VERA WANG coming to David''s Bridal!

[decodelighted]

Good news for plus-sized brides & brides on a budget! You might just be able to have that Vera Wang gown after all.
Four years too late for me. Gah.

 

[purselover]

I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don't know how I feel about this. I understand why she's doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she's selling out. She's a great designer and it's a shame her high end wedding gowns aren't enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She's losing her je ne se quois, and I'm afraid long after she's gone she won't be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

You're kidding, right? She's had a collection at KOHL's Department Store for four years now. KOHL's! That's like JC Penney's in my book. The deed has already been DID already, my friend.

 

[legallyspoiled]

I disagree. Vera Wang has already established herself as a legend in the industry. She blazes trails. Her work has always and will continue to speak for itself. I wouldn''t be surprised if other designers followed suit. Vera has had a lower end line at Kohl''s stores for years and that hasn''t hurt her name. Brides everywhere will thank her for this!

fyi...an article that i read said that the new line wouldn''t be available in stores until spring 2011.

 

[decodelighted]

You can already get Vera Wang BATH MATS for goodness sake.

 

[purselover]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:04:26 PM
Author: decodelighted

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

You''re kidding, right? She''s had a collection at KOHL''s Department Store for four years now. KOHL''s! That''s like JC Penney''s in my book. The deed has already been DID already, my friend.

Ughh I know you''re right! I still can''t help but feel she should''ve stopped after Kohl''s though, I can almost forgive Kohl''s since her sportswear was never her niche but to do wedding dresses? Idk that to me is really throwing away your "specialness".

 

[AustenNut]

I have no objections to Vera Wang doing David''s Bridal, but who will pay $15k (or $5k) for a Vera Wang dress if they can get a Vera Wang @David''s Bridal for $600-1500?

 

[caribqueen]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:41:37 PM
Author: AustenNut
I have no objections to Vera Wang doing David''s Bridal, but who will pay $15k (or $5k) for a Vera Wang dress if they can get a Vera Wang @David''s Bridal for $600-1500?

I think the people who''ve paid the higher-end prices before, will continue to do so. $15K to $1500 is a long way and that means major differences in material, structure, feel, flow, etc... I don''t think a $1500 dress will feel or possibly look quite the same as the $15K one.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

When I was shopping for my wedding dress I stopped in at DB (just because), and my biggest complaint was that they we''re just made poorly and I didn''t care for the fabrics or finishes. I don''t see this probably being resolved just with a new name. She''s providing designs, not the dresses themselves, so while you might be buying a "Vera," you''re not getting a dress made by "Vera Wang." You''re getting a Vera Wang made by David''s Bridal. The women looking for the VW experience who can afford to purchase her high-end dresses are going to get just that, an experience, not just a dress and the dress they do end up with will be at the quality level one expects for $10K+.

 

[JulieN]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

Never heard of H&M and Target designer collaborations? Like McQueen for Target?

 

[KittyGolightly]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:54:28 PM
Author: JulieN

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

Never heard of H&M and Target designer collaborations? Like McQueen for Target?

Here''s an example: Zac Posen for Target.

 

[KittyGolightly]

I didn''t actually go into David''s Bridal when I was looking for a dress, but I looked at their website quite a bit. I was impressed with their designs and prices. Hopefully, the Vera Wang line will be super cute. It will be great for brides to have some more options at that price point.

 

[purselover]

Date: 4/20/2010 1:15:00 PM
Author: KittyGolightly

Date: 4/20/2010 12:54:28 PM
Author: JulieN

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don't know how I feel about this. I understand why she's doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she's selling out. She's a great designer and it's a shame her high end wedding gowns aren't enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She's losing her je ne se quois, and I'm afraid long after she's gone she won't be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

Never heard of H&M and Target designer collaborations? Like McQueen for Target?

Here's an example: Zac Posen for Target.

They're actually pretty different situations

The designers who do a capsule collection for Target are typically up and coming and less well known and so they use this as a way to gain press and get their name out to consumers. Consumers hear Zac Posen is doing a Target collection, they preview his stuff think wow it's pretty cute I want to know more....let me google around....oh yes now I see he does some great gowns for Saks........three months later Zac will be out of Target and strictly in the high end business again.

