Denise Buzy-Pucheu, founder and owner of The Persnickety Bride, said steep tariffs on imports from China are hurting U.S. businesses, including bridal shops and wedding dress designers. Some of the brands she carries have added a tariff surcharge.
Courtesy of The Persnickety Bride; Photograph by Stella Blue Photography
Days after President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on imports from China, Denise Buzy-Pucheu sat on the couch in her bridal boutique and fired up the shop’s iPhone.
In a video later posted on Instagram, the founder of The Persnickety Bride in Newtown, Conn. spoke directly to brides and prospective customers and outlined how the 145% tariff on Chinese imports would roil the bridal business, in particular.
Almost all bridal gowns are made in China or other parts of Asia — and so are many of the fabrics, buttons, zippers and other materials they use. Skilled seamstresses are hard to find and often come from older generations in the U.S. And manufacturing in other countries, where labor generally costs less, has put the prices of high-quality bridal gowns within reach for many American families.
“This type of work is not just not something you can pick up and bring to the United States,” she said in the video. “We just don’t have those technicians here to do that.”
Tariffs on Chinese imports have hit a wide range of consumer goods, including T-shirts, patio furniture, baby strollers and toys. Yet the bridal gown and special occasion apparel business illustrates the damage duties can cause to small businesses ingrained in the global supply chain.
Most of its sales come from independent shops across the country that carry bridal gowns, tuxedos, prom dresses and more. They cater to customers with firm deadlines, tight budgets and high expectations, often making custom orders placed weeks or months before an item is made or shipped.
On top of those dynamics, the industry is particularly vulnerable to the tariffs. An estimated 90% of wedding dresses are made in China, according to the National Bridal Retailers Association — though a growing number of brands have moved manufacturing to other parts of Asia, such as Myanmar and Vietnam. The industry group represents approximately 6,000 wedding and special occasion shops across the U.S.
David’s Bridal has sped up moving its production out of China because of tariffs. By July, it aims to produce all of its dresses in other countries, including Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
David’s Bridal
The particular pain the industry will feel has led it — like others highly exposed to tariffs — to push for carveouts from the duties. In the past two weeks, NBRA has launched a letter-writing campaign to U.S. senators and representatives to urge lawmakers and the White House to allow an exemption. The industry already pays a tariff that started during the first Trump administration, along with a separate duty.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump…
Read More: Trump China tariffs hit wedding dresses and bridal shops
