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Bridal Executives Travel to D.C. to Seek Exemption From Tariffs
Bridal Executives Travel to D.C. to Seek Exemption From Tariffs

Yahoo

time25-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Bridal Executives Travel to D.C. to Seek Exemption From Tariffs

After members of the bridal industry first appealed to President Donald Trump's administration to consider an exemption from tariff increases in April, some executives are now traveling to Washington, D.C., to make their case in person. Bridal manufacturers, designers and other members of the formalwear industry have banded together to launch a two-day lobbying effort Tuesday and Wednesday to engage with government officials. The group will be composed of six members of the North American Formal Apparel Association, according to a spokesperson for its lobbying partner Converge. More from WWD Is Dua Lipa's Chunky Engagement Ring Inspiring a New Trend in Bridal Jewelry? The Latest Engagement Ring Trends From The Couture Show 2025 Former 'Project Runway' Designer Identified as Fatal Victim in Shooting at 'No Kings' March in Salt Lake City With 15,000-plus independent bridal stores and 300,000 workers in its supply chain, the sector is trying to safeguard jobs and businesses. Domestic manufacturers and retailers have a lot at stake, given that there are 2 million weddings annually in the U.S. and the average wedding gown costs between $1,600 and $2,000. The tariffs come at a time when the bridal industry is not growing, due partially to declines in birth rates, marriage rates and immigration. In addition, the average age of a bride is 28 and the average age of a groom is 30, and they often live together before tying the knot. Others opt to cohabitate rather than wed. Asia has been a hub for the production of wedding dresses, due to the numerous factories there, as well as labor costs and the availability of services and specialized machinery for embroidery, lacework and other embellishments that are popular with brides. Nearly 90 percent of wedding gowns and formalwear is made in Asia with China being a leading resource, and other production is being done in Vietnam, the Philippines, India and Myanmar. Meanwhile, brides-to-be have been turning to TikTok, other social media platforms and influencers to try to get a better understanding of the impact of tariffs on wedding gown prices. One TikTok video that explains the situation posted by NBC News had been viewed 316,400 times, as of Monday afternoon. Making the point that dresses including daytime ones are currently all classified together, Justin Alexander's chief executive officer and creative director Justin Warshaw said Monday, 'We're of the opinion that dresses like wedding dresses, prom dresses or quinceanera dresses are typically worn once so they are more like costume wear or one-time wear.' Warshaw, who will be traveling to D.C., said all of his company's goods are made in Asia. With pauses on select tariffs set to be up in mid-July, bridal brands are uncertain about how to handle their pricing, since it is not known whether the pauses will be extended. Warshaw said the goal of the trip is to get 'a clearer understanding of the tariff landscape impacting the formalwear industry.' He added, 'With limited ability to re-shore production to the U.S., ongoing tariff uncertainty has created serious challenges for our made-to-order model and long lead times. We're hoping to explore possible avenues for reclassification or exemption and plan to discuss these with our contacts in D.C.' On Friday afternoon, a consortium of wedding dress makers, bridal designers and retailers took part in a webinar that was hosted by Converge to discuss the formalwear tariff strategy and advocacy update. In advance of the call, organizers e-mailed a few dozen representatives from the industry encouraging them to participate. Recipients of the e-mail, which was shared with WWD, learned, 'We're making meaningful progress, but there's more work to be done. Tariff uncertainty continues to threaten the formalwear industry, and NAFAA is leading the charge to secure long-term relief.' Describing NAFAA's strategy as 'focused, actionable, and gaining traction,' the group is aiming for the reclassification of formalwear as 'one-time use' or 'special occasion wear' to eliminate punitive tariffs. As part of its plan to engage with the U.S. Department of Commerce and key officials, this week's two-day outreach will include meetings with representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the House Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Customs, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Hispanic Caucus, the Converge spokesperson said. In April, the industry banded together to circulate a petition that called on the Trump administration to consider the exemption. That initiative resulted in more than 2,500 signatures. At that time, Warshaw warned that the cost of wedding gowns could increase by 20 percent. In April, a letter that was put forward by three leading bridal manufacturers was hand-delivered to Trump's daughter-in-law Lara. The letter referenced how the industry's supply chains in Asia took decades to build and cannot be replicated domestically without 'significant disruption and cost increases' that would fall to 'American families.' On Friday's call, supporters were encouraged to donate money to the effort and to travel to the Beltway, according to one executive, who listened in, but declined to be identified. Callers were briefed about the current legal and policy landscape, the strategy behind the in-person advocacy and how their companies can get involved. Prior to Friday's webinar, more than 40 companies had joined NAFAA, but broader participation from the industry is being encouraged. About $240,000 had been raised, with the scale of the donations range from $250 to $30,000, Warshaw said. Last week's join-the-webinar email was signed by Warshaw, Mon Cheri Bridal's CEO Steve Lang, Allure Bridals' Kelly Crum and Vows Magazine's Peter Grimes. Lang declined to comment about the trip to the nation's capital. Crum and Grimes did not acknowledge media requests Monday afternoon. NAFAA's membership includes Anne Barge, Bari Jay, Casablanca, Dessy, Jim's Formalwear, Jovani, Kleinfeld, Loverly, Maggie Sottero, Morilee, SYVO, Terani Couture, The Bridal Outlet and Watters among other companies. Media requests to several of the listed members were unreturned as of Monday afternoon. Best of WWD Pandemic Has Stoked Appetite for French Luxury, Survey Finds U.S. Sets Strategic Vision for China Trade Policy Furmark's Farm-to-Shopfloor Tracing Tags Set for International Debut Sign in to access your portfolio

