Many women have dreamed of finding the perfect wedding dress since they were little girls. But, for some, these dreams quickly turned to nightmares after all 60 Alfred Angelo Bridal stores abruptly closed and the company filed for bankruptcy last Friday.
Some women who had found "the dress" at Alfred Angelo Bridal stores were forced to start their search for a gown from scratch. But luckily, these brides aren't alone — the Los Angeles community is now stepping up to make sure they aren't stranded without a dress.
Since the closures, Facebook groups have popped up with women offering to lend their dresses to those stuck in this situation. Some mom and pop bridal shops, like Della Curva in Tarzana, are opening their doors on days off to accommodate brides who now don't know the status of their wedding dresses.
The owner of Della Curva, Lisa Litt, said she's had frantic brides stepping in to look for dresses since Thursday. Litt also said that Della Curva, which is marketed toward curvy women, and her other store, Lili Bridals, are giving up to a 30 percent discount to affected brides.
"We feel for them. It's a stain on industry," Litt said. "We just want to help (their) dream come true."
Alfred Angelo broke its silence on the closures Sunday with this statement on its website:
Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14, 2017. As a result, all stores and wholesalers are closed. Margaret Smith was appointed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee. If you wish to be contacted regarding your order status once information is available please send an email to: alfredangelo@mjstrustee.com.
We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event. We appreciate your patience. Thank you.
Many brides will still be receiving their dresses from Alfred Angelo through a shipment from the company, according to a lawyer representing the company. Each store was instructed to ship all merchandise to brides and others before closing, but unfortunately not all stores followed the protocol, she said.
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If the dress is in the store, the company is working with the Chapter 7 trustee to compile a list and provide access.
The company said it will post additional information regarding the status of dresses on their website as it becomes available.
Bride-to-be Michelle Medina still doesn't know the status of her wedding dress. When she found out that she may have to start the process of looking for a gown all over again, she thought it was a joke.
"For a bride, you know, this isn't something that I do everyday. This is just a one-time, once-in-a lifetime situation," Medina said. "So having other places reaching out and do whatever they can at least gives some kind of relief."
