The key points
- The bridal sector is recovering after a difficult two-year period due to the stop to the ceremonies
- According to the Chamber of Commerce, however, tailoring companies (which also make bridal fashion) remained stable nationwide (-0.8%) between 2019 and 2021.
- Physical stores remain essential: the purchase of the dress is a pre-event
Dfter a black two-year period of weddings postponed or celebrated in a sober and restricted way, with the loosening of restrictions and the reduction of (serious) cases of Covid -19, the current year will be the backdrop to the return to the altar for many couples. And a positive impact is also expected on the fashion segments linked to the ceremony sector.
This is confirmed by Emanuele Guido, director of the lifestyle fairs of Fiera Milano, among which he stands out We Sposaitalia Collezioni, from today to 4 April at MICO_Fieramilanocity with 170 brands: «Both from the bookings of the locations and from the brides’ appointments in the shops it emerges that the agendas are full, so the expectations for 2022 are for a return of the business to canonical levels. On the contrary: in some cases there will be real peaks because the events have been moved due to Covid-19 “. Despite the global context, according to Guido, “the sector has good prospects for development: alongside the positive energy that is perceived and which I hope will persist, fashion for wedding couples made in Italy is a niche segment that often still relies on a local supply chain and will suffer less from the problems and the rise in logistics costs, for example ».
Companies confirm the recovery
The companies confirm the recovery underway: “We have good signs for 2022. All our stores are back to work at an interesting pace that is still slightly away from pre-Covid levels,” he explains. Francesco Pignatelli, creative director of Carlo Pignatelli. Talk about restarting too Anthony Riverafounder of Antonio Riva Milano, who does not participate in the fair but still presents the 2023 bridal collection: “My perception is that 2022 will be the year of the recovery of the sector bridal – He says -. There is again the desire to get married and to do it according to tradition and the girls are again looking for their perfect dress. We also see it from the appointments with our customers which are much more numerous. This is a clear sign of recovery ». And he adds: “By working a lot with foreign countries and especially with Japan, our brand has never stopped, in these two years we have always continued our business and to date we have already received many confirmations on the next collection”.
The world market at $ 79.8 billion in 2027
Sales abroad can be a growth driver for Made in Italy companies. The wedding business, in fact, will grow all over the world: according to estimates by the Research and Markets company, the wedding dress market should go from $ 59.1 billion in 2020 to $ 79.8 billion in 2027, with growth annual average (CAGR) of 4.4 per cent. Although the key market for bridal apparel remains the US with 26 billion dollars in value, among those that will grow the most is the Chinese one which, with an estimated CAGR of 6.7%, will reach 7.7 billion in 2027. The Far East is a fundamental market for the high-end made in Italy, confirms Guido. There are product lines that have their first market there. Our goal as fairs is to keep active and strengthen relations with these markets ».
Green focus for Generation Z brides
Therefore, if the geography of weddings is changing, the desires of brides who today are increasingly attentive to the environment have already changed: from the 2022 edition of the Sì SposaItalia Collezioni Observatory “Meet The Generation Z Bride: discovering the spouses of near future ”shows that over 50% of young spouses would spend up to 10% more for sustainable creation.