Welcome to the Price is Right, Here's your host DAAAAAAVVVIIDDD PECK...
Come on down and let's play Double Prices! I will show you a gown and give you two prices to choose from. Pick the winning price and you will get a gold star of excellence... shall we play?!
IS OUR LIZ GOWN $3,250 OR $1,750?
Let's discuss custom clothing pricing. This may seem like an obvious topic, but more often than you would think, people have sticker shock when it comes to custom clothing/gowns. There's sometimes an assumption that if you get a gown made, it will be a quarter of the price of what you can find in a traditional store.
While I like to pride myself on offering fair price tags on our custom clothing, often comparable to many of the brand name designers you find in department stores, I do, however, from time run into the occasional *GASP* at our price.
So let's breakdown our pricing and see what exactly you're getting for your hard-earned $$$.
1. DOES CUSTOM COST MORE?
While I wouldn't say that custom is inexpensive, I do believe that it's usually the best VALUE. Our pricing is in line with most designer level prices at a department story like Saks or Neiman's. A premium designer gown can sometimes cost 2-3 times (or 10 times more if you are shopping couture) more than our dresses, especially when you factor in alterations. For many high-end designer garments, you are paying an extra premium for the brand name in addition to the quality.
Little fact: We source our fabrics from the same textile mills that designers like Chanel, Valentino, Dior, and Carolina Herrera get theirs.
2. WHAT'S INCLUDED?
When you purchase a custom garment from us, the garment itself is just one part of the value we provide. Included in that total price are the following things.
Alterations: When we construct a garment specifically for you, alterations and minor changes are included in the pricing so that the garment is perfectly fitted to your body.
Fittings: Time is money, and we are diligent in making any changes or modifications so that you are 100% happy and feel beautiful with your finished garment.
Labor: We have a team of skilled seamstresses, pattern makers, and pattern cutters that pour their love into each garment that is made.
The fashion industry is notorious for not paying fairly. I have done my best to change that over the years, and I'm proud to say that we will have an internal minimum wage of $15/hour by the end of this year.
Fabric: Fabric prices vary across the board and can be one of the most significant cost determiners in a design. The cost of a garment will fluctuate based on the type of material chosen. Things like beading or embellishment, fabrication, weight, etc., can make the fabric more expensive to purchase, but they often require more labor and preparation.
3. CAN WE NEGOTIATE?
We are not a car dealership!
Just like you wouldn't walk into Chanel and expect to haggle, we don't negotiate the price of a garment. Our price is carefully calculated with a cost sheet based on all the above factors.
We ask our clients upfront what their budget is at the Design Consultation for this VERY reason. If you have a specific budget in mind, there's no need to be secretive! Let us know what you are comfortable spending so that we can work within your parameters. This way, I won't waste your time by showing you a super fancy, costly fabric that you will fall in love with but doesn't work for your budget. By knowing what you are comfortable spending, I can work with you to find something you love that would work within your budget.
There are ways to play around with this; if you love a silhouette and particular fabric, but the dress's cost is outside of your price range, we can work with you by altering the design and the fabric choice to get closer to your ballpark number. We are super creative and will always strive to deliver something spectacular, even when keeping dollars and cents in mind.
4. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE!
Going the custom route is a fun and incredible experience. Having something made for you and being a part of the design process makes each garment more memorable and meaningful. Some of our best friends have started off as clients and evolved from there. It's such a personal experience for our clients and me to walk through the process holding hands. In my opinion, shopping off the rack just doesn't have that same level of love.
Once you go custom, it's hard to go back!
ANSWER:
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SAID OUR LIZ GOWN WAS $3,250, YOU ARE CORRECT! THAT ONE OF A KIND GOWN IS AVAILABLE AND CAN BE YOURS FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT.
The Price is ALWAYS Right!
Leave a comment (all fields required)