Converge survives San Miguel to keep playoff bonus bid alive
Converge survives San Miguel to keep playoff bonus bid alive

GMA Network

time11-06-2025

  • Sport
  • GMA Network

Converge survives San Miguel to keep playoff bonus bid alive

PBA Philippine Cup. June 11, 2025. Schonny Winston (8) of the Converge FiberXers against the San Miguel Beermen. (Photo: PBA Media) Converge survived San Miguel, 100-97, on Wednesday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila to keep its hopes for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals alive. The FiberXers finished the elimination round with a 7-4 record while the Beermen's four-game winning streak came to an end as they slipped to 7-3 ahead of their match against NorthPort. Scores: Converge 100 – Winston 25, Arana 21, Delos Santos 13, Stockton 7, Baltazar 7, R. Santos 6, 6, Garcia 5, Racal 3, Caralipio 2, Corpuz 0. San Miguel 97 – Fajardo 17, Perez 17, Tautuaa 14, Tiongson 13, Rosales 11, Cruz 8, Teng 4, Trollano 4, Lassiter 3, Cahilig 3, Brondial 3, Ross 0. Quarters: 19-12, 53-37, 70-68, 100-97. —JKC, GMA Integrated News

The problem with new leaders using an ‘out-with-the-old' approach
The problem with new leaders using an ‘out-with-the-old' approach

Globe and Mail

time11-06-2025

  • Business
  • Globe and Mail

The problem with new leaders using an ‘out-with-the-old' approach

Brooke Struck is the founder and principal facilitator at Converge, which supports organizations through strategic and cultural transformation. Mike James Ross is the co-author of 'Intention: The Surprising Psychology of High Performers', former CHRO at La Maison Simons and current board member and executive advisor. A promise of light in the dark… The year 2024 set a record for CEO turnover, according to leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates, and 2025 looks like it'll be even worse. Often, a replacement executive is brought in as organizations move through natural phases. To draw an analogy to mountain climbing, reaching base camp and reaching the summit are two different phases, each with a separate skillset and each necessary to reach the ultimate goal. However, when there's a leadership change, it is all too easy for the incoming executive to lean into a convenient narrative: 'The old way of doing things doesn't cut it and that's why we need to change.' The logic of this is as attractive as it is simple – and dangerous. The urgency to adopt the new is driven by the inadequacy of the old. An executive stepping into a new role might initially have the intention to 'spend the first 45 days listening,' but once they arrive on the job and begin feeling the pressure to quickly demonstrate value, the idea of 'out with the old and in with the new' can be appealing as a lever to drive better results now. … which turns out to be a trap In vilifying the past, you run two important risks: First, while some part of how we've operated surely needs to change, this narrative completely ignores many other parts actually work well. Consider a 185-year-old company like La Maison Simons. Companies simply don't thrive and flourish for two centuries (or even two decades) without getting a lot of things right. By vilifying the past wholesale, we're casting shade too widely. Second, in criticizing processes it's perilously easy to disparage people as well. Our intention as leaders is to motivate our teams to change, but we can easily demotivate them if our words sound to them like, 'You were incompetent and doing it all wrong.' The longer way 'round is the shorter way home. While not as simple, a more effective storyline around change is one that demonstrates the continuity of past, present and future. This is especially true in older organizations with rich histories. By celebrating what came before and recognizing that it was necessary to get us where we are now, we can focus our attention with enthusiasm and excitement on the potential of what is to come. There are three elements that we've seen work in practice. Finally, here are three questions we've found helpful to keep leaders aligned during this process. By combining these approaches and mindsets, we've seen stronger commitment to change, better continuity and greater opportunities for leadership to shine across many organizations. Given that we're all living in a world that requires constant change, being anchored in what worked well can make all the difference. This column is part of Globe Careers' Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.

