At AH all of our dresses are made to order for our wonderful brides, created by our very talented and experienced team in our London studio. They can either be made to a standard size which is your nearest UK dress size or fully made to measure. Quite simply Made to Measure means your dress […]
At AH all of our dresses are made to order for our wonderful brides, created by our very talented and experienced team in our London studio. They can either be made to a standard size which is your nearest UK dress size or fully made to measure. Quite simply Made to Measuremeans your dress or bridal outfit is made to your specific body measurements as opposed to a UK dress size.
We often get asked what made to measure means, for this reason we wanted to write an informative blog and create a little video to show our brides exactly how our made to measure service works here at AH!
Watch our Made to Measure Video Below
The benefits of choosing a made to measure dress
- Your dress is made to your specific body measurements meaning your dress will fit you absolutely perfectly. As we are working to your personal body measurements we can ensure the sizing is accurate but also that your bust darts, waist line, back length and body length are all perfect for you.
- By opting for our Made to Measure service you can make adaptions and changes to your dress design. For example lowering the back, raising a neckline and mixing styles such as the bodice of one dress and the skirt of another. It ensures you have flexibility with design and the capability to add or take away details, such as sleeves or changing neckline shapes.
- There is an option to include a toile (prototype) fitting of your dress to finalise all of these details prior to us making in your chosen silk fabrics. Perfect for any bride who would like to see their dress in a cotton version first. This allows you to preview your dress, make changes and confirm you are happy with the shaping, fit and details.
Fittings for a made to measure dress start approximately 12-6 months before your wedding date, depending on your dress style, adaption and complexity of the design. Once you have chosen your dress one of our team will be in touch to arrange your fittings with you.
A made to measure fitting schedule typically looks a little like this
Measurements
to take your body measurements and confirm the details of your dress
Toile Fitting (If Applicable)
A dress pattern will then be drafted and made in cotton for you to try on
Silk Fitting
Your dress will then be made in silk for you to try and we will assess the final fit
Final Try on
Your dress is completely finished and you can try your full bridal look before collection!
Collection of your dress
Before any of these fittings take place you will need to source your underwear and bridal shoes, our team can assist with suggestions and help guide you with this also.
Measurements
First up is measurements! This is your first fitting to start your dress making process. We will ask you to come with your bridal underwear and shoes to ensure your measurements are absolutely correct. At this fitting you will meet with one of our experienced fitters who will take a full set of body measurements. We will take roughly 20 body measurements depending on your design. At this appointment we will also talk through your dress design to make sure you are happy moving forward to the next stage. If you have chosen to include a toile fitting, this will be the next step. Otherwise we will head straight to your silk fitting.
Toile (If Applicable)
This is essentially a prototype of your dress made to your specific body measurements in a cotton fabric. At this fitting we will fit your toile to you and discuss each detail to ensure you are happy. If you have made design changes you will get to see these in real life before we move on to making in your chosen silk fabrics.
In the below photo we are working on scooping out the neckline and lowering the back slightly. As you can see in our video we can simply cut away, pin and mark the toile to confirm the final shaping and design. Once you are happy with how your dress looks we will confirm with you and move on to the next stage of making your dress in your chosen fabrics!
Silk Fitting
The next fitting you will have is your first silk fitting, this is a very exciting fitting as it will be the first time you see your dress made for you in your chosen fabrics! At this appointment we focus on the final details and finishing’s. We will fit the centre back of your dress and pin your hem to the correct length with your shoes. We will also make sure you can walk and move around comfortably without catching the hem.
Final Try on
Your final try on will take place closer to your wedding date. At this fitting your dress will be finished and you will get to try this on alongside any accessories you have purchased along the way – seeing your final bridal look all together!
Collection
Our team will then book in a collection date for your dress, we will have it pressed and packed beautifully ready for you to pick up when you are ready
We hope this has helped with showing how our made to measure service works and how it is a special opportunity to work with our team to design and fit your dress.
Being made in London ensures we can be flexible with timeframe, ensuring the highest quality and fitting for your wedding day.
We are always here for any questions you have. E-mail our team at studio@andreahawkes.co.uk