New York’s leading bridal trade show Mélange de Blanc and The Bridal Council have teamed up to debut a reimagined New York Luxury Bridal Fashion Week to corral bridal designers, buyers and members of the media together under one roof for the first time in more than a decade.

With the latest installment of New York Luxury Bridal Fashion Week getting started Tuesday, the rollout of the new format is being planned for April 2026 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. Once it is up-and-running, there will be a more unified market with runway shows, trade exhibitions and private showroom presentations in one outpost. Spanning two floors and consisting of more than 100,000 square feet, the new set-up aims to up the experience.

The inaugural New York Luxury Bridal Fashion Week at Starrett-Lehigh will have a dedicated runway hall, immersive installations and curated presentation spaces. In the months ahead, the dates, brand partners and special programming will be revealed.

The global wedding business was estimated to be $82.42 billion last year, according to Grand View Research. That figure is expected to reach $109.93 billion by 2030, with increased disposable income and rising living standard enabling consumers to spend more on wedding attire. That also has boosted demand for luxury and customized wedding wear. But as tariffs continue to impact bridal designers, manufacturers and retailers, and with the prospect of higher ones looming, the issue of price could become trickier for brides — and companies — at all price points.

Approximately 90 percent of formalwear garments are manufactured in Asia, including in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Myanmar and other countries that have the skilled labor and infrastructure needed to produce them.  

In the meantime, Mélange de Blanc bridal market will host its NYLBFW trade show from Tuesday through Thursday in its current space. Attendees will find couture designers, new international talent, and beauty activations that are being made possible in partnership with Macy’s Herald Square. Last season, The Fringe Collective, which prioritizes sustainability, inclusivity and diversity, announced its move to Mélange de Blanc, adding more designers to the show.

Mélange de Blanc’s cofounder Kimberly Marcoux said the feedback from both Bridal Council-led meetings and from internal calls with designers and buyers had been the same for years, “New York Bridal Fashion Week needs cohesion.”

“Buyers are exhausted from crosstown sprints and scattered showrooms — it’s not sustainable. Everyone misses the days when designers were under one roof at the Piers. We’re bringing that spirit back, as a service to the industry, but in a modern way that serves both today’s brands and tomorrow’s audiences,” she said.

Although the bridal market does not have the volume of shows and presentations that are scheduled during New York Fashion Week, it does leave retailers buzzing around the city. Next spring’s new locale in the Starrett-Lehigh Building is meant to create a centralized hub to not just find new resources but also connect with others. The Bridal Council’s executive director Michele Iacovelli said, “For decades, New York has been the heartbeat of bridal fashion. By bringing everyone together under one roof, we’re not just simplifying the market — we’re elevating it.”