Posts Tagged ‘Company Information’

Ben’s Exhibition Travel Tales Part II

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Today Ben shares with us his stories from the National Bridal Market and trip to Vienna. To see Part I, click here.

Following on just one week after Harrogate was the Chicago National Bridal Market. If you think the Harrogate show is big, you should see the Chicago Bridal Market! I really feel sorry for the feet of all the visitors!! The show itself was incredible, beyond our wildest dreams. We didn’t stop for the full three and a half days of the show, and we opened so many new accounts we actually ran out of new customer account forms!

Richard Designs stand, Chicago

Richard Designs stand, Chicago

The US buyers particularly liked the new collection, stating that it was so different from anything else available, they also liked the flexibility in the pearl and crystal colours that we offer, something that seems like such a simple thing to us. We found veil C325C and headpiece TR1361A to be very popular with the American market.

Victorian Inspired Headdress TR1361A

Victorian Inspired Headdress TR1361A

Wedding Veil Diamante Edge C325C

Wedding Veil Diamante Edge C325C

Finally the last show of the year was in Vienna, where we exhibited in the British Embassy, which is an amazing building! We had the opportunity to meet both shops and agents from Austria, but also buyers from 17 other countries in Europe. It was a very eye-opening event, we learnt a lot about buying in different cultures throughout Europe. We took with us a small sample of the new collection that we released at Harrogate and this proved to be a hit, particularly The Classics.

Classics Side Tiara B025L

Classics Side Tiara B025L

In short it has been a very busy period for Richard Designs, a refresh of the Boutique Collection stand, the release of the new belts and shrugs, the best American show ever and our first exhibition in Europe. But for now it is time for me to get back out on the road to see you all! In my next blog I will be giving you all an insight into the most popular pieces on the road from the new collection. Until then, thanks for reading!

Ben Allen

Senior Sales Executive

Trade shows aren’t the only place you can see our collection of bridal accessories. If you would like an appointment with Ben in your shop where he can show you the new samples with no obligation to buy, just give Jennifer a call on 01353 661600 or email sales@richarddesigns.co.uk

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Company Information, Latest News | No Comments »

Ben’s Exhibition Travel Tales

Friday, November 11th, 2011
Our Senior Sales Executive Ben travels all round the world to show off our beautiful bridal and occasion-wear accessories. The last few months have been a particularly busy time for him in terms of travel, and today he sums up for us his views of recent exhibitions. Enjoy!

Hi there,

Its been a few months since my last guest blog, but my goodness they have been busy! It has been show after show, starting with MODA in August we then had BBEH and the Chicago National Bridal Market in September and finally a trip to Vienna for an event organised by the UKTI! I have even managed a few weeks out on the road in between!

I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you all about them, starting with MODA all the way back in August:

MODA saw a new stand layout centred on ladies day at the races, and the displays looked fabulous. Our design team as usual had done a brilliant job in both producing new styles, but also colour matching hats and fascinators to several outfits on the stand.

Richard Designs Boutique Collection stand at Moda

With several high profile weddings happening over the summer, disc style fascinators were very much in people’s minds, with FQ198 being the most popular headpiece by a mile.

Boutique Collection Zara Inspired Fascinator FQ198

Boutique Collection Zara Inspired Fascinator FQ198

Soon after MODA followed BBEH, at the beginning of September, where Richard Designs launched its new collection of belts and Blue Ribbon shrugs. This was once again a brilliant show for us, with the Victorian themed stand being the talk of the exhibition!

Richard Designs Victorian theme at BBEH

Both the shrugs and the belts were extremely well received, with Belt 003 and Shrug SH5-3 the bestselling styles. The belts are an excellent way of bringing to life a plain dress or lifting those old sale dresses you are trying to move. With the prices starting low, they seem like too good an opportunity to overlook.

Richard Designs Wedding Belt 003

Richard Designs Wedding Belt 003

Blue Ribbon Shrug SH5-3

Blue Ribbon Shrug SH5-3

Lastly and by no means least we won the RBA award for top accessories supplier for the fourth time in five years, this was such an honour for us and can I just take the time to thank all the RBA members that voted for us.

