What is the average cost of a custom-made gown?

Since each gown is individually designed and made, there is no average price.

The price depends on several factors:
1) The design of the gown
2) The fabric
3) The amount of beading or other intricate work.

Each gown is made individually and priced accordingly.  However, our evening gowns start at $500, our bridal gowns start at $1,000 and our children's creations start at  $150.

What is involved in the process of having a custom gown made?  How long does it take?

For bridal gowns, it all depends on when you schedule your initial appointment. The earlier you call and get on my calendar, the better. Ideally, I like 6 months notice (or more) before the actual wedding day (or day you would like your gown delivered.)

However, I understand there are urgent or emergency situations and have worked with those tight deadlines before. I like these situations to be the exception and my ability to take on such work depends on my current workload and staffing to meet such demands.

For children’s gowns the delivery time ranges from 2-6 weeks from the time of order. Again, exceptions to this timeline are made but not guaranteed to be possible.

How do you discern what the best design and fabric are for a given person?

I determine a person’s sense of style through observations, through our conversation, by a person’s body language, and by what they indicate preferences for.  I also take note of their physique and personal appearance. By actively observing and listening to a client, I can discern exactly what they are wanting. I attribute my ability to quickly determine the needs of a customer to my intuitive nature.  My goal in “reading” a person is to try to combine their ideas with my perception of what fits them best thereby reaching the perfect end result.

Do I need to bring a picture or a drawing of gowns I like?

While you are certainly free to do so, I have found that often times the bulk of the ideas a client has are wrapped up in their thoughts. My job as a designer is to capture all those thoughts and ideas from our conversation and concrete those ideas into your original and specific gown design.

Do I need to bring my own fabric and / or pattern?

No. As a designer, I prefer to work with you to select the best fabric for the style of your particular gown. Because of quantity and on-going relationships with fabric merchants, I am also better able to secure the best pricing for fabrics, lace, and all sorts of notions used in creating a given gown. I will not need you to bring a pattern either. I draw my own patterns tailored to the gown design and per your individual, physical measurements.

What if I live out of town, or even out of state?

Not a problem!  I have had numerous clients that live outside my home-base of Austin, Texas. If you are willing to come to Austin to see my work and visit with me about your individual gown, I think it will definitely be worth your while.  If you decide you want me to make your gown, I usually need an initial appointment where I can solidify the design and get measurements.  Then I can schedule you for a fitting (or two) and usually finish any alterations/changes while you are in-town so that you can take your gown home with you.

Do you have any off-the-rack dresses for sale?

While we do have some of our creations on display in our showroom, we have no off-the-rack garments available.  

Do you do bridal alterations?

We do not accept bridal gown alterations.