Bridal buyer

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SPOTLIGHT ON

 H

AVING SPENT ALMOST TWO

decades working in the bridal

business you’d think that

Richard Lill’s enthusiasm may

have waned slightly, but it’s clear

to see the world of white dresses

holds a dear place in his heart.

“I am like a kid at Christmas every season,” he

says. “If I wasn’t then I would just leave.”

Richard began his career as a national sales

manager for bridal magazine Bliss, who co-

incidentally were based in the same building,

Claro Court Business Centre, that Alfred

Angelo UK now occupies. After receiving a call

from Nick Day, who was then at Alfred Angelo,

Richard considered his options for some time

before joining the brand two weeks before the

September Harrogate show 18 years ago. And

the rest, as they say, is history.

With 18 years at the brand under his belt the

industry has undergone much change during

this time.

“One of the things that has changed more

than anything else is brand loyalty,” Richard

explains. “It is almost gone. I don’t think it is

because of the internet so much, but because

it became even harder when the recession hit.

Retailers, like anybody else, were stabbing in

the dark at what to do, some manufacturers

were offering big discounts in desperation and

retailers were understandably enticed until they

realised that without the backing of a great

business package and support it was false

economy. Stockists want more from suppliers

than ever before.”

Richard adds: “The business focused retailers

have had to step up their game and it has

become more important for them to ask for the

sale. Gone are the days when ‘I don’t want to be

pushy’ is enough to secure a sale. In years gone

by no one would ask the girl if they were going

to buy it, that’s one of the changes we have seen

in the industry. But there are other retailers

that still don’t ask whether they are going to

buy it even if the bride and mother are in tears

at how beautiful it looks.”

The internet has also given rise to the birth

of social media, something that has given small

retailers the chance to

compete on a global scale

and speak to brides all

over the world.

Richard says there is

now a divide of old school

and new school retailing.

“Old school still works if

the retailer is very good,

but new school is the

way forward to generate

footfall,” he says. “It is vital

for retailers that deal with

suppliers like ourselves

who are committed

to advertising and

stimulating a need for the

gowns they carry. Then

once through the door old school is still the

best received approach, every bride wants to feel

special and so stores that can instill confi dence

in them and make them feel comfortable in their

own skin will always succeed.”

Success is something that Alfred Angelo has

enjoyed itself over recent years, thanks in part

to its collaboration with Disney.

“The Disney collection fi rst launched in

2011,” explains Richard, “and strangely enough

even now our number one and number two

bestselling dresses in the UK are Cinderella and

Belle in that order from the original collection.

And bearing in mind we have less stockists of

Disney than we have of Alfred Angelo or the

other collections, it is a vast and phenomenal

success story. Parts of the industry thought it

was a ridiculous concept but the brides’ reaction

and the fi gures speak from themselves. We are

so proud of our award-winning partnership

w it h D i s n e y.”

When Alfred Angelo launched the original

range it had more than 100 orders from brides

before even one sample had been delivered into

a shop, meaning more than 100 brides bought

their dresses without trying them on or even

seeing them. “That is the power of Disney; it

gives a woman the inner confi dence, which is

upmost on a bride’s wedding day,” says Richard.

Each year Alfred Angelo brings out a new

collection with versions of each princess. The

The Alfred Angelo and Disney

Cinderella gown (left page) is the

brand’s bestselling dress in the UK

ÒOne of the

things that has

changed the

most is brand

loyalty. It is

almost gone.Ó

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90-92.BB.163.Alfred Angelo.indd 91 24/06/2014 12:56