Bridal Market Gets Ready for its Close Up

By Rosemary Feitelberg

Wedding days might be the ultimate photo-op, but several bridal designers are proving that they too know how to frame a shot for Instagram and other mediums favored by brides to be.

Last week’s bridal market was all about the close-up in that both the intricate gowns and designers were within reach. Designers and brands are zooming in on the $52 billion wedding industry — 9 percent of which is spent on bridal party attire and accessories, according to IBISWorld’s Wedding Services 2014 market research report. IBISWorld estimates that the average wedding dress cost will increase to $1,330 this year and demographic data expects the number of weddings to reach 2.2 million. With those figures in mind, IBISWorld predicts wedding dress sales to reach about $2.8 billion this year, according to analyst Brittany Carter. 

Unemployment and job security are two of the factors that have chipped away at wedding budgets (and for some guest lists) or led to longer engagements or cohabitation. Conversely, many selfie-loving brides are taking a DIY approach to their nuptials, designing the decor with more of a personalized flair and locally sourced fare. Two-dresses-for-one-wedding continues on as a trend, with the added twist of an elevated hemline to show off “It” shoes from such frontrunners as Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin.

Instead of a fashion show or presentation, Carolina Herrerahosted a Monday cocktail party where models chatted on couches and mingled through the crowd. The relaxed setting gave guests a good long look at the laser cut appliqués, embroidered motifs and illusion lace backs, as well as a sense for how the gowns hold up in a real-life setting.

Herrera said the switch was social-media driven, “They all want to Instagram. The people who come for bridal want to touch the dress and see how it’s made. I think it is so much fun to have a cocktail party and to have all the brides around you. You see how real brides move. And they are close to you and not like in a fashion show.”

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Fall 2015/George Chinsee

Oscar de la Renta also went with a more informal showroom presentation, allowing editors to see exactly how the sleeves of an embroidered macramé ballgown gown detach‚ among other features. More than a few zeroed in on an off-the-shoulder Chantilly and Lyon lace gown with fleur lace overlay that was reminiscent of the one that Amal Alamuddin wore to wed George Clooney in Venice in September. The house saw off-the-charts Web traffic on their wedding day, exceeding the site’s average daily traffic by 9 a.m. As of Wednesday, aGoogle search of the bride’s and the designer’s names registered nearly 2.3 million results.

Dressing Ashlee Simpson for her wedding to Evan Ross has helped boost Houghton’s bridal business by 935 percent in the past year. Focused on brides who look to the runway andred carpet for inspiration, the company has opened 12 new accounts, launched e-commerce and offers customized gowns by designer Katharine Polk. 

At the Pronovias flagship Tuesday, Iñigo Artiach said he will be amping up the American market as the U.S. and Canada sales director. With its collections sold in more than 90 countries, the company lists the American market as one of its top three. Reality shows like “Say Yes to the Dress,” which revolves around Kleinfeld where Pronovias store director Elise Rosenblum worked for years, have bolstered the category. “Now with the help of social media, some of these brides are so knowledgeable I could hire them,” she said.