The bridal industry has seen a whirlwind of changes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Heather D’Agosta, senior vice president of store operations at David’s Bridal, is a major influencer on the bridal retail market and led innovations at the bridal chain to bolster the business over the last two years. Women in Retail Leadership Circle spoke with Heather to learn more about how she influenced decisions at David’s Bridal as the organization launched offerings like virtual styling and the first-ever bridal loyalty program, and how those tie into its brick-and-mortar operations. She also discusses her 15-year career history in the bridal space, how she’s helping other women advance in their careers, the industry trends she’s tracking, and more.

Inner Circle: Can you tell us about yourself and what you love about working in the retail industry?
Heather D’Agosta: I’ve been in the retail space my whole career. The brands I’ve worked for have always provided unique shopping experiences for their customers, where you get to be a part of a special purchase or a magical moment. David’s Bridal is no exception. Being a part of a team that serves those who serve our customers has always been rewarding and challenging. Retail is always changing and evolving, and I love that aspect of this industry — it definitely keeps you on your toes and I’ve always thrived in that environment.

Since I’m in the wedding industry, I’ll share a wedding-related fact: I actually met my husband way before dating apps even existed, through a personal ad he wrote and placed in a magazine. We’ve been married for over 20 years. We’re now setting out on a new phase of our lives as “empty nesters,” with both of our girls in college and starting their own careers. I absolutely love traveling and adventures, but at times with my busy schedule I appreciate a quiet Saturday afternoon with a book curled up on the sofa.

IC: How did you and your team create new opportunities from the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic?
HD: Navigating and pivoting throughout the past two years has been challenging. At the beginning, we had a number of obstacles to serving our customers as we maneuvered legislation requiring us to close or open our stores on restricted capacity. Despite the lockdown, our brides with upcoming weddings still needed their dresses and other customers were dealing with ever-changing plans, so we quickly developed our virtual stylist program where our bride could have her appointment from the comfort of her home. We launched that program in weeks and were able to get back to serving our brides, which I’m very proud of.

One other interesting phenomenon during the pandemic was that wedding timelines became compressed, so brides were coming in to shop closer to their dates. We pivoted our merchandising strategy by frontloading our inventory and having 300,000-plus dresses on the ground in the U.S. to support these closer dates. We also launched our new Guaranteed In Stock program where dresses are ready to ship and available for the event.

IC: 2022 is expected to be one of the largest wedding seasons in history. Coupling this with changing consumer expectations for in-store shopping experiences, how are you preparing David’s Bridal stores for the influx of new brides?
HD: Staffing, staffing, staffing! Of course, we’re no different than other retailers; we’ve all been faced with the toughest labor market in recent history. Knowing this was projected to be the largest wedding season, one of the biggest questions we were faced with was how were we going to attract and retain talent in the face of these headwinds. With robust hiring and retention bonus programs as well as new interviewing strategies, we cleared that hurdle and are well-positioned and ready to serve her.

IC: What’s one learning you can share from David’s Bridal’s launch of the first-ever bridal loyalty program? How are stores involved in the program?
HD: It’s amazing how much our brides love the Diamond Loyalty Program, which is the first-ever free loyalty program in our industry. With every purchase made from any member of their party, they earn points — a true crowdsourcing reward program — and those can add up to a free honeymoon. We’ve noticed that our customers want to be rewarded. We’re seeing lower return rates and higher spend on members vs. nonmembers. They love the perks and swag that are tailored to creating a smoother wedding planning experience.

Our stores are critical to the success of the loyalty program. The key is the stylist’s ability to share the benefits and our newly launched “member pricing” to brides so they receive their discounts towards their purchase and earn points towards all the rewards offered. This is our gift to our loyalty program members — the best and most exclusive deals in the industry.

IC: What are the biggest trends you’re currently tracking in the bridal industry? How are you acting on those trends at David’s Bridal, now or in the future?
HD: The overarching trend for the season is the return to romanticism. After the challenges of the past two years, we wanted to design a collection for our brides that had both a softness and femininity to it. Some of the key trends within that theme were the new boheme, ethereal A-lines, seductive tulle fit and flares, boudoir bodices, feminine sleeves, and 3D florals. Juxtaposed to that is offering nontraditional and versatile looks for a bride seeking something a bit more unconventional — i.e., jumpsuits, alternate hemlines, and unique colors (black, blush, blue — coming soon).

IC: You’ve been with David’s Bridal for over 15 years and rose through the ranks from an original district manager position. How did you advocate for yourself and prepare to achieve in each new position?
HD: I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors who have been key as I advanced my career. I always focused on mastering the role I was in and expressing to leadership when I was ready to take on more responsibility, making sure that each time I didn’t get out ahead of my skis. Each advancement wasn’t always a promotion to the next level; instead, I often found myself on critical projects, working cross-functionally with other departments, expanding my reputation in the company.

IC: What’s the most important leadership lesson or skill that you’ve learned throughout your career?
HD: I’ve found over the years of leading teams that the art of leading people is important — building strong teams, being authentic, transparent and inquisitive, challenging paradigms, and being open to new ideas. The other important lessons I often share with rising stars is to bring solutions along with the problems. Learning to think through situations or challenges ahead of time is a critical muscle to exercise as you build your leadership competencies. Communicate to influence and persuade by mobilizing others to achieve results across functions or multiple teams.

IC: How are you helping the next generation of women leaders advance in the retail industry and beyond?
HD: We’re proud that 95 percent of our workforce at David’s Bridal is female, and that gives me the opportunity to mentor many potential female leaders in retail. I learned years ago how to advocate for myself, and I encourage my team to do the same. Set goals, work towards them, be open to feedback and growth, and they too can build great careers.