Richard Designs RBA Awards

I’ll be back next week with a recap on the Chicago Bridal Market and the exhibition in Vienna, but until then, have a great week!

Ben is currently on the road showing the Victorian-Inspired collection. If you would like to see him and the collection, make an no-obligation appointment by calling Jen on 01353 661600 or emailing sales@richarddesigns.co.uk

To see Ben’s other blogs, click here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Company Information, Latest News | No Comments »

RBA Top Accessories Supplier 2011

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

First of all, we would like to say a big Thank You to everyone who came to see us at the British Bridal Exhibition this month. We had a fantastic time showing off our new Victorian Inspired collection, and loved seeing you all – existing and new customers alike. The new collection was a big hit, proving very popular with everyone! Especially popular was our new collection of wedding belts, which sold like hot cakes!! Come back over the next two weeks to see the bestselling new designs, pictures of new belts and updated galleries with the new products!

Richard Designs Victorian theme at BBEH

On Monday night, we attended the RBA Awards Dinner Dance, along with other suppliers and bridal retailers. The Retail Bridalwear Association is a fantastic organisation to be a part of, for both retailers and suppliers. With years of success in the bridal industry, the RBA have taken several important steps to protect both retailers and brides. For more information, see www.rbaltd.org.uk

RBA Logo

The RBA Awards, therefore, mean a lot to the UK wedding industry. With the winners being nominated and voted for by retailers within the RBA, these awards are truly important to us as it is what our customers think of us that counts. That is why we are so pleased to have been voted as

Top Accessories Supplier 2011

Thank you to all of our customers who voted for us and who have supported us over the years. We hope that we can continue to offer you a high level of service, innovative designs and quality products for a long time to come.

Richard Designs RBA Awards

Don’t forget we will be at the National Bridal Market in Chicago this weekend (24 – 27 September). This is a great opportunity for US retailers to see our new collections. We’re looking forward to seeing you at Market Suites on 7, Merchandise Mart, Booth 3098. For more information, see here.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Company Information, Latest News | No Comments »

Guest Blog from Our Company Representative Ben Allen

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Today we have a special treat for you as our company representative Ben Allen explains why he loves working in the bridal business and introduces himself to those of you that have not yet met him. Ben will be writing a guest blog for us on a regular basis, so you can keep up to date with the best advice on trends, buying, and running your shop. Enjoy!

Ben Allen at the BBEH

Ben Allen at the BBEH

Hello Everyone,

I thought it would be nice to join the ranks as a guest blogger on our website so over the next few months I will be regularly appearing on the website to discuss trends, observations and the importance of bridal shops. Today I just wanted to introduce myself to you if you have only briefly had a chance to see me at MODA or BBEH, rather than having time for a chat at either of the shows or a visit from me in your shop.

In years gone by while I was working in my previous job (I worked in Chemistry of all things!) I would sit round the dinner table with my family and at certain times of the year I would hear about this place in Yorkshire called Harrogate and I would wonder what it was all about, some sort of exhibition I believed. As time went by I became more and more intrigued by this place, until one year I said to Elaine, Founder of Richard Designs and my stepmother, ‘can I come to Harrogate this year?’.  Well that was in 2005 and since then I have become hooked on the business, helping out at every Harrogate since, learning about everything from veiling lengths and styles to petticoats, from tiaras to hats! I had such a good time, everyone who would come on the stand was friendly and happy to speak with a chap who was enthusiastic about the product.

Busy BBEH

A busy time at the BBEH

When an opportunity arose to follow in the footsteps of my dad and my step brothers and sister in joining the family business I spoke with Elaine about the possibility of taking a permanent role as company rep and the rest as they say is history!

Since I joined the family business I have had such a brilliant time, I can’t believe it has gone so quickly! Obviously when I started I had the advantage over most new starters of knowing the product well, but it was both exciting and scary going into shops for the first time.  It has been lovely to come and meet so many of you in your shops, you are all so friendly and welcoming and it’s so nice to be able to talk about so many different things and to show you some lovely products at the same time.

