Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week’s catwalks return after three years ahead of weddings’ boom

The Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week has returned to the Catalan capital in an in-person event after three years of reduced and digital editions. Between Wednesday and Saturday, over 320 bridal brands will showcase their latest products for one of the most affected sectors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two of the major Catalan bridal companies, Jesús Peiró and Pronovias, were the first ones to take on the catwalk at the Barcelona Fira exhibition hall in Montjuïc mountain.

"There is a boom for getting married," Sofia Arriba, creative director at Sophie et Voilà, said to the Catalan News Agency (ACN). She is one of the 33 designers that will show her latest designs.

The most expected elements for this edition are custom-made dresses, bare waist, sleeves, and digital designs, all of these are part of 2022’s bridals trends. However, one of the traditional parts that brides will start wearing again are veils, Ester María Laruccia, the event director, told ACN.

Some of the other trends are "quick" dresses allowing customers to get their costumes as soon as they approach a store. But these new designs are also more "customizable" as brides can decide where to place decorative ornaments such as flowers or precious stones.

During the first in-person catwalks, viewers were able to see new bridal proposes, leaving the traditional color white behind or even some "princess" style dresses.

Last year organizers planned a one-day gala next to the Magical Montjuïc fountains.

Weedings boom

After months of nerves and several doubts, the bridal sector returned to normality after the Covid-19 pandemic. Designers and companies see their dresses worn again and their demand has recovered.

Some creators even prepared their new collections during the coronavirus lockdowns and are now showcasing them for the first time during the boom in the number of weddings taking place.

"We were scared that people would not want to get married after seeing that you could survive without being wed, but no. There is a boom and now everyone wants to tie the knot at the same time," Sophie et Voilà's creative director said.

Even, manufacturers have to change their designs as brides want to "marry as soon as possible," and they do not want to wait over one year for a custom-made dress.