Stitch-up as brides’ ‘hand-sewn’ gowns are made in China

BRIDES-TO-BE were conned out of nearly £12,000 for “handmade” gowns with “made in China” labels inside.

Bridal boutique owner Melanie Bishop, 36, and her mother Patricia Bishop, 60, tricked 13 women into thinking they were making their gowns for the big day.

But when they came for a “fitting” some outfits were a different colour.

Other furious brides spotted “made in China” labels – and launched a campaign to get their cash back.

As complaints snowballed, Bishop shut Anna Sara Bridal in Newport, South Wales, leaving more than 100 customers worried they would be left without gowns for their big day.

A judge yesterday gave the pair suspended jail sentences for falsely selling bridal dresses for up to £1,000.

The pair admitted they had failed to inform customers the wedding dresses were made in China, falsely stating they would be handmade in their workshop.

Both women, from Blackwood, Gwent, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to 18 counts of engaging in unfair commercial practice between 2015 and 2016. Another 20 charges will lie on file.

Before she was charged, Melanie Bishop claimed to investigators her customers should have known their dresses, priced from £700 to £1,000, were manufactured in China.

She was, she said, the victim of a campaign of “abuse and lies”.

But inquiries by Newport Trading Standards ended with Bishop and her mother being charged with fraud.

The court heard the pair did accept that they claimed to customers they had designed and made the dresses.

They were each sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for a year and three months.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: “The dresses in some cases would not fit, they deviated in colour and they were not handmade, one-off, or bespoke as was advertised.

“Many brides were left with no choice other than to accept the dresses of inferior quality.”