When Karl Lagerfeld did his temp line for H&M it was a similar situation, it offered him a lot of money, buzz and interest and then he was able to go back to his "real job" a short time later.

Meanwhile Vera Wang has been hawking towels to Kohls for going on several years now. One is a temporary ploy to increase their high end business and get their name out there, the other is a permanent measure usually made because they have to. Vera Wang has even come out and said she had to do a mass market line or she could never have stayed in business while the Target designers don't seem to be quite that desperate.

ETA: for what it's worth I'm really not a fan of any collaborations, they can be a very smart business tool but if done incorrectly it ruins a brand.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 4/20/2010 1:40:35 PM
Author: purselover

Date: 4/20/2010 1:15:00 PM

Author: KittyGolightly

Date: 4/20/2010 12:54:28 PM

Author: JulieN

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM

Author: purselover

I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

Never heard of H&M and Target designer collaborations? Like McQueen for Target?

Here''s an example: Zac Posen for Target.

They''re actually pretty different situations



The designers who do a capsule collection for Target are typically up and coming and less well known and so they use this as a way to gain press and get their name out to consumers. Consumers hear Zac Posen is doing a Target collection, they preview his stuff think wow it''s pretty cute I want to know more....let me google around....oh yes now I see he does some great gowns for Saks........three months later Zac will be out of Target and strictly in the high end business again.


When Karl Lagerfeld did his temp line for H&M it was a similar situation, it offered him a lot of money, buzz and interest and then he was able to go back to his ''real job'' a short time later.


Meanwhile Vera Wang has been hawking towels to Kohls for going on several years now. One is a temporary ploy to increase their high end business and get their name out there, the other is a permanent measure usually made because they have to. Vera Wang has even come out and said she had to do a mass market line or she could never have stayed in business while the Target designers don''t seem to be quite that desperate.


ETA: for what it''s worth I''m really not a fan of any collaborations, they can be a very smart business tool but if done incorrectly it ruins a brand.

A lot of established designers have done collections for Target. That form of marketing isn''t just reserved for lesser known designers. Gaultier just had a line for Target this spring, Mizrahi did it for several years, etc.

Designers come in and out of vogue, depending on many factors. Brands/designers that were hot in the 80''s are back again, and you couldn''t get rid of their wares at yard sales in the 90''s. Benetton is experiencing a huge comeback right now and where were they for the 90''s and 00''s?

I doubt if this ruins the Vera Wang name/label. If anything it was a smart move and will do nothing more than continue to build her empire. The Kohl''s line hasn''t hurt sales of her higher end versions so why would doing a line for DB have a negative effect?

 

[princesss]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:01:52 PM
Author: purselover
I really don''t know how I feel about this. I understand why she''s doing this and I know she probably has too to continue her business but I still feel like she''s selling out. She''s a great designer and it''s a shame her high end wedding gowns aren''t enough for her to make money - but at what cost is she doing this? She''s losing her je ne se quois, and I''m afraid long after she''s gone she won''t be remembered for high end fashion but just her mass market work. Better to go out a Christian Lacroix than a Pierre Cardin in my book.

She''s Tiffany''s. Yes, she has some amazing pieces, but she''s over-marketing herself and devaluing the brand. It doesn''t mean she won''t make amazing, creative pieces, but it does mean she won''t be considered as luxurious as she once was.

 

[Haven]

Date: 4/20/2010 12:50:56 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
When I was shopping for my wedding dress I stopped in at DB (just because), and my biggest complaint was that they we''re just made poorly and I didn''t care for the fabrics or finishes. I don''t see this probably being resolved just with a new name. She''s providing designs, not the dresses themselves, so while you might be buying a ''Vera,'' you''re not getting a dress made by ''Vera Wang.'' You''re getting a Vera Wang made by David''s Bridal. The women looking for the VW experience who can afford to purchase her high-end dresses are going to get just that, an experience, not just a dress and the dress they do end up with will be at the quality level one expects for $10K+.

This is an excellent assessment of the situation. The gowns will have the Vera Wang design, but they''ll still be produced by DB, which in my experience just isn''t that high in quality.

