Have you ever wondered what makes brides so stunning? I don’t think the glow is just because they are in love. I think the clothes have something to do with it, too. The things that make bridal fashion so special don’t have to be exclusive to bridal, though. Ready-to-wear brands can say yes to the same approach and create clothes their customers will fall in love with.
Tailored fit
Bridalwear, more than any other clothing category, gets tailored to the individual. In most cases, it is altered, but sometimes it is custom made for the person. This attention to detail with fit is unmatched by most of fashion. While this isn’t practical for every ready-to-wear brand who is trying to fit a market segment instead of a specific individual, the overall mindset still translates.
Fit is important and has a profound effect on the person who wears the garment. I think part of what makes wedding outfits so magical is that, being perfectly tailored to us, they make us feel our best and feel beautiful. We can bring that into designing and fitting ready-to-wear.
Take notice of your customers body shapes and sizes so you can tailor your designs for them. You’ll find some commonalities in your target market even amongst a diverse range of people. Although one garment won’t fit everybody perfectly right off the rack, you can also design your garments in a way that makes them easy to alter.
The more specifically you understand your customer base, the more you’ll be able to tailor the fit just for them.
Something old, something borrowed
I love how bridal fashion has embraced material reuse and upcycling. Maybe it is because bridal gowns are more expensive or maybe it is because they hold cherished memories, but heirloom gowns get passed down generations and reworn in a new way. The idea that clothes can be keepsakes and are worth preserving for future generations is both sustainable and special.
Upcycling and garment reuse is more and more popular in ready-to-wear brands today. This movement to change the perception of clothing from disposable to reusable borrows from the refashioned bridal trend. Using something old that is already in existence to create something that will be worn again by a new generation is a tradition I think is worth continuing.
Ready-to-wear fashion brands today can use old garments, other types of textiles, or deadstock fabrics and turn them into something new. Neither the meaning nor the material is forgotten.
It is an experience
Shopping for a wedding gown isn’t just about buying a dress. It is buying an experience. A wedding dress isn’t an impulse purchase or one that brides make quickly out of necessity. Dress shopping is a whole event with the girls and moms. The process is long – often many months between initial boutique visit and taking home the dress. Bridal brands know this and have designed a whole curated, premium experience around this.
Ready-to-wear brands can do the same thing. What if shopping from your brand was a whole experience that your customers looked forward to and were willing to wait even months for? What if shopping with you was a social event that people paid to attend? It has to be something that makes your customers feel special, but you have the opportunity to be an experience they will never forget.
Make it personal
Every detail at a wedding is a reflection of the couple. The whole event showcases their personalities, love story, and the life they want to build together. The outfits are no exception.
Yes, the clothes have to fit and function, but bridal clothing is so much more than that. It is personal. A refashioned or reworn dress might carry past memories, and both new and old dresses carry future memories. Brides look back fondly on the time they wore the dress even decades later when the dress is completely out of style. The garment holds their love, sometimes literally stitched into it through a memento or embroidered initials or wedding date.
Ready to wear can incorporate these same personal touches in other ways. I’ve seen brands offer personalization or custom embroidery services as an add on to their preexisting products. It could also be something more subtle like a fun lining or detail on the interior of the garment that offers a special surprise the wearer can keep close to her heart. It could even be something like a well placed pocket in just the right size where she can keep her meaningful items handy.
While bridal fashion operates a bit differently from traditional ready-to-wear fashion brands, there are many things that ready-to-wear can learn from bridal. If your brand can marry personal, tailored fit with a memorable experience, then you’ll be able to make your customers’ every day feel like their special day.