The Kelsey Rose collection for that trendy bridesmaid and special occasion girl.

Kelsey Rose, the London-based bridesmaid and special occasion collection, will soon be distributing its trendy, original styles to US brides-to-be and their wedding parties.

This collection is designed for the girl who wants to look super glamorous as part of the party or for those who really want to stand out in the crowd, and is created to be mixed and matched – pastel pinks with dusty lilacs and bursting purples work perfectly for that summer afternoon wedding; for a more traditional style coordinate the entire party in the same colours and fabrics to get the classic look.

There’s also a shape to suit any girl from fun tea-length satin-faced chiffon numbers to long elegant gowns. Fusing contemporary, trend-led design elements with classic silhouettes, Kelsey Rose has created some stunning looks that work whatever the occasion.

“We love to keep up to date with all our Kelsey girls and seeing how they look on their big day is really important to us, so the in-house marketing team keep regularly updated Facebook and Twitter accounts interacting directly with our girls! Sharing pictures, inspiration and any exciting press we receive,” explained a company spokesman.

Customer support is also of primary importance, so Kelsey Rose provides a dedicated customer service team who really care about their individual stockists needs. Extensive point of sale materials are also available to help create the award-winning Kelsey Rose look in the store.

Kelsey Rose prices start from $99  www.kelseyrose.co.uk

Ellis Bridals celebrates its 100th year with the stunning new Centenary Collection.

Ellis Bridals, a family run, fourth generation bridal design house commemorates 100 years of dressing some of Europe’s most glamourous brides with a new collection and expansion into the US market.

This award winning, London based company has been at the forefront of the bridal industry in Europe with chic, hand-crafted contemporary gowns, elegant and aspirational photography, stunning point of sale materials, and dedicated customer service team… all of which was recently acknowledged and honored with the presentation of Bridal Buyer Magazine’s coveted Best Bridal Manufacturer of the Year award.

Ellis Bridals was honored with Bridal Buyer magazine's Best Bridal Manufacturer of the year award. Creative Director Regine Ellis is pictured here holding the award.

“These awards are the bridal industry’s equivalent of the Oscars in Europe,” commented James Ellis, “and it’s really fantastic to have won in our centenary year.”

Ellis Bridal began in 1912 as the result of the grace and beauty of founder Ada Ellis’ own wedding gown… a creation that inspired countless clients to request her original designs for their weddings. The company and brand grew throughout the years dedicated to its founding design principles, and is today directed by third generation creative director Regine Ellis.

Still designed and based in London, Regine and her design team use their extensive archive of fine fabrics and embellishments to inspire their truly individual creations. Their trademark has become chic, contemporary gowns echoing the looks of London and inspired by its catwalks.

“Launching in the states is an exciting step for the brand,” explained James Ellis, “where we are hoping to offer a slice of London elegance to America’s brides to be.”

Ellis Bridals is represented in the states by Brian Law, Northeast, and Rebecca Rannels and Martin Kane in the West.

To view Ellis Bridals collections, visit www.ellisbridals.com.

Currently housed in the Intercontinental Hotel, the show moves to the Hilton to provide mid-town convenience for buyers, and to take advantage of the more traditional exhibition space the Hilton has to offer.

According to the announcement, exhibitors for the October 13-15 event will have the choice of a luxurious open floor plan, or the intimate, boutique style private room.

The Hilton also provides for runway and fashion show productions.

For details, call COUTURE New York Bridal Fashion Week at (630) 629-7742.

After Six's new Paragon retail tuxedo, shown here with After Six Bridal.

A new retail tuxedo from the iconic After Six brand is now available for sale online at www.aftersix.com and at select formal wear retailers.

The new tux has been jointly developed by Dessy Group and the Tailored Clothing division of Smart Apparel U.S. The Paragon tuxedo is a modern classic, ideal for any formal occasion. Fabricated in extra fine merino wool, it features two-button styling, notch lapels, and unique piping with a signature bowtie motif.

