The newly-named Valmont Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week (VBBFW) – 23-26 April – promises some stunning new features as well, of course, as the most spectacular catwalk shows. Here are ten reasons why you should be there…
1. The talent
More than 400 brands – 70% of them international ones from 34 countries – will make VBBFW a great global pole of attraction.Present will be all kinds of professionals (influencers, journalists, bloggers, designers, creators and entrepreneurs) interested in finding out more about the latest trends from the most important labels in the world, as well as young talents who bring freshness, innovation and commitment to change with their designs. All that, plus exhibitions, workshops and side events held in the most iconic places in the city.
2. On stage
Thirty-five of the most prestigious brands in the world will appear on the catwalk at VBBFW. And not only domestic ones like Pronovias, Rosa Clará, Jesús Peiró, YolanCris, Isabel Sanchis and Sophie et Voilà, but also others, such as Cymbeline, Marylise, Carlo Pignatelli, Maggie Sottero, Flora, Mori Lee and, this year, US firm Marchesa, which will feature at a spectacular parade on Barcelona Bridal Night, as Reem Acra, Ángel Sánchez and Naeem Khan have done in the past.
3. Representing every sector
This is not just about the best in bridal and men’s formalwear; cocktail and evening wear, party and communion dresses – a world of fashion-led accessories come together at VBBFW. And there are multiple tiers of product, covering different tastes, and varying budgets, from high-end luxury to the more easily accessible.
4. The buyers
VBBFW’s ‘Hosted Buyers’ programme is part of the organiser’s international strategy, to bring important retailers from across the world to the fair. Buyers like Mark Ingram, Rebecca La Sposa, Penelope Spose, Kleinfeld Bridal, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Bergdof Goodman and many others, were among the total of more than 20,000 visitors in 2018. This year retailers from more than 50 countries have confirmed their attendance and an increase of ten percent is expected over the last edition.
5. An international bridal centre
The significant presence of international firms turns Barcelona into the sector’s global platform. Exhibitors come mainly from the UK, USA, Italy, Holland, Germany, Turkey, France, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, Lebanon, Israel and Ukraine.
6. Innovation
VBBFW is a springboard for innovation, where the latest trends and collections for the following season are showcased one year in advance. It enables professionals to gauge the pulse of the sector; a particularly dynamic and changing one in that it involves fashion.
7. Knowledge dissemination centre
The fair is also a centre for disseminating knowledge and market trends. Each year the organisers analyse economic data and consumption models, as they did in 2018, when the future of bridal commerce and the digital challenge faced by fashion stores were debated.
This year an update of the study Millennial Brides, born in the 1980s, Marrying Today published in 2016, will be presented with the key data on the bridal market sector and trends and potential development flows.
8. It’s spectacular
Each year an impeccable and distinctive image is core to the fair’s personality; this year’s theme is Conquer the Extraordinary and the decor is a reflection of that inspirational concept. Every little detail is master-minded in such a way that brands can display their collections on the very best stage.
9. Tradition
Spanish bridal fashion has its own identity and relevance due in no small way to its design expertise and inventiveness, coupled with its quality production.
The Catalonia region has a long-standing pedigree in textile production – an industry that became established in the 19th century and developed in the 20th. The wedding dress is the result of the expertise of the craftsmen who worked in family-run workshops, many of which still exist, contributing their knowledge, attention, respect and care to the creation of a piece that still embodies all these qualities.
History and tradition thus mark the course of Barcelona, a city destined to become the bridal capital of the world; it fully deserves to be visited by both professionals and fashion lovers during its remarkable and memorable Bridal Fashion Week.
10. The city
Barcelona, the home of daring design, forward-thinking fashion and the adventurous avant-garde, is one of the traveller’s top choices of urban destinations.
Renowned for its shops, its gastronomy, its bustling street life and its packed cultural schedule, Barcelona is magical. The Sagrada Familia cathedral; the Gothic quarter; the works of Gaudí and the great museums (such as the National Museum of Art of Catalonia and the Picasso Museum) are just a few examples of its magical and inimitable attractions.
For information about Valmont Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, visit barcelonabridalweek.com
