How long does a tutu take to make?
After years of practice, if constructed non stop, an undecorated tutu (bodice, basque, knickers and skirts) will take three days to make from cutting to completion, with possibly a day or two of decoration beyond that. This is an averagely decorated tutu and does not include time spent on fittings.

You also need to take into account that you are not the only person I am working for. A recent prospective tutu purchaser expressed shock that eleven weeks notice was not sufficient time in which to make a costume, when it stated on this site that they can be constructed in three days! She had not considered the other orders I would be deftly fitting around each other, not to mention orders for wedding gowns which have been planned months and sometimes years ahead. I hate to disappoint and I also hate it when people get angry (!) but if you wish to have a tutu made at short notice (three months or less) you need to have a fairly clear idea of what you want, or be ready to make quick decisions on design; be willing to communicate regularly by telephone as well as email, and, most importantantly, be available for fittings, or be happy to fit toiles at your end. Yes, a tutu can be made in three days to a week - but only if I have a week and know in advance that you will need it!

Why don’t you price the tutus individually on the web-site?
The tutus shown are either samples held here so that they can be “seen in the flesh” or they are individual customer orders. They are really to show the full range of possibilities for your own order and also to help establish costs by example. After a consultation a typical quote will be for three variations on a design: a plain undecorated tutu; a very elaborate fully decorated version and an “in-between” design. Costs vary due to the fabrics used, weights of net and degree of decoration, but the average decorated costume is between £450 and £600.

Why do tutus cost so much?
Rossetti tutus are designed, cut, constructed and decorated to the highest professional standards. The expense is divided between materials, labour and artistry. The making or “engineering” of a tutu is a craft - beyond the initial design interpretation, it is the ability to know how to construct the boned bodice, basque and multi-layered skirt to fit perfectly and support the decoration, combined with the skill to analyse a dancer‘s shape and height when deciding on the ideal skirt silhouette or bodice style to flatter her. Finally, it is the skill to decorate and embellish a costume (by hand) in a way that will show the dancer at their best without hampering her with excess flamboyant decoration.

This is a unique opportunity for individual dancers to obtain the quality of costume only usually available to professional ballet companies. Bodices, skirts and knickers are cut and constructed, decoration is applied and headdresses are created by the same methods as used by the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and other major companies. You may choose colours and decoration most suited to you as an individual. We use the highest quality stiff tutu net for the skirts (which is almost impossible to rip!) applied to cotton or stretch fibre knickers. Bodices are constructed of natural fibre linings, covered in silk, velvet or brocades - whatever is requested. Trims in silver and gold, as favoured by the major ballet costume designers, are often used to give rich embellishment. We aim to design a one-off costume which fits like a second skin without restricting movement. Knowing you look your best may give you that small edge in competition and performance. We do not charge for toiles and barely charge for decoration. I am an "embellishment junky" and would actually rather apply decoration for free than make a plain tutu!

Why do your Practice tutus seem expensive?
The “practice tutus” we construct should not be confused with practice tutus sold elsewhere (only consisting of a few skirts and no hoop). Rossetti Practice Tutus are basically proper tutus “from the waist down” only. The only way they vary from our full tutus is the lack of a boned bodice. They are constructed to the same professional quality as our full tutus and are designed to be worn over a camisole leotard to give the effect of a complete tutu. They can be “pancake” shaped with a hoop or bell shaped without. Romantic length skirts on a basque (no knickers attached) can also be ordered.

Why don’t you have a measurement chart on your site?
If you wish to have a costume which sits correctly, does not dip at the front and rise at the back, or tip to one side, or bag at the knickers, or arrive in place a few seconds after you during a pirouette; if you wish for a costume which fits like a glove, so you don’t have to worry about the fastenings coming undone or the inner waistband digging into you when you bend, or the bodice bagging at the armpits, YOU NEED TO BE MEASURED BY THE COSTUME MAKER IN PERSON. No two people use a tape measure the same way, so unless you are looking for a tutu constructed of non-breathable, hard-to-clean stretch fabrics, it is not advisable to consider a mail order tutu. It can be possible to limit fittings to one or two. (The only exception to this is if you happen to have an acquaintance with the skills to fit a cotton toile correctly. On a couple of rare occasions I have made costumes for clients I have not met - with successful results).

Can I have a tutu in any colour?
There are about forty colours available in stiff tutu net and even more if you are requiring a costume in softer net. It is best to visit personally to see the net colours in actuality and all possible bodice and topskirt fabrics. These can vary from plain silks in 400+ shades to brocaded fabrics and patterned nets, identical to those used by the Royal, ENB and Birmingham Royal Ballet wardrobe departments (I have access to the same suppliers). (White net is very popular because a basic white tutu can be put to many uses by changing the bodice and skirt decoration. It can be the basis for an "Odette", "Sugar Plum Fairy", "Snow Queen", "Cinderella" or "Aurora".) For short notice costumes I always have black, white, pink, red and blue in stock. Other colours need either two months notice or can be obtained within the week for a fee of £50.

Can you sell me a pattern to make a tutu with/ tell me how to make a tutu?
No and Yes! I have been asked variations of this question so often that I have given much serious consideration to eventually producing some form of textbook - along the lines of "How to Construct a Classical Ballet Tutu" or similar. I am aware that a lot of people use this site as a research resource on tutu construction, and many contact me with questions; but I'm afraid I do not have time at present to instruct. Some individuals (living in Calgary!) have even passed photos of my work off as their own on Ebay, which makes me think twice about giving them added instruction. However, on the whole I think that those too lazy to make and photograph their own work, finding it easier to steal mine, will probably not have the necessary application and energy to make many costumes!

If you are interested in an eventual publication on tutu building, please contact me by email so that I can measure the potential interest.

 
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For any other enquiries e-mail: theresa@rossetti.vispa.com Tel/Fax: 01945 773763

Based in the United Kingdom