Which is the most popular boutique for wedding and prom dresses in Sofia? The story of the Alfa Brides boutiques
The story of the most popular bridal shop in Sofia. How and why we became the market leader in wedding, prom and evening dresses. A candid interview by Denina Martin with the owners of Alfa Brides – Emilia and Yanis Kurkutiadi.
The story of the Alfa Brides boutiques
You are the leader in wedding dresses in the country. How did it all begin?
Emilia: – My love for weddings and everything connected with them goes back long before Bridal House. In 2003 I was invited to a grand wedding in Athens and for the first time I saw a wedding celebration like something out of the movies. The flowers, the arrangement, the lights, the cake enchanted me. Realising that such an event needs a complete concept and design inspired me to try it myself. In 2004 I founded one of the first wedding agencies in Bulgaria. I have done weddings all over the country, even a few abroad, and over the years the experience simply kept building, as did my personal satisfaction in a job well done. And happy clients motivated me to carry on. For me, weddings are both work and a huge passion into which I put everything.
Yanis: – I met Emilia in 2007. Our wedding was a real adventure. It was amusing to watch a wedding expert like Emilia deal with her own wedding. But I will never forget – she was in a gorgeous Justin Alexander dress! It was as if that choice of hers turned out to be fateful for our life ahead – as a couple and as business partners.
We understand you have a personal connection with the Justin Alexander brand, because Emilia wore one of their dresses at her wedding, but importing such expensive and beautiful dresses is a serious undertaking.
How did the collaboration with them come about?
Yanis: – Justin Alexander is a three-generation family company. It was founded in 1949 by Justin’s grandfather, who together with his wife made bridal accessories – veils, gloves, jewellery, hats, birdcage veils. Later Justin’s father, Larry, expanded the business into wedding dresses. Today Justin Alexander is one of the most popular wedding dress brands worldwide.
Before approaching us, Larry had been to Bulgaria and personally researched the market. He contacted us because, in his view, we came closest to his company’s business culture.
Emilia: – Over these years we have developed excellent relations, and the way we run our business has proved worthy of a partner for a brand of this class. We train our consultants in how to work with expensive fabrics, lace and ornaments, and how to help during fittings. You know, as someone whose calling is selling wedding dresses, I have to tell you it is a very complicated thing. I have instilled in my team in the shops that the aim of our work is not simply to sell a white dress, but to strive to see that sparkle in a woman’s eyes: “Yes! This is my dress.” We are on the side of the brides and their families. We show dedication and patience, because we know how sensitive they are and how stressful the preparation is. We want to hear the bride-to-be’s expectations and her dream for the day. We try to get to know her as a person too, so we can find the most suitable, ideal, exact dress. Over these 7 years we have realised that Justin Alexander dresses are so perfect that at first they make brides-to-be dizzy. (Laughs) We are there to help them choose from all this white extravaganza of fine fabrics, embroidery, lace and ornaments. It’s not easy at all, believe me!
From Bridal House to Alfa Brides. What changed to bring about this change of image?
Yanis: – We have never stopped developing, but a more serious step lies ahead – expanding the business in Europe, starting with the Balkans. We realised we also had to change the way we look at this business. Bridal House literally means “bridal house”. In essence it is not a brand name – there are similar boutiques all over the world, and it doesn’t stand out among the other “bridal” or “wedding houses”. But we developed not just as a boutique but as a brand. We considered many names, but they always lacked identity. As leaders of the wedding dress market, we needed a name that also showed our place in the market.
Emilia: – Influenced by the Greek culture that came into my life with Yanis, the idea of Alfa Brides was suddenly born. That was it! Alpha – the first letter of the alphabet, but also a symbol of leadership and determination. That is how our brand took on the identity we wanted. Alfa Brides – for brides who know what they want from life, from the man beside them, from the wedding and from the dress. In them we see the Justin Alexander brides – charismatic, determined, aware of their beauty and style at such an important moment. Our logo features elements of the Doric style, one of the three classical styles in architecture and applied art. In this way we hint that, although we live in modern times and follow the latest trends, we never forget that a woman will always turn heads with class, femininity and individuality – and yes, at Alfa Brides, with the help of Justin Alexander wedding dresses, we help them bring these out on such an important day – the dream wedding.
The story of the Alfa Brides boutiques – the full interview on Moreto.net
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