China's 'Wedding Gown City' Carries On Despite Pandemic
Employees work on garments at Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd's factory, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 4, 2020.
Wholesalers wear protective face masks as they visit a wedding dress store, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Huqiu Wedding Dress Mall, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China July 7, 2020.
Aly Song/Reuters
Employees from the export department of Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd work together on laptops at the company's factory, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 4, 2020.
A mannequin, dressed in an embroidered face mask and wedding dress, stands inside Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd's store, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China, August 4, 2020. Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd, one of Suzhou's largest gown manufacturers, tried to mitigate the downturn by ramping up direct sales to brides and travelling to their customers. But the escalation of the virus to a global pandemic saw foreign orders, which used to account for a tenth of the company's sales, all but disappear. "I hope that the epidemic abroad can get under control, which will allow wedding dress studios to reopen. That can in turn drive consumption," said founder Xu Chuanhai.
REUTERS/Aly Song
The October services PMI rose to 56.8 from September's 54.8 – the highest since June and an indicator of the sector's steadily strengthening recovery.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Employees from the export department of Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd work together on laptops at the company's factory, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 4, 2020.
REUTERS/Aly Song
An employee works on a wedding dress at Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd's factory, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 4, 2020. Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd, one of Suzhou's largest gown manufacturers, tried to mitigate the downturn by ramping up direct sales to brides and travelling to their customers. But the escalation of the virus to a global pandemic saw foreign orders, which used to account for a tenth of the company's sales, all but disappear. "I hope that the epidemic abroad can get under control, which will allow wedding dress studios to reopen. That can in turn drive consumption," said founder Xu Chuanhai.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Part of a wedding dress is worked on at Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd's factory, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 4, 2020. Suzhou Jusere Wedding & Evening Dress Co. Ltd, one of Suzhou's largest gown manufacturers, tried to mitigate the downturn by ramping up direct sales to brides and travelling to their customers. But the escalation of the virus to a global pandemic saw foreign orders, which used to account for a tenth of the company's sales, all but disappear. "I hope that the epidemic abroad can get under control, which will allow wedding dress studios to reopen. That can in turn drive consumption," said founder Xu Chuanhai.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, has her hair done on the day of her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, has her hair done on the day of her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Pan Wenjun, 30, and Wei Jiawen, 29, receive red envelopes from Pan's parents, on the day of their wedding, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Pan Wenjun, 30, carries his bride Wei Jiawen, 29, into a car on their wedding day, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
A couple pose for photographs during a wedding photo shoot at a park, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 13, 2020.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Zhang Zijian and Kang Yifei pose for photographs during a wedding photo shoot at a park following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China August 13, 2020.
REUTERS/Aly Song
A model wearing a wedding dress poses for a photo as a woman takes a picture of her at China Wedding Expo 2020, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China July 9, 2020. The China Wedding Expo 2020, an annual event that draws wedding gown resellers, exporters and bridal studios descend went ahead in Shanghai last month but exhibitors said there were few visitors.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Pan Wenjun and Wei Jiawen's daughter holds red envelopes that were given to her parents on the day of their wedding, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wenjun and Jiawen celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, laughs with one of her bridesmaids during her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, laughs with one of her bridesmaids during her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, and her father walk into the dinner hall on the day of her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due to to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Pan Wenjun, 30, and Wei Jiawen, 29, walk arm in arm on their wedding day, which had to be postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Wei Jiawen, 29, and her father walk into the dinner hall on the day of her wedding to Pan Wenjun, which had to be postponed due to to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China, August 16, 2020. Wei Jiawen and her husband Pan Wenjun celebrated their nuptials with their family and friends in mid-August in a ceremony that was downsized from their originally planned celebration in February. "We were under pressure both physically and mentally for half a year because of the delayed wedding," said Wei, who gave birth to a daughter while waiting to reschedule the wedding.
