-to-be since the date of the royal wedding was announced.

A spokesperson for Mia Sposa said: “Lots of brides have decided that they want to get married in April after hearing about Catherine and William and are worried that they won’t have enough time to get their dresses organised. The Royal Wedding is great news for us – we are predicting a very busy spring.”

TEC 2011

Who is organising The Essential Collection?KD Media is an independent company owned and operated by our two directors, Clare Howells and Robert Clark. As a business, we have been involved with major exhibitions for many years and currently

publish 16 magazines. We have no other partners or backers for the show silent or otherwise, but are delighted that so many in the bridal industry are supportive of our new venture.

What prompted you to launch a new trade event - The Essential Collection?We have been involved in bridal publishing for many years and over that time have spoken to numerous people about the needs of the bridal trade. The majority of those consulted expressed concern about the lack of choice, poor timing and inconvenient location of the BBEH, so we decided to offer an alternative, which addresses these concerns.

How does The Essential Collection differ from other UK bridal trade shows? The Essential Collection will showcase bridal designers who have not previously exhibited at any UK trade show, and will allow retailers to preview the 2012 collections while they are still new. Its central location, under one roof, will also be much easier for them to visit.

Why did you decide to hold The Essential Collection in July?Holding the show in July will mean that retailers can view and order the 2012 bridal collections much earlier in the season, as they do in many countries in continental Europe. This will enable samples to be delivered to UK retailers much earlier than is currently possible with the existing show schedule.

How did you decide upon the venue for The Essential Collection?We decided on Stoneleigh Park because it sits right in the centre of England, within 100 miles

of many major cities. It is a modern purpose-built exhibition centre with a large open space and high ceiling which will give the exhibition a nice airy feel. It is also blessed with up to 30,000 free parking spaces!

How has the bridal trade responded to The Essential Collection?The trade has responded with great enthusiasm, we are very pleased with the quality, and quantity of exhibitors already committed to the show. The frenetic activity of our competitors is also a clear indication that The Essential Collection is the right show at the right time.

Some have suggested The Essential Collection will fragment the bridal industry. How do you respond to this concern?I don’t see any reason why it should fragment the industry. We work in many different trades that benefit from a choice of suppliers for exhibitions

and magazines where there is healthy level of honest competition and mutual respect between rival publishers and exhibition organisers. The show has, after all, been created in response to demand from the marketplace.

How are you marketing The Essential Collection and how will you persuade retailers to attend?The opportunity to see the 2012 collections from many major designers for the first time will be a great incentive for retailers to come to the show. Furthermore, the majority of the country will be able to drive to Stoneleigh Park and back on the same day and be certain of finding a parking space. This will make it easier, quicker, and less expensive to attend than the BBEH. As the publishers of Attire Bridal magazine we already have the largest audited circulation of named bridal retailers on our database which gives us a considerable advantage in reaching the marketplace. We will of course spread beyond this into related publications, email campaigns and direct marketing to ensure that retailers are aware of the show and all of the reasons why they should attend. Early indications already show that we shall have a very successful, well-attended event in July.

How do you plan to grow The Essential Collection over the next few years?The exhibition will, of course, be judged on the success of the first show, which is already generating such interest that I am sure that it will be a great success. Another reason why we chose Stoneleigh Park is that there is a second hall available at the same location, which gives us the ability to almost double the space available for exhibitors.

The Essential CollectionSince unveiling our new bridal exhibition to the trade there has been much industry debate. We speak to Event Director, Mark White, to answer some of your most pressing questions…

ContactStand bookings and

sponsorship enquiriesMelissa Gilbert or Emily Aldred

+44 (0)1376 514 000Event Director: Mark White

+44 (0)1376 535 606www.theessentialcollection2011.co.uk

We’re delighted to be able to announce the winners of the first ever Attire Bridal Supplier Awards…

In the very first Attire Bridal Supplier Awards, we asked all our retail readers to show their appreciation for their favourite suppliers. With 10 categories, ranging from Best Bridal Collection, to Special Recognition for Customer Service, we wanted to know exactly who has been excelling themselves this year. The vote was 100% decided by you, the reader, and was open to all bridal retailers.

“Winning the award for such a prestigious category is truly an honour; Maggie Sottero’s ‘Hadley’ gown is a beautiful piece designed to make any bride feel extra special for her wedding day.”

Best Bridal Collection

WINNEREnzoani

“We’ve never won an award for the Enzoani collection before so this is a very welcomed first. We believe that these dresses do deserve recognition and they have enjoyed incredible success since launched in 2005. So, thank you very much indeed.”

“What can I say about how much winning this

award means to all of us at Donna

Lee Designs? Well, the excessive screaming and

jumping up and down that ensued after receiving the call to tell us that we’d won may explain it – we are ecstatic! On a serious note, winning Best New Bridal Brand is a momentous accolade, one which a few short months ago was beyond our wildest dreams. The fact that we have been acknowledged by our stockists and the readers of Attire Bridal magazine so soon after our launch

Best New Bridal Brand

WINNERDonna Lee

Designs

is overwhelming. What a wonderful way to start the new year. Thanks to all of you who voted for us, and a big thank you to the whole team at Donna Lee Designs that work so hard to ensure that the vision of the brand becomes a reality.”

WINNER‘Hadley’ by

Maggie Sottero

Best Bridal Dress

1) Best Bridal Collection

2) Best New Bridal Brand

3) Best Bridal Dress

4) Best Bridesmaid Collection

5) Best Occasionwear/

Eveningwear Line

6) Best Prom Line

7) Best Bridal Jewellery Range

8) Best Bridal Shoe Range

9) Best Formalwear Range

10) Special Recognition for

Customer Service

The 10 different categories are as follows:

Awards

WINNERDessy

“The Dessy group is thrilled to have been nominated as winners of this category in Attire Bridal magazine’s first awards. We would like to sincerely thank all the readers who voted for us – in such a competitive market sector, it is extremely gratifying to be recognised as a favoured resource to our stockists – without their loyal support we simply could not operate.”

Best Bridesmaid Collection

Best Occasionwear/Eveningwear Line

WINNER

John Charles

“We are honoured and delighted that our customers have chosen us as the best Occasionwear Brand. We strive every season to break boundaries with our styling, and to look for different fabrics and embellishments. It is also important to get the fit right, deliver on time and keep the prices commercial, as well as having wonderful images to show the product properly. Without the input and support of our customers there would be nobody to appreciate what we aim to achieve. For that, we thank you all for this award and look forward to many more successful seasons working together.”

Best Prom Line

WINNER

Crystal Prom

“As far as we know this is the first time an industry award has been given for Best Prom Line. We at Crystal Breeze are delighted to receive this award. Many thanks to Attire Bridal magazine and our loyal customers for their support.”

WINNERPolly Edwards

Best Bridal Jewellery Range

“We are absolutely thrilled to win an award that has been voted for by our wonderful suppliers. Our team continually strives to produce beautiful bridal accessories and to provide a full and comprehensive after sales service. It means so much to us all here, at Polly Edwards to have our endeavours recognised – thank you.”

WINNERWendy Marston-

Phipps at Benjamin Roberts

“Thank you to all the customers who nominated me to win this special recognition award; it was such a shock and I am genuinely overwhelmed. To be recognised for doing a great job is a huge compliment, and I am very grateful.”

Special Recognition for Customer Service

“Wilvorst is delighted and honored to receive this award, voted for by Attire Bridal magazine readers. We are a family-run business, with a very dedicated team running through our factory from the designers, fabric buyers, and production to our multi-lingual sales team. Winning and receiving this praise makes all of the hard work worthwhile. Thank you Attire readers.”

Best Formalwear Range

WINNERWilvorst

“Pink by Paradox is delighted to be nominated as the winner of the best bridal shoe category. Our broad product portfolio consolidates consumer tastes and budgets to provide brides with fashion-forward and chic footwear designed by our Italian designer, Alessandro Pavan.”

Best Bridal Shoe Range

WINNER

Pink by

Paradox

www.donnaleedesigns.co.uk | 0845 519 1797 | [email protected]

where happy endings begin

WINNER 2010

ATTIRE BRIDALSUPPLIER AWARDS

We speak to Samantha Fawdry-Jeffries, owner of Samantha’s Boutique, to find out how she bought an existing bridal business and made it her own.

Tell me a little about your background. What prompted you to open a bridal boutique?Whilst doing my degree in Fashion Design I knew that bridal wear was an industry that really interested me. I,

therefore, secured a part time job in a local bridal shop to get a feel for whether it was right for me or not. The more I worked there, the more I lovedthe industry and the relationships that I would build with the brides on the run up to their big day. How did you choose the location of your bridal boutique?Finding the location in Dunchurch was a stroke of luck! The bridal shop already existed and the owner was looking for a buyer for the business.

Being in a village also creates an exclusive feel for the boutique and, with a well known florist next door, a cake shop across the road and some lovely pubs for lunch it makes a great day out for wedding planning for our brides.

As a new bridal business, have you encountered any ‘teething’ problems?Taking over an existing business has been the most difficult obstacle. There was no overlap so I was on my own from the start with only an A4 folder of order forms from existing brides! It took a lot of time and patience going through each order as I had to re-confirm with all the suppliers, and call all of the existing customers to introduce myself. However, once I had set up my own system for any orders and met the brides that I had inherited, things became more organised.

How did you select the fittings and furniture for your boutique?Moving into a shop that was already set up gave me chance to live with it for a while before deciding what I wanted from the boutique and what my customers expected to walk into for their appointments. Being called ‘Samantha’s Boutique’ I did want to create a “boutique” feel so I have slowly changed the previous furniture for pieces that are a little more luxurious. I have also used some vintage-inspired wallpaper in shimmering pale golds, which has added a lovely feel to the showroom. Although it is still a work

in progress, we get lots of positive comments about the changes that have been made. How would you describe your current in-store bridal collection?Our current collection offers our brides an exciting variety of styles to compliment every bride, whether they are looking for something elegant and sophisticated, modern and contemporary or something full of glitz and glamour! We stock a range of different sizes and price ranges so that our customers can try on a selection to inspire them. As well as having fabulous dresses we have also carefully picked a wonderful choice of accessories from some amazing designers to compliment our gowns. Which designers do you stock and why?Since taking over the business it has been important to me to choose the right designers for the area. Being close to many affluent towns and villages, the boutique was crying out for some stylish gowns to appeal to brides with a little more disposable income, as well as the more budget savvy.

We stock four main designers at present:

The Personal Touch

Retailer interview

Benjamin Roberts as they bring people through the door, as well as being timeless and classic designs; Blue by Enzoani for their unique touches and couture style; Ellis Bridals for a little more sparkle and glamour and, finally, Phil Collins for his competitive prices. All of our suppliers have been so helpful and are always happy to respond to any queries, which has been so important to me when starting out.

What do you enjoy most about your role and the bridal business in general? I love being customer facing, especially in this industry where you can build up such a lovely relationship with brides. Do you hold any special events?So far I have held designer days which have worked extremely well and create a great buzz. Benjamin Roberts and Blue by Enzoani allow you to offer 10% off over the event which is a great selling tool.

I am also organising an accessory evening to showcase our new collections from Halo & Co and Sarah Drew, who creates some amazing vintage pieces. There will be mini hair trials from a local hairdresser too along with some bubbly. I often find that brides look around elsewhere for accessories as choosing it all in one day can be overwhelming. Therefore, I’m hoping this event will be a nice opportunity for them to come and complete their outfits! What do you feel makes your store unique and how do you self-promote?We offer a relaxed and friendly approach to

our brides and self-promote the boutique in a number of ways, the main one being our website. We regularly update it with any offers or events and keep an up-to-date gallery of a selection of our dresses. I am also a regular tweeter which is great for making contacts in the industry but is also a good way of keeping in touch with customers, as is our facebook page. The boutique is also the recommended bridal shop for our most popular local wedding venue, Dunchurch Park Hotel, which means our details are sent out with their brochures after any enquiry, which is working fabulously. How do you go about making sure your service is second to none?I make sure that I always recognise a customer when they return. There is nothing worse than buying an expensive wedding dress from someone, only to return to a blank expression!