Retailing for $395, the Paragon is handsomely complemented by After Six’s formal accessories including ties, pocket squares, vests and more. Accessories come in the bowtie pattern in tones of aubergine, platinum or sapphire, as well as a range of solid colors matching bridesmaid dresses by the Dessy Group.

The historic After Six brand was acquired by the Dessy Group in March 2011. The Dessy Group had been producing bridesmaid dresses as a licensee of After Six since 1997, and now, as owner of the brand, intends to remain true to the After Six tradition of quality tuxedos at reasonable prices.

Alan Dessy, CEO of the Dessy Group, says, “The Paragon tux is essentially our idea of what a traditional all-American tuxedo should be. It’s a bit preppy and conservative. The fabric has a nice hand but is also durable. The tuxedo is timeless, and will still be in style years from now. At this price, the tuxedo will pay for itself in just a few wearings compared to the cost of rental.”

Along with the Paragon tuxedo, the After Six brand now encompasses the After Six bridesmaid collection, bridal gowns, and men’s accessories. The entire wedding party will be able to dress in After Six apparel.

AfterSix.com offers some fun glimpses into the brand’s history. Users can explore archival images and historic ads from After Six, as well as information about current tuxedo trends and how-to guides.  The site is a one-stop guide to formal wear.

After Six began in 1903 as a suit and overcoat business founded by Samuel  Rudofker, a Ukrainian immigrant who cut coats in his  Philadelphia row house. The Rudofker family pioneered the tuxedo rental industry, making the tuxedo available to discerning men everywhere. Over the years, After Six tuxedos have adorned both celebrities and royalty, evoking the message of refined style for any gentleman. About the Dessy Group The Dessy Group ( www.dessy.com ) is a leading manufacturer of  bridesmaid and social occasion dresses, flower girl dresses and  wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred  Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and NewlyMaid.

Allure Bridals new tuxedo, the Allure Men collection, shown here with Allure's newly renamed Romance bridal collection.

Allure Bridals has released Allure Men by Jean Yves tuxedo collection, and has renamed its Exclusive Bridals by Allure collection and launched it as Allure Romance for Fall 2012.

As a leader in the formalwear industry, Jean Yves strives to provide its customers with dynamic styling and exceptional quality. For the Allure Men by Jean Yves collection, the focus is on luxurious fabrics, flattering silhouettes, and modern styling.

“We have been working on this collaboration for some time now, and are excited to launch this new line of tuxedos into the marketplace.” says Kelly Crum, president.  “Not only will our Allure brides look stunning, but now her groom and his party have a fabulous new choice in formalwear.”

This men’s collection will be marketed with Allure’s newly renamed and branded Romance bridal collection. Formerly Exclusive Bridals by Allure, the collection has been renamed for higher visibility and impact in the moderate price point category and partially to provide retailers a collection that could be competitive against off the rack sellers. The new name, Allure Romance, also eliminates any confusion in buyers minds as to who or what Exclusives was all about.

Allure’s creative has also taken a very different direction, with a much more timeless, dreamy feel. The ad campaign will paint a picture for the bride to see not only how she will want to look on her day, but how her groom and maids will look as a whole. Each image is a timeless, stolen moment of a couple in love, or a bride and her best friends.

“With video to accompany the print campaign, we hope to bring this collection to life and create a believable story that brides will fall in love with,” added Crum. “To keep in that same theme, the collection itself will be more focused on chic, classic designs with a more moderate price point compared to our Allure or Couture collections, while still maintaining the renowned quality of our flagship collection.”

For more information on Allure for Men , please contact Maurice Silva at Contactus@jyfwi.com or visit www.allurebridals.com

“We’re on a hunt to find the best retail stories in America – from marketing geniuses to customer-service superstars to small business owners, who are the fabric of every local community,” Shay said. “NRF’s This is Retail contest will put a face on an industry that is seamlessly woven into the fabric of America and influences every aspect of our life and culture.”