I don''t really care one way or the other about designers peddling their wares to the masses. It seems to be the demand nowadays, right? Everyone wants to be able to sport "designer" products, so they become mass marketed, and thus the mass distribution devalues them and the cycle begins again with the next big name.

I''m all for quality, myself, and care very little about brand names.

 

[decodelighted]

FWIW, I had a David''s Bridal wedding dress and never thought I would. I bought a much more expensive designer dress that ended up looking horrible on me. David''s saved the day ... price-wise after sinking so much money into Dress #1 which wasn''t fully refundable ... and STYLE-wise, much more flattering for plus sized shapes! They have more experience in that area than many "designer" brands do.

No, it wasn''t the most luxurious lace ... and it didn''t feel like silk ... but we are talking about a dress you wear for FIVE HOURS. For me, it worked. (And saved my bacon). I came around after years of snobbery against them. What can I say?

I''m happy that plus-sized and other brides on a budget will have the ability to choose from some of Vera''s pretty designs -- even if they don''t *feel* exactly like the 10K versions. Its not a black & white world. Sometimes gray is, um, peachy.

 

[princesss]

True, Deco. In the end what matters is that the bride feels beautiful and happy. If that''s accomplished, I really don''t care where they''re shopping. I know my friend''s dress came from Davids and I didn''t give it a thought beyond "Wow - she looks beautiful!"

That said...I probably wouldn''t shop at David''s if I could help it. 5 hours or not, I have to admit my not-so-inner snob doesn''t want to go there. Am I proud of it? No...but it''s the truth.

 

[Nov2109]

I think this is actually a very smart decision by vera wang. Her gowns will still be much more than many of the DB gowns, and girls will want them because of the VW name...which they would not be able to buy otherwise...people may tend to stretch their budget a bit more to get the VW gown. I never went to DB, but some girls swear by it. If they didn''t have the money to buy a VW in the first place and their budget only allows for a DB gown, they would still be going there regardless...but now they have the opportunity to buy VW.

I don''t see VW faltering like Calvin Klein did. CK put their brand in every store to the point where there was too much CK around and they wound up in TJMaxx and Marshalls as "regular" items which eventually lowered the value. CK has been working hard to build their brand name up and bring the high quality back over the past few years....this has happened to many other designers out there who lowered their value/quality to mass market...VW inst lowering her overall brand name, she is just making a line for DB.

Or at least that''s my take on it...

 

[PumpkinPie]

Date: 4/20/2010 2:34:34 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 4/20/2010 12:50:56 PM

Author: Hudson_Hawk

When I was shopping for my wedding dress I stopped in at DB (just because), and my biggest complaint was that they we''re just made poorly and I didn''t care for the fabrics or finishes. I don''t see this probably being resolved just with a new name. She''s providing designs, not the dresses themselves, so while you might be buying a ''Vera,'' you''re not getting a dress made by ''Vera Wang.'' You''re getting a Vera Wang made by David''s Bridal. The women looking for the VW experience who can afford to purchase her high-end dresses are going to get just that, an experience, not just a dress and the dress they do end up with will be at the quality level one expects for $10K+.

This is an excellent assessment of the situation. The gowns will have the Vera Wang design, but they''ll still be produced by DB, which in my experience just isn''t that high in quality.


I don''t really care one way or the other about designers peddling their wares to the masses. It seems to be the demand nowadays, right? Everyone wants to be able to sport ''designer'' products, so they become mass marketed, and thus the mass distribution devalues them and the cycle begins again with the next big name.


I''m all for quality, myself, and care very little about brand names.

I agree with HH as well - I think she summed it up perfectly

 

[iheartscience]

I don''t think it will take away from her high end business at all-I agree with HH, Haven and the others.

In fashion, the lower the price point, the higher the profits. Shoes that retail for $68 are going to outsell shoes that retail for $600, and the volume is enough to make up for the higher profit amount in the $600 shoe. Plus manufacturing costs get lower the larger the volume is, which allows for a higher mark up at both the wholesale and retail levels.