When it comes to talent, companies are usually better off with the internal candidate they know
When it comes to talent, companies are usually better off with the internal candidate they know

Globe and Mail

time04-06-2025

  • Business
  • Globe and Mail

When it comes to talent, companies are usually better off with the internal candidate they know

Brooke Struck is the founder and principal facilitator at Converge, which supports organizations through strategic and cultural transformation. David Knechtel is the managing director at Client Counsel. The next five years will be a critical time for talent management because by 2030 even the youngest Baby Boomers will turn 65. But there's a persistent challenge to making the most of your people's potential: when it's time for change, we too often reach outside the organization, dreaming of that superstar who is just waiting to arrive – if only we can find them. When external talent is brought in, they usually command about 18 per cent higher compensation than an internal candidate, according to a report in Administrative Science Quarterly. That pay increase wouldn't be so bad, except that they perform worse than internal promotions over the first 24 months. Bad goes to worse when you consider that external hires are 20 per cent more likely to leave the organization – during their first year alone, according to an article from Deloitte Insights. Perhaps you've seen this inside your own organization. We have. David was working with a team who needed a leader for a national team. The previous hire had been brought in from the outside, through a previous collaboration with an executive. Her start on the job hadn't been a resounding thunderclap of success. Early stumbles were chalked up to 'settling in,' early wins were all celebrated as evidence of her stardom (and of the even more impactful outcomes expected down the road). But those eye-popping results never materialized. After some months, things still weren't working out, and by this time the honeymoon period was over. Both sides realized that a change was needed. Nevertheless, the leadership team still believed (in the face of this recent negative experience) that the external route was the way to go when replacing their previous 'superstar.' They weren't moved by the reality that 75 per cent of internal hires succeed in their new roles or that among internal hires nearly half stay a further 3 years with the company, according to HRForecast. Rather, internal candidates were discounted as 'just not ready' or 'not strategic enough.' The reality though is that, unsexy as it is, we're usually better off with the candidate we know well – warts and all – even if they lack any of the outsider's mystique. After many discussions among the team David was working with, senior leadership finally agreed to 'take the chance' on an internal candidate. For the team, it was a huge win to see a trusted manager advance and there were a number of unexpected benefits: faster decision-making, better understanding of the evolving marketplace and a wider number of existing relationships that could be leveraged. And the team achieved their best performance ever as a result. These dimensions start to tell the story behind the numbers. Internal candidates bring a depth of organizational know-how and relationships with them to their new roles, starting from Day 1. This helps them to be more effective in the early going. Relationships also keep people in jobs, which can help to explain why internal hires stay longer. They understand their colleagues and can be more effective by driving greater performance of those around them. Finally, when a close-knit team sees the leadership team valuing their work and trusting them to deliver more, they're encouraged to rise to the challenge. They see that there really are opportunities worth seizing, improving employee loyalty. This will be especially important in the coming years, as nine in 10 Millennials prioritize career growth potential as an essential consideration when deciding to take a job, according to Robert Walters. With the turnover to come, organizations that demonstrate that advancement opportunities are real will have an advantage in the competition for talent. So how do we decide when an internal or external hire might be a better choice? Here are some practical tips to consider, given your situation: It's very du jour these days to encourage team members to take a growth mindset. What we're advocating here is that – if we want our team members to succeed and our organizations along with them – it's not enough for employees to take a growth mindset about themselves. We as leaders need to have a growth mindset about them as well. This column is part of Globe Careers' Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.

TNT gets Jordan Heading, Converge receives Mikey Williams
TNT gets Jordan Heading, Converge receives Mikey Williams

GMA Network

time02-06-2025

  • Sport
  • GMA Network

TNT gets Jordan Heading, Converge receives Mikey Williams

It's official: Jordan Heading is going to TNT, while Mikey Williams will be sent to Converge. The PBA on Monday approved the said trade. Heading has been with Converge since 2024, but has not played in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup due to a back injury. Heading is expected to help TNT in its Grand Slam bid, especially with Jayson Castro out due to injury. Williams, meanwhile, has not played in the PBA since April 2023 when TNT won the Governors' Cup then. However, he played with the Strong Group Athletics last January in the Dubai International Basketball Championship. Rumors and reports of the said trade surfaced last week as Heading was seen watching a TNT game against Terrafirma last May 28. —JKC, GMA Integrated News

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