Friday 15th May 2009

Just thought I'd drop a quick note about an exciting new Bridal label we've been lucky enough to aquire.

Madeline Gardner New York

For those in the know, Madeline Gardner also designs for Mori Lee but this is her more 'up market' label. They have absolutely gorgeous gowns and we're sure you'll be as excited as we are about them!

Along with the MGNY bridesmaid collection, these dresses will be available in our Derby store from around August time.

Lots of love
Ed.

Monday 27th April 2009

Well, almost a year has passed since our last blog - we've been so busy with the bridal, prom and Christmas seasons, I just don't know where the time goes!

We're making a lot of changes here at Reptonia and this is just a quick note to let you all know what exciting things we have going on!

Firstly, we're opening a new shop in Tutbury, Staffordshire! This will be quite a cosy, intimate little shop for private viewing of the new collections we'll be holding there. Afternoon appointments are available most weekdays, along with a bi-monthly late night, and Saturdays. We have some exciting new labels coming along including Alfred Angelo, Forever Yours, B2 and Belsoie by Jasmine, as well as a small Destination / Informal Bridal range by Cascata and Forever Yours. We'll also have a new range of Watters and WToo dresses (different styles to those held at our Derby store).

A few changes going on in the Derby shop too! We're dropping the Dessy, Alfred Sung and Sandals wedding gown labels but we're introducing Olivia Mae, Veromia and Eden Bridesmaids to our current collections of Evie Couture, Mori Lee and Watters. We also have the full range of Cascata Bridal gowns and some of the Lily Couture range too. There will also be some changes to opening times; you can still book weekday morning appointments and we're also introducing a late night.

If you're a return visitor, you'll have noticed that we're also making some changes to our website (again!). Hopefully, we'll have more pricing, sizing and availability information online so that you have all your queries answered at the press of a few keys! Just click on the bridesmaid link, then the label image, for details about each of the Collections - bear with us whilst we complete the update of all this information.

Lastly, now that the building work has completed in the premises above us, we've noticed that the outside of our shop is looking a bit sad. So we've arranged for a spruce up outside. Please bear with us whilst the shop is painted - hopefully it won't cause too much inconvenience!

Lots of love
Ed.

Monday 2nd June 2008

Blimey! It's June already!

Just a little note to let you all know that we now have the full Evie Couture bridesmaid range in store. Each dress is available as tea-length or long, any fabric, any colour, with zip, zip/buttons, lace-up back and made-to-measure options. The most flexibility you can get from any bridesmaid designer! The girls are working hard to get the new styles on our online shop as we speak.

The House of Nicholas 2008/2009 bridal gown range has just arrived in store - take a look at their website to see some of the new gowns. Once again, available to atch their bridesmaid ranges.

All of the Mori Lee prom gowns have been delivered now but they are going like hot cakes so we don't have too many left. Please call on 01332 342354 to check availability. That goes for all our 2008 prom dresses as we don't have much stock left.

We're getting close to the delivery of our Watters & Watters and WToo ranges so keep an eye out for those.

And, lastly, check back soon as the new Fall Collection from Dessy is about to be launched....

Lots of love
Ed.

Thursday 27th March 2008

Just a quick update on what we're up to as March comes to an end.

We've had a full house at our prom evenings this month and have sent away lots of happy girls with dresses!

We just had a new stock delivery of the following prom styles (see our online shop at www.reptonia-online.co.uk):-
B8726 - M, L and XL
A117 - Aqua, Fuschia and Gold - sizes L and XL in each
3570 - Black over blue - sizes S, M, L
1037 - Turquoise - Sizes L and XL

Don't forget that we'll have the Mori Lee prom dresses in store around the end of May too - these will be an off the peg range so make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

Our Lou Lou Prom and Bridesmaid dresses have arrived in store so we now have a gorgeous little collection to choose from - these will be added online soon.

And we're proud to announce that we will be introducing Watters & Watters and the WToo bridesmaid ranges in July. We saw the lovely Watters rep, Tony, on Wednesday and picked almost all of the 2008 styles. For more information about these 2 ranges, take a look at the website at www.watters.com.

