Sounds from the bridalwear industry: Cautious recovery after the 2024 ‘gap year’

Anyone working in the European bridalwear industry likely traveled to Essen, Germany, last weekend for European Bridal Week, which took place from March 29 to 31. The trade show revealed an industry still recovering from the 2024 ‘gap year’ and various crises, but positivity could also be felt. “Buyers are increasing their budgets again and are ready to spend,” was the message from Scandinavian family business Lilly.

While the bridalwear industry presents an image of romance and positivity to consumers, a darker edge is visible on the business side. This isn't entirely surprising, given the various crises the sector has endured, which have also drastically changed the consumer behaviour of marrying couples.

European Bridal Week 2025: State of the bridalwear industry

Let's start with the ‘COVID effect.’ Almost everyone knows that weddings were on hold during the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis. However, these weddings had been in preparation for a long time; the dress and suit had already been purchased. This resulted in a surge of events when restrictions were lifted. But for wedding dress manufacturers, the biggest blow was yet to come.

“On average, couples get engaged after three years and marry about four years after they meet,” explains Kelvin Gibbs of Romantica of Devon. “But no one met in 2020, or hardly anyone anyway. People who matched on dating apps didn't necessarily meet in person.” Adding to that the earlier calculation of engagement after three years and marriage after four, results in a gap in 2024. Gibbs does indicate that he sees a cautious recovery in his business in 2025. He is also hopeful that this will continue in 2026.

Scandinavian brand Lilly also sees this recovery. “The past few years have been tough. During that period, we focused on collaborations with our partners, because you need each other. Now we notice that loyalty is coming back to us. The retailers who can increase their budgets again are now happy to spend it with us.”

Bridalwear industry after the 2024 ‘gap year’: Recovery, trends, and bottlenecks

While the show floor seemed somewhat empty on the first day of European Bridal Week, Sunday was bustling. Many booths were full of visitors browsing the racks or sitting at tables waiting for gowns to be presented by models. Retailers were frequently taking photos, and every detail of the wedding dresses was inspected.

Brands such as Justin Alexander, Rosa Clara, Allure Bridals, Diane Legrand, Ladybird, Madi Lane, Rembo Atelier, Modeca, and Weise were present at the trade show. While these names are familiar to many, even outside the bridalwear industry, some other major players were missing. This is a pity, several exhibitors told FashionUnited. One of the absent brands, for example, is Enzoani. Big, international names create extra appeal, according to Sebastian Mörth of the new brand Vivian Wonder, especially now that European Bridal Week competes with Barcelona Bridal Week, which takes place in April.

It was noticeable that fluency in German was an advantage at the trade show, as communication with many booths was otherwise difficult. The exhibitors seemed entirely focused on German-speaking visitors, although Dutch and English-speaking representatives could be found here and there. Still, it remained challenging. Especially now that the German market is struggling, a more international focus and the corresponding audience could be a game-changer for stabilising results, according to several exhibitors.

The struggles of the German market are another clear indication of the domino effect of recent years. Many bridalwear stores and manufacturers have disappeared in Germany, as several exhibitors at the trade show reported. This observation is shared by trade show organiser Helena Kischka, who manages European Bridal Week with her team. “The German market, as well as the entire German economy, is struggling. Internationally, there might be some recovery, but you won't hear that from German parties.”

Bridal shops have also disappeared in other countries, partly due to succession problems. “People have taken early retirement, for example, because they had no successor and the world was already so tumultuous at that time,” says Gibbs. The disappearance of players in the supply chain will lead to more dominoes falling. “The remaining stores may not write enough orders with brands to keep them afloat. If brands disappear, eventually manufacturers will disappear too,” adds Kischka. She therefore expects a shake-out in the industry, which will stabilise in the long term.

Changes in the bridalwear industry: Mix and match gains ground

The industry is facing challenges, that's a fact. Parties such as Romantica of Devon, Lilly, and the Polish Agnes Fashion Group indicate that it's best to accept this and take action. “You can be sad about it, but that doesn't solve anything,” says Anna Czapiga of the group. “Wedding couples can only spend their money once, and people think twice about buying a wedding dress. 2,000 or 3,000 euros? You can go on vacation for a week with that if you plan it well.” In addition, wedding couples nowadays often bear the costs of their wedding themselves, whereas parents used to contribute or even pay for the entire wedding.

Of course, there are still large weddings with hundreds of guests and extravagant dresses. While one bride has a custom-made dress, another will still spend a few thousand euros on a dress from a store. But there is also a growing group opting for a civil partnership or a city hall wedding. A dress with a long train may not be suitable for them, and they often choose the ‘mix and match’ collections that are widely available at the trade show. These collections with separate tops, skirts, and trousers are gaining popularity. “Not everyone dreams of a big wedding, and people often find it a shame that they only wear their wedding attire once. Some brides also use the items from their mix and match collection for other occasions later on.” There is even a booth at the trade show offering a service where brides can have their wedding dresses dyed and altered to make them suitable for other occasions.

There is also one topic that is almost impossible to avoid, or rather, one name. Trump is mentioned at several booths when it comes to market uncertainty. Since his inauguration in January, the trade war has escalated further, and with the new tariffs being imposed back and forth, the economic landscape is volatile. Not everyone does business with the US, but the developments will also affect manufacturing country China, where a large proportion of wedding dresses are made. “It's also a sign that the European industry needs to be strengthened. Many good wedding dresses are now also coming from Ukraine, for example,” says Sonja Jonkers of Ellis.

It's clear: the bridalwear industry is not yet at pre-pandemic levels. Whether that will ever be the case again is questionable. A more likely scenario is one where the industry, after years of contraction and the disappearance of businesses, stabilises and focuses on two groups of wedding couples. On the one hand, there are the couples who opt for a grand wedding with a traditional wedding dress; on the other hand, the simplicity of civil partnerships and city hall weddings is gaining ground, for which a completely different, often more affordable look is purchased. Giving up is not an option; the situation requires action. Only then will a diverse bridalwear landscape be ensured.

FashionUnited visited European Bridal Week at the invitation of the organization. The next edition will take place from March 28th to 30th, 2026.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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