Design Process,   Fitting Process,   Design Sources,   Understanding Colour

 

One of the most commonly asked questions - whether for a couture wedding dress or a professional quality ballet tutu - is, "how long will it take?" My response is usually, "it depends on you and your availability for consultation, fittings and collection". This might in turn depend on where you live and how many journeys you are willing to make to the Norfolk/ Cambridgeshire border studio. Most clients seem to average a two hour journey to visit - central London and Birmingham are a two-hour trip; King's Cross is ninety minutes plus a fifteen minute taxi ride. It takes around four hours when travelling from the south coast, Wales or Northumberland. Brides and dancers have flown in via Stansted (a train and taxi ride away) - popular with visitors from Ireland. The time it takes to make your order may depend on your existing body-shape, your intention to maintain that shape or drastically exercise/ diet. There is a balance to be drawn between the ideal amount of fittings and visits needed, and what suits you, your lifestyle and your geography. Some clients take time off work during the week and are happy to give their full attention to a wedding gown commission. For others, a made-to-measure wedding dress is something they need to squeeze into an over-packed life (and probably on my Sunday afternoon!). Some fully expect to visit six times; others struggle to be available once! I will not say that any rule applies to a particular design. We will, hopefully "play it by ear" regarding the number of fittings needed. To toile or not to toile? Your two main choices are between: A consultation to view the studio sample gowns or tutus; fabrics, embellishments, discuss your design and be measured. You will then need to visit again to have a toile fitted (constructed from my measurements). Depending on the style of gown, it can then most likely, be made to completion, or one more fitting may be needed, ie, three to four visits. This is the best avenue to take if you are unsure of the style you would like or cannot choose between several different styles without seeing the samples "in the flesh!! Or With adequate telephone or email discussion prior to the consultation, to establish your favoured design shape, and the supplying of your (approximate) measurements in advance, a toile can be constructed of your design and fitted to you when I first meet you. This only really works if you are fairly sure of the pre-existing Rossetti design you would like, and the main purpose of your consultation is to view fabric, colour or embellishment alternatives. Once the toile has been fitted (my experience will allow for any anomalies in the supplied measurements: you have to be willing to stand patiently while I pin and pin....) I can often make gowns to completion. This is a very typical way to fit ballet tutus, and works well: one combined consultation/toile fitting, then one combined final fitting/ collection. You visit twice - the second fitting/ collection possibly involving a short break where you go away for lunch or coffee while I do twenty minutes to an hour of final elastic adjustments or hook and bar altering. Most clients prefer to do this rather than to go away and then come back a third time to collect. Some clients, particularly brides, truly wish to visit many times, even when it is not necessary. For this purpose, I have decided that your quoted commission price will include the two-to-four fittings (including consultation and collection) as detailed above. Additional fittings - fitting five or six - will be charged at an additional £1000 each. Shown below are images to indicate how often brides and dancers visited, and the resulting commission.

1. The client above attended a consultation which included trying on a suitable 18th century style corset, discussing the proposed commission for a georgian costume to attend various Venetian balls,and choosing fabrics. 2. On the second visit, a calico toile (and bucket hoops!) were fitted, together with checking the fall of the underskirt and choosing sleeve flounce laces and skirt embellishments. The eighteenth century period costume was then completed and delivered. Please see dedicated page for more images.

1.The client (above) had given me a reasonable idea of what she hoped to achieve in advance of visiting: a combination of source material from several Pre-Raphaelite paintings. She had also provided a brief outline of her measurements - sufficient for me to make a calico toile of the entire dress. 2. Therefore when she visited, I was able to fit the toile and the remainder of the time was spent choosing fabrics. 3.Several design sketches were sent with various alternatives. As soon as decisions were made I was able to make the gown to completion. It was collected and did not need any adjustments.

The photos above show the result of a full sent of measurements taken here (NOT to provided figures); then a ten-minute toile fitting of the jacket/ bodice. The entire gown was made from this information with no other fittings. I would choose to take longer with most clients, but it shows what is possible! The original sample of this eighteenth century style wedding gown is currently held at the Rossetti studio to try on/ view. (Approximately size 12).

Teresa (above) chose her fabrics and was measured at the original meeting. The entire 18th century gown: corset with removeable sleeves, skirt (worn over an authentic eighteenth century style bum roll) and cape with hood, were then made to completion.

Simone (above), originally inspired by the costumes from the film, "Dracula" made a selection of fabrics at our initial consultation. These were fine-tuned to her favoured preferences, together with exact design choices, in her own time (including email and telephone discussion). She was measured at that initial meeting, so that the second fitting involved a completed bustle frame, the basics of her skirt and a calico toile of the bodice. After this stage, the gown was made to completion - apron and bustle drapes were added to the skirt and the flly boned bodice constructed, trimmed and beaded.