Forever 21 eyes bridesmaids market with Rory Beca capsule

Los Angeles label Rory Beca has teamed with Forever 21 once again to design a six-dress bridesmaid capsule for the fast-fashion retailer.

The bridesmaid dress line is called Pretty by Rory and represents what the company said is its first bridesmaid offering. The collection retails from $68 to $78 and will be sold in some of the company’s U.S. stores and on its web site beginning Monday.

Bridal has become an opportunity for many brands in more recent years to market to an existing customer base in a different way, while also wooing new ones. It represents a natural transition with many dresses easily overlapping with the bridal category. The industry has seen players in the contemporary space, such as Revolve and Reformation, dabble in the bridal market in more recent years with their own spins on bride and bridesmaids dresses. Last year Reformation bowed a bridal pop-up space on Melrose Avenue, called Ref Bridal Studio. The year before that Revolve Clothing also launched into the category. There are also digital firms aimed at Millennials — as the demographic increasingly ties the knot — such as Weddington Way and Vow To Be Chic.

While the Rory Beca line is also sold in places such as Revolve and Nordstrom, the capsule for Forever 21 no doubt competes on price.

“We see this collection as an opportunity to provide on-trend bridesmaidwear at a price point our bridal customers will love,” Forever 21 vice president of merchandising Linda Chang said.

While bridesmaids may be one opportunity, Forever 21 appears to also have its eye on a growth vehicle that could be far more lucrative, with WWD reporting the retailer is said to be mulling stand-alone beauty stores. The entrance into the space could happen as early as this year, ahead of the holiday selling season.

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