Dive Brief:
- Forever 21 launched its first bridal capsule collection, the retailer said Wednesday in an emailed announcement to Retail Dive.
- The 22-piece collection features sleepwear, lingerie and accessories such as cowboy hats, statement hair pieces and embellished sunglasses. It is available in Forever 21 stores and on the company’s website.
- The collection is priced between $8.99 and $47.99 and ranges in size from XS to XL, per the announcement.
Dive Insight:
Youth retailers, including Forever 21, are focusing more on the bridal space.
Complementing its current wedding guest product assortment, Forever 21’s new collection features satin pajama sets with the words “Bride” and “Team Bride,” and bodysuits, corsets and lace intimates designed to “add a touch of sexiness to the lingerie options,” the retailer said.
In a similar move, Abercrombie & Fitch last month entered into the wedding category with the debut of “The A&F Wedding Shop” for brides, bachelorettes and wedding guests. The collection has over 100 items including bridal dresses, guest dresses, bikinis, pajamas, skirts and crochet-style cover-ups, and is priced between $80 and $150.
Though fast-fashion giant Forever 21 is venturing into the wedding category, some brands suggest that brides are looking toward more environmentally-friendly options. An August 2023 report from the DTC wedding apparel and accessories retailer Azazie found that nearly half (42%) of brides are looking for sustainable options. Most (83%) of brides said they planned to wear the same dress for both the ceremony and reception, surpassing the 59% who said the same the year prior.
In 2020, Forever 21 reached an agreement to sell itself in bankruptcy to Authentic, Simon Property and Brookfield. During an ICR presentation earlier this year, Authentic CEO Jamie Salter said that acquiring Forever 21 was “probably the biggest mistake I made.”
