do menswear but this new range could help
those who might be struggling or just want
something different. They might never have
thought about stocking menswear or been able
to do it before. Not only do our retailers get
access to our Alfred Angelo exclusive styles but
they get access to the bigger range that ACS
does. If they need a tailcoat or top hat then
they can dip into those. The samples in stores
however, will be the Alfred Angelo ones.”
Alfred Angelo will celebrate its 25th year
in the UK market this year and now supplies
around 250 UK stockists.
The European market is also growing in
importance and the brand has recently tripled
its presence across the continent. “We didn’t
feel we could service the growth we have
experienced and our stockists properly to
meet their individual market needs
without having more offi ces across
Europe,” says Richard. “So we
have opened offi ces in France
and The Netherlands in
order to make sure we are
catering properly to people’s
needs and allowing us to focus
on our much-loved UK stockists. The
offi ce in The Netherlands is now
running 30 agents across the globe.
We’re in countries including USA,
Canada, Belgium, Norway, Iceland,
Egypt, Cyprus, Italy, Malta,Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Zimbabwe and South Africa. It’s been a great
suc c e s s s o fa r.”
Richard says the company prides itself on
its ability to cope with problems and adds the
testament of a good company is not whether
things go wrong but how they put it right.
“Inevitably things can go wrong, but it is how
you are dealt with when you have a problem
that counts,” he says. “We see every one of our
retailers as individuals and treat them as such.
My team regularly say they have never laughed
so much at work and that’s because we all enjoy
what we do.”
“If you have a dress that’s running late, and
inevitably sometimes things do... you can
say we will give you a discount on it, but our
stockists are not that interested; what they want
to know is when will they get it, and then for the
following day you to call them and give them an
update. It is how they feel at the end of it that
is paramount in addition to resolving the issue.
We have a quote permanently on display in our
offi ces ‘people will forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel’.”
Earlier this year an Alfred Angelo bride
had to move her wedding forward due to her
terminally ill mother’s condition worsening.
Richard says the business “moved heaven and
earth” to try to deliver the dress to her on time,
just one example of the types of thing Alfred
Angelo will do for its customers. “You’ve got to
do what you’ve got to do,” he says. “Every dress
that comes through our company is someone’s
dream. Whether the dress is a favourite of ours
or not, it is not for us to judge. That’s what we
do, we make brides’ dreams come true. I know it
sounds corny but it’s true.” BBoriginal collection started with seven
pieces as there were seven iconic
princesses and then Rapunzel was
coronated so the range grew to eight. “A
character has to be offi cially coronated
by Disney to iconic princess status,”
says Richard. “It’s very unusual for
Elsa and Anna from the meteoric
success story that is Frozen to go to
princess status so quickly. The two new
dresses are coming out this September
and the proper launch of the collection
worldwide will be at Harrogate. We’re
super excited about it.”
Also launching this year is the
brand’s menswear offering, Alfred Angelo
Groom. The company is working in association
with ACS, the parent company of Cameron
Ross and Ultimate Formal Hire. The range
will feature exclusive Alfred Angelo suits and
waistcoats plus neckwear, both cravats and ties,
which will be available in all the 62 different
bridesmaids colours that Alfred Angelo do.
“The focus behind the concept is two-fold,”
explains Richard. “Firstly, to bring a new revenue
stream to the majority of retailers. We identifi ed
that some of the stores didn’t want men in their
shops and others haven’t got the rail space and
so we have devised three packages and the
smallest takes up six inches of rail space, that’s
it. They will get a smaller representation
of the collection including jackets,
trousers, waistcoats and the neckwear.
Retailers can upgrade and go for the
gold or platinum package, which
gives them more options. There
is a digital platform and also
the traditional way where
the guys come in and get
measured. Retailers can
earn up to 50% commission
so it is a no brainer.”
Richard explains the second
motivation for this launch was to
help retailers keep the girls off the
high street. “Once the bride knows
she can buy her bridal gown and the
bridesmaid dresses from the shop then
the retailer can tell them they can also
choose the menswear as a perfect
match, she is sold!”
The collection will launch to the
trade on 13 July and will be in the
shops from September.
“It is more about changing the
minds of the average retailer,”
Richard says.
“There are
lots that“That’s what
we do, we make
brides’ dreams
come true, I
know it sounds
corny, but it’s
true.”SPOTLIGHT ON
Alfred Angelo has a
range of different brands92 WWW.BRIDALBUYER.COM
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