The closing of a popular bridal gown manufacturer has resulted in panicked brides-to-be across the country as the status of their dresses remains unknown.
The Florida-based bridal manufacturer and retailer Alfred Angelo announced on Friday that it had filed for bankruptcy, leaving more than 1,400 retailers scrambling to find answers and solutions.
Taylor’s Bridal Boutique in Elmira, Ont., informed customers of the Alfred Angelo bankruptcy on Friday in a Facebook post. Taylor’s also asked any brides who had previously ordered an Alfred Angelo gown to contact them.
“We may still get them,” Linda Taylor, the owner of the boutique, told CTV Kitchener. “Apparently there are dresses in the Toronto warehouse plus the ones down at the factory.”
Taylor said she knew something was wrong on Wednesday night when she saw many online posts about the bankruptcy filing. Taylor says she’s been selling Alfred Angelo gowns for more than 20 years.
“It’s horrifying,” Taylor told CTV Kitchener. “Anything we can do to make it work for these brides, we are.”
Only two bridal parties at Taylor’s boutique are affected by the manufacturer’s closing, with one Guelph bride receiving the last Alfred Angelo gown that arrived at Taylor’s bridal store. Taylor noted that local bridal boutiques are trying to help each other out by sharing their remaining Alfred Angelo gowns.
Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14, 2017, according to the company’s website.
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy means the company stops all operations and goes out of business, according to the United States Courts. All of the company’s assets, in this case including wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses, are sold to pay off the company’s debt.
The bridal retailer posted a message to their website saying: “We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event.”
With a report from CTV Kitchener's Abigail Bimman