Finally, if you've been instore then you'll have seen that we've been having a bit of a change around! We're moving all our bridal gowns into the rear fitting room to make choosing your bridal gown a little more private and exclusive. We have all the bridesmaids, prom and eveningwear in the front of shop now which makes things a little easier with everything in one place. So please bear with us whilst we make everything lovely!.

That's it for now - we'll keep you up-to-date as things happen...

Lots of love
Ed.

Wednesday 5th March 2008

Well, it's been a while since I last blogged - it's been sooooo busy!

We attended Derby's first prom fayre at the Derbyshire County Cricket Club last week. It was well attended with students from schools in Derby and Derbyshire which made it a very busy event for us! We took 3 rails with a mixture of dresses from various designers and we had a queue of girls waiting to try on!

Since my last blog, we've taken on the prom and bridesmaid ranges from the Lou Lou Collection - we all love this collection cause it's so different to the 'normal' bridesmaid styles. Lots of lace and contemporary colouring! We've just got a small range in store so far with the rest due in a few weeks.

We're also excited about snaring the Mori Lee Collection - both prom and bridesmaids - for 2008. We're excited to be the new stockist for the Derby area. We already have the 2008 bridesmaid collection in store and the prom collection is due to follow at the end of May. The bridesmaids are a fab collection with a mix of traditional and contemporary styles and LOADS of different colours.

We're off to the trade show this weekend and we'll be looking at what the designers have in store for us for 2008/2009. We'll be champing at the bit at the Forever Yours, Watters & Watters and Raylia stands as we'd love to introduce those designers in-store. Watch this space to find out what we come home with!

Lots of Love
Ed

Tuesday 29th January 2008

Wow! It's been a fantastically busy month here, both in our shop and online sales. You all obviously waited for Christmas to be over before placing your orders!

We've had a bit of a flurry of new dresses in lately which has been quite exciting.

Our new range of eveningwear to hire arrived a couple of weeks ago. This is a range of 20 dresses available in a number of colours, sizes and lengths. We've already put pictures up on our website. Prices are from £45 and they're generally delivered about a week before your event.

We've also had 40 new off-the-peg prom dress delivered - a selection of tea-length and full ball gowns. They are available to order in other sizes and only take about 2 weeks to be delivered. We'll be taking these to prom fayres so keep an eye out on our Events page.

Our Evie Couture bridesmaid range just arrived today. The flowergirl dresses are the cutest things you've ever seen. We'll take some pictures soon and get them on the website. This is a range of adult and matching flowergirl/junior miss styles. Prices are around £99 to £125 for adults so a really good buy. And available in lots of colours too.

We just viewed the House of Nicholas 2008 bridal collection today with the lovely rep, Patrick. So we've got about 8 new designs coming to us in March from them. One of the highlights (for me, anyway!) was a gorgous and simple satin fishtail gown with matching satin coat which will retail at around £600. Each piece can come in lots of different colours - I've ordered the dress in ivory and the coat in claret, and another dress in gold. Scrummy...

And tomorrow we're viewing the Lou Lou Collection - how exciting! Gorgeous prom and bridesmaids gowns. Hopefully we'll get most of these in quite soon but we'll let you know when they arrive!

We've also got some new John Frost and Nathalie French tiaras coming in next week and some really cute feather capes for flowergirls.

Lastly, keep an eye out on our Events pages as we're exhibiting at bridal fayres and prom fayres throughout the Spring. Come and see a glimpse of our selections.

Lots of Love
Ed

Tuesday 1st January 2008

Well, it's a new year and we decided to have a bit of spring clean through our website to celebrate!

We always get lots of good feedback for our website but we try to make sure we take on board any negative comments our visitors have too (not that we've had many?!?).

So, please take the time to have a look through and tell us what you like / don't like about the new layout.

Lots of love
Ed

P.S. Happy New Year

Monday 24th December 2007

The WrapIt Wedding Industry Awards 2008 Regional Finalists have just been announced!

And we're through to the regional finals!

Very special thanks to all our lovely customers who voted for us this year.

We'll find out at the end of January if we've made it through to the National Finals so....fingers crossed!

Lots of love
Ed

Monday October 1st 2007

We've just had 12 new gowns from the Jonathan James Couture 2008 Collection into stock. How lovely!

My personal favourite is Chloe - lots of lovely lace and tafetta in a strapless fishtail style. You definately need to take a look at this one!

