David’s Bridal Will Soon Have a New CEO and Launch ‘Aisle to Algorithm’ Digital-Focused Strategy

Longstanding bridal retailer David’s Bridal is making headlines for a variety of reasons, including the naming of a new CEO — Kelly Cook — as well as a new push toward a digital-focused operating strategy dubbed “aisle to algorithm,” per a company press release.

Cook, currently the president of brand, technology, and finance for David’s Bridal, will take the helm as CEO on April 1, replacing outgoing CEO Jim Marcum. Marcum will take over the role of executive chairman while retaining his position as head of the company’s board of directors, as CNBC reported.

“I’m truly honored that Jim and the Board have chosen me to take on the role of CEO at such an exciting and pivotal time for David’s. I firmly believe in David’s mission; the ‘love’ business gets in your blood, and the excitement and passion we have for brides and bridesmaids is unparalleled. I am ecstatic for the evolution of David’s into a dynamic and powerful tech-enabled retailer, marketplace and platform,” Cook stated in the press release.

“Seeing brides ring a bell in our store, there’s simply nothing like it. When she walks down the aisle, we are walking with her. #happytears. Serving her is all we think about, that’s why we call ourselves ‘Dream Makers.’ We are poised to become the only player in the wedding industry with an integrated retail, loyalty, media, and planning ecosystem-backed by proprietary first-party data no competitor can match. We are redefining what it means to plan, shop, and celebrate life’s most special moments for consumers and innovating how brands can authentically connect with consumers during these defining moments,” she added.

David’s Bridal Shifts to an ‘Asset-Light, AI-Powered’ Business Model

As CNBC detailed, David’s Bridal is gearing up for a significant shift in its operating principles, moving its product manufacturing away from internal production into an arrangement that sees a much greater proportion of its offerings provided by vendors.

The retailer currently manufactures the lion’s share of its own inventory — between 90% and 95% — but Cook indicated that the goal is to eventually reach a point where David’s Bridal produced 50% of its own inventory, with the other half being provided by outside vendors.

Since 2022, David’s Bridal has used AI to drive 90% of customer communications, per Chain Store Age. In the coming days, the retailer plans to invest more heavily in AI, developing an AI-based planning tool and accompanying marketplace to further facilitate customized customer interactions.

“David’s is expanding its AI initiatives with a comprehensive platform for vendor discovery, task management, and seamless wedding planning. These tools enhance customer journeys while providing vendors with data-driven matchmaking to their ideal audience. More about this new AI-powered tool will be announced in Q2 of this year,” the press release indicated.

And while the bridal retailer serves about 90% of the bridal market overall and sells about a third of all wedding dresses nationwide, it also outlined intentions to diversify its product lineup to include swimwear, couture, luxury, accessories, and menswear, according to the press release. Expansion of the company’s retail media channel via the newly launched Pearl Media Network (launched in December) and Love Stories TV (acquired in December as well) provides the promise of increased advertising revenue.

Despite David’s Bridal working to handle its significant debt load in the face of prior bankruptcies, Cook suggested that the retailer was poised to scale its business “in a way that drives profitability as fast as possible.”

“It’s definitely a new era of David, for sure. The brides are evolving, and we’re evolving with her,” Cook added.