Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many people’s plans have been shattered, and weddings have been particularly affected. However, that didn’t stop the owner of the bridal shop, Gillian Million, from continuing to pursue her innovative ideas. I interviewed Million in the back of her glamor shop in Teddington about her journey that began in 2000. “I made my own tiara for my wedding, enjoyed it and decided I was interested in joining the bridal industry.” Then he created a million small collections and had the opportunity to display them in the luxury department store Liberty in London. They took the full set that got her started, along with an article in the Saturday Telegraph.
Much of Million’s business relies on face-to-face communication, which allows it to make customized pieces for clients. One of the most memorable experiences was with a client who unfortunately had cancer and the treatment resulted in her losing her hair, but she wanted a headpiece for her wedding. We had to think outside the box and so I created an asymmetrical design that sits on her head with a decorative ribbon, and it ended up being a hit, and everyone who came to see me ended up buying the Asymmetrical Labyrinth. This inspired Million to make more unique designs, and successfully differentiate their business.
One of Gillian’s important innovations began twelve years ago when Million began selling “beloved, once-worn” wedding dresses. The well-known controversy about wedding dresses is their individual use, which means that it is difficult to justify an expensive dress. This concept allows the price of clothing to be lowered so that designer brands are more affordable and accessible. Million wanted to offer the full design experience and sell wedding dresses, but he “couldn’t stand the idea of something just sitting in a box, in a wardrobe, or under the bed and never being worn again.” This launch was a huge success especially due to the current desire for sustainability and elements with a story.
The Covid-19 pandemic has meant many weddings have been canceled or reduced a lot, bringing the wedding industry down, but it’s not for Gillian Million that has been kept busy: ‘We created the Iconic Collection’ but I’ve also made a lot of videos like no People are still wearing dresses that they can no longer wear because they were initially getting married with a hundred people and suddenly they were marrying five people in a park, so the dress they bought could no longer be worn. These photos were shown to many of her followers on Instagram who can see the new stock. Million describes the closure as “giving us a moment to stop in our tracks and really rethink our next show,” and it’s something everyone can learn from.
Gillian Million shows that individuality has a tremendous impact on success and thinking outside the box goes a long way. Her shrewdness and enthusiasm allowed her to grow her business even during lockdown.