While two long-established Liverpool wedding dress shops prepare to close within weeks, independent bridal boutiques in the Allerton area are bucking the national trend with booming trade, expanded teams and brides travelling from across the UK and Ireland.
Allerton Bridal Businesses Thrive Amid Industry Challenges
Louise Hynes, 37, from Hale Village, opened Isabella's Closet Bridal on Booker Avenue in 2020 after struggling to find a dress that suited her style. She now runs the boutique with her mother, Pamela McCulloch, 62, from Childwall. Hynes told the ECHO: "We're not a massive shop and we have limited one-on-one appointments, so the focus is all about the bride's experience in store. We've been growing each year, and we're getting more and more brides finding us through word of mouth."
Despite describing the closures of Country Road's Bridesworld Liverpool and city centre's Copplestones Bridal as "sad", Hynes said her business has continued to grow by offering unique designs. "We have brides travelling from all over the country and we find that half of the brides that we get are actually from outside of Liverpool," she said. "We get people coming from Manchester, Chester, Wales, the Lake District and even as far as London and Ireland."
High Street Competition and Changing Habits
Before opening Isabella's Closet, Hynes spent 10 years as a fashion buyer for Very. She noted the rise of high street brands entering the bridal market as a major challenge. "There's been a huge growth over the past few years of high street labels recognising that the bridal industry is a really good area to get into," she said. "Some of the high street brands are doing amazing pieces and every brand is doing all-white collections now."
According to IBISWorld, there are around 3,100 bridalwear businesses across the UK, with the number of retailers declining by about 5% each year due to changing consumer habits and rising operating costs.
Liverpool's Bridal Closures
Bridesworld Liverpool closed on Wednesday, July 15, after 44 years of serving generations of brides. Originally opening on County Road in 1983, the family-run business sold wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns, communion wear and occasion outfits. Announcing its closure, the business said: "Over the past 44 years, we've had the privilege of helping generations of brides and families, getting to know so many wonderful people who have become friends along the way."
Award-winning city centre boutique Copplestones Bridal will close at the end of July after almost 20 years on Sir Thomas Street. Manager Tracy Tollitt, 59, from Anfield, cited rising costs and online shopping as reasons. "Everything is just too expensive these days. People are buying online now, and it's been that way for a while," she told the ECHO. "The likes of SHEIN are hard to compete with, so we are heartbroken."
Liverpool Bridal Boutique Expands
Cousins Lin Lewis, 44, and Stephanie Smallwood, 43, opened Liverpool Bridal Boutique while both were on maternity leave. After launching on Rose Lane, they relocated to larger premises on Allerton Road three years ago. Lewis said: "We had one fitting room before and now we have four. We've just grown and grown and it's been amazing. We've gone from a team of two to a team of nine."
Lewis noted that while online fast fashion has changed shopping habits, the boutique has adapted. "We're finding more and more that people don't grasp the idea that it takes that long to make a dress," she said. "It hasn't affected negatively because we've actually grown over the past few years but we've found that people want dresses quicker."
She also credited Allerton's thriving independent shopping scene for the boutique's success. "Allerton Road is thriving at the moment and more and more independent businesses are opening," Lewis said. "A lot of our success is also down to our team. You're only as good as the people who work for you."