I like each and every bride to feel that they have our undivided attention and enough time to be able to try on all the dresses that they wish, along with some that we recommend (which is often an unexpected favorite!). We also have a great girly fun trying a variety of veils and accessories once they have narrowed down the dresses. From the moment a bride enters the shop until the moment she leaves it is our responsibility to ensure that she has felt like a million dollars throughout her whole experience with us and that the service has been unbeatable. What do you believe is the key to running a successful bridal retail business?Organisation, continuity and 100% commitment

is essential along with an understanding of customer service and a very good eye for choosing the right gowns for your target market. It is vital to listen to your suppliers’ advice, especially when starting out, as to what are the best sellers and to play it safe until you can justify a few wild cards! I have taken on board a lot of advice from my previous employer, Sally Stacey, owner of Just Weddings, who has helped me with numerous queries in running a successful business. It is so important to listen to those who may have been doing this for a lot longer than me and it’s great to have people to aspire to. How would you like to see your business grow?I look forward to having more and more customers walk through the door following good recommendations from previous customers. My first customer here was an older lady for a second marriage and I was so thrilled when she returned not only with a photo of her big day,but also with her daughter who bought her own wedding dress from us.

Finally, what advice would you give to other bridal retailers just starting out?Research, research, research! You cannot do enough. It is also worth visiting other local bridal shops to see what they offer.

I also found the best research was working in the industry for a few years before opening my own shop. I learnt so much, from advising brides on what suits their shape, to having a good understanding about alterations. It also gave me a great insight as to what sells well to help me chose my ‘bread and butter’ dresses.

ContactSamantha’s Boutique, +44 (0)1788 810 040

www.samanthasboutique.co.uk

Style 20WA0156

Phone: 01254 279766Fax: 01254 677966

[email protected]

Retailer round-up

Ellie Sanderson Bridal BoutiqueBeaconsfi eld, Buckinghamshire

How has 2010 been for you?This year has been our best ever year for many reasons. Financially it has been strong; our Beaconsfi eld store has done well not only in terms of

sales growth but in terms of conversion rate. We have also seen a good increase in our average transaction value which has amazed me in the current climate.

In addition, we have secured some additional designers to sell in our boutiques (Suzanne Neville, Alan Hannah and Mia Mia), giving us a really strong product proposition. It also makes our jobs really enjoyable to work with some of the industry’s top names. I still pinch myself when I look at the line up we have across our stores: fl ipping brilliant and I know it’s the reason we continue to grow the business in year three.

All that said it has been a tough year with brides driving a very hard bargain. All our customers are seeking a discounted price tag or expecting lots of extras free. They need to feel they have had good value for their money. This has manifested itself with brides visiting many bridal shops before making a decision which, of course, has huge implications on staff costs. They are also price matching and challenging everything we do. It’s been a tough one alright, and I think it is here to stay!

What has been your greatest success this year?

We have had three major successes this year. Firstly we opened our second boutique in the prestigious location of Jericho in Central Oxford and, to be honest, we are all totally shocked and delighted with its fi rst fi ve months of trade. It hasn’t taken a penny off Beaconsfi eld and looks like it will be our fl agship, store taking more money.

Secondly we launched our online accessory boutique

(www.elliesweddingaccessories.co.uk). This has been really hard work but has paid off as we no longer see clients trying on products and leaving never to be seen again. The online boutique has been running for four months and we are thrilled with the results. I think having two shops adds credibility and confi dence for the customer to buy online.

Finally, we won the Best British Bridal Shop Display in the Bridal Buyers Awards 2010. I am totally nuts about presentation and standards and was thrilled and somewhat shocked to see this recognised. My team are now very proud of our shop oscar!

What has been your biggest challenge?

Without doubt my biggest challenge this year has been human resources. We opened our Oxford store in June which changed my role in the business and created a couple of management vacancies and sales consultant vacancies. Finding the right people was really tough and it has taken us four months to settle the new team in and train them up.

What are your plans for next year?

Being a self confessed workaholic, this is a hard answer to keep short. I am determined to get a work/life balance this year (actually my husband is determined for me to get a new work/life balance – we will see!)

Firstly we still have a long way to go until I will feel that we have maximised our online boutique sales. We have loads of product opportunities to exploit online and I can’t wait to get cracking. I am also in discussions with one other major dress label which will complete our fabulous line up across two stores.

We still have our eyes wide open for our third boutique - it has to be in the right place to compliment our Beaconsfi eld and Oxford locations. We know the formula now but that doesn’t make it any easier looking for the right opportunity.

Finally I am defi nitely taking a two week holiday this year, my husband and I did lots of mini-breaks this year but you can’t beat two weeks back to back, feet up, good book, gin and tonic.

Retailer Report

We talk to bridal retailers to fi nd out how they fared

in 2010 and what their plans are for the New Year.

Abigail’sHeadcorn, Kent How has 2010 been for you?This year has been really great for us and we have recently celebrated our 1st birthday. We have had

steady growth month on month which is obviously very important as a new business. The beginning of the year was very slow, however, due to the adverse weather conditions. This really affected us as we are based in a small village in the countryside. Our summer months proved very successful and we took on some more labels and designers. What has been your greatest success this year?Our greatest success this year has been taking on the Benjamin Roberts labels Blue and Enzoani. They have proved extremely popular with our brides and have been repeating fantastically well. The team at Benjamin Roberts are great to work with and are very accommodating.

We have also taken on ‘Hollywood Dreams’ and look forward to working with Marina and her amazing new collection. What has been your biggest challenge?Our biggest challenge has been getting enough customers through the door. We are a destination store so we don’t get an awful lot of ‘drop ins’.

Again, being a new business some brides have simply not heard enough about us or are concerned about supporting a new store. Our premises were occupied by a bridal boutique previously so we are fortunate to have received business from the sale. Luckily we have heavily invested in advertising and we are a member of ‘The Wedding Guild’ which provides us with lots of leads. We have attended a variety of bridal fairs to get our name out there. We also produce a newsletter to keep all our brides informed of various promotions and what’s going on in store. The first year is the toughest but we are really pleased with our sales and the progress we have made. What are your plans for next year?We have recently undergone a small refurbishment. We now have two beautiful, fully private fitting suites. This means that we can accommodate more brides as we are getting much busier. We do have the opportunity to expand further within the existing premises. This means that hopefully by the middle of next year we will have another private fitting suite along with more rail space. We are in discussions with several designers who would like us to carry their collections.

Evangeline Rose Bridal Godalming, Surrey

How has 2010 been for you?The last 12 months have been great for us. We had a terrific response from brides about our

gowns and accessories collections, which was reflected in a significant increase in sales over the last year. We’ve seen a rise in the number of brides opting for our made-to-measure gowns, recognising the quality of the cut and finish. With a focus on elegant, vintage-inspired gowns and accessories, our collection is very much in line with the latest trends for vintage glamour and understated elegance. Our Cupcakes and Cosmopolitans Party to launch the latest Beverly Lister Downtown Collection earlier this year was a great success and we will be hosting many more exclusive designer events next year.

What has been your greatest success this year?Any retailer will tell you that the best form of advertising is word of mouth. For us, the greatest success of the year was that almost half of the brides that came through our door did so as a result of a recommendation from a bride that had visited before. Not all of those brides had found their gown at Evangeline Rose, but they had felt so positive about the experience they had with us that they sent their friends, with confidence. What I love about being in a quaint little town like Godalming is that we are the ‘local boutique’, and many of our brides live, literally, around the corner. Often our brides will visit many shops across the country before returning to us and cherish the fact that they have found their dream gown in their home town. This year we also had brides travel for hours to come to us, based on the advice of fellow brides, but also because of our unique collections and ethos which is showcased on our website.

What has been your biggest challenge?Retailers are always wary of new boutiques opening within the area, however this has never been an issue for us as our collections are very much focused towards a particular type of bride and offer something completely unique. We have a strong reputation within the area for beautiful, quality gowns and accessories - many of which are designed and made in England - and a personalised, one-to-one service. Competition is also healthy as it keeps you on your toes and we are always on the look out for new collections that brides will adore!

What are your plans for next year?Next year will see a change in some of our gown collections with a focus entirely on British designers. Currently our British designers include Lyn Ashworth, Beverly Lister, Blue and Leigh Hetherington and, from the end of this year, we will also stock the beautiful Stephanie Allin gowns. We’ve also extended our accessories collections to include vintage headpieces by Cherished and have become the first UK stockist of the prettiest woollen shrugs by Makepiece.

www.davincibridal.com

Following the successful launch of Davinci bridal and bridesmaid ranges at BBEH, there are still limited areas available for new stockists.

To enquire about becoming a Davinci stockist please call 01727 851452.

Retailer round-up

Clifford-Burr BridalWare, Hertfordshire

How has 2010 been for you?2010 has been challenging in many ways. We have seen a dramatic increase in both bridal sales and men’s

formal hire leading to a real buzz and a wonderful atmosphere in the shop. However, our operating costs have also risen due to increased staffing, shop maintenance and reduced margins which results from working in such a competitive market.

What has been your greatest success this year?Our greatest success must be our increased business in both bridal sales and men’s formal hire. We are thrilled that our emphasis on good customer service is paying dividends by way of recommendation. Former brides are bringing their friends, mothers are bringing other family members and former ushers are now arriving as grooms.

What has been your biggest challenge?Our biggest challenge has been finding a balance between bridal and non bridal goods, especially as we have a large shop to fill. We increased our spend on prom and partywear which hasn’t proved to be as successful as we would have liked.

What are your plans for next year?For 2011 we hope to build on this year with a further increase in sales but with a tighter hold on spending. We will continue to open late two evenings per week as this proves very popular with both brides and grooms. Finally, we also need to find more seamstresses to cope with the manic summer months which will decrease stress levels all round.

Abigail’s CollectionColchester, Essex

How has 2010 been for you?It’s been an exciting year filled with lots of new things! New staff, building

refurbishment and expansion. We’ve added a Mother of the Bride range and won two new awards!

What has been your greatest success this year?Our expansion into 2400sq ft of premises has been a great success and very exciting. We’re now spread over four floors and customers often joke that we’re like a mini wedding department store (and that we could do with a lift). During the expansion we only closed to our brides and grooms for two days and minimal disruption to our business was a great achievement considering the work involved. Our 2010 sales projections have been totally smashed. In addition, I was crowned the 2010 ‘Essex Business Person of the Year’ and the team won the ‘Essex Business Customer Services Excellence’ title too.

What has been your biggest challenge?Trying to create a 34 hour day! It seems that no matter how many appointment slots we create for our customers, we always have a waiting list.

What are your plans for next year?A new bridal label (definitely), a new bridesmaids label (maybe) and a new award (hopefully). In-store promotional events for the men’s and ladies departments are on the agenda for 2011 as are one or two exciting new business marketing projects.

ContactLeigh Hetherington

+44 (0)1912 605 757

www.leighhetherington.co.uk

Cleo

Profi le

What is your background in bridal design and what prompted you to launch your own bridal label?I studied Fashion Design for four years at Northumbria University. I have always been interested in Haute Couture and the techniques that are used at this level of design and hand craft manship.

I wanted to launch my own label so that I could take these elements and inject them into our designs and manufacturing techniques. I wanted to produce a collection that was refi ned and of high quality and that is made in the UK. How would you describe your latest bridal collection, and what would you say is your signature style? My latest collection has a vintage yet romantic feel to it. To highlight the romance I have used an eclectic mix of beautiful fabrics, soft tulle overlays, silk lame, silk organza and delicate lace fabrics. I have also used vintage inspired beadwork and fl oral detailing to enhance the designs. Although I am renowned for my full skirted dresses reminiscent of the fi ft ies I decided, for this collection, that I would add some new shapes. I created ‘Cleo’ which has a longline fi tted bodice with a double pouf skirt with drama and diff erence in mind. Th e one shouldered details of Annabel, Roma and Natalia also give a contemporary feel to timeless and classic silhouettes.

