Coronavirus outbreak in China impacting wedding dress orders in U.S. - MLive.com

There’s no need for brides to panic.

But factory shutdowns in China related to the coronavirus outbreak are delaying shipment of some wedding gowns and other bridal wear. In fact, brides getting married this summer who have yet to order a dress are being told to consider buying off the rack vs. counting on a custom-made dress.

About 80% of wedding and prom dresses sold in the United States are made in China, according to the American Bridal and Prom Industry Association. And even dresses made elsewhere often rely on fabrics or other materials that come from China.

It’s unlikely that year’s prom season will be affected, since most retailers already have gotten their shipments of off-the-rack spring formalware. But custom-made wedding dresses are another story, with anecdotes spring up about shipment delays for some manufacturers.

“We have spent a lot of time monitoring the situation in China and I believe a lot of disruption is going to happen,” James Marcum, CEO of David’s Bridal, the largest seller of wedding gowns in the United States told CNN. “It’s not only with bridal gowns but there’s the bridesmaid side of things, too.”

A spot check of six bridal shops in Michigan didn’t find any with brides who have been directly impacted so far, and David’s Bridal has put out a press release saying all of their factories in China remain open. But store owners say they’re keeping a close eye on the situation.

“Some of the companies are backing us up a little bit" on shipment dates and some companies aren’t doing rush orders, said Kelly Walgast, owner of Lola’s Bridal Boutique in Saginaw.

For the most part, she said, “we order so far in advance” that it hasn’t been a problem.

Still, “for certain things, I’m telling my mothers, once they decide to order, don’t take two months to decide,” Walgast said.

Adrienne Wissner, owner of Memories Bridal & Evening Wear in Kalamazoo, said none of her customers have affected.

“We’ve heard stories from other shops and other designers,” Wissner said. “But fortunately, most of our designers are on track with things and haven’t been as significantly impacted as some are. It’s sort of case-by-case -- who the designer is and where their factory is located.

“We’re watching everything very closely, and I’m probably talking to our designers once a week,” she said.

In some cases, she said, China has closed factories to prevent spread of the virus, and dresses made at those factories are seeing significant delays, compounded by the fact that it’s unclear when those factories will reopen.

“But even designers that don’t have their factories directly in China, a lot of their materials -- their fabrics or their laces is made in China,” Wissner said.

As a result, "some designers are having some serious issues and are worried about being able to fill orders already on the books,” Wissner said. “Nobody wants to mess with someone’s wedding, but they’re doing everything they can.”

Like Walgast, Wissner is advising brides to put their orders in sooner versus later. “Girls can’t wait till the last minute to order their wedding gown or their bridesmaid dresses,” she said.

Brides with weddings within the next six months and who haven’t ordered a dress yet may want to think about their choices ,she added. “If your wedding is before October or September, we may want to look at options we know we can get -- off the rack or something the designer already has in production."

For brides who already have ordered a dress for this summer or fall, Wissner said it doesn’t hurt to check on shipment dates to see if their designer is among those experiencing issues.

And for brides who are impacted by delays, Wissner said there’s no need to panic.

“I know there are scary stories floating through the news right now, and some are a worst-case scenario,” she said. "But it’s not every designer, not every bride.

“And just know that if anything significant does happen, your store will work with you to try to figure out options,” Wissner said, such as finding an off-the-rack dress that can be altered. “We all want to make sure that each bride has their wonderful wedding, and they have something lovely to wear."

If the spread of this coronavirus has you thinking about what hygiene and cleaning supplies you have on hand, you’ll want to stock up on items like antibacterial soap and, in the event that you’re unable to wash your hands, a hand sanitizer with a high alcohol content. While the CDC has said wearing personal masks is not necessary if you are feeling well, some people are ordering boxes of them to have on hand. If you are cleaning countertops, tabletops, door handles and faucets in an effort to get rid of germs around your home, make sure to use disinfecting wipes designed to kill viruses.

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https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/02/coronavirus-outbreak-in-china-impacting-wedding-dress-orders-in-us.html

2020-02-29 14:41:00Z
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