SYDNEY: Womenswear label Honey & Beau is tapping into the bridal market with the launch of a new bridesmaid’s collection.
Called Romance by Honey & Beau, the range will comprise ten dresses and headpieces which can be customised for fit, fabric and colour.
Designer Sonja Vlah said additional styles will be added each season to evolve with trends. Orders will need to be placed ten weeks in advance of a wedding date, to allow time for creation. Prices will be pitched slightly higher than the Honey & Beau evening dresses, which retail at around $300.
“There is also a bit more detail to the construction side of the garment – creating a more secure bodice area on the dresses,” said Vlah.
The bridesmaid collection is scheduled to be released in either September this year or in February 2011.
Honey & Beau is owned by Sydney-based company Honey Design which was established in 2003. It offers five collections per year plus three injection ranges for young women. It is stocked in around 250 boutiques nationally.
“The label has evolved and is a little more feminine and mainstream. In the past it was a bit more eclectic,” she said.
Last year the group launched a slightly more mature sister brand called Pink Ruby, for women aged 30-plus. It offers four ranges per year and is stocked in 150 boutiques nationally.
“We have the strongest market presence in Melbourne,” she said. “We are not in Myer or David Jones, but we are aiming to secure a department store in the next 12 to 24 months.”
Retail prices for Pink Ruby are from $59 to $300.
The company has stepped up advertising for each brand, with magazine placement and transport billboards key to its approach. It is launching a new logo for Honey & Beau in summer and a revamped website for each label is scheduled to go live on September 1.