Gap is closing down its bridal wear brand Weddington Way. Weddington Way started in 2011 but the business did not gain enough traction to be worth the trouble. Shedding Weddington Way may help Gap focus on the healthier parts of its business, including Old Navy. That chain’s comparable-store handily beat analysts’ expectations in the latest quarter and outpaced the company’s other brands.
Similarly J. Crew shut down David’s Bridal, a chain that sold gowns and accessories, in 2016. J Crew has been an institution since 1983. It is renowned for its fresh, luxurious take on everyday staples. J Crew is known for its lace jogging pants, skirts, tank tops, tees, dresses, fine Italian cashmere sweaters, sequin and lace-detailed skirts and playful jewelry.
Sales at J Crew, whose ballet flats and cashmere cardigans were once a staple of middle-class US wardrobes, have been declining, as it struggles to keep abreast of changing tastes and faces fierce competition from cheaper online retailers. Though the amount Americans typically spend on weddings has grown over the years, competition and shifting fashion tastes have brought uncertainty to the industry. Worse, marriage rates have fallen since the 1980s. That means everyone is chasing a shrinking pie.
