Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week Preps Upcoming Edition
● Albasarí Caro will lead the fair in the sign of continuity with some add-ons.
MILAN — Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week is already gearing up for its upcoming edition with a new director in tow.
Albasarí Caro was named the head of the bridal trade show last month, succeeding Estermaria Laruccia, who left after seven years.
Caro is planning to forge ahead in the sign of continuity, but made it clear she's eager to boost the fair's international appeal and as the industry's point of reference, beyond just business.
“In the end we want everyone in the industry to have FOMO when they think about the dates,” Caro said in a Zoom interview from Barcelona.
Running April 19 to 23 at the Fira de Barcelona fairgrounds, the trade show on Tuesday released the edition's theme and concept centered on the world of cinema.
After 2022's Viktor & Rolf show, a guest designer is expected next year as well, but the name is being kept under wraps.
Boasting a background of 25 years in the Spanish fashion and retail scene, Caro's most recent, 10-year gig at Pronovias gave her a deep knowledge of the industry.
“We're going to be continuing to lead by being many steps ahead of the curve. We're a trade show, for sure, but we're not selling square meters, we're selling a source of inspiration, a point of reference for the bridal industry, this is what we've always been aspiring to do,” she said.
This entails providing an added value to the traditional business-to-business platform via talks, which Caro likened to “bridal's Ted Talks,” and further grounding the fair's strength in its networking component.
“I know buyers — and multibrand buyers especially — know each of their microcosms in their cities…obviously they are going to come to buy collections, discover new brands, this will continue to be true. But what we can offer them that they are not going to get anywhere else [is] the networking opportunity and also the industry talks,” she explained.
Against the backdrop of increased supply chain issues and shortened lead times for brides' wedding days, which are posing challenges in terms of inventory, preorders and fulfilling radically changed needs — think sustainable manufacturing, variety of offer and more — Caro stressed the fair's role as a guiding light for the industry.
“We'll be sharing ideas and becoming that place where people gain knowledge from the industry, trends not only in terms of fashion but also the industry itself… sharing tips, know-how, best practices, that type of place where we can all come together and share…we're kind of competitors but in the end we're sharing the same clients, same industry, [our aim is] to create a neutral place where everyone can come and learn, not just come to buy,” she added.
Although the talks component will be expanded starting from 2024, hints of it will be found in next year's edition, Caro said.
The executive noted that the bulk of the fair's brands and buyers are international, with 75 percent and 80 percent, respectively, hailing from outside Spain.
“That added value is always an incentive for buyers and brands to come, this is how we see it. It's motivational, because the buyers would want to come themselves, the lead buyer would come and not send a second buyer, because it's the place to be,” she contended.
She's also adamant about keeping the format, which blends the fairground exhibition with fashion shows by marquee bridal names.
“We're at the core a trade show, there's absolutely no doubt about that. People come here to do business, to place orders and to sell, that's the core of what we do,” she said, adding that the glamorous component of the catwalk experience can't be overlooked as it provides visibility and content to brands.
Caro's goal is to further boost the international appeal of the trade show. She offered that the team has been hunting for key players in markets that are currently less represented, including South Korea and Japan.
“It's always a challenge because of the distance mainly, and they're completely different markets, but still very interesting ones for us as well. We're very much wanting to grow there and we're exploring to bring both brands and buyers…because we feel there's a great potential for them to find new and interesting things here. So it's a win-win for the buyers and brands that we have,” she explained.