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Catching Up With Allure Bridals Ahead of London Bridal Fashion Week

Business19-Feb-2020

Ahead of their appearance at London Bridal Fashion Week, Allure Bridals reveals what we can expect from the brand in the upcoming year

What’s new with the brand since we last caught up?

Since we last spoke a lot has happened for the brand! Firstly, we relaunched Allure Bridals into the UK bridal market with our own private event in Birmingham. We also opened our UK office and showroom and took our new collections to both London Bridal Fashion Week and The Harrogate Bridal Show. Finally, we partnered with some incredible new Allure Bridals stockists all over the UK and focused on relationships which we felt are vital to the success of the industry.

How was 2019 for the brand?

Last year was a big year for us at Allure Bridals. As you know, we took over our operations here in the UK and Europe at the end of 2018, so 2019 was all about getting us settled in. We spent most of the year building relationships with new and existing Allure Bridals stockists. Last year has been a whirlwind for us but we finished it with strong relationships, growth and opportunities for 2020.

What’s new for 2020?

We had a lot going on in 2019, but let’s just say 2020 is gearing up to be just as big. To start, we will be launching a new collection that has been designed with the European market in mind. We previewed this collection to some of our US stores in December and the feedback was incredible, so we are excited to show it to our UK stockists at London Bridal Fashion Week in March. We have a lot more planned for the upcoming year, but you’ll have to check in soon for all of that.

How has the brand evolved over the years?

Just as the industry has evolved, we too have had to grow in many ways. In the last 18 months, Allure Bridals took over operations throughout the UK and Europe to ensure our brand was being represented as it should – committed to partnering with and supporting retailers.

We’ve introduced key staff members in the US, UK and European markets who are dedicated to bridging the gaps between retailers and us, the manufacturer. We know how vital it is for the survival of our industry that retailers succeed and we want to be part of that success. We will always continue to evolve and embrace changes as the industry requires it, but I think that what is key for us, is that evolving hasn’t changed who the brand is at its core.

Kelly, our owner, is an incredible leader who constantly reminds us to stay true to who we are. Allure Bridals started in a family-owned bridal and fabric shop in Memphis, Tennessee, and twenty-one years later, that same family is still leading operations for what is now a global brand, dedicated to the survival and success of the industry.

We have seen some big changes at Allure Bridals over the last 18 months, and I think who we are to the UK market is different than it was when we took over operations. If you previously looked at stocking our brand and, at the time, didn’t feel it was the right fit for your boutique, I encourage you to have another look. Reach out to us to see if we could be a good fit for one another.

Describe an Allure Bridals bride in three words?

Classic. Comfortable. Unique.

Where do you see the bridal industry in five years?

Isn’t that the million-pound question? The industry has changed so drastically in the last five years, even the last 18 months, that I think it’s hard to know where we’ll be in the next five. What I can say is that in the last twenty-one years, Allure Bridals has been through the lows and highs of the industry, so regardless of what happens in the next five years, we will still be here, partnering with strong retailers and manufacturing a great product.

Can you tell us more about the latest collection?

We feel that the Autumn 2020 collection from Allure Bridals is an incredible representation of who we are, and we cannot wait for our stockists to see these gowns. Our trip to Paris this season reignited our design team and offered us the opportunity to source some new materials and design new laces. You’ll see fresh takes on classic looks with new fabrics—new organza that has incredible body, a luxurious (and durable) chiffon, and a new fabric that you will just have to feel to fully appreciate. The collection will also feature unique details combined to create designs that are diverse enough to appeal to every type of bride.

Can you talk about the brand’s relationship with the UK bridal market?

While we have just recently taken over operations here, Allure Bridals has been in the UK bridal market for more than 10 years, with great success, and we’re thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this thriving market.

How do you deal with new stockists?

We were excited to partner with a number of new stockists in 2019, and we are certainly looking to make even more new retail connections with boutiques whose philosophy aligns with ours. Therefore, we encourage retailers to reach out to us to see if we would be a good fit for one another. Allure Bridals currently has eight ranges along with our new European range being launched this season. We’d love to chat with anyone who is interested in partnering with us to see how we could work together.

Do you have a minimum order?

Our branded collection ranges do have minimum stock orders for each season/year, while our private label range does not. The minimum order varies depending on the range, but I encourage retailers who are interested in stocking Allure Bridals to find out what that minimum order is for the range(s) they are looking to stock and make decisions from there. Again, we are committed to partnering with boutiques, so reach out to us, start the conversation and then we can make these decisions together along the way.