Less and different: bridal fashion faces post-Covid recovery

More than 212 thousand people were married in 2003 in the European Union. Two decades later, in 2022, just over 179,000 people passed through the altar, 16% fewer. Moreover, if in 2003 all marriages registered with Eurostat were between heterosexual couples, in 2022 3.5% of the total were actually weddings between men or weddings between women. Naturally, the classification of weddings changed, and religion gave way to civil ceremonies, and parties directly. Fewer weddings, more diverse and different.

The bridal fashion industry is adapting to new social mores Which is repeated, despite the differences, in all Western countries. In the United States, according to US Census Bureau data, the number of people over the age of 40 who have never married reached 25% in 2021, the highest percentage in four decades. Furthermore, 40% of adults over the age of 18 were single (never married, divorced, or widowed) and 67% of those under 30 had never been married.

The sector reaches 2024 weakened by the impact of Covid: if consumption of the rest of fashion rebounded after the lockdown, bridal fashion would have to wait two years to start recovering, with social events paralyzed for fear of new waves.

In the European Union as a whole, The number of weddings registered in 2022, according to the latest available data, was already 7.11% higher than the number recorded at the end of 2019.Before Covid. Recovery is the general trend across Europe, with increases of 8.14% in Spain, 7.6% in France, and 2.74% in Italy, while the figure in Germany remained at a lower 6.14% before the pandemic.

In fact, the recovery has been progressive. The sector is ready for bubble After the pandemic stopped, but it did not arrive because there was no room to celebrate all the events postponed in 2020. Thus, the recovery was gradual in the years 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The wedding sector's recovery has been gradual since 2020, and weddings postponed during the pandemic have resumed, in addition to new commitments.

Rosa Clara sources indicate that the recovery of the sector was a matter of time. They explain: “After a few years with practically no weddings and little activity, we have been growing for a year and a half,” and they confirm that “weddings have been postponed and not canceled due to the pandemic, and new commitments have become weddings in 2022 and 2023.”

Yolanda Perez, founder and creative director of wedding dress brand Yolancris, confirms this resurgence in volume, despite the presence of a large number of wedding dresses. Less budget per dress for brides. We have seen a huge rise in celebrations; Although the budget is not the same, the wedding dress still has great emotional significance.

In the girlfriend fashion space, 2023 has been a good year for operators like Protocolo. “Sales have recovered and maintained a good growth rate in 2023,” explains Mariano García, the company's general manager. He adds: “We recovered sales of the past two years, which left the sector uneventful and completely drowned.” However, he specifies that “since June 2023, activity has declined significantly,” and notes that “January and February 2024 started well, but March was a bad month in sales, with A significant decrease compared to 2023.”

Little by little, the numbers start to improve. Pronovias issued a bill of 150 million euros in 2022, the year in which it began drawing up a strategic growth plan. Which was expected to reach 200 million euros in sales in 2023. The past few years have not been easy years for the bridal fashion company, a global leader in its category. With a new shareholder and CEO, Mark Calabia, Pronovias is charting a new roadmap.

The wedding sector is now more diverse in brands and proposals to adapt to new types of bride

The sector has been completely transformed in a decade. Ten years ago, according to a Deloitte report, the ranking in Spain in terms of turnover was led by Pronovias, followed by Rosa Clara and Jesús Peru.Frank Sarabia, Patricia Avendaño, Velez, Raymond Bondo, Pepe Botella, Novia Dart and Ouronovias. Operators on that list, such as Raymond Bondo and Pepe Boutella, disappeared, and new operators appeared, such as Isabel Sanchez, Sophie y Voila, Yolancris, Marco y María, Ogadeniya Couture, Lucas Balboa, Lorena Formoso, and Pedro Palmas.

There were also major crises in the international market. One of the biggest stars was David's Bridal. The US company, which declared bankruptcy in April 2023, avoided closure by selling to asset manager Cion Investment Corp in a cashless transaction, reaching an agreement to keep 195 stores open and avoid a complete closure.

Change habits

The new type of wedding is giving way to new types of brides and dresses. “Brides are more committed to authenticity and freedom,” says Yolanda Perez. To meet all the needs of brides. Historical brands such as Pronovias launch new collections and models. Specifically, the Catalan company created the unconventional bridal line.

Fiscal year 2023 was “very satisfactory” for us Rosa Clara: “We have broken historical sales records, both in wedding and party dresses.”“, notes the company. For its part, Yolancris has grown significantly in the United States, Japan and South Korea.

The target markets for this sector are mostly located in Asia, which remains key, but also in Latin AmericaSpecifically in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, or Colombia, and the United States, which was the kingdom of the bride of David.

Mariano García, CEO of Protocolo, points out that in the case of the company dedicated to groomsmen, the market with the greatest growth potential currently is Latin America, “where many weddings, parties and events are still held with a large influx of guests.”

Adapting to market demand in terms of product and time, as brides choose their dress with less time delay, It is one of the main challenges of bridal fashion. “Making a dress a year in advance is no longer the norm, but the times needed to make a dress are the same as always: you have to choose it, design it, try it on, adapt it, etc.,” Rosa points out. Management is clear.

Other challenges that the Yolancris Foundation points out include “understanding what contemporary women are looking for, avoiding clichés, and being prepared to break molds and adapt to new generations.” Adapting to current events is a challenge agreed by Mariano Garcia, CEO of Protocol, who adds two more challenges: “continuing to develop professionals in the sector and internationalization.”

Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week

The 2024 edition of Bridal Fashion Week will be held at the Montjuic Fairgrounds from April 17 to 21. The event is preparing to receive 21,000 visitors, an increase of 10% over the previous session. With a 14% increase in the number of brands and a record global record, with 80% of companies coming from over 35 countries, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week 2024 plans to have an economic impact of €61.5 million.

Organized by Fira de Barcelona with the support of the Ministry of Business and Labor of Catalonia, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week will see 37 companies on stage and more than 400 brands on stage. commercial offer. In addition, it is focused on business with a plan to attract international buyers from more than 80 countries, with an extensive presence in key markets such as Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Latin America. As a novelty in this edition there will be a presence of Australian brands and buyers.

Haute couture and ready-to-wear designer Giambattista Valli will be the star of your wedding night in Barcelona, with the presentation of the third Love Collection 2025, Valli's first exclusive wedding offering. High fashion brands such as Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, Stephane Rolland, or Viktor & Rolf, in addition to well-known international designers such as Jenny Packham, Tony Ward or Ines Di Santo, whom Goerges will join for the first time in this edition. Hobeika will be present at this event. Among those absent this year is Rosa Clara, who decided to stop walking the bridal fashion catwalk in Barcelona.