21 hours Ago
Tariffs will impact thousands of Alabama businesses from car dealers to furniture stores to clothing retailers. One bridal store has already seen price increases. Colleen Hopwood owns Bella Couture in Mt.
Laurel, an upscale bridal store featuring hundreds of designer gowns. Even before President Trump declared Wednesday ‘Liberation Day’, new tariffs had already impacted the garment industry. Hopwood said, “So far, we've only had one of our designers that has reached out to us and implemented an increase with the tariffs.
According to them it should have been at 20%, but they only went up 10%, which we're grateful for.” She said some designers already raised their prices on their latest collections anticipating the tariffs. “If you have a gown that would normally retail for $4,000, that could increase anywhere from $500 to $700 or $800, depending on what the designer says that you have to market their dresses to.
” Many designers have their gowns manufactured in Asian countries like China and Myanmar. Hopwood believes the tariffs will encourage some to bring those jobs back to the U.S.
She said her shop used to carry a designer whose gowns were manufactured here, but that company went bankrupt. “Their gowns were manufactured in New York, which was wonderful. But, they were more expensive, but the quality and the fabrications were to me, it was worth it.
” She believes while there will be price adjustments and uncertainty in the near future, eventually the market will level out. After getting through the recession in 2008 and the pandemic in 2020, Hopwood believes this too is survivable..
