Lia Bella Bridal presents the latest collections ahead of European Bridal Week 2024.
Bridal Times had the opportunity to speak with Manuela Kriewen, Designer and Founder of Lia Bella Bridal, to learn more about her latest collections and what bridal boutiques can expect this season.
Manuela Kriewen of Lia Bella Bridal
How did you establish yourself as a bridal gown designer? Tell us briefly about your career path.
Shortly after graduating 20 years ago, I opened a bridal shop. Our specialty from the start was the sale of custom-designed bridal gowns, particularly in plus sizes. I was inspired by my mother, a seamstress, who used to sew dresses for me and my sister that we designed ourselves. This hobby evolved into my passion for bridal fashion. We started as a family business, and we still are one today. The designs come from me, and although we used to sew all the prototypes ourselves, experienced seamstresses now handle this due to the size of the collection. My mother oversees the final quality control. The expansion into wholesale began more than eight years ago when bridal shops showed interest in our dresses
Babette Gown, GLAMOUR Collection
What inspires and motivates your creativity?
My greatest inspiration comes from the brides themselves. Many come to us with specific wishes and designs already in mind. Since I still enjoy selling dresses to brides myself, I strive to design modern and somewhat unconventional creations, especially for curvy brides. We can quickly respond to trends and individual desires, which distinguishes our relatively small operation.
Would you say that your designs have a distinct style?
Absolutely. Lia Bella stands for elegant bridal gowns with perfect fits and a touch of sparkle. Many of our models feature extraordinary lace, and personally, I love sparkle, which is reflected in our dresses. Corsets are particularly important to us to ensure brides have a perfect fit. For our curvy brides, the corsets are designed to be a bit firmer.
Congratulations on your new GLAMOUR collection. Could you reveal some details about this collection?
The GLAMOUR collection is aimed at modern brides who want to have fun on their wedding and wear an extraordinary bridal gown. We offer many beautiful corset-style dresses with a light lingerie feel, extraordinary lace, and sexy cut-outs combined with subtle powder glitter.
Billy Gown, GLAMOUR Collection
Bino Gown, GLAMOUR Collection
Jea Gown, GLAMOUR Collection
Juli Gown, GLAMOUR Collection
The designs are made from lightweight materials and feature slits or beautiful back cuts. For the first time, we are also introducing cool mini dresses with modern sleeves and large bows under our new label, Allienna Couture. There are lightweight curvy models and romantic bridal gowns, all at a very good price-performance ratio.
Lia Bella recently unveiled the plus-size collection ‘L’AMOUR’. What can we expect from this collection?
The ‘L’AMOUR’ collection is specifically designed for curvy brides from size 44 to 62. It includes lightweight models with delicate tulle and romantic lace, including 3D flowers and leaf lace. Many wedding dresses have sleeves, from cap sleeves to modern clean-chic designs, all with well-fitting corsets, as inner support is very important for our curvy dresses. Two black highlight dresses with floral lace complete our collection.
Gabrielle Gown, L’AMOUR Collection
Grace Gown, L’AMOUR Collection
Madita Gown, L’AMOUR Collection
Jenaya Gown, L’AMOUR Collection
Lia Bella is often referred to as a specialist in plus-size fashion. Could you explain what this means to you and how bridal boutiques should understand it?
This reference means a lot to me because it emphasizes our dedication and specialization in meeting the needs and desires of brides with plus-size measurements. For me and for Lia Bella, it means that every bride, regardless of her dress size, has the right to feel beautiful and special on the most important day of her life. Bridal boutiques should see this as an opportunity to be inclusive and offer a diverse selection of dresses that not only fit but also accentuate the individual beauty of every bride.
What aspects of your latest collections are you most excited about?
I am particularly excited about the diversity and innovations we have introduced with our latest collections, including ‘GLAMOUR’ and ‘L’AMOUR’. The introduction of corset-style dresses with a light lingerie feel, the combination of extraordinary lace with sexy cut-outs and subtle glitter, as well as the debut of our mini dresses under the label Allienna Couture, are all highlights that capture modern trends and cater to the diverse tastes of our brides. The special attention we have given to our curvy models to ensure they feel supported and stunning is also something I am very proud of.
When is the next opportunity for retailers to view your collections?
The next opportunity to view our collections will be at the European Bridal Week. You can find us in Hall 2, at booth 2 C 452. I look forward to meeting retailers and brides in person and presenting them with our latest creations. It is always a special moment to experience and exchange feedback and reactions firsthand.
For more information about the brand and collections, visit Lia Bella Bridal.