Lots of love
Ed

Monday September 17th 2007

Press release by The Sun- www.thesun.co.uk

Lots of love
Ed

Colleen to wed in £20,000 Frock

BRIDE-TO-BE COLEEN McLOUGHLIN has ordered a magnificent £20,000 dress for her wedding to England ace WAYNE ROONEY.

The 21-year-old WAG has set her heart on a one-off creation by top Spanish designer Manuel Mota for next summer’s ceremony.Mota has created dresses for some of the world’s most high-profile celebrities. And excited Coleen decided on one of his handmade frocks after trying on samples during a two-hour VIP fitting session in Harrods last week.

She visited a branch of Barcelona bridal company Pronovias in the London store with her mum and close friends.

They sipped champagne as staff wowed them with frocks created by the world’s top bridal designers. A pal said: “Coleen was in heaven trying on some of the prettiest clothes she’d seen. She looked stunning in each gown, but the ones by Manuel Mota stood out. She’s put in an order and is in the process of explaining her vision to Mota.”

The Spaniard recently spent 400 hours creating a strapless dress for PENNY LANCASTER’s marriage to Rod Stewart.

Monday September 17th 2007

Press release by The Guardian- www.theguardian.co.uk

Lots of love
Ed

Happily ever after ... Disney targets bridal market

Katie Allen The Guardian, Monday September 17 2007 Vintage Mickey Mouse T-shirts sported by adults are nothing out of the ordinary. But Disney wedding dresses?

The Magic Kingdom is working on plans to launch its princess-inspired gowns in Britain as part of a strategy to attract merchandising sales from a wider audience.

While the lion's share of Disney's merchandising billions will continue to come from children's products, the company is increasingly catering to older tastes, be it with Disney Jeans stores in Asia or new furniture lines in America.

Targeting the bridal market, the Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings collection went on sale in June in the United States. The range by couturier Kirstie Kelly features gowns priced between $1,100 and $3,500 (£550-£1,750) and inspired by Disney princesses including Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White.

Disney has not named the date for a UK launch but its new European head of consumer products, Anne Gates, is confident demand will be there. And she is at pains to point out they are princess-inspired, not princess-like. "If you look at these gowns you see what Kirstie was doing but you don't think of the blue frock Cinderella was wearing."

She hopes the range will prove what Disney can do in retail. Since Walt Disney licensed out Mickey's image in 1929, the cartoon rodent and his friends have adorned stationery, T-shirts and countless soft toys.

Disney stores and licensing deals around the world helped the consumer products business rake in $23bn in sales last year. The fact the company has only 5% of the toy market and 2% of the children's clothes sector is cited by managers as showing how they can double sales within the next five to seven years. So Disney is looking for ways to capture new markets.

Ms Gates stressed that children will remain the focus, but pointed to potential demand from adults who grew up with Disney films. "There is definitely a market out there for adult products, in terms of fashion and also in terms of adults who just love Disney and want to be able to buy a product associated with the brand."

She cited the Walt Disney Signature line of furniture inspired by the legendary cartoonist and his 1930s heyday. Items ranging from armchairs to lamps will launch in Europe over the coming year. There has also been a range of Europe-specific fashion items. "What we have to do is make sure we deliver on the brand promise, to just stick everything out there, slap Disney on it, slap a character on it, we'll kill the market for ourselves," Ms Gates said.

Wednesday 6th June 2007

Press release by Hello Magazine- www.hellomagazine.com

Lots of love
Ed

Royal recycler Camilla gives bridal gown another airing

For most brides their wedding dress - selected after months of searching for the perfect gown - is worn once on the big day then packed away in tissue paper. But the Duchess of Cornwall obviously couldn't bear to confine her beautiful wedding outfit to the back of the wardrobe. The royal recycler wore the ivory-hued Robinson Valentine ensemble again this week as she attended the opening of the National Assembly of Wales with her husband.

Camilla had made some changes to her accessories since she was last seen wearing it at her nuptials at Windsor's Guildhall two years ago, though. She had combined the elegant coat and chiffon dress with a different hat and a string of pearls for her Welsh visit. Still there, however, was the diamond brooch in the shape of the Prince of Wales feathers that was pinned to her jacket on the special day.