To participate in the contest, retail employees or business owners will submit a two-minute video sharing their retail story – highlighting how their company positively impacts shoppers or the community, their role in the creation of a new innovative product or technology, or how an initiative will generate new jobs to boost the economy.

NRF will accept video submissions from March 5-16, 2012. Twenty finalists will be prominently featured on www.RetailMeansJobs.com and winners will be chosen based on votes. The first-place winner will receive $25,000, second place will receive $15,000, and third place will receive $10,000.

For more information, visit http://www.retailmeansjobs.com/contest.

However diverse this group, these brides did have two key things in common: a wedding date in 2011 and strong opinions on the $4 billion bridal fashion industry.

What follows are five key trends highlighted by this survey, along with insights into what they mean for your business.

1. Smart phones dominate. Members of the millennial generation (those aged 13 to 31, a.k.a your prom girls and brides) are twice as likely to have smart phones as the rest of the population – and they’re not afraid to use them.

“It’s literally an extension of their arm and a constant factor in their behavior,” says Kristyn Clement, senior director of insights for the Knot Market Intelligence. “And that kind of uber smart phone user is just going to increase.”

From accessing dress galleries and taking gown photos in the dressing room to scanning QR codes and actually buying stuff via mobile phone, millennials are seemingly doing everything via smartphone.

As such, the booming popularity of this mobile platform makes it crucial for retailers to figure out how to leverage this quickly evolving technology to help their business.

“You need to be where she is and she is on her mobile phone,” Clement says. “Because if you aren’t there, she’ll find someone who is.”

Bottom line: Make sure your Web site is mobile ready, pronto!

2. Gown spending remains important. Sustained economic stress hasn’t stopped brides from buying their dream dress.

“The bridal gown is one of the few things we’ve seen not fall in spending (during the recession),” Clement says. “Most other items have fallen at least nominally on average.”

The price isn’t soaring – rather, at $1,055 without alterations it’s remained relatively flat for a number of years.

Still, while budget-conscious brides have no problem cutting back in other areas – choosing a cheaper photography package, for example, or using an iPod and speakers instead of hiring a deejay – they remain dedicated to buying the gown they want.

“The fact we haven’t seen a drop in spending speaks to the gown’s importance,” Clement says.

Bottom line: While no business is recession-proof, you can take comfort in knowing that selling bridal gowns comes pretty darn close!

3. Brides are spending less time shopping. Every stage of the dress-search timeline is about one month less than it was a few years ago.

On average, brides begin researching their dresses 10.2 months before the wedding, visiting stores 8.7 months before and purchasing the dress 7.5 months before.

“We can’t say for sure why this is happening but part of it might be the fact it’s not just local retailers anymore (where brides are shopping),” Clement says. “They’re still very much the core of the gown-shopping experience, but you’ve had other players enter the picture, like David’s Bridal and manufacturer stores, catering to the budget bride that automatically tend to have shorter timelines.”

Bottom line: Now more than ever, it’s crucial to educate customers on the dress-shopping time frame.

4: Dress shopping is an event. Almost 9-in-10 brides say that family and friends are important in helping them select their dress.

The most common accompaniments: The bride’s mother (75%), girlfriend (48%), sister (36%), mother-in-law (18%), other family member (18%), sister-in-law (11%), grandmother (8%), father (6%) and fiancé (3%).

“This number has always been high but we have seen it increase,” Clement says. “Anecdotally we have heard a lot more about event focus and parties coming in for the gown-shopping experience.”

Perhaps this is because the Great Recession taught people to place a higher value on relationships. Or maybe it’s because millennials are so used to sharing everything with their peers via social media that including them in the gown-shopping experience is a natural extension of that trend.

Bottom line: The fact brides are looking for an experience is a major advantage for you. Break out the bubbly, play soothing music, offer in-store chair massages – anything to make customers feel pampered and happy.

5. Purchasing habits still favor independent retailers. A whooping 93% of brides buy their wedding gown from a brick-and-mortar store. Local bridal stores win 58% of this business, while chain bridal stores take home 33%.