Where does the inspiration for the designs come from? Inspiration comes from many things, from fi lm, theatre, books, history, current fashion and architecture. I always carry a sketchbook so that if something inspires me I am able sketch it down then and there. I also drape fabric directly onto a mannequin in order to create shapes and to see how a particular fabric will hang to its best advantage.

Which fabrics do you enjoy working with most and why? I love working with all silks, including raw silks, silk crepe, silk organzas. Everything we use is sourced with quality in mind. I have introduced a beautiful silk lame fabric into the new collection and a heavy corded French lace which is beautiful.

Where are the dresses manufactured and why is this?We manufacture all of our dresses at our studio in Newcastle upon Tyne. We are very proud that we are able to do this. I have a very skilled team of pattern cutters and seamstresses that enable us to produce dresses of the highest quality. I personally

check each dress before it leaves our premises. Having the dresses manufactured at our studio enables us to change elements of the dress to suit each individual bride.

We pride ourselves in our customer care. Retailers are able to contact us via e-mail or by telephone if they have any queries.

If you had to pick one, which dress in your new collection are you most proud of and why? It’s really hard to pick just one as I love them all. We only create a small collection from the many designs that we produce each year, so I am very particular as to which dresses are created from these designs.

What type of retailer is the collection most suited to?Th e Leigh Hetherington Collection is a luxury brand. Th e collection needs to be housed in a boutique that has the same passions for bridal wear as we do. A retailer who is aware of quality and design and who can relay to the bride that elements of the dress can be changed to suit her, if she so wishes.

How do you view the current market for bridalwear and what trends do you see emerging over the coming months?I feel that the current market for bridalwear is edging towards wedding gowns that are made in the UK. More and more brides are requesting an individual look. Brides want something that refl ects their personality, they want to be able to mix styles together to create something that is unique to them.

Th ere is a defi nite trend towards dresses with diff erent styles of straps or sleeves. Brides are also requesting good quality fabrics and subtle detailing. Our brides don’t want to be overpowered by masses of beading. Th e dress is designed to compliment the bride and not the other way around.

If you could supply a bridal gown to anyone in the public eye, who would it be and why? I would love to design and create the most sumptuous gown for Catherine Middleton. To design a dress for royalty would be the ultimate dream come true.

What can we expect from Leigh Hetherington over the coming year?We are in midst of creating a collection of beautiful vintage inspired headpieces to compliment our dresses.

An English RoseBritish bridal designer, Leigh Hetherington, talks to Attire Bridal about her latest collection and her passion for quality design.

Georgina Rebecca Roma

www.trudylee.co.ukemail: [email protected] | tel: 01707 643633

UK Agent | Andrew Roberts Agencies Ltd

Island House, Swinford Mill, Bath Road, Swineford, Bristol, BS30 6LW

Tel: 0117 932 7905 | [email protected] | www.wilvorst.de

Fashion fi les

ATTIRE BRIDALFashion FilesFILE

1Th is season’s bridal gowns are bursting with blooms. Turn the page for our pick of the best.

FILE

2Fabulous accessories to match our two key bridal trends – fl owers and vintage.

FILE

3Th ese bridal dresses all take their inspiration from a much earlier era. We look at the modern take on these timeless trends.

PLUSFILE

4To mark 20 years as one of the country’s leading bridal designers, we speak to Caroline Castigliano about how it all began.

This season’s bridal gowns are bursting with blooms. Here’s our pick of the best…

Show

“Floral accents never seem to go out of fashion. While pretty corsages worn on the waist are still popular, spring/summer 2011 will be known for delicate fl owery straps, trims and embellishments.”

Ellis Bridals +44 (0)20 8888 8833 www.ellisbridals.co.uk

1. Tusneem Bridal +44 (0)845 053 5638 www.tusneembridal.co.uk 2. Madeline Isaac-James +44 (0)1252 377 725 www.madelineisaacjames.com 3. Cymbeline +44 (0)1200 448 646 www.cymbeline.com 4. Naomi Neoh +44 (0)20 8670 7070 www.naomineoh.com

File 1

1. 2.

3. 4.

File 1Pepe Botella +44 (0)20 3219 2000 www.pepebotella.es

1. Mia Mia +44 (0)20 8804 1444 www.miamiabridal.co.uk 2. Weise +49 (0)7962 89130 www.weise.eu 3. Justin Alexander Signature +44 (0)1908 615 599 www.justinalexanderbridal.com 4. Enzoani +44 (0)1792 564 710 www.enzoani.com

1. 2.

3. 4.

Tel: 0207 9233 583 | Email: [email protected]

www.robelli.co.uk

To accompany our two bridal fashion features this issue, we’ve compiled a selection of accessories to complete the look

Flo & Percy+44 (0)1277 637 143www.fl oandpercy.com

Chez Bec+44 (0)845 652 0892

www.chezbec.com

Hassall+44 (0)1392 207 030www.rainbowclub.co.uk

The Collections

Lily Bella [email protected]

Rachel Simpson+44 (0)121 428 2698www.rachelsimpsonshoes.co.uk

Lily Bella [email protected]

Nomination+44 (0)207 225 3915www.nomination.com

Vivien Sheriff Millinery+44 (0)1725 512 983www.viviensheriff .co.uk

Vintage Styling

Madeline Isaac-James+44 (0)1252 377 725www.madelineisaacjames.com

File 2

Charlotte Balbier+44 (0)1625 521 547

www.charlottebalbier.com

File 3

These dresses may appeal to the modern bride, but they all take inspiration from a much earlier era…

Donna Lee Designs +44 (0)845 519 1797www.donnaleedesigns.co.uk

Suzanne Ermann Couture+33 (0)1 43 56 06 06www.suzanne-ermann.com


MiaMia+44 (0)20 8804 1567www.miamiabridal.co.uk

Through the ages

Naomi Neoh+44 (0)20 8670 7070www.naomineoh.com


Nicola Anne+44 (0)1455 250 151www.nicolaanne.com

Justin Alexander+44 (0)1908 615 599

www.justinalexanderbridal.com

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

File 3

Leigh Hetherington

+44 (0)1912 605 757

www.leighhetherington.co.uk

Donna Lee Designs +44 (0)845 519 1797www.donnaleedesigns.co.uk

Eternity Bride+44 (0)8707 707 670www.eternitybridal.co.uk

Simply Stunning Bridal Gowns LtdTel: 07548 101 561

www.simply-stunning.com

We are looking for new stockists in all areas

To see more SBeG products available visit our website

NO MINIMUM ORDER VALUE OR QUANTITY

For further information please contact Sarah on:+44 (0) 7943828998

[email protected]

WEDDING

Designer focus

On the right trackWe speak to iconic bridal designer, Caroline Castigliano, as she prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her successful bridal brand.

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary – are you planning anything special to commemorate the occasion?We are really excited to be celebrating 20 years in January 2011 and have some fantastic events to mark the

occasion! We are holding a spectacular party at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on January 20th with a Champagne reception and will be unveiling the 2011 collection with an exclusive catwalk show.

Every day in January on our website we will be celebrating with luxury partners such as De Beers, Dior and Beachcomber to name a few, bringing our brides exclusive events, invitations and promotions just for them! We are certainly planning to celebrate in style.

We will continue through the year and plan exclusive events for evening wear and accessories in our Knightsbridge boutique, so keep an eye on our website for more details!

What prompted you to launch your own bridal label in the UK 20 years ago, and how long did it take to firmly establish yourself in the industry?I’ve always had a passion for design. I was always interested in fashion, and loved making clothes as a child. My mother influenced and encouraged me from a very early age. I bought Vogue every month from the age of 11 and by the time I was 13 my best friend and I would spend all our free time making clothes, frequently trying to copy styles from the magazine. We would buy our

fabric at ‘Liberty’ and drape it on a mannequin!I actually started out designing sportswear and

was lucky enough to be in prestigious stores in New York, including Bloomingdales and Macys. I even had a window at Christmas in Macys as well as appearing in their Christmas catalogue. When I came back to England I fell upon wedding dresses as a business idea very quickly. It was as if something clicked; from a design perspective and a business style I knew this would be right for me.

Bridal wear appealed to me because the bridal gown is the single most important gown a woman will invest in. I love the ability to transform a woman so that she looks and feels more confident than she ever has before. I like women to look feminine and sensual, I design to show curves and the beauty of being a woman but my look is subtle and understated. The bridal gown also says everything about a woman’s style and personality – so I get incredible fulfilment from by being involved in such an important part of their day.

I opened my first boutique in 1991 in my home county of Surrey. It was tiny and I loved it. I launched my first bridal collection shortly after, and was very fortunate as it took off straight away. I often had a queue of people on the weekend waiting to buy their wedding dress. The rest is history!

What would you say has been your best business decision over this time?The best decision, I’m not sure as I have had to make so many! Asking Jasper Conran to design his first bridal wear collection exclusively for Caroline Castigliano certainly has to be one of

File 4

the best decisions. I got on really well with Jasper, he was great and I learnt a lot from him.

What would you say have been your most memorable moments over this time?Oh, memorable moments…really I take things in my stride. On many occasions people will say to me “oh you must be so proud of this” etc and I really wouldn’t have given it a lot of thought – this is my life, these are the people I dress and I know I have been very lucky. I don’t have one or two moments that stand out enormously from many of the others but I do push all the boundaries to make things happen.

Are there any men or women ‘behind the scenes’ that have been instrumental in the continuing success of your business?The man behind the scenes is my husband – he is an entrepreneur and he really pushes me. I push him sometimes too, but he has had a very strong influence over the Castigliano brand and the decisions we have made and the development we have achieved.

In your opinion, what have been the key changes in the bridal industry since you first launched your bridal label?Bridal wear has changed enormously over the years. Brides have become more influenced by Hollywood’s red carpet style so go for the more ‘glamorous’ look and are less influenced by a classic bridal style. When I started, everyone had dupion dresses that generally bore a resemblance to the one Princess Diana wore, but not as big. I think the most significant thing that has happened is that you no longer have to have a religious ceremony. Now couples celebrate their

weddings in castles, in manor houses, in front of beautiful lakes - it’s very exciting for the designer.

Finally, what are your plans to develop the Castigliano brand over the coming years? There are always big plans at Caroline Castigliano! In 2011 we will be launching our wholesale collection to a worldwide market. The collection will be available in Saudi Arabia at Saks Fifth Avenue and we have other locations lined up from January. We will also be developing and launching an evening wear collection to hit the market in 2012 so we are very busy!

ContactCaroline Castigliano+44 (0)20 7993 9622

www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk

TARGETING ALL BRIDES

The Essential Collection will give bridal retailers the chance to see the 2012 collections for the first time in the UK.

The event will not only showcase collections from names well known within the industry but also designers not seen at other bridal exhibitions.

• Free on-site parking

• Within 100 miles of many major cities

• Special rates available for local accomodation

A NEW EXHIBITION FOR UK BRIDAL RETAILERS

FREE ENTRY

FOR TRADE

BUYERS

Enzoani

Column

SPLIT INVOICESYears ago a few unscrupulous suppliers in the bridal industry appeared to have hit upon an idea to effectively reduce the cost of goods imported from outside of the European Union (EU).

Items of bridalwear manufactured within the UK or the EU do not attract any ‘Import Duty’ but if the same goods were imported from outside of the EU, then an Import Duty of 12% generally had to be paid to what was then HM Customs & Excise.

The idea was that the factory in, say, China invoiced the UK/EU Importer using two separate invoices, one for “administration and documentation” and one for the actual goods, then import duty was only ever collected based on the ‘goods’ invoice.

