Urban Outfitters does Bridal?!

Bhldn- Urban Outfitters Inc's newest retail concept is a Bridal Collection that doesn't have a single Cinderella-style wedding gown. It their attempt to put its unique, slightly off-kilter stamp on the bridal business. Rather than traditional gowns, Bhldn is more likely to make a large, lopsided taffeta bow the focal point of a dress, give a wedding gown an unfinished hem or cover elaborate pearl-studded flowers with a sheer layer of tulle so only a hint of the decoration is visible. 


Bhldn will launch via an e-commerce site, appropriately, on Valentine’s Day. The shipping cost are built into the model so customers feel they have nothing to lose by trying on a dress. Bhldn’s first freestanding store is expected to follow in August- although a location isn't finalized cities with Anthropologie units are being considered. However, Bhldn will not be sold at Anthropologie. 














The Web site will launch with apparel, accessories, lingerie, jewelry and shoes. Tabletop, cake pedestals, place cards and everything for decorating a venue will bow on the site in May. Invitations, using letter press or engraving techniques, will be introduced next year with artists creating limited time collections. “This is a more intimate affair with under 100 guests,” said Coralie Stanton, design director, of the type of wedding Bhldn is aimed at. “We kept thinking of weddings that are in less typical locations than the ballroom of a hotel. It’s an elevated experience.”


Bhldn wants to own not only the wedding, but the special occasion mantle. They plan to be about parties, all the parties in your life, Bhldn will offer dresses and separates appropriate for bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, engagement parties and anniversary celebrations.












Bhldn wedding gowns are priced from $1,000 to $4,000 and event dresses, $200 to $600. Accessories by James Coviello, Jennifer Behr and Yestadt Millinery feature vintage-inspired headpieces, veils and corsages made from feathers, jewels and tulle. There’s a tasteful tiara, bohemian headband and enameled flower hair pins. Shoes, including peep-toe pumps and ankle-strap heels, come in saffron, bright green, pale pink and red, and are decorated with butterflies, feathers and vintage ribbons. A collection of wraps includes a feather bolero, a Hollywood-style cropped jacket with a bow, a puffer jacket with a rhinestone closure and a thick wool crafty-style crochet collar.