Only seven percent of brides purchase their wedding gown online (not surprisingly, a majority – 60% – do so due to price/value).

“This number is up a couple percentage points, but it’s still small in absolute terms,” Clement says.

Bridesmaids’ numbers are slightly less favorable. While 73% buy dresses exclusively in a brick-and-mortar store, of that group, 47% opt for a national chain bridal store and 39% visit a local bridal boutique. Thirteen percent purchase their bridesmaids dresses online.

“It’s a convenience thing,” Clement says. “Bridesmaids can be scattered all over and that’s an easy way for them to all access the same dress. Budget is also a factor: Brides are conscious of what their bridesmaids can spend.”

As for a statistic that shows buying off the rack is most popular (49% vs 44% for custom/special order)? Don’t panic, Clement advises.

Keep in mind this number includes includes purchases from David’s Bridal and manufacturer stores, where off the rack is typically the only option. Much more telling is the statistic that reveals two out of three brides who purchase their gown at a local bridal salon go the custom/special order route.

Bottom line: Dress-shopping options abound but “we’re not seeing anything to suggest the iconic experience of shopping at an independent retailer changed that much,” Clement says. “You’re always going to have brides who want that experience.”

Style AN 144, a signature look from Coco Anais.

Anais Collezioni, the affordable couture bridal line established by bridal visionaries Kris and Montree in collaboration with their mother, internationally renowned St. Pucchi designer Rani Totman, is officially changing its name to Coco Anais.

Together, the creative team will continue to lead the design and strategic development of the company, staying true to it’s core values of integrity, customer service, and innovation.

“Anais Collezioni was created to celebrate the individuality of brides. Whether they desire a vintage affair, a lavish ballroom, a simple wedding by the sea, a contemporary chic setting, or simply to drive away on a motorbike, the collection features versatile gowns that are fashioned to mirror their own distinct style”, explains Rani.

Kris adds “Since the launch of our collection, brides, peers in the industry, media and bridal retailers have embraced Anais Collezioni, with our designs now widely available across the U.S. As we look towards introducing the brand globally this year, we have opted to change our name to Coco Anais to distinguish and strengthen our unique identity”.

“We are honored by the tremendous support we have received, and will continue to strive to provide a luxury wedding experience for the value conscious bride”, says Montree.

The change in name to Coco Anais will be effective immediately, with all advertising, PR and marketing initiatives over the course of the next 6 months identifying the brand as “Coco Anais, formerly Anais Collezioni” to underscore the transition in name.

Current customers are encouraged to update their contacts, websites, social media networks, marketing materials, online bookmarks and site links to reflect this change. Industry peers, and media partners including publications, blogs, online media and search engines are also encouraged to update content to reflect the change in name.

To view the current 2012 collection, please visit www.cocoanais.com

Gowns wholesale for $395 – $995. For bridal retailer inquiries, please contact Coco Anais at 214.227.2563, or info@cocoanais.com

Each office will maintain regional support to their customer base with the added benefits of a unified global brand.  The goal is to combine the strengths of each office to define a consistent company lifestyle that will reflect in the customer service, marketing, product development, and overall goals.

Enzoani, Inc. is determined to become a driving force in the industry while building a recognized fashion and lifestyle brand around the world.  Innovative ideas will be produced by the Enzoani Global Marketing Team in order to effectively enhance Enzoani brand exposure and customer satisfaction.  Enzoani Inc. is currently working to further expand by opening additional offices worldwide and will soon announce the highly anticipated launch of the Enzoani UK office.

Each account executive in each region will now exclusively offer the complete Enzoani Inc. product line:

Enzoani
Blue by Enzoani
Modeca by Enzoani
Love by Enzoani
Love16 by Enzoani

2013 will also be the launch of a new competitively priced bridal collection, which will further expand and enhance the existing Enzoani Inc. product line.  The collection will launch June 8th at the 2012 Enzoani Fashion Event in Newport Beach, CA – USA.

For additional information about Enzoani Inc. and the products that are offered call 1-866-ENZOANI.