The factory split the order value into the two parts and invoiced for its administration at around 30% of order value, leaving a 70% invoice to accompany the goods. Since no goods were shown on the administration invoice, no Import Duty was collected on that amount. The second (70%) invoice attracted Import Duty as normal but the overall result was that the UK/EU importer paid 30% less duty than he should have done.

The UK/EU importer therefore improved his profit margin: the factory was paid in full but the UK/EU government lost revenue. This sort of practice tends to re-surface in difficult economic times and this year is no exception.

In all cases the cost of such imported goods has to be determined using customs valuation methods as in the EU Customs Code which is an EU regulation. In most cases Customs establish the “open market value” of products and these cannot be manipulated. The exporting factory’s overheads must be contained within the price as sold.

The split invoice method could expose the importer to substantial fines and penalties from HM Revenue & Customs and, in serious cases, lead to Criminal Action. This system probably originated within the US but Customs Law there

contains similar provisions to the UK/EU since they use the same General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) code for Customs valuation, so this practice would certainly not be tolerated in the US either.

For further information the specialist firm of Bell Davies offers a free initial consultation but, of course, additional work would have to be paid for. Send an email to [email protected] for more details.

WHO’D BE A SUPPLIER?Who can blame a supplier for trying to make extra money as well as cutting costs? Within the last few days we have completed the task of preparing the BBA’s Worst Accounts List for November. There was an appreciable increase in the number of retailers shown on the list compared to the previous edition dated September 2010.

Within the List there is a section named Multiple Hits which highlights retailers who have gone 90 days overdue with at least two or more BBA members. This particular section increased by no less than 130% compared to September. This is a very worrying trend and is causing great concern in the trade. Over 90% of BBA members submit the names of clients who are overdue and these inputs are superimposed to arrive at an effective window on the state of the trade. Basically, over 200 retailers are not paying their suppliers within 90 days. Admittedly this is a difficult time of year for retailers as far as income is concerned, especially when you consider that only around 6% of annual retail income is generated in November and only 5%

in December. This is not enough to pay retail overheads, let alone suppliers.

When submitting their confidential list of defaulters, suppliers are encouraged to add a brief comment on each one. In this difficult economic climate some of these comments make you smile. Recently one wrote “Client on maternity leave but baby cannot sign cheque”. Another said “Shop closed, stock sold even if it wasn’t theirs to sell”. More serious ones relate to such things as County Court Judgements, etc. The Worst Accounts List is prepared within the Data Protection Act and only those BBA members who submit their own list of companies are able to receive a confidential copy.

When a retailer applies for a credit account with a BBA member, the first checks are made on the Worst Accounts List which is prepared in alphabetical order for the sake of convenience. The List has been operating now for four years and a strong database has been produced.

Most suppliers these days use factoring so that when an invoice is generated for bridal goods, the first copy goes to the client and the second copy goes to a factoring company which pays the supplier around 85% of the invoice value immediately. If the retailer pays within the agreed timescale then the factor pays a further figure to the supplier of around a further 7 – 8%. The supplier never receives 100% of the invoice value because of the factor’s operating costs. If the client defaults completely the debt may well be insured but often there is an excess payment just as in car insurance. If all fails totally the factor may bounce the whole debt back onto the supplier. As you can see, suppliers don’t simply provide you with quality goods; they are importers, distributors, bankers, insurance agents and finally they are your best friend. Look after them and they will look after you.

Split invoicesIn his latest column, Joseph Sweeney, Chairman of the British Bridalwear Assocation, discusses the implications of split invoices and asks the question – who’d be a supplier?

ContactsThe British Bridalwear

Association+44 (0)121 321 3939

www.bbabridalwear.com.

When a retailer applies for a credit account with a BBA member,

the first checks are made on the Worst Accounts List which

is prepared in alphabetical order for the sake of convenience.

The List has been operating now for four years and a strong

database has been produced.

Crystal Breeze

Profile

Belle of the BallWe speak to Ms Ruby Ashraf, Designer and CEO of Precious Formals Inc about her views on the UK prom market

When did you launch into the UK prom market, and for what reason?We had started studying the UK market in late 2003, with the view of promoting a part of our collection suitable for evening and cocktail wear to retailers in the UK. Then in 2004, there were several reports in UK media that American style prom celebrations were catching on in UK schools. Co-incidentally, this was also the time when retailers in the UK began sending us feelers via our website, stating that they might be interested in doing business with us.

In these initial years, the market was still very, very small. We did set-up a couple of very successful retail-partnerships, but did not launch into the market via trade shows and advertising, because we wanted the trend of proms to establish itself firmly and the market to grow and to completely understand the market dynamics and prepare a tailor-made range before our big launch. By 2008, we were visiting UK trade shows, talking with retailers and members of the public visiting shows such as the Clothes Show in Birmingham.

In 2009, Precious Formals became the first American Prom wear designer to do a direct showcase of its designs in UK, at the autumn edition of Moda. Compared to the Prom market in the USA, at the time, the prom market in UK was still largely nascent, but growing rapidly. Precious Formals grew with the market – putting in place customer-centric strategies that ensured a deep and lasting relationship with a majority of its retail partners.

What inspired your latest prom collection?There are several sources of inspiration really. These are nature, flowers, butterflies, birds, feathers and the shimmer and shine of red carpet events. In terms of cut and drape, this is a collection that draws heavily on late eighteenth century and regency fashion. There is also a vivid expression of Monet-inspired florals in gorgeous prints. As with all Precious Formals collections, this year’s collection is high on the glamour quotient with a look reminiscent of the screen goddess era – à la Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.

What sets your prom designs apart from others on the market?What makes our designs stand out from other prom dresses in the market is the fact that we bring fabulous to the everyday world. First and foremost, these are not designs bought from stock designers in China.

When I design a prom dress, the over-riding factor is the understanding that the dress will be worn by a young girl – one who has perhaps never owned or worn such a fabulous dress before. So the design has to have an aspirational quality – it has to be something she has dreamt of, but it also has to be wearable.

My designs have been trend-setters right from the start. I was the first to bring in rainbow colours to the prom dress in her 2009 collection. You will see this trend with a host of other prom collections in the market this year.

Once again, the 2010 collection carried a range of styles inspired by American biker fashion. At the time, no one else in the market was carrying this look, neither in the evening-wear nor in the prom-wear segments. This year, the look is already the talk

of runway aficionados. The Precious Formals 2011 collection has styles that celebrate this trend.

Each dress is like a singular jewel – it does not need accessories to showcase it. Often overlooked, this completeness is really budget-friendly for the buyer.

Finally though, what sets a style apart is not just how it looks on the runway or on a model in an advert – but how it wears on the girl trying it out at a shop. So another important aspect that sets Precious Formals styles apart is the fabulous construction. Even with the biggest ball gowns, the wearer would not require too many extra layers of petticoats/underskirts to achieve the perfect fall and drape.

And the Precious Formals styles are available in a much wider range of sizes (at no extra cost) than any other name in the market. We have put in lots of research into making sure each style is suitable for any shape or size. Built-in Body Control is just one aspect of the construction of our styles, essential for achieving that ultimate look for a bigger diva. The other expression of this would be strapless styles with low back. A girl might be a size 0, but without our in-built body control she would find it hard to get the right fit for such a style.

Another aspect is the subtlest variation in the cut and drape of the style going from the lower end to the higher end of the size range. This will make a style more suitable for a wider range of sizes than it would be if these variations were not implemented

How does the UK prom market compare the US prom market?The most important distinguishing factor is the age of the prom-goer. In the USA, she is normally 18

Profile

years of age; in the UK, younger by two years. What’s more, in the UK she has perhaps had a more sheltered upbringing than her cousin in the USA, where most 15 to 16 years are already doing some kind of a job.

Therefore, the UK prom market has totally different sensibilities when compared to the US prom market. Many styles, especially the shorter ones or the ones with deeper necklines and cut-outs at the stomach or waist, would sell very well in most states in the USA but not so in the UK.

In the UK, tastes tend towards the more romantic look. As such, in the past, ball gowns with a touch of fantasy have been the biggest sellers. With the 2011 season, there is a transition towards slimmer, svelter styling. So, many of our slimmer styles would have one version, with deeper necklines, higher slits and cut-outs for the USA, and a second version without cuts and slits (or lower side slits) and much more demure necklines for the UK.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be in the UK (styles, colours, fabric etc) for 2011?In terms of styles, there is a very visible transition from Cindrella-esque ball gowns to slimmer styles. Another trend catching on in the UK is the Latin American influenced dance wear – in fact, one of our hottest selling styles in the UK right now is a dual tone, rumba style in organza.

The runway trends for spring-summer 2011 have been indicating a return of sharper cuts and a celebration of neon colours. Both these trends are reflected in the Precious Formals collection.

In terms of fabrics, the wearability aspect is predominant – so emphasis is on feather-light chiffons and soft illusion for that sheer look; as well as traditionally heavier fabrics such as Taffeta and Charmeuse re-interpreted for light-weight comfort.

Another trend catching on hugely is the shorter beaded dress. It’s a real retro trend (initially all the rage with Marilyn Monroe’s oomphy short dresses) re-purposed today by younger celebrities like Taylor Swift. This is definitely a growing trend that will become more and more visible through 2011 and, indeed, into 2012.

What fabrics have you used in your latest prom collection, and why? The collection runs with some of the hottest runway trends for spring summer 2011, including a sassy collection of neon coloured styles; and a beautiful range of styles in sheer fabrics and innovatively placed cut-outs.

Chiffon – a classic staple – is re-interpreted with innovative drapes and colours, especially the Ombré effect, keeping the sheerness both classy and subtle. Similarly with organza, this sheerest of fabrics is re-purposed with a dual-tonality that adds to the mystery, hiding as much as hinting at the flesh tones it covers.

Meanwhile, another starrer is stretch Charmeuse, with a feel of raw silk, but without any of the weight usually associated with either raw silk or Charmeuse. This fabric is ideal for the sharper cuts on slimmer dresses, with an additional touch of comfort for any size. Also, it looks as good as it wears.

How will you support retailers stocking the range? Our relationships are based on two basic tenets – We take care of our retailers and we are always available to them over the phone.

One of the most important aspects of our retailer relationship is the fact that we always have a very large inventory. In most cases, when a retailer takes an order based on a showroom sample, the dress can ship out within 24 hours from our warehouse and reach the retailer within three days. This process has been further fine-tuned with the use of a secure online inventory access system by our retailers, with which they can check availability of styles in real time.

Where the dress has to be placed on a special order, depending upon the intricate detailing of the design and embellishments, the lead times can be anything from 6 to 12 weeks.

We have also made a conscious commitment to maintain exclusivity of our designs. So we never compromise an existing partner’s exclusivity for the sake of appointing a new partner in the same local market place. This exclusivity is contingent, of course, on the same level of commitment from the retailer.

Also, we totally appreciate the steep costs that our retailers incur when they buy from outside of the UK. We have therefore, committed to paying the customs and VAT on their behalf, on all their stock purchases from Precious Formals. Also, depending on their level of commitment, many retailers also enjoy free shipping on their stock orders.

Another important aspect of our relation is the Precious Formals assurance of quality. In the rare instance, where a dress arrives at a retailer’s store in less than perfect condition, we will replace it.

Most important of all – Precious Formals does not reach its retailer through agents. It is always the hands-on in-house team; available to our retailers, 24/7 – we

have set up a free phone for our UK retailers, which they can use to get in touch with us at any time.

We also support our retailers’ sales effort with a well thought-out and comprehensive marketing strategy. This includes print and online adverts and promotions.

What’s your favourite piece from the range and why?Each style in the collection is like my baby – so it would be tough to single out any one design. Each one has special features that make it stand out. This year we have hot selling designs at both ends of the spectrum – a gorgeous, peacock inspired embellished ball gown in jewel colours and a stunning, slim, Monet-inspired print. Another hot-seller has been a short and long Rumba style dress in dual tone organza.

