Style, Luxury & Sophistication: Rosa Clará
The internationally renowned luxury bridal and evening gown brand Rosa Clará made its way from humble beginnings to being a world leader in the bridal gown industry. Rosa Clará, founder of the brand, saw an opportunity to enter a niche market and went full speed ahead to build her empire. With stores located around the globe and a variety of unique, elegant and fashionable designs, the gowns are not only easily accessible to brides-to-be but also cater to the taste of modern women around the world. The combination of the use of luxurious fabrics and unique designs at prices suited to all budgets are what has made the brand the industry leader it is today. Today’s Outlook sat down with Rosa Clará to discuss her secrets to success, design process and the exciting opening of a new boutique in Doha.
It all began in 1995 with one Spanish designer’s dream to revolutionize the wedding dress industry and provide dissatisfied brides-to-be with varied and unique options. “When I first started to look into the market, everything was the same; the dresses weren’t fashionable and there weren’t many options in terms of styles,” said Clará. “I started with one shop, and we quickly became popular because our designs were different. We used quality fabrics. The staff was professional. This was all new! Journalists and brides alike took an interest in our store, and we have been growing ever since.” The opening of this first prêt-à-porter wedding dress shop in Barcelona would become the seedling of what is today the Rosa Clará group.
From whimsical fairytale-like gowns to dresses that are fashion forward with a little edge, future brides are bound to find a gown worthy of their special day. Renowned for its minimal, uniquely elegant fashions that are intricately designed, Rosa Clará prides itself on using superior quality fabrics and incorporating the latest fashion trends in the design of its gowns. “Our collections are fashionable, unique and luxurious and cater to the tastes of women all over the world,” said Clará. “We have a variety of sizes and styles to choose from and can also adapt a gown to suit a bride’s desires or make it more culturally acceptable for a particular country.” In addition to the array of gorgeous gowns available, Rosa Clará also offers the option of custom made gowns to suit the fussiest of brides.
The design and production process is a lengthy and tedious task. The team at Rosa Clará begins working on a new collection a year in advance – a process which involves meeting to discuss the brand’s best sellers. Insights for upcoming collections are gained by identifying elements that have worked well in previous collections. “We also get inspiration from new trends and products. This design process goes on for a minimum of six months,” explained Clará. “What concerns us most is the quality of the material and applying those materials to the current trends.”
Part of the group’s secret to success was to bring well known fashion designers on board; the brand boasts work from the likes of Jesus del Pozo, Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld among others, all of whom continued the company’s trend of creating couture dresses for women who want to express their unique style while remaining elegant and simple. “I wanted to collaborate with international designers to increase the availability of our designs all over the world, so the designers are responsible for design and distribution of the gowns,” explained Clará. Most recently, Rosa Clará teamed up with Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad to create a collection which is described as being unique and inspired by the age of beauty; voluminous, with incredible lace and embroidery, the gowns are sophistication made real in a wedding dress. “The collaboration with Zuhair Murad started a year ago, and the gowns are currently available. The collection features 12 bridal gowns and 12 cocktail dresses,” said Clará. The cocktail dresses feature pastel tones, delicate fabrics and attention to detail to create feminine silhouettes.
With over 100 stores and 1,500 brand points-of-sale in 47 countries around the globe, Rosa Clará is a leader in the wedding sector both within Spain, its home country, as well as globally. The brains and creative flair behind the brand consist of a dedicated team of 160 designers. In addition, the Rosa Clará group consists of headquarters staff and sales representatives bringing the total number of employees to 800 people! The luxurious brand currently has six stores in the Middle East located in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and most recently in Qatar. Qatar’s first Rosa Clará boutique is located in the prestigious The Gate Mall and is part of an initiative to increase market share in the Gulf region. “It was very important for us to join forces with Salam Stores,” said Clará. “We have an excellent group of staff and a great looking store, and all of the elements that are important to us, such as quality, elegance and luxury, are combined at The Gate.” In keeping with the unique theme of the brand, the new store features a stunning décor in black and white. In the recent event to mark the opening of the boutique, Rosa Clará opted to forgo the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon for the ceremonial cutting of a wedding cake. After which the latest collection was unveiled to the fashion-savvy clientele of Doha.
With so much variety available to future brides in terms of wedding gowns, how does one brand stand out from the crowd and distinguish itself as a market leader? “Many brands can create bridal gowns but the main issue is having the right fabric and distribution. These are the key elements,” explained Clará. “Spain is one of the leaders in bridal gowns in Europe, so our competition is mainly in Spain and Europe, followed by the United States.” The road to success was paved with creativity and vision. There is also a lot of hard work, which often involves a great deal of travel and time away from home and family. “It was very hard work to get to where we are today,” said Clará. “There was a lot of effort and hard work behind my success, but hard work is always the key to success, and I’m very proud of what we have achieved.” With plans in the pipelines to open more stores – including boutiques in Colombia and Honduras – it seems the hard work is definitely paying off!
Brides preparing for their upcoming nuptials are welcome to visit the Rosa Clará boutique located on the first floor of The Gate.
