10 Questions with Co-Owner of Kleinfeld Bridal Mara Urshel

1) HOW MANY SEASONS TO SAY YES TO THE DRESS AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED THE BRIDAL INDUSTRY?

SEASON 15 OF SAY YES TO THE DRESS WILL AIR JANUARY 2017.  THEY HAVE FILMED THE SHOW AT KLEINFELD SINCE 2006.  THE SHOW HAS BEEN GREAT FOR BUSINESS.  IT IS EXCITING TO SEE MANY BRIDAL SALONS ADAPTING THE SLOGAN AND POSTING PHOTOS OF THEIR BRIDES QUOTING, “I SAID YES TO THE DRESS.”  HOWEVER, IN SOME INSTANCES IT HAS CHANGED THE BRIDE’S IMPRESSION OF A BRIDAL SHOPPING APPOINTMENT.  BRIDES OFTEN BRING A BIG ENTOURAGE OF 5-10 GUESTS TO THEIR BRIDAL APPOINTMENT, WHICH CAN DISTRACT THE BRIDE AND PRODUCE TOO MANY VARYING OPINIONS. 

2) WHAT NEW INITIATIVES FOR KLEINFELD ARE YOU WORKING ON?

AT KLEINFELD WE ARE GROWING RAPIDLY AND CURRENTLY ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO OUR TEAM.  

WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR ADVERTISING STRATEGY AND WILL BE PUTTING MORE DOLLARS INTO DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA RATHER THAN PRINT.  WE WILL ALSO BE HOSTING INTIMATE EVENTS IN 2017 NAMED, KLEINFELD 101.  SELECT BRIDES WHO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE INVITED TO ATTEND KLEINFELD 101 PRIOR TO THEIR APPOINTMENT SO WE CAN TEACH THEM ABOUT SILHOUETTES AND NECKLINES; INFORM THEM OF HOW TO PREPARE FOR THEIR APPT; WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE APPOINTMENT, AND MORE!

WE ARE ALSO REDESIGNING OUR WEBSITE TO INCLUDE MORE SEARCHABLE AND SNACK-ABLE CONTENT AS WELL AS IMPROVING OUR GOWN SEARCH.  THE GOWN SEARCH IS WHERE MILLIONS OF BRIDES START THEIR KLEINFELD EXPERIENCE SO WE WANT TO ENSURE WE OFFER THE BEST SEARCH & SAVE TOOLS. 

3) HOW ARE YOU EDUCATING THE BRIDE AND MANAGING HER EXPECTATIONS?

KLEINFELD IS CREATING A PRECISE EMAIL SCHEDULE SO WE CAN TARGET THE BRIDE WITH INFORMATION THAT SHE NEEDS, WHEN SHE NEEDS IT.  WE WILL SEND HER INFORMATIVE EMAIL BLASTS AND LINKS TO CONTENT ON OUR NEW WEBSITE.

BY HOSTING INTIMATE EVENTS, KLEINFELD 101, WE HOPE TO EDUCATE THE BRIDE.  SELECT BRIDES WHO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WILL BE INVITED TO ATTEND KLEINFELD 101 PRIOR TO THEIR APPOINTMENT SO WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH ALL THE TOOLS NEEDED TO BE PREPARED FOR YOUR BRIDAL SHOPPING APPOINTMENT. 

4) WHAT TOOLS DOES SHE NEED TO KNOW?  ANY TIPS?

SOME SHOPPING TIPS INCLUDE:  KEEP AN OPEN MIND!  YOUR CONSULTANT KNOWS BEST; START BY SAVING YOUR FAVORITE DRESSES ON KLEINFELDBRIDAL.COM; IF YOU LOVE A PARTICULAR DESIGNER…CHECK THE TRUNK SHOW SCHEDULE BEFORE YOU SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT THIS MEANS YOU WILL SEE THE ENTIRE COLLECTION AND TYPICALLY GET A DISCOUNT;  BE READY TO PROVIDE YOUR BRIDAL CONSULTANT WITH A HONEST BUDGET AND DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE ALTERATIONS, VEIL, SHOES, AND HEADPIECE. 

