Barcelona reinforces status as European capital of bridal fashion

Once relegated to a niche category within the industry, bridal fashion is making a decisive leap to the forefront. The pandemic’s impact, which heavily affected an industry reliant on physical events and centered around a single season, now sees bridal fashion entering an era of reinvention. Designers and brands are showcasing flexibility, focusing on new markets, creating designs for diverse wedding types and brides, expanding styles, and blurring the lines between bridal, prêt-à-porter, red carpet, and couture. Bridal fashion aims to be treated as high fashion, while the fashion world dabbles in the lucrative bridal market, dismantling traditional wedding clichés.

Coinciding with the Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, Marseille-born fashion designer and Instagram icon Jacquemus launched his first bridal collection, true to his casual and contemporary style. Simultaneously, singer Taylor Swift released the first music video from her latest album, wearing a romantic, draped wedding dress by Australian designer Toni Matičevski. This wasn’t the first time the influential artist embraced bridal fashion; the voluptuous designs of Taiwanese brand Nicole + Felicia are a staple in her wardrobe. Recently, the Met Gala featured numerous bridal-inspired gowns on its red carpet: from Ariana Grande’s romantic Loewe look to Sienna Miller’s bohemian dress by Chloé’s Chemena Kamali, and Kylie Jenner’s suggestive Oscar de la Renta gown, alongside Vittoria Ceretti’s Alaïa. The media attention on bridal designs is undeniable.

To confirm whether bridal fashion is more popular than ever, Barcelona was the place to be. From April 17 to 21, Fira de Barcelona hosted another edition of Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, featuring 37 brands in its fashion shows, presenting over 900 dresses, and 400 brands participating in the commercial exhibition.

Amid a push for internationalization, 80% of these brands were from abroad, while 81% of the strategic buyers invited by the organization came from 50 countries, highlighting key markets such as Europe, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and, for the first time, Australia. Attendance increased by 7% compared to last year, reaching 23,000 visitors, including over 4,200 buyers.

Interest in this market is rising. According to the ‘Essential Wedding Book’ by Esade professor Carles Torrecilla and Google, wedding-related searches grew 23% annually between 2019 and 2022, confirming the market’s recovery post-Covid-19. Despite reduced competition from brands that didn’t survive the pandemic, the sector benefited from deferred weddings. Of the more than 1,400 companies surveyed (not just fashion brands), a third saw over 10% growth in revenue, 24% grew by 5%, 40% maintained stable sales, and 7% saw a decline.

Moreover, although wedding seasonality is reflected in search volumes, data shows that user interest is growing year-round, prompting brands to adapt their strategies for extended market presence.

Beyond the evolving profile of couples, with an average marrying age around 30 and many having children beforehand (up to 30%), the study shows that wedding dress characteristics are also evolving, with customization becoming a key factor in design choice. In Spain, the average cost of a wedding dress and accessories is 2,150 euros.

While previous editions elevated the event’s international couture status with brands like Marchesa, Viktor&Rolf, and Elie Saab, this year’s highlight was Italian designer Giambattista Valli.

“The participation of such designers sends a clear message that we also create high fashion here. Featuring established couture brands means we offer that aspirational aspect, which can coexist with mass-market bridal brands targeting different audiences,” affirmed Albasarí Caro.

Headlining the Barcelona Bridal Night, Valli presented his first bridal show with 30 exquisite designs. In an interview with FashionNetwork.com, he stated, “I didn’t want to keep the wedding dress as an elitist corner solely for Haute Couture, but to share it with a broader group. I see it as a way to translate my excellence DNA in a much more accessible way.”

Regarding Barcelona Bridal Week’s role on the global runway scene, he added that the event “has positioned itself as a leading international reference. In Europe, it’s the most important bridal event. Globally, it’s in the top tier,” highlighting the “phenomenal” reactions from commercial agents.

Despite Valli being a major international name, the event also featured other high-profile brands. The commercial fair dedicated a showroom area to luxury international offerings from Tony Ward, Elie Saab, Viktor&Rolf, Stephane Rolland, Ines di Santo, Jenny Packham, and Georges Hobeika. Domestically, luxury craftsmanship with international reach was represented by Barcelona’s YolanCris and Valencia’s Isabel Sanchís, key players in Spain’s bridal industry.

“We’ve been working non-stop to attract the Asian market,” noted Paula Maiques, designer of the Valencian brand, celebrating the rise in North American buyers. María Díaz, co-founder of Marco&Maria, praised the event’s centralized nature and client acquisition opportunities among attendees. “In New York, everything is more scattered between showrooms, hotels, etc. Here, the atmosphere is different, supportive and conducive to sales,” she said, noting the surge in the brand’s international sales, especially in Korea. “Seoul has become the new Paris,” she concluded with a smile.

Though this edition missed Rosa Clará, one of Barcelona’s leading bridal companies, Pronovias captured significant media attention with its 60th-anniversary show. The firm unveiled its new brand image and creative direction, moving from an exuberant bridal style to a more minimalist and artistic aesthetic, marking the first major move by new CEO Marc Calabia, formerly of Tendam and Desigual.

“We need to be much more contemporary in presenting our values. We not only aim to remain the global leading brand but aspire to be the reference,” said Calabia about the renewed brand image, revealed during a “disruptive, artistic, and innovative” show at the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) before more than 700 guests.

Responding to today’s client demands, sustainable and “made in Spain” Bilbao-based brand Sophie et Voilà launched a prêt-à-porter line three collections ago, currently sold through luxury e-commerce giant Moda Operandi. Creative director and founder Sofia Arribas sees it as a logical move towards fluidity, “just as many classic fashion brands are venturing into bridal.” Mass market brands like Asos, & Other Stories, H&M, Reformation, and Sézane have recently began introducing bridal collections into their offerings.

Other fast fashion giants have been discreetly flirting with event and ceremony fashion, occasionally marketing outfits suitable for these occasions without committing to a new bridal category. In Spain alone, despite these offerings being minimal compared to full fashion lines, they account for up to 7% of wedding dress purchases, while 78% of clients opt for specialized stores and 11% choose designers. For men, 20% choose clothing stores, 52% prefer specialized boutiques, 16% go to tailors, and 6% to designers.

Launched in 2023 to bring recognition, visibility, and internationalization to industry companies, the Barcelona Bridal & Fashion Awards concluded the event, honoring industry names like Pronovias, Pnina Tornai, Sophie et Voilà, Mans, Jenny Packham, Yolancris, and Vera Wang. The next edition of Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week is scheduled to be held from April 23 to April 27, 2025.