Medford dress manufacturer saves the wedding day for many local brides
Published on June 21st, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - Kindness lives in Medford under the roof of the House of Bianchi, a bridal gown manufacturer that has come to the rescue of brides in need.
More than 60 brides and bride's maids couldn't get the dresses they had paid for after Wedding Perfections of Stoneham filed for bankruptcy. Owner Teresa Giannino shut the bridal shop down two weeks ago after taking numerous orders and deposits for dresses.
"We want to help these girls," said Bianchi credit manager Elaine MacTaggart.
House of Bianchi is bucking the industry norm, selling the dresses directly at wholesale cost to women who ordered Bianchi dresses from Wedding Perfections. Retail prices can be twice as high as wholesale, according to MacTaggart.
Bianchi owner Paul Scarlata gave his people the green light to be the white knight of summer weddings.
It is standard practice for dress manufacturers to send dresses to an alternate retailer if the original shop fails to pay. When this happens, the customer pays the retail price again, after already forfeiting one deposit.
"But this is our company, and we know how we want to handle this," MacTaggart said.
Columbus Bianchi began in Boston making dresses for children in 1937. Sixteen years later his daughter Phyllis joined the family business after graduating from fashion school with a specialty in designing wedding gowns, and the House of Bianchi was born.
MacTaggart has also informed the women that they should speak to their credit card companies about retrieving deposits.
House of Bianchi obviously sympathizes with the brides burned by Wedding Perfections. But the dress manufacturer can also empathize; Giannino owes them an undisclosed sum of money.
"It's a write off," MacTaggart said. House of Bianchi had shipped dresses to Giannino on terms, allowing her 30 days to pay, and, for a number of dresses, payment never came.
So far House of Bianchi has helped seven girls. MacTaggart said her company wants to put the word out to any of the girls who ordered Bianchi dresses that the manufacturer wants to help.
"We're doing the right thing," MacTaggart said.
Lisa O'Connell of Billerica is getting married on June 22. She got her dress from Bridals by Valerie in Reading.
"I had to pay for the whole thing over again," O'Connell said. "I wish I had used them (Bianchi)."
Creditors, including House of Bianchi and a bevy of brides and bride's maids, must now wait to see if credit card companies or bankruptcy proceedings can shake any money out of Wedding Perfections.
The Attorney General's Office is investigating the matter. A release from the AG said that upon liquidation of the company's assets "creditors may receive payment in full, partial, or not at all."
"At least I have my dress," O'Connell said.
Best wishes to Lisa and all the summer brides.
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