How do you see the Prom market developing in the UK?Two growing trends in the UK prom market are the transition to a style-wise more diverse demand and the growing interest in the junior prom celebration. On the one hand this means that with a more diverse range of styles in demand, the prom retailer will grow beyond its specialised in-season retail to great sales with cross-over styles that can be worn from prom to occasion wear as well as evening and cocktail wear. On the other hand, with the American influenced junior prom tradition catching on, there will be a growing market for fabulously designed dresses for the pre-teen and the early-teen segment.

Despite reportedly favouring a Brazilian designer for her everyday wardrobe and key special occasion pieces, it seems Catherine Middleton is being strongly advised to appoint a British designer to create her dream wedding dress – and rightly so! Th e options are endless and, at present, Bruce Oldfi eld, Amanda Wakely and Jenny Packham are all fi rm favourites. Here at Attire Bridal we know plenty of talented British bridal designers that we think would do a fabulous job of designing a wedding gown fi t for a princess-to-be. Here are just a small selection…

Beverly Listerwww.beverlylister.co.uk“A bridal look that is elegant and traditional is key for a royal wedding and the dress I have chosen would refl ect Catherine Middleton’s sophisticated style. French lace and silk gowns are an ideal choice as they are beautiful, classic and timeless and would fl atter Catherine’s tall, slim fi gure. Typically royal brides are more conservative and a lace shrug is an elegant way to keep the shoulders covered. Vintage pearl or diamond jewellery and a cathedral-length veil would add the fi nal touch.”

Charlotte Balbierwww.charlottebalbier.com“Huge congratulatons to William and his very beautiful bride-to-be Catherine. Th e big question on everyone’s lips is ‘what dress will she be wearing?’ Here is my top choice ...“My ‘Rosa’ gown would be perfect for Catherine. Rosa is an Italian lace gown with a four tier Organza ruffl e trim. Its classical elegance, date-less appeal with understated glamour is perfect for a princess-to-be. I would style Catherine with a full length veil and some royal jewels.”

Suzanne Nevillewww.suzanneneville.com“Th ere will be a lot of speculation as to what the chosen designer will make for Catherine, but the most important thing will be to hear what Catherine wants to wear - the dress needs to refl ect her personal style and personality.

”If we were selected to create the gown, I would sit down with Catherine, as I do with many of our clients, to fi nd out exactly what she imagines her dream wedding gown to be and together we would create something completely incredible for her day. Whilst the gown would have the handwriting of our shaping and be perfectly craft ed to show off Catherine’s fi gure, the gown would need to be a complete one off , something incredibly special and unique. Of course, the very best fabrics, hand beading and detailing would be used to fi nish it. It is incredibly important to make the gown fresh, modern and timeless - aft er all, the images will be referred back to for a long time to come!”

Beverly Lister

Susanne Neville

Charlotte Balbier

As speculation mounts on the identity of the designer who will be creating Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, we speak to leading British bridal designers to fi nd out how they would dress the bride-to-be…

Natalie Gladman, Madeline Isaac-Jameswww.madelineisaacjames.com“As an independent, self-assured young woman, Catherine has her own innate sense of style and carries herself with a fabulous understated elegance. She is able to combine traditional elements (as is required of a royal wardrobe), with youthful, on-trend exuberance – a great combination!

“We think that a gorgeous silk taff eta gown such as ‘Carole’ from our 2011 Candlelit Collection would fi t the bill beautifully. Combining traditional elements with a modern twist, the Carole gown has a beautiful

beaded lace bodice, V-neckline (without being too low) and pretty sleeves – perfect for a wedding at Westminster Abbey in London. “Th is gown, with its full skirt (featuring fabulous, classic box pleats) and a full train, would work beautifully with again, a cathedral length heirloom veil and perhaps a stunning royal tiara from the royal collection.”

Leigh Hetheringtonwww.leighhetherington.co.uk“If I were to dress Miss Middleton for her wedding day I would create something that was slim fi tting to compliment her fantastic fi gure. It would have sleeves and subtle detailing and possibly a slash neckline. It would be made of lace and silk and have hand made fl owers and vintage inspired beadwork apliqued on to it. I would reinvent my ‘Leila’ dress from my 2011 collection by giving the skirt more volume, attaching delicate Chantilly lace sleeves and cluster fl owers around the hem of the dress.”

Sassi Holford“Th ere are a number of important considerations for Catherine Middleton’s wedding gown: it’s a major royal occasion, the size and splendour of Westminster Abbey, whether or not the bride will wear any pieces of royal heritage jewellery. Th ese would suggest a silk gown, perhaps with lace detailing on the bodice, and full skirted with a cathedral train.Th e skill then is to produce a design that meets the expectations of a royal wedding but also refl ects the personality of a fashion conscious, intelligent, young woman.

“Th e design ‘Yvette’ is in silk and has an elegant but fl attering cross-front lace bodice emphasised by an empire band with fl ower detail.”

Lyn Ashworthwww.lynashworth.co.uk“Firstly, practical considerations; as the venue is Westminster Abbey, Catherine Middleton will arrive in the Glass Coach so the dress mustn’t be too big.

“Th e trend for brides at the moment is strapless, but she may want to be more demure. Indeed, she is very slender so won’t want to be swamped.

“She will also be waving a lot, so the dress shouldn’t be too restrictive, even if it has sleeves. I think a “Grace Kelly” look would be perfect, and our dress, Rebecca, ticks all these boxes. Having said this, we would want to use a very special handmade lace, and perhaps lengthen the train to fl oat above the fl oor as she walks.”

Madeline Isaac-James Leigh Hetherington

Sassi Holford

Lyn Ashworth Royal wedding

Tel: 01252 623111Email: [email protected]

MOB fashion

Mother of

We take a look at one of the key fashion trends for 2011 – floral prints.

MOB fashion

John Charles+44 (0)20 8888 8833www.johncharles.co.uk

Ian Stuart+44 (0)20 8761 6302www.ianstuart-london.com

Annika by Dynasty+44 (0)20 8736 0200www.dynastyuk.co.uk

Ispirato+44 (0)20 7411 4382www.ispirato.co.uk

Condici+44 (0)20 7411 4390

www.condici.com

Column

There are five wedding dress shops within a short stroll of ours. One of them stocks 24 wedding dress labels alone. Add to that a further two home sellers, a high street of shops (some of which sell

bridal and bridesmaid dresses), plus the usual online copy cowboys and you could say that we face considerable daily competition. It doesn’t really faze me. Should it? Instead of concerning myself about a lost sale or what other bridal shops are doing I tend to focus on my business, my customers, my dresses, my marketing, my customer service and my team. The operative word here being ‘my’, and this attitude seems to work well for us. Yes, we keep an eye on competitive activity and often have a nose online at the dress styles that we may have lost out to, but it is fair to say that we more than hold our own and concentrate our mental and physical energy on our business. Since our expansion this year we’ve significantly increased our market share and so maybe it’s our competitors that need to keep an eye on us?

Actually some do and rightly so, I know this because in-store we occasionally experience ‘mystery shoppers’. Sometimes we spot them during the appointment. Staff are encouraged to continue in a polite and courteous fashion despite the awkward situation. My husband suggests we have a few custard pies at the ready but I’m not prepared to risk the consequence if we get it wrong, hilarious though it could be. I can’t really complain since I actually agree mystery shopping is a hugely valuable exercise. In truth if I had the time I would probably spend more time touring the UK in disguise frequenting quaint b&bs and checking out other bridal shops, there’s an awful lot that can be gained from doing so. Hmm, note to one’s self - must order Britain’s best b&b guide, large floppy hat, blonde curly wig and glasses!

My staff also mystery shop as part of their sales training. I know, pretty annoying if you are reading this and realise you may have had your time wasted by one of them. One of my

Saturday girls once got so carried away playing her bridal role she almost signed the shop’s order form for a wedding dress and has spent most days since trying to extract a wedding proposal from her boyfriend! Another, years ago, was recognised and after a series of suspicious whispers three sales staff emerged and confronted her with inhospitable faces and arms folded to demand that she leave their premises! It was a very embarrassing situation for her. Wickedly though I thought it mildly entertaining and tried to console her by maintaining it was a ‘good character building experience’: poor thing, she still turns red at the mere mention.

One thing I cannot condone is RRP undercutting. It seems to be a relentlessly frustrating topic for many. We sell a well known brand that attracts local and national price enquiries and we sell the brand successfully without undercutting. Yes, we might offer an occasional discount to close a sale but we do not pro-actively price compete. We don’t undercut because essentially it’s not good business; it’s underhand, it devalues the brand, it sends out the wrong message to the market place and, in my opinion, it smacks of desperation. Actually we occasionally win sales from other shops who have tried to apply undercutting tactics, it seems that some brides can be made to feel pretty insecure about price reductions and prefer the reassurance of a professional wedding shop with solid customer service. If you undercut, I would take a seriously hard look at the long term negative impact it could have on your business reputation not to mention the long term effect

that it may be having industry wide. It’s simply not a sustainable strategy.

So should we perhaps be working more closely with our competitors? Is it actually possible to have a trusting and genuine friendship with other local bridal shop owners? Some bridal shops would say yes. But really? Are they true friendships or is it a case of being clever and holding enemies close? Personally I’d be a little suspicious if one of my competitors suddenly invited me to lunch although, saying that as I write this, I wonder what business potential there could be in joining forces with other retailers especially if you’re able to cater for different categories of customer?

We choose to have positive relationships with competing businesses even though customers have reported negative comments that have been made by other shops about mine. Over the years I’ve diplomatically learnt to shake it off; I admit I once put pen to paper but my formal letter promising ‘legal action should it continue’ was not sent. In hindsight I’m pleased as I think it would have been an overreaction. It’s incredibly frustrating and tempting but definitely a mistake to bite back especially in front of the customer. If they see you treating your competitors professionally, they will certainly have more respect for you, particularly in response to negative gossip. The way we treat our competitors or respond in such cases will affect how the business community, industry peers and customers perceive our business ethics and if you are anything like me (and some of my competitors) you will prefer to be held in high regard and viewed as a professional business with a solid reputation. That said, if a situation escalates and becomes libellous seek professional advice and objectively consider with care the response that you make (if at all). Sometimes, as was in my case, it’s best to ignore and immerse yourself in your own brilliant bridal bubble.

Good CompetitionIn her latest column, award-winning bridal shop owner, Abigail Neill, offers advice on setting yourself above the competition.

ContactAbigail’s Collection, Colchester, Essex.

+44 (0)1206 574 575 www.abigailscollection.co.uk

“One thing I cannot condone is RRP undercutting. It seems to be a relentlessly frustrating topic for

many. We sell a well known brand that attracts local and national price

enquiries and we sell the brand successfully without undercutting. Yes, we might offer an occasional discount to close a sale but we do not pro-actively price compete.”

We showcase four key trends taking centre stage this season…

Colour Studio by Rainbow Club+44 (0)1392 207 040www.mycolourstudio.co.uk

Special Occasion

Shoes

GOING FOR

GOLDThe glamorous choice for

any evening event

Time to Shine

Metallics are still very much in vogue

Bourne+44 (0)1482 334 590

www.bournecollection.com

Crystal Couture+44 (0)7976 573 881www.iwantcrystalcouture.com

Occasion Shoe+44 (0)1752 863 640www.occasionshoe.co.uk

Occasion Shoe+44 (0)1752 863 640www.occasionshoe.co.uk

Aruna Seth+44 (0)20 8773 7859www.arunaseth.com

Bourne+44 (0)1482 334 590www.bournecollection.com Freya Rose

+44 (0)845 371 4466www.freyarose.co.uk

Lotus by Jacobson Group+44 (0)1706 212 [email protected]

Into the Night

These stylish heels embody boudoir chic

Pink by Paradox+44 (0)20 8509 0001

www.paradoxlondon.com


Ravel by Jacobson Group

+44 (0)1706 212 [email protected]

Vibrant jewelled hues provide instant impact

OVER THE RAINBOW

Freya Rose+44 (0)845 371 4466www.freyarose.co.uk

Colour Studio by Rainbow Club

+44 (0)1392 207 040www.mycolourstudio.co.uk

Ravel by Jacobson Group+44 (0)1706 212 [email protected]


Colour Studio by Rainbow Club+44 (0)1392 207 040www.mycolourstudio.co.uk

StandS33

Janan [email protected]

Gareth [email protected]

Phone: 07948 356 647

www.cocoroselondon.com

Spring Summer 2011Top Drawer Spring, Stand S33

Pure, Stand KFo104

Up and coming

Hello Yona, can you tell us a little about your background? I have a background in theatrical media and makeup, and I have also spent time as an Executive P.A. and Office Manager

at many large corpoarations including a large national radio station.

