This year was a year of firsts – it was the first ever London Bridal Week event, and for the first time the show was co-located with luxury trade event White Gallery. There was also a number of new features for visitors to enjoy – such as the Business Advice Clinics and the In Conversation With… sessions.

Co-locating the shows allowed buyers to see more suppliers than ever before in London and allowed suppliers to meet potential stockists who may not have been on their radar previously. When asked about the co-location of the shows, Jessica Hawkes, manager of Deerhobbes, revealed: “It was very good, it was nice to have both events in one place.”

“It’s better all under one roof,” Kirti Patel, director of Natraj, told us. “I prefer it this way.” Combining the two shows in one place proved to be a popular move with many exhibitors. Ben Allen from Richard Designs told us their show experience had been “very positive, lots of visitors; it’s especially nice to see more continental [visitors].” He went on to explain that he thought the co-location was a positive move: “It can only make things easier for the shops now the two are at the same time.”

You can read more feedback on the co-location of White Gallery and London Bridal Week here. Watch the video below for even more feedback from visitors, exhibitors and experts who attended the show.

Also new for 2018 were the Business Advice Clinics – retailers could book 20-minute, one-on-one sessions with a number of experts, including award-winning retailers and digital content experts. Caroline Bradley, director of digital content agency Sorella + Co, told us: “It was great to connect with so many retailers and share advice with them. It was so fun to meet so many retailers face-to-face and to help them shape their digital strategies!”

This year also saw the launch of the In Conversation With… sessions, where Bridal Buyer’s Group Content Editor, Zoe Burke, discussed a series of topics and issues with leading industry experts in the Bridal Buyer Lounge. “I loved running the In Conversation With… sessions this year,” explains Zoe. “It was exciting to chat to such a range of industry figures and I had a blast filming them – whether it was spinning around in the chairs with Gill Harvey or speculating about Meghan Markle’s wedding dress with Charlie Brear, it was an engaging way to share more with our audience.”

Watch our In Conversation With… Charlie Brear session here.

Stay tuned for more updates about London Bridal Fashion Week 2018 – and read our White Gallery round up here.