5) WHY HAVEN’T THE DESIGNERS CHANGED THEIR SAMPLE SIZING TO COINCIDE WITH RTW, SO THE BRIDE CAN FEEL BETTER ONCE THE MEASUREMENTS ARE TAKEN?

I AM NOT SURE WHY DESIGNERS STICK TO THESE ? BUT KLEINFELD WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THE MOVEMENT AND TRY TO GET DESIGNERS TO CHANGE THE SIZE CHART SO BRIDES DON’T HAVE “STICKER SHOCK”.  THIS NUMBER IS OFTEN 2X HIGHER THAN THE STREET-SIZE THEY WEAR AND IT’S NOT THE MOST POSITIVE WAY TO END YOUR BRIDAL APPOINTMENT.

6) WHAT’S NEW IN MERCHANDISING THE FLOOR AT KLEINFELD?

KLEINFELD CONTINUES TO ROTATE MERCHANDISE SO THAT ALL 60 DESIGNERS WE CARRY GET SOME ATTENTION ON THE MAIN SALES FLOOR. WE ARE DOING SOME MINOR CONSTRUCTION SO THAT MORE MERCHANDISE CAN HANG IN THE PUBLIC INSTEAD OF IN THE BACXK STOCK ROOM.  ALSO, INSTEAD OF THIS BEING DESIGNER DRIVEN, WE WILL BE CREATING STORIES SUCH AS BLUSH DRESSES; GLAM BEADING; INTRICATE LACE ETC ETC.  WE HAVE ALSO PUT MORE BUST FORMS AROUND AND WILL BE CREATING STORIES WITH COMPLIMENTARY DRESSES ON BUST FORMS IN FRONT OF THE CASES. 

7) DO MANNEQUINS ON DISPLAY HELP SALES?

YES!  MANY DRESSES ESPECIALLY SOFT BODIES AND SHEATHS DO NOT HAVE MUCH HANGER-APPEAL.  PUTTING THEM ON A MANNEQUIN GIVES BRIDES THE CHANCE TO SEE THEM ON A BODY AND UNDERSTAND THE FIT.

8) DOES KLEINFELD HAVE A NEW APPROACH TO ACCESSORIES? WHEN ARE MOST OF THE SALES MADE?

KLEINFELD WILL BE INCLUDING NEW MESSAGING DIRECTED AT ACCESSORIES IN OUR EMAIL COMMUNICATION.  WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE BRIDES TO SELECT THE VEIL AT THE TIME OF THE DRESS PURCHASE OR, BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TO COME BACK 4-6 MONTHS PRIOR.  OFTEN BRIDES WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST FITTING AND THIS LIMITS WHAT THEY CAN PURCHASE. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TARGET BRIDES WHO MAY HAVE NOT PURCHASED AT KLEINFELD. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOP OUR AMAZING SHOE SELECTING, HEADPIECES, JEWELRY ECT. AND THEY CAN BE A ‘KLEINFELD BRIDE’ AS WELL!

9) WHAT WORKS BEST FOR INSTAGRAM? REAL BRIDE’S VERSUS DRESSES ON MODELS.

WE FIND THE REAL BRIDES LOVE SEEING REAL BRIDES!  ESPECIALLY ON INSTAGRAM.  WE GET THE MOST INTERACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN BRIDES SEE A REAL BRIDES IN A DRESS AS OPPOSED TO A MODEL AT A PHOTOSHOOT.

10) WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RELAXING THING TO DO AFTER NEW YORK BRIDAL MARKET?

AS A MERCHANDISER, THE WORK IS NOT OVER AFTER BRIDAL MARKET. I STILL NEED TO SIT WITH MY BUYER AND EVALUATE WHICH DRESSES WE WILL BUY OR WHICH NEW DESIGNERS WE SHOULD CARRY. BUT, AFTER WE MANAGE THE BUY, I RELAX BY DOING WHAT I LOVE THE MOST ---GARDENING! IT SOUNDS LIKE WORK BUT IS THERAPY FOR ME.