What inspired your first foray into bridal shoe design? I have always been very artistic and, like many women, have always had an obsession with nice shoes and handbags. I am also a magpie when it comes to jewels and anything that sparkles! That said, the real inspiration comes from my own experience of preparing for my big day. I was unhappy with the plain, uninspiring shoes that were available and, although it was too late for my own nuptials, it planted a seed in my mind. After having two children, I was inspired by my entreprenurial husband to start a home-based business specialising in bridal shoes.

How do you balance your busy home life with running a bridal business? I am mum to my three gorgeous girls by day and a business woman by night and at weekends. I have a lot of business help from my husband as well as support from our close family unit, especially both nans and a very reliable nannie when needed.

How would you describe your current bridal shoe collection? My current collection is a contemporary and on-

trend range of glamourous, stylish and luxurious jewel-embellished footwear, suitable for any fashionista for any special occasion.

Do you have a signature style? Most definitely – it’s fabulous, fluffy, fun and full of sparkle!

What is your favourite piece from the collection and why? My best-selling signature shoe, the “Crystal Slipper”, is my favourite piece as it appeals to both my love of shoes and my love of “bling” - it is a shoe for any occasion.

What is your greatest success to-date? Apart from starting and growing a successful business whilst having two children and being pregnant with the third, it would have to be securing a number of glass display cabinets within some Debenhams department stores, as well as being featured in Vogue magazine, all within my first 12 months of trading.

What sort of retailer is your collection most suited to? My collection is suitable for all ages and, therefore, most retailers, although it is especialy suitable for those who are looking to break through tradition to be more innovative, on-trend and glamorous.

If you were able to design a pair of bridal shoes for anyone in the public eye, who would it be and why? I would have to say Katherine Jenkins because she is a Welsh glamourpuss; stylish, fun and vibrant, just like me!

What do you hope to achieve for your business in the next five years?I have set myself a number of targets for the coming years. Firstly, I would like to have a strong but selective network of stockists around the UK and Europe, as well establishing myself as a well known brand. In addition, it’s my ambition to set up my own well established boutique, as well having a broader range of products.

I would hope for the continuation of my fresh and innovative designs and the launch of many new and exciting collections. I would also hope to continue my growth rate each year and become even more profitable.

Finally, I would like to become more known and established in my field and for the designs that I offer.

Further informationCrystal Couture, +44 (0)7976 573 881www.iwantcrystalcouture.com

Yona Armstrong is an inspiration for working mothers everywhere. Her fledgling company, Crystal Couture, set up when she was pregnant with her third child, recently featured in Vogue, while her beautiful bridal shoes take pride of place in a number of Debenhams stores.

Up andComing

Yona’s reveals her top tips for setting up a home based business• Be organised - as a former Executive PA this comes easy to me but there are a lot of processes and systems you can use to keep on top of everything.

• Be willing to try out new ideas to keep your offering fresh.

• Enjoy what you do.

• Try to build a very good support network around you.

Up and coming

Prom FrocksIt’s all about theDress

Prom

Since the US prom scene first started making waves over here, the UK market has grown exponentially. We speak to leading prom suppliers to find out if it’s reaching saturation point…

Eternity GroupRebekah Roberts, Design and Marketing

Describe your latest prom collectionWe have three prom collections under the Eternity Group: our multi award-winning Tiffany Prom collection, featuring classic full length gowns; Tiffany Print, a collection of modern printed maxi dresses and Hannah S, featuring short sassy styles.

This season the Tiffany Prom and Hannah S collections feature bead encrusted bodices, layered tulle, and sequin scattered skirts. The gowns also feature innovative pleating, fabric corsages and oversized bows. New fabrics include flocked patterns, two tone tulles and sequin covered prints.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Prints are becoming more popular, so this season we have introduced new prints such as skull and cross bone, Hawaiian tropic, leopard print and roses. There is also a return to ultra feminine styling including frothy skirts, candy floss colours, corseting and structure.

How competitive is the UK prom market?The market is becoming very competitive. There are new prom brands arising each season, plus more bridal companies are expanding into prom collections. As we are the number one prom brand in the USA it can be frustrating when other manufacturers copy our designs. There is always going to be competition from the high street although this can be a positive as it helps fashion directions come through the industry faster.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition?We are simply the best. Tiffany Prom is an award-winning collection that has been running for eight years and is the largest prom collection in the USA. We are renowned for our outstanding quality and styling.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?Our prom collections are growing each season so the market is definitely showing no signs of slowing down. Sixteen-year-old school proms could possibly decline as more young people stay on to 6th form. We could possibly see a change from sixteen-year-old proms to eighteen-year-old proms, therefore a demand for more mature style gowns.

Hannah S

Tiffany Prom

Crystal BreezeVictor Joneja

Describe your latest prom collection.Our new collection for a/w 2011/12 explodes with dramatic colours and sparkle. Big skirts, bright colours and amazing prints contribute to this first collection for the 2012 prom season. What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Sparkle and colours lead the way, displayed on sexy fitted dresses or full Cinderella fairytale gowns. How competitive is the UK prom market?Nowadays the UK market has become very competitive with the arrival of numerous new prom manufacturers alongside the many American companies and agencies now wanting their share of the UK market. This is definitely a growing market, keeping standards high and prices competitive. How do you set yourself apart from the competition?Crystal Breeze gowns are designed in Kingston Upon Thames. The target customer for prom dresses is mostly very fashion/image conscious young ladies aged 16-18 years old . Current fashion trends are very influential in the development of new styles. How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?Retailers will realise the need to stock size runs, thereby selling off the peg instead of trying to sell special order prom dresses. It is more time/cost effective to sell the dress then and there. Furthermore, most girls are impatient preferring to take their dress home right away. Possibly more department and chain stores will start stocking prom dresses, creating more competition in the market.

Official Clothing LtdAnthea Inchenko, Online Sales Manager

Describe your latest prom collectionOur latest prom collection is fun and flirty, offering a mixture of rich colours, textured fabrics and stunning silhouettes. Each dress is uniquely crafted, with a high level of intricacy in design that is unparalleled. With delicate embroidery and hand-sewn beading, these pieces represent the most modern aspects of culture, while incorporating the beauty and class of a traditional prom dress.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?2011 is all about “Dress to Impress”. Hollywood glamour, red carpet gowns and celebrities will inspire. We predict vibrant colours, metallic fabrics and new shapes, in particular, the “tea length” dress which is hemmed at the shin. However, we believe the traditional ball gown will continue to steal the show, shortly followed by the halter neck dress showing off elegant shoulders and revealing a low back. Intricate detail including sequins, rhinestones, beads, and jewels will also be a big hit.

How competitive is the UK prom market?The UK prom market is as competitive as ever with big chain supermarkets and low budget retailers producing prom dresses in large quantities and at low prices. This is affecting the smaller independent retailers and manufacturers, forcing them to produce bigger rangers at more aggressive prices in order to survive in the turbulent market.

The plus side, however, means there is more choice for girls when choosing their prom dress, and they no longer need to spend as much money on their dream gown.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition?We believe that staying true to our brand and continuing to produce high quality dresses will keep us apart from the majority of the competition. Although, like many other manufacturers and retailers, we are being forced to produce a lower priced range in order to survive in this turbulent economy, we are still not altering the quality of the dresses we produce. We continue to place emphasis on quality as well as price, staying true to our 30 year manufacturing history.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?We firmly believe the prom market will go from strength to strength in the UK over the next few years. First and foremost, more and more schools, colleges and universities are being influenced by the US placing keen emphasis on prom nights. Secondly, with the celebrity obsessed culture that we live in; young girls are continually trying to dress like their favourite singers and actors, encouraging them to buy dresses seen in magazines and on television. Finally, with the market becoming more and more price conscious, and low cost retailers and high street supermarkets producing big quantity dresses at low prices, prom dresses are becoming more affordable and so girls will continue to buy a new dress for each new occasion.

Alice JamesAnn Byers, Buying Director

Describe your latest prom collectionOur latest prom collection is a real mixture, from on-trend young and flirty, to slinky and glamorous. For the romantic look we also have full ball gown splendour.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Anything goes, the prom scene can take all the key fashion looks and they will not be out of place at any venue. Short and flirty styles are set to dominate, particularly soft and floaty fabrics that are easy to wear again.

How competitive is the UK prom market?It’s very competitive: the UK has seen new companies establish themselves specifically to supply the prom and special occasion markets while others, like ourselves, have extended our bridesmaids offer to include proms. How do you set yourself apart from the competition?Service is our number one priority, plus we offer a superior quality product at affordable prices.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?It is probably at saturation point now from a supply point of view, but innovative designs and clever use of fabrics will be key to sustaining market share over the next few years.

Scarlett EveningsLesley Hilton, Managing Director

Describe your latest prom collectionTh e latest Scarlett prom collection refl ects what we do best – high quality yet aff ordable gowns for school proms – traditional yet with our own twist. As we are a UK-based company we are able to keep our fi nger on what UK teenagers want, which is oft en very diff erent from their USA counterparts. We try to keep our styles and colours fresh and new for each season, styles are fashionable and fl attering without being overtly sexy due to the age group we target. Th is season, in response to demand from our stockists, we have incorporated a full range of price points refl ecting the current climate. Gowns sold well across the full price range from low to high at MODA and Harrogate. What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011? Following the USA, print is becoming stronger with large stone beadwork replacing the delicate embroidery of previous seasons. Sexy open back dresses are already being asked for, and the one shoulder look is popular. Tafetta is still strong, with chiff on, prints and silky charmeuse fabrics becoming more sought aft er as celebrity and red carpet looks prove even more important each season. Furthermore, there are always girls who want that full tulle fairytale look and you will fi nd these kind of gowns in our collection alongside the more slinky dresses.

How competitive is the UK prom market? Th e sector becomes more competitive every season. Five or six years ago, when Scarlett fi rst started up, the prom market in the UK barely existed – now we see more and more companies launching a prom collection and more American companies bringing their ranges to the UK. We try to encourage loyalty with our stockists and I’m happy to report that many of them have supported us since the beginning.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition? We off er the right balance of quality and price for the UK market. We also try to off er our stores the best possible service we can – a personal service which includes backup stock held in our warehouse, fast deliveries, an online stock checking system which is real-time to our own stock system and, above all, friendly customer service is paramount at Scarlett – we don’t lose many stockists and realise loyalty works both ways.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years? Many manufacturers and stores are fi nding these tough times – but at Scarlett Evenings we have seen steady sales on prom over the past two seasons and have seen no real signs of the recession aff ecting prom spending.

Th is could be a diffi cult season, time will tell, but we are confi dent in our ability to continue to produce high quality dresses which our stockists report the prom girls love. I am already working on our 2012 collections!

Prom FrocksIan Ellison, Partner

Describe your latest prom collectionTh e 2011 collection is our biggest and most colourful range so far. We have dramatically extended the designs of our signature ‘Princess Style’ dresses and have added some short and slinky numbers as well.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Prom trends are still moving towards bigger and more colourful dresses. Strapless bodices with lace up backs are still the most popular styles, with plenty of glittery crystal embroidery!

