As the glamorous doors closed to the glamorous European Bridal Week, which took place from April 1st to 3rd in the halls of Messe Essen, Germany, exhibition organizer United Fairs had reason to celebrate.
The biggest bridal industry event of the year, with 500 collections of innovative designs waiting to be discovered by a record number of retailers from no fewer than 48 countries, set new standards and sparked renewed enthusiasm from everyone involved after two years of the pandemic. New trends have been set at this important show, deliberately scheduled early in the season to allow for early delivery and allow retailers to show customers new designs when they are at their busiest. These trends will be groundbreaking, will be the focus in the coming months and will therefore also be reflected in social media.
International manufacturers and design houses presented their new collections at the European Bridal Week – there were lavish details such as oversized bows, “separates” and innovative ideas for integrating detachables into a design. The boho style remains popular for destination weddings. It is no surprise that the planning for EBW 2024, which will again take place at Messe Essen from 13th to 15th April 2024, is already underway. A large number of bookings have already been confirmed, just a week after the success of this year’s event.
Sonja Jonkers, Sales Manager Europe, Casablanca Bridal:
“We had a great show at European Bridal Week. The greatest gift is that our existing partners have visited us to order again for the coming season. In Hall 2 we were able to create a cozy atmosphere – like a small garden in Tuscany – to show our stunning collections. We have also welcomed and won many new customers from different countries; this is a fundamentally important aspect at a trade fair. That’s why I can only say: ‘Believe in your own Magic’ & ‘Celebrate forever’; that is what Casablanca Bridal stands for.”
Zoran Banozic, Managing Director, Wise:
“First of all, many thanks for the very good organization of the trade fair. Even if – due to the current market situation with our customers – the bridal collections were not ordered as in the previous year, we were able to increase the topic in the mother-of-the-bride area and in the mix and match (registry office). Overall, we were therefore able to match the previous year’s figures for the first time. A great highlight for us was the presentation of our collections on the catwalk during the fashion shows. In particular, our new IamYours collection was very popular here and was enthusiastically received by the visitors. Thank you and see you next year! We are happy!”
Anne Kathrine Rantzau, owner, LILLY:
“Thank you very much for a wonderful EBW – as always, everything was beautifully staged and perfectly realized. We had a very busy three days of lots of fun, laughter and good orders from our loyal LILLY customer base and we were able to welcome new customers to our LILLY family. We look forward to an amazing 2024 bridal season. See you next year!”
Andrew Georgiou, Head of Marketing and Product Development, Très Chic Bridal Wear:
“European Bridal Week offers an impressive range of suppliers and brands; without having to visit another fair, the entire northern European bridal fashion market can really find everything their heart desires here. The organizers have realized an event here that presents the best of the best for exhibitors and visitors alike. Here one can find established brands that serve the core of the bridal market rather than just emerging brands that cater to a limited audience. EBW is truly a world class event and now, having transformed into such a large show, it is one of the largest bridal events in Europe, serving Northern Europe, Scandinavia and both Southern European markets such as France and the UK.”