California Apparel News

Here comes the bride looking beautiful for less.

As brides take their fabled walk down the aisle, many are opting for lower-priced gowns, inspiring a number of couture designers to expand their offerings to those on tighter budgets.

It’s a move to reach a broader audience in a shaky economy, say retail analysts.

“[Brides] may scale back the wedding party, but they’ll still get the dress—they just may be more price-sensitive,” said Sally Wallick, a retail analyst at Legg Mason.

Designer Vera Wang, whose bridal gowns retail for up to $10,000, unveiled a spring collection of 12 dresses ranging from $1,650 to $2,990 last year.

Recently, Beverly Hills, Calif.-based designer Monique Lhullier knocked $500 off the cost of her $3,500 gowns sold to wholesale accounts, including Neiman Marcus and Dallas-based Stanley Korshak.

“Since 9/11, a lot of retailers were anticipating that customers would be more conscious of price, so we tried to price the line better,” said Tom Bugbee, chief executive officer of the 6-year-old Monique Lhullier line.

Bridal boutiques are also taking notice and are re-merchandising their stores. At Marina Morrison in San Francisco, owner Karen Metz plans to hang lower-priced gowns alongside the designs of Richard Glasgow and Peter Lagner.

“In years past, people said ’I love it, I’ll take it.’ Now they’re saying, ’I need to come back,’” Metz said.

Bridesmaid dresses are taking a discount as well. New York-based Thread has rolled out a Spring collection of seven bridesmaid dresses, averaging around $250 each. In comparison, the label’s other dresses sell for up to $450 each.

“Our business has only gotten busier, since we’re only three years old, so we haven’t been affected by the economy—but we’re watching out,” said Beth Blake, Thread co-owner.

For the most part, the bridal apparel business has remained flat in the past few years. And, bridal and groom apparel represent only 6 percent of the $50 billion wedding sector, according to Modern Bride magazine, with couture making up only 5 percent to 8 percent of the apparel segment.But, it’s a lucrative sector that has, in the past few years, caught the eye of retail titans that wish to augment their bridal registries.

May Department Stores Co. revved up its bridal sales about two years ago with the purchase of David’s Bridal, known for its under-$1,000 gowns. The company took another step in building the division with the acquisition of After Hours Formalwear Inc. last December.

At the same time, it’s reaching out to a new demographic with the recent acquisition of the Bianchi design house and the Priscilla of Boston stores. Plans are in store to launch a chain of stores called David’s Elite, whose dresses will retail higher than those at David’s Bridal.

Still, the couture category isn’t backing down as events catering to the upscale bride are on the rise.

This month, South Coast Plaza, a high-end shopping center in Costa Mesa, Calif., is hosting its first bridal fair with the participation of about 30 retailers, including the Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon, Bulgari, Judith Leiber and Baccarat. Demonstrations range from engagement ring trunk shows to calligraphy and wax seal demonstrations. One entrant will win a $10,000 prize package.

“We’ve gotten a huge response and great attendance,” said Debra Gunn Downing, the center’s executive director of marketing. “The stores sent out 20,000 direct mail pieces and have been getting lots of phone calls. We’re overwhelmed by the interest.”

Vera Wang hosted a Fall 2002 trunk show at Saks and was receiving a number of orders.

“The brides have been responding well to the event,” said sales executive Katherine Wolff, who added, “The upper end is doing very well.”

Meanwhile, the Saks store itself is bustling with brides-to-be, according to a spokeswoman for the South Coast Plaza unit.

“Our bridal business is amazing. We haven’t missed a beat since 9/11 with double-digit increases all last year,” she said.

Brides are gravitating toward more restrained gowns crafted from high-quality laces and fabrics, the spokeswoman noted.

“The first words out of a bride’s mouth are ’Vera Wang,’” she said. “She’s known for her romantic, simple elegance and brides want that.”

Another upcoming show in Southern California is the fourth annual Soolip Wedding on Feb. 24, presented by Soolip Paperie & Press at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Badgley Mischka, La Perla, Tiffany & Co. and Frette will be among the vendors. This year’s showcase is expected to be the biggest yet, with about 350 attendees.

“Most bridal shows cater to the mass market. There’s no wedding event that caters to a select clientele, to those in tune with a certain sophisticated aesthetic,” said Wanda Wen, Soolip’s co-owner.