ao link

NEWS. COLLECTIONS. BUSINESS. EVENTS - straight to your inbox

By entering my email I agree to the Bridal Buyer Privacy Policy (we won’t share your data & you can unsubscribe at any time)

Georgia Bridal
Georgia Bridal

Exclusive Interview With Neil Flatley, Chief Executive of the L J Group

We caught up with Neil Flatley Chief Executive of the L J Group following news the of their latest label Georgia Bridal and new Creative Director Helen Lord.

Linked InFacebookTwitter

The L J group are delighted to be bringing together 25 years of design and manufacturing experience with the latest marketing techniques to give you a brand which will deliver not only on design and product reliability but on support and teamwork.

The bridal portfolio that already includes bridal brands such as Charlotte Balbier and Linzi Jay has launched a new label called Georgia Bridal. In addition, the L J Group have also announced the appointment of new Creative Director, Helen Lord from the award-winning Lulu Browns bridal boutique in Whalley.

Read More: Quick Fire Questions With Charlotte Balbier

We caught up with Neil to talk about all the recent changes.

Can you give us a brief history of The L J Group?

We’ve been a leading manufacturer of communion gowns and bridal accessories for nearly 25 years. Operating out of two factories in the UK, we are firmly established as one of the premier suppliers and manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

Our passion has always been based upon creating a solid business partnership with our boutiques and we are proud to have a loyal and dedicated customer base that we’ve worked with for many years.

How has the brand evolved over the years?

2017 saw The L J Group acquire Balbier Wyatt, a decision which has allowed our product range to grow significantly. We have six brands in total, all with their own identities meaning we can offer our boutiques a complete package ranging from a bridal gown to accessories and then bridesmaid gowns.

Can you talk us through the new label?

Georgia Bridal is named after my own daughter. Young, fresh and full of fun, the brand has been designed with the sole focus of putting the fun back into bridal retail. Retail is a tough industry with many causalities and bridal retail is no different.

We not only supply products to our partners but offer support and advice from marketing through to accounting and budgeting. Our company ethos is that we are stronger when we work together and we believe we can help our boutiques grow by offering impartial advice and training.

Read More: Linzi Jay acquires bridal brands Amanda Wyatt and Charlotte Balbier

How do you think UK brides will respond to the new label?

Georgia Bridal is all about real women. With the average size being a UK 16, our gowns are specifically designed to look fabulous throughout the sizes. With this and the new direction of our marketing, we are confident that we can reach out to these real women via our partners and our social media.

Are we going to see any changes with the newly appointed Creative Director?

Yes, many! Helen’s mind never stops which, in turn, means The L J Group HQ is a constant hive of activity. She is as madly passionate about helping our partners grow their own businesses as she is about developing the L J brands.

New marketing ideas are constantly being developed and everything focuses on developing our brands and our relationship with our partners. Our new showroom opened three weeks ago and has been full ever since! It really is wonderful to hear all the ideas (and laughter) coming from that room and even more fabulous to see our boutiques enjoying their time with us whilst they select their collections.

What does the future hold for you?

That is the million-dollar question and the truth is none of us can answer that. But I do know that The L J Group has a bright and exciting future ahead of us. Our vibrant and creative team are working hard on plans to support our retailers and then grow and develop our six brands.

The L J Group will be exhibiting their brand at The Harrogate Bridal Show this year so make sure you register for the event here, so you don’t miss out.

Want more industry news? Read all about Ellie Sanderson’s exclusive UK deal with Designer Kelly Faetanini.

Linked InFacebookTwitter
© 2021 Bridal Buyer • bridalbuyer@oceanmedia.co.uk • 020 7772 8300 • © Ocean Media Group Ltd