She''s just being a savvy businesswoman, and hooray for the David''s Bridal brides who can get a fashion forward gown at a fraction of the cost. As much as I loved my Amsale gown, if I could have gotten a similarly interesting, fashion forward style for less money I would have. My Amsale dress was gorgeous silk taffeta and was so well made. There was an entire under layer that made it fit fantastically. That said, I don''t really have any hard to fit issues (like big boobies) that make the structure of a higher end gown necessary. And like deco said, I only wore it for 5 hours. I don''t regret getting it at all, but if the wedding wasn''t already over, I could definitely see myself going to DB to look at the Vera Wang line.

 

[Haven]

Date: 4/20/2010 3:12:33 PM
Author: decodelighted
FWIW, I had a David''s Bridal wedding dress and never thought I would. I bought a much more expensive designer dress that ended up looking horrible on me. David''s saved the day ... price-wise after sinking so much money into Dress #1 which wasn''t fully refundable ... and STYLE-wise, much more flattering for plus sized shapes! They have more experience in that area than many ''designer'' brands do.

No, it wasn''t the most luxurious lace ... and it didn''t feel like silk ... but we are talking about a dress you wear for FIVE HOURS. For me, it worked. (And saved my bacon). I came around after years of snobbery against them. What can I say?

I''m happy that plus-sized and other brides on a budget will have the ability to choose from some of Vera''s pretty designs -- even if they don''t *feel* exactly like the 10K versions. Its not a black & white world. Sometimes gray is, um, peachy.

I had the opposite experience, deco--I first bought a DB dress and it ended up looking like a disaster on me. The one I bought was the *only* one that looked halfway decent on me, which is why I bought it, and when it came in I realized my mistake. After I returned the DB gown I found a designer gown that made me look and feel like a million dollars.

I don''t think it''s about the size of the bride, I think it''s about the shape. I have no hips and wide shoulders, and the DB dresses seem to be designed for women who are blessed with curves that I will never have. I just looked like a sausage in everything at DB because I''m shaped like a boy.

ANYWAY, I do agree with you that it''s awesome that Vera Wang designs will be available at a lower price point.

 

[Laila619]

Hmm, that''s an interesting move! I bet they will sell like hotcakes.

 

[lovelylulu]

I am envious of those brides-to-be

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

Seeing as I am one of the poor huddles masses that can''t afford a $10k or higher priced gown, I am thrilled to hear this, especially since my wedding isn''t until Fall 2011. I feel lucky!

 

[blueroses]

Dude, I am HAPPILY wearing my thrice-reduced DB dress in 10 days and it looks fierce! NO one will know that my sister's belgian lace veil I'm wearing with it was over twice the cost of the dress. Yes, there are some cheesy dresses at DB and AA and other mass market shops, but if you spend the time, there are also well(enough)- structured, lovely dresses that do the trick. It just wasn't worth a massive chunk of my budget to fall in love with a pricier dress, so I didn't even try.

I say good for VW!

ETA: Future MrsS, if you end up with a DB-VW gown, you must post pics!!

 

[ilovesparkles]

Personally, I don''t care what it does for VW''s career. Thank you to one fabulous designer bringing beautiful gowns to those who are unable to afford crazy expensive gowns, and voluptuous women who have limited selection! All praise VW!

 

[Future Mrs. Sterling]

++ to ilovesparkles and and blueroses for your comments and to decodelighted for spreading the news!

I shared the info with my mom yesterday (she is buying my dress on a budget) and she was so happy!

 

[ilovesparkles]

Date: 4/22/2010 3:33:08 PM
Author: Future Mrs. Sterling
++ to ilovesparkles and and blueroses for your comments and to decodelighted for spreading the news!


I shared the info with my mom yesterday (she is buying my dress on a budget) and she was so happy!

I might also add that I am ecstatic to be wearing my Labor Day Sale DB dress in 8 short weeks! It is gorgeous and far more comfortable than the expensive gowns I tried on! And it fit so perfectly the only alterations are to add straps, bustle, and hem! And another Thank you to Deco for posting! And I MrsSterling, I hope you find a gorgeous VW gown that makes you feel fabulous on your special day as well!

 

[Dogmom]

I'm an "encore" bride and paying for the entire wedding myself. I would have LOVED to have the swanky bridal gown salon experience, but will be rockin' a short and sassy DB gown.