Just recently I have been able to come and meet many more of you in the North of the UK. I know I haven’t been to see everybody yet, but I hope to meet even more of you and I am always happy to meet you at the exhibitions, please just come over and say hi!

Ben at Moda

Ben helping customers at Moda

In my role as a company rep I am always trying to learn new things about the business of weddings and occasion-wear, so that I can provide you with the best advice.  It’s my belief that I am here to help and advise you, never to try and sell you something you don’t want. I am always happy to discuss general trends and best-sellers, which I know can be invaluable information if you are new to the business, but I will never know your area or your brides as well as you will – that’s why I am here to support you in any way that you need.

I look forward to my next few blogs, in which I will be discussing the current trends I am noticing on the road, asking how quickly will the recent royal wedding start influencing brides’ choices and which is best; traditional tiara or side-spray headpiece?

Thanks for reading & hopefully I’ll see you soon!

Ben Allen
Senior Sales Executive

Thanks Ben, we’re looking forward to your blogs too! You can find out more about Ben here.

To find out more about stocking Richard Designs in your shop, see here.

To make a no-obligation appointment with Ben please call Charlotte on 01353 661600. There is no minimum order on any of our lines, and no obligation to buy if you make an appointment.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Bridal Shops, Company Information, Latest News | No Comments »

How we support bridal shops & retailers

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

When starting a bridal wear shop or retail outlet it can be difficult to choose your suppliers and make sure you are getting all the support you deserve. With 25 years experience in the bridal industry, we understand the need for this support and so we have several procedures in place to help bridal shops and their customers.

Direct marketing to brides

www.richard-designs.com provides us with a portal where we can communicate with brides which enables us to, together with your feedback, always have a finger on the pulse of the bridal industry and make sure our products are heading in the right direction in terms of design, customer service and marketing.

Many brides come to us requesting details of their local stockist and we always direct them to you. We do not sell online, to online retailers or advertise prices online. So you can be sure that you are our number one priority and we will support you as much as we can.

Fantastic customer service

We are dedicated to providing you with fantastic customer service. Our superb customer service team are on hand to help you with any queries, advice or last-minute requests. As we make everything to order in the UK, we are able to meet your needs quickly and completely. We also offer a comprehensive colour-matching service for those unusual outfits or requests. As all our items are made to order and so customisation is available on all products. We love a challenge, so give us a try, you might be surprised by what we can do!

Shade cards and brochures

We have an extensive range of shade cards for tulle, crystal and pearls which we can provide free of charge. We also have complimentary brochures for each of our collections and these, along with the shade cards, are invaluable tools to have in your shop. Brides love to see our wide range of colours and designs and will know they are getting something truly unique and tailored to their needs. All brochures and shade cards are available as PDFs – great for printing your own or even emailing a bride their own copy!

We also provide promotional material for any events or fairs you may be holding. Click here to see the Brides Leaflet 2011. We can also send you some pre-printed one-page leaflets for your brides. Please contact us to take advantage of this complementary service.

The needs of our customers always come first

We strive to give not just the service you expect, but to exceed your expectations. Styles, fabric qualities, colours and delivery are all driven by the feedback you give us. In a competitive industry, we understand that you need to offer your customer the very best products and that your response to customers’ requests is vital.

We have a unique computerised order processing and management system that allows your orders to be delivered at the time most convenient for you. Your own unique reference or bride’s name can be added for your easy identification. This year we have enhanced the service we offer so that you will receive an email confirmation of your order including information on price, colour, style and estimated delivery time. Customers who order over the telephone, email, fax or even post will all receive this notification direct to their in-boxes. If an order is sent via courier, you will receive notification of the time of delivery in an email the following day.

We take care of you, so that you can take care of your clients. Because we want you to be the best, we will do our best for you.

—

See other blogs written to help retail outlets:

How to dress your shop window

Tips for refreshing your shop for the new season

How to display your fascinators

Our innovative new customer service system

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Bridal Shops, Company Information, Latest News | No Comments »
« Older Entries