3 Traits to Seek in Your Dress Designer

If you’ve never had a custom garment made for you then starting the process can be quite intimidating. Your first step after deciding you want something custom is finding the right designer. Here are 3 boxes you want to make sure your designer checks (at a minimum) before picking them.

1) Their work should align with your vision. Take some time to look through their portfolio of work. Every designer should have some sort of portfolio, either on their site or social media. Thumb through their past designs and see if they match the overall aesthetic you’re looking for in your future design. You can run through this test even if you only have a nebulous idea of what you’re looking for in your design. If you’re looking for something ethereal and flowy, don’t choose a designer that mostly works in leather producing punk styles. You don’t have to love every single one of their pieces, but overall you should enjoy their work.

If you’re not sure how to evaluate their portfolio you can break it down with questions like:

• Do I like the fit of their designs?

• Do I like the fabrics they used? The colors, prints, and textures?

• Do I like the silhouette and design details?

• Do their garments look thoughtful and well made?

And if all else fails, focus on this one big question: If you imagine yourself getting to wear one of their designs, would you feel excited about it?

2) The garment should be made to your measurements. If you’re spending the large amount of time and money it takes to work with a designer you want to be sure the garment is going to fit you like a glove. For most garments to fit well, your designer will need to use a large number of measurements. For your reference, when I create a Mikaela dress for a client I use 24 measurements. When I create a fully bespoke dress I ask for 30-40 different measurements. If your designer asks for just a handful, or less, of measurements your garment is unlikely to be truly sized to your body. The exceptions to this rule are simple to fit garments like A-line skirts or cloaks. But if you’re getting a dress, pants, a shirt, or anything where the garment is fitted at more than one point on your body, the designer should ask for a whole sheet of measurements.

3) It should feel collaborative. In order for the garment to be customized to your body and style, there needs to be meaningful communication between you and your designer throughout the process. There should be an opportunity for you to share what you want in your design very early on in the process. You should feel like your designer understands your target look and goals. They should review their plan for your garment in some way, allowing you to make modifications or sign off on the design before they start developing your garment. There should be a path for you to reach out to your designer throughout the process in case questions or concerns should arise. And it should be clear to you that their goal is for you to love the garment at the end of the process.

In general, remember that your designer is an artist from whom you are commissioning work. It’s similar to getting a tattoo or going to your hairstyles for a big change. You can use similar ways of thinking to understand if you’re choosing the right artist or if you need to keep looking. If something feels off about the relationship, that's reason enough to find someone else. A custom piece is a big time and money investment, and you deserve wonderful experience along with a beautiful garment.

And if you’re interested in working with Right Side Out, but you’re not sure it’s a fit, you can schedule a free, no obligation consultation or reach out with questions here. We’re happy to answer them all!