How competitive is the UK prom market?It’s very competitive! From quiet beginnings, in around eight years the prom market has developed explosively to become an accepted part of the end of school life. Th ere is a huge range of dresses out there and a lot of businesses competing in the market.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition?Prom Frocks have always recognised that many of the dresses on sale in the UK are in fact American designs produced by American companies for American girls. We wanted to be diff erent and we have our own dresses which have been designed to fi t and compliment UK girls.

In addition, we have always had the advantage of having our own retail outlet, this has given us valuable early notice of the designs and trends that the girls are asking for and we take careful notice of their feedback on the styles in our range. Also, having our own UK manufacturing capacity means that we can develop our designs here before sending them to the Far East for large scale production.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?Th e prom market is now very well established in the UK and every town has a number of prom dress outlets. Any further development is not likely to dramatically increase this.

Th e one area of clear development is that the majority of prom girls want to have a dress that says something about their individuality. A high street dress is not going to do that!

Prom

RomanticaJames Waddington, Marketing Director

Describe your latest prom collectionYoung, fun and sassy. We still retain the big, full, traditional prom dresses, as well as now incorporating the shorter, flirty gowns.

What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Sleek chiffons that subtly emphasise the figure. At Harrogate in September we found older eveningwear styles being sold as proms as many retailers were predicting they would be the next big thing.

How competitive is the UK prom market?It is getting more competitive every day. That is why we are constantly looking to improve our styles, quality and service as well as our prices. We are always open to advice and ideas as to how we can improve our service.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition?There are more and more American labels joining the UK market, and so we are sticking to our core beliefs of honesty, quality and customer service.

How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?Over the next few years the recession is bound to take its toll. With more and more labels constantly joining the marketplace the expansion is bound to slow down sooner rather than later – there are only so many prom girls out there! With competition getting stiffer by the day, including many high street brands – Coast, Monsoon, Reiss – entering the market, we are confident that the boutiques we deal with will keep their edge through sharp styling and an experience that all girls are looking for.

Linzi JayNeil Flatley, Managing Director

Describe your latest prom collectionThe PROMise collection for 2011 offers a wide selection of prom dress styles. Shorter pieces offer pin tucked skirts with ruched bodices and beading while full length dresses are either simple, with straight or A-line skirts in more muted pastel tones, or elaborate, with full multi layered skirts in bright jewel like colours. What do you predict the key prom trends will be for 2011?Key trends for 2011 will be the sweetheart neckline and tiered skirts. There will also be an increase in dresses with longer line fitted bodices where the fullness of the skirt starts below the hips instead of at the waist. How competitive is the UK prom market?It has become amazingly competitive in the last five years. It has become almost a phenomenon. As is usual with most things stateside, it has found its way over to the UK. How do you set yourself apart from the competition?By selling gowns that the customers will sell during the short selling season. We react quickly to changes in the market and, of course, our famous customer service. How do you see the prom market developing in the UK over the next few years?I feel it will become stagnant due to the fact that so many suppliers are, even now, trying to get into the market. The demand is there at retail level but with the recession, prices and margins may be hit.

JORA COLLECTIONS+44 19 08 22 66 00

[email protected]

Roma Bhowmick, Business Link advisor, explains the protocol to follow when seeking outside investment for your business.

Getting fit for finance

Whether you’re just starting out in business or you’re already trading, you may need additional funding at some point. You might be expanding, undertaking a major re-fit or moving to new premises: whatever your situation, raising finance is likely to involve a meeting with lenders or investors. Before you approach investors you must be clear about why you need funding, how much money you’re looking for and how you are going to raise it.

There are a number of sources of finance, each designed to meet different needs and with different pros and cons. Small businesses are most likely to gain funding through:

Raising money within your business – using your own assets, investments or savings. Approaching friends or family – they may be able to offer support.Bank finance – this includes loans and overdrafts. The lender will expect the loan to be repaid and there will be conditions applied to the loan.Joint ventures – pooling your resources and expertise with one or more other individuals or businesses to achieve a particular goal.

You will probably use a combination of finance options, rather than a single source. Whatever source of funding you choose you need to make sure you’re ‘investment ready’. This means understanding what investors are looking for, knowing your numbers and persuading them that your business is a sound proposition.

BUSINESS PLAN Whatever your source of finance, you should have a business plan. It is one of the most useful tools for helping you to manage your business and provides a roadmap for your business development, whether you are starting up or already established. The financial part of the plan will also help you make an informed decision about whether raising additional finance is viable for your business.Your plan should include:

A description of your businessIts objectives, plans and goalsStrategies on to how to achieve them

Your market sector Any barriers and competition: this could be

covered in a SWOT analysisProfit and loss, sales and cash flow forecasts

and, if your business is already running, the previous years’ accounts

Details about your experience and/or management CVs

A well-prepared business plan will show that you know your business thoroughly and understand your market.

SO WHAT ARE LENDERS AND INVESTORS LOOKING FOR?Whether you are approaching banks or less formal lenders, such as family and friends, their primary concern will be whether or not you will meet your loan repayments, so they will be looking at the credit-worthiness of your business and will expect credible financial forecasts and a clearly-defined repayment

plan. A lender who doesn’t know you or your business will also be looking for evidence of strong management and good market knowledge from you.

HOW TO PITCH TO INVESTORS Pitching your business proposal can be a testing process and you need to be prepared for searching questions when meeting with potential investors or lenders. You will have to explain how you’re going to spend the funds, as investors are not going to part with cash if they’re not comfortable about how it’s going to be spent. Showing a lack of knowledge, exaggerating, being evasive or even misinforming investors could ruin your chances, so be clear and honest about your proposal.

Your investors will also need to know that you have a good grasp of the commercial viability of the business, so make sure you know your profit margins, your turnover and what your business is worth.

Checklist: top tips when approaching lenders or investors Make sure you have all your documents together: business plan,

accounts and forecasts, SWOT analysis and management CVs.Have a well-rehearsed presentation and be prepared for questions.Deliver a compelling pitch and be clear about your plans and goals.Know your numbers and explain how you plan to spend the money.Tell them about the expertise and experience within your business.

When meeting the bank or other investors you must:Look presentable and behave professionally, first impressions count. Have a clear, well-rehearsed presentation which:Gives a quick summary of your business.Explains why customers come to you.Says who else is in the market and what distinguishes you

from those businesses.Gives details of existing customers, showing that you are in

touch with the market and what customers want.Explains how much capital you are looking for and how you

plan to invest it. Specifies what kind of return or repayment period investors

can expect: back this up with your financial forecasts.Be prepared for questions. Speak knowledgeably and passionately about your business.Stay polite and respectful throughout.

By thinking about the questions that lenders and investors are likely to ask you can prepare answers and reassure them that your business is in a good position to repay the money. Probable questions include:

How much profit will your company make? Existing businesses will already have this information based on previous years’ accounts. If you’re projecting your profit, you need to base it on achievable sales forecasts.

How much money do you have invested in your venture? This demonstrates your commitment to the business and helps investors’ confidence.

What is your experience in this field? It’s extremely important that you show that you (and your management team) have relevant experience and a proven record in your sector.

What are the long term goals of the business? Investors will not only be interested in your goals but also exit opportunities for themselves. You need to think about where the business will be in five or more years’ time.

How will you handle scaling up the business? Do you have the resources?

By being well-prepared and getting yourself ‘fit for finance’ you will

be in a strong position to persuade banks or other

lenders to invest in your business.

For further information and advice on raising finance visit the website www.businesslink.gov.uk or phone +44 (0)845 600 9006.

Phone Number: 01353 723675Fax: 01353 721647

Email: [email protected]: www.elizabethdickensveils.co.uk

Window dressing

Pink rose hair clip, Chez Bec+44 (0)8456 520 892www.chezbec.com

Rianna Fry brings together a collection of products for a Valentine’s inspired shop window

Grace, Kate Sherford +44 (0)1823 256 012 www.katesherford.com

Hanging love letters, £21.95, Melody Maison+44 (0)1302 711 116www.melodymaison.co.uk

Marie Therese plum chandelier, £54.99, Tesco +44 (0)8456 004 411www.tesco.com

Heart chain, £18, Drift Living+44(0)1289 330 480 www.drift living.co.uk

Lantern, £38, Garrendenny Lane Interiors+ 353 86 105 1007www.garrendennylane.com

Heart t-light holder, £2.50, Dotcomgift shop+44 (0)208 746 2473www.dotcomgift shop.com

Amiet bag, Rainbow Couture+44 (0)1392 207 040www.rainbowclub.co.uk

Vintage styled shelves, £49.99, The Contemporary Home+44 (0)2392 469 400 www.tch.net

Perov shoe, Rainbow Club+44 (0)1392 207 040www.rainbowclub.co.uk

HEIRLOOMJane Powell,

Managing Director

How many new pieces have you added to your formal wear offering

for 2011?

We have a new range of iridescent dupions in 10 colours for 2011. New ranges of waistcoats are also available for forward ordering, along with an extended new stock service where there are no minimums.

Which item do you think will be a best-seller and why?

We are selling more neat designs. Our best-selling waistcoat is a range called ‘Rene’ which is available in 18 colours. We now have an updated ‘Rene’ which has a similar appeal but looks different. So far, sales are going really well!

What do you think the key formal wear trends will be for 2011?

I think we are going to see more contemporary designs in vibrant colours, for example pinks, purples and turquoises.

How often do you add new pieces to the collection?

We launch the new range at Harrogate in September, and always have something that hasn’t been seen before. There always has to be something different to show our customers or there is no point in them coming to the shows.

What are your expectations for 2011?

We are hopeful for a good year and the signs are promising so far. Our phones are still busy, just the way we like it.

How do your ‘prom’ designs differ from your bridal designs and what

prompted you to tap into this market?

We have a specifi c prom range that is available from stock between March and July in vivid colours.

TORRE UK LTDJ. Nuno Correia,

Offi ce Manager

How many new pieces have you added to your range for 2011?

We have added several new pieces to our formal wear offering for 2011, including black mohair tails and a lounge jacket in men’s and boys’ sizing. We have also released a new dinner suit and are pleased to announce our new stock service.


I believe our silver mohair tails and lounge jacket will sell well, followed by navy mohair tails and lounge jacket.


The key look for 2011 will be classic and traditional, involving tails and a lounge suit.


We always add to the collection every year.

What are Torre UK’s expectations for 2011?

Our order books for 2011 are full and we seem to be opening new accounts every week. We very much look forward to 2011.

SHARP SUITSWe speak to some leading formal wear suppliers to fi nd out what grooms will be wearing in 2011.

TORRE UK LTD

HEIRLOOM

HEIRLOOM

Formal wear

THE ULTIMATE FORMAL HIRE COMPANYJane Powell,

Managing Director

How many new pieces have you added to your formal wear offering

for 2011?

We have added a lightweight charcoal morning suit to our collection for both men and boys, along with seven new waistcoats to complement our existing range.


The grey suits have been certainly the best seller this year and I predict this will continue well into 2011. Our range of more contemporary waistcoats are strong at the moment with shades of deep pinks and purples for the neckwear.


In the new year we will defi nitely see a swing to tails and standard ties as opposed to cravats and rouches.


Each season we always add something new to the collection, but this year we have 12 additions altogether.

What are your expectations for 2011?

We have a retail shop of our own and our fi gures for this year have been the best yet in 33 years of trading. 2009 was a disappointment with the announcement of the credit crunch - everybody was terrifi ed, but now I think we are all getting on with life and 2011 is showing to be hopefully

just as good as 2010. I have no reason to think otherwise with the forward bookings we have already secured.

How do your ‘prom’ designs differ from your bridal designs and what

prompted you to tap into this market?

We had no choice but to tap into this market. Proms are massive business and demand seems to get greater each year. More bold and vibrant colours are paramount to match with the girls’ dresses. The boys are always looking for something different and are not penny pinching. Long may it last!

JEAN YVESTony Rowland,

UK Managing Director

How many new pieces have you added to your formal wear range

for 2011?

We have added 10 new pieces to the existing collection.

What do you think will be the key formal wear trends for 2011?