And it seems this week's outing wasn't the first time the Duchess has worn the outfit since she wed. Clarence House said it has already been off the hanger in the interim.

The Duchess and her husband, who are on their annual summer tour of Wales, had joined the Queen and Prince Philip for the opening of the principality's Assembly. And though all members of royal party received an enthusiastic welcome from the local people, the Prince of Wales' reception was especially warm.

Charles was smothered in hugs from a group of children who jostled for space as they threw their arms around him. Clearly touched by the gesture, the heir to the throne reciprocated with a hug of his own. And the affection didn't end there. There was no mistaking the delight of one elderly lady who bestowed a kiss and a cuddle on the royal visitor.

Thursday 24th May 2007

Press release by the Dessy Group - www.dessygroup.co.uk

Thought you might be interested!

Love & kisses
Ed

The Dessy Group "Engages" New Partner, DestinationWeddings.com

DestinationWeddings.com, a premier provider of destination wedding coordination and travel services worldwide, today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership with The Dessy Group, leading manufacturer of destination bridal and special occasion gowns. This new relationship combines two complementary companies with interest and expertise in creating the ultimate travel-friendly bridal affair. Through joint incentives and synergistic Websites brides will benefit from the best destination wedding services and dress designs.

"DestinationWeddings.com shares our commitment to provide brides with a dream wedding experience," said Alan Dessy, president of The Dessy Group (http://www.dessy.com). "We demonstrate our excellence through the stylish, yet affordable bridal gowns our collections offer and they provide unparalleled excellence in destination wedding travel. A partnership between our companies will enhance the level of service we provide our brides."

DestinationWeddings.com brides will benefit from this new relationship with The Dessy Group through unique incentives for Dessy Destination Wedding Dresses. Similar to the expert travel advice and support brides receive from DestinationWeddings.com, Dessy design and dress experts will be available to provide brides with destination gown guidance.

"It's about providing quality one stop shopping tailored to the destination experience," said Quentin "Bud" Carmichael, president of DestinationWeddings.com. "With a new destination wedding dress collection designed with a tropical outdoor setting in mind, Dessy offers our brides more than a dress - they offer peace of mind. As every bride knows when planning a destination wedding once you've got the dress the rest is a piece of cake, because we take care of it."

Exclusively created for Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Dessy Destination Wedding Dresses is a collection of classic and elegant island-inspired gowns that are frequently featured in major bridal publications. Unlike traditional bridal gowns which can be heavy and stiff, gowns from this collection are made of fabrics conducive to an outdoor ceremony in a tropical setting. DestinationWeddings.com is currently the seventh largest Sandal's travel agency in the world and winner of three prestigious Sandals S.T.A.R. (Sandals Travel Agent Recognition) awards including the "Best of the Best," "Top Travel Agency in the Northeast U.S.," "Top 10 Travel Agencies in the World."

About DestinationWeddings.com
DestinationWeddings.com is the premier provider and one-stop resource for destination wedding coordination and travel services worldwide. Every month, hundreds of weddings are coordinated in countries across the world through DestinationWeddings.com's network of certified wedding travel specialists who have been specifically trained to navigate the unusual requirements of marriage within foreign countries. Unlike other wedding resources and Websites that simply provide planning and information, DestinationWeddings.com is the only company and interactive Website that provides an entire range of services needed to plan, coordinate and travel to a destination wedding for a couple and their guests, including a complimentary Website for each couple that allows them to communicate and coordinate with guests. Affordable travel packages for guests and 24/7 agent support for couples eliminates the stress of resent day international travel. The company, based in Framingham, Mass., was founded in 2003 as a spin off of Horizons Unlimited Travel, a leading travel agency since 1954.

Friday 30th March 2007

Those of you who have been following the Trent FM 'Runaway Bride' competition will know that the lucky winner Fiona Richards and her Beau tied the knot today!

Fiona (right) and runner-up Emma Whitehouse Pictured in Cosette by Cascata (supplied by Reptonia!)

They looked fabulous in the fantastic setting at Woodborough Hall at we supplied the bridesmaid's outfit and they all look gorgeous (so we're very chuffed)!

You can take a look at the video that Trent FM shot here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vakvD05lnZk

Lots of love
Ed