All the Tails in black, navy and grey herringbone seem to get stronger every year - 2011 is no exception.

You have created the Illusion coat for prom wear - is this a market

that you believe will become more important in the UK?

Absolutely - there’s no doubt that the prom market gets bigger and bigger every year - our Illusion coat is an obvious choice for this – it’s completely different to our other formal wear designs and is a slim fi t for the young men.

Formal wear

JEAN YVES

THE ULTIMATE

FORMAL HIRE

COMPANY

THE ULTIMATE FORMAL HIRE

COMPANY

Business adviceNews and eventsCollection focus

Next Issue

Bridal Fashion TrendsLooking ahead to A/W 2011

ISSUE 22March/April 2011Available from: 28th February 2011Advertising deadline: 11th February 2011

� Speaker’s CornerTop industry debate

� Retailer Round-UpTactics for tackling the trade shows

� BBEH SpringOur essential preview

Beautiful BagsOur pick of the best

Hair FlairChic accessories

Collection FocusTalented British designer, Beverly Lister, talks us through her beautiful new bridal range…

When did you fi rst launch your bridal brand, and what is your background in the bridal industry? I launched my brand - Beverly Lister - in 1991 following a background in the fashion industry.

Since then I have designed and supplied made-to-measure wedding gowns to a handpicked collection of luxury bridal boutiques in the UK and overseas. I have also recently become a retailer - the fl agship boutique Evangeline Rose Bridal is located in the very charming town of Godalming in Surrey and allows me to off er a one-to-one, full styling service for brides with accessories and headpieces to match their chosen gown from the collections.

What inspired your latest bridal collection?My latest collection was inspired by everything vintage, from timeless lace to sleek 1940’s and 1950’s glamour. Th e collection features slimline, elegant lace gowns and sleek satin gowns as well as billowy ball gowns and some sassy, shorter dresses. I have also incorporated colour into some of the gowns, such as scarlet and black, which is sophisticated and adds a touch of Hollywood glamour to the designs.

What fabrics have you used, and where did you source them?I used a variety of beautiful laces, all sourced directly from France. My satin gowns, Roxy and Chapel, are made from a gorgeous cotton and silk duchesse satin that has a very creamy, matt sheen and a lovely body and weight to the cloth.

What sort of embellishments are used, and why were they chosen?My gowns are largely unembellished. Instead, I use wide satin sashes as accents in a variety of delicious colours such as mink, black and oyster.

Your gowns are designed, made and hand-fi nished in England. How important is it to you, to keep the manufacture of the dresses in the UK?It is my top priority to keep my production in the UK. Th e level of craft smanship in this country is second to none, but it’s such a shame that so few seamstresses remain in the industry as many labels outsource the manufacture of the dresses to factories abroad.

What sort of retailer is the collection most suited to?My collection suits a retailer that appreciates quality of fabric, fi t and fi nish. Most oft en they have the same ethos as I do, wanting to support British designers. Th ey appreciate the fact that I am on the end of the phone if they need to speak to me about a bride’s specifi c requirements or if they just want to talk through fabric options, styling ideas, and so forth.

What sort of customer would these designs most appeal to?A Beverly Lister bride is a woman with a strong sense of style who wants an understated yet truly elegant bridal look. Th e quality of fabric and fi t is very important to all my brides.

ChapelEmily

Jackie

Lola

How will you support retailers stocking your collections?I promote the collection through my website (www.beverlylister.co.uk) which has just relaunched aft er a complete redesign and refl ects the understated elegance of the Beverly Lister brand. All of the Beverly Lister stockists are listed on the website. I also have a PR agency that promotes the Beverly Lister brand within the UK national, regional and online bridal media. Will you be showing the collection at any UK bridal trade shows?I will be showcasing my collection at Th e White Gallery in London in May 2011. It’s fantastic that a trade fair like this has been developed specifi cally to showcase British designers’ talent, in a beautiful and intimate environment.

What is your favourite piece fr om the collection and why?I adore working in lace so I would have to say that the vintage dresses in the collection are my favourites. Th e beautiful laces I use remind me of nature, of things I see and love everyday on a walk by the river.

Which other bridal designers do you admire?I very much admire the work of British designers Lyn Ashworth, Stephanie Allin and Sassi Holford. Th ey all have their unique signature style and pay great attention to quality - their gowns are always timeless and beautiful.

ContactBeverly Lister

+44 (0)1483 415 199www.beverlylister.co.uk

Jasmine

Beverly Lister

To complement the new design you’ll see running through some of our pages this issue, we’re delighted to be able to reveal our brand new website.

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

If you would like to find out more, log onto

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

Online

www.attirebridal.com

Intro

ducing our

NEW web

site

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

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

Th is month on Twitter we have mainly been:

Tweeting about the Royal Wedding

Welcoming lots more followers

Updating you with the latest industry news

Debating key industry issues

SHORT AND TWEETOne of Attire Bridal’s many followers, Linda Davey at Dresses at No. 9, talks to us about how Twitter has helped her retail business…

Name: Linda DaveyCompany Name: Dresses at No. 9Follow me at: www.twitter.com/DressesatNo9

When did you fi rst set up a Twitter account and what prompted you to do so?I fi rst activated my Twitter account aft er Laura of Little White Book gave me a call to chat ‘weddings.’ It was an essential marketing tool which has proved vital to my

business. She tweeted and asked for followers to start me off . Aft er installing tweet deck, (that lovely gadget the awesome Sarah Wells of Elizabeth Wells Lingerie recommended), I was well away.

Has your business benefi ted as a result? If so, how?Th e exposure tweeting gives is massive. I have a fabulous base of suppliers in the trade and if they have a massive following and they mention your business, it generates a huge amount of traffi c to the website. Th is brings in clients and adds more exposure in the wedding sector.

How oft en do you tweet and what do you tweet about?I try to tweet a few times a day and it generally tends to be dressmaking related, as in what I’m currently working on, things which interest me or links to the blog posts on fi nished gowns.

What advice would you give to fi rst-time tweeters?I’d stick with it. It’s pretty daunting when you fi rst set up, but is so addictive once you get the hang of it. Micro blogging at its best! I love the Wedding Wednesdays and Follow Fridays. My favourite days of the week!

Which bridal companies do you enjoy following on Twitter?Gosh, so many, but I would have to say Little White Book (LWBwedding), EmmaCase (awesome lady), Love My Dress (LoveMyDressBlog), Lucy Ledger (Lucyleddesigns), HFCouture, Yorkbride, RobBookerPhoto, ElizabethWells. Th ere are so many!

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

WEB WATCHTotal number of followers:

810Twitter tip of the month: Don’t paste your email address in your tweet unless you want to be targeted by spammers.

@elliesanderson1Ellie Sanderson, owner of two fabulous designer wedding dress shops

@_DivineDestinyHead-turning handmade bridal jewellery and hair accessories

@HanleyPaintingsElegant hand painted wedding, bridal and boudoir art

@MearsGhyllMears Ghyll Bridal RoomsStockists of exclusive British bridal wear

@KimberleyDesignKimberley Selwood, award-winning bespoke jewellery design

Bridal Designer@BenjaminRob_Su

Bridal Retailer@HGWeddingLounge

Celebrity@Lord_Sugar

Twitter

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182-185 Dudley Road,Wolverhampton WV2 3DR

Tel: +(44) 01902 456800

Fax: +(44) 01902 457568

Mobile: 07866 592293

Email: [email protected]

www.lexusinternational.com

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Harrogate Bridal Fair Stand: C79

We offer a fast, reliable and friendly service on our continually increasing range (currently over 3,300 choices) of bridal fabrics, embroidered and beaded edgings,

motifs and accessories.

Range includes: plain and shot taffeta, velvet, duchess satins, organzas, chiffons, crepes, laces, brocades, various embroidered and beaded fabrics, inc tulles and chiffons.

Michael’s Bridal FabricsUnit F15, Northfleet Indst Est, Lower Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 9SW

Tel: 01322 380480/568 Fax: 01322 380680

We have no minimum order value or quantity.Credit/Debit card payment accepted. Free monthly updates on stock availability

NEW!! We have now increased the range of dressaccessories to over 350 articles, including pearl and

crystal buttons as well as clasps, buckles and brooches featuring crystals and pearls.

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As this issue of Attire Bridal goes to print, there’s still so much we don’t know about the Royal Wedding. Who will design Catherine Middleton’s dress? What style of bouquet will she carry? Will she love, honour and obey? Where will the happy couple honeymoon? Th e one thing we can be certain of is that the engagement of Prince William and Catherine Middleton has had an instant and tangible impact on the British Bridal Industry, and one that will be felt for many months to come.

“Th e forthcoming wedding of Catherine Middleton and Prince William will provide an enormous uplift to the bridal industry. Our view is that there will be less weddings abroad, thus providing an increase within the UK.

“We predict the average price of the gowns chosen by brides in 2011 will be higher as they try to emulate the Prince’s bride. Furthermore, manufacturers will copy the style and colour of the dress, as well as the accessories Catherine wears.

“Exports of British gowns will improve next year, particularly to the US. Inevitably Catherine Middleton will choose a British designer.”Joe Sweeney, Chairman of the British Bridal Association.

“Th is wedding will have a huge impact on all of us, not least the bridal industry. Whatever Miss Middleton chooses to wear on her big day will infl uence wedding fashions for years to come. Like Princess Diana’s wedding in the

1980s, Catherine and William’s nuptials will be watched by millions the world over and, whilst few of us will have the budget for such grand celebrations, most of us aspire to create a little of the magic of the ultimate fairytale wedding.

“In Miss Middleton, Prince William has found a

stylish, independent and beautiful leading lady who will no doubt walk down the aisle in a glamorous yet traditional gown.” Kate Allen, owner of Katherine Allen Bridal Boutique.

“Th e Bridal Industry Suppliers (BIS) trade association would fi rstly like to congratulate Prince William and Catherine Middleton on their recent engagement.

“BIS also hopes that Miss Middleton will be using British

designers for her bridal gown, that of her bridal party including her mother, and other key guests, such as the mother of the groom. A glance at the list of BIS members will give her a huge choice of quality gown suppliers to choose from. “Th e royal family has had a long association with British designers and we look forward to this continuing as Miss Middleton forges relationships with many of them as her role in the royal family increases.

“We also hope that the Royal Wedding will encourage more couples to tie the knot and to use purchase quality gowns that are available from 1,400 high street bridal retailers in the UK that off er superb service. We also hope that brides to be won’t be tempted to buy poor quality fakes from the internet.” Andy Jackson, BIS Association Manager.

“Although the Royal Wedding will take place on Friday 29th April 2011, the positive impact on the British Bridal Industry will be felt long aft er the happy couple’s vows have been exchanged. I predict there will be huge world-

wide interest in British designers leading up to, and following, the big day along with a noticeable rise in weddings taking place in the UK.” Mark White, Event Director of Th e Essential Collection.

“British brides-to-be are waiting with bated breath to see what Catherine Middleton will be wearing as she walks down the aisle. Her outfi t will be hugely infl uential on the choices made by brides nationwide – from the style,

cut and colour of the gown worn, to the shoes and accessories. If brides really want to look like a princess on their big day, there’s really no better place to look for inspiration.”Emma Cant, Group Editor, County Wedding Magazines.

Speaker’s cornerThere’s no denying that the key topic of debate in the bridal industry is currently the Royal Wedding. In our Speaker’s corner this issue, we fi nd out how the momentous event will impact upon our industry…

Get involved!Do you have strong feelings about this topic, or indeed any other matter relevant to the bridal retail industry? If so, please do email [email protected] to share your views and maybe even contribute to a future issue of Attire Bridal.

cover AB21 - Attire Bridal · 2013-02-07 · 61 Precious Formals We speak to Ms Ruby Ashraf,...

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Transcript of cover AB21 - Attire Bridal · 2013-02-07 · 61 Precious Formals We speak to Ms Ruby Ashraf,...