April 2011

Virtual Wardrobe Service

Our sister company, Total Wardrobe Care, has an exciting new service involving cataloguing your entire wardrobe and creating a virtual online wardrobe. You see at a glance what is in your wardrobe, avoiding the hassle and mess of turning everything out in order to find what you need for a holiday or special occasion.

Gold Service

Our exciting, luxury, premium service. Once your items are checked in and dry cleaned, they are photographed and a virtual wardrobe is created for you, which you can access online. Simply put in your name and password and up comes a photographic catalogue with detailed descriptions. This allows you to see the items you have in storage. When you want your clothes returned simply add them to your basket and check out. Imagine how easy packing and travelling could be? Simply choose the clothes you want for an occasion from a party, to a winter, skiing or summer holiday and we will courier your clothes to your accommodation or hotel room. Your clothes could be hanging in your wardrobe before you even arrive.

Silver Service

For those who do not need to use our storage but would like to have their own virtual wardrobe, the Silver Service is the perfect option. How many of us lose track of what we have in our wardrobes, have bought duplicates or cannot find things to wear? We will create your personal virtual wardrobe. This will include us coming to your home, photographing and cataloguing your clothes. We will then set your virtual wardrobe up with a user name and password for you to access at any time.
For more details please contact 02380 292 842 or info@totalwardrobecare.co.uk

Made To Measure Service

What do we offer?

• Designer Collection Books
Pick from our range of Designer Books, including Valentino, Ungaro... and be inspired by the designers' beautiful fabric suggestions
• Create Your Own Designs
Bring in pictures of items you would love to wear and we will make them work for you
• Copy a Favourite
Bring in an item that you already own and we will make you another
• Design from Scratch
Meet for a Design Consultation with Julia Dee and come up with something completely you

We can work with all types of fabric, including delicate silks, beaded fabrics, fur or leather. Our team will help you source what you want, either from our range of fabric books or coming with you to choose something direct from the supplier.

How does it work?

1. Initial Consultantion
They will talk through what you want and guide you towards the best designs and fabrics for you
2. Place your Order
Before going ahead, we will give a written quote for the work along with our fitting and payment terms
If you decide to go ahead, we take a 1/3 deposit and schedule in your fittings
3. Measurements
We take full body measurements to ensure a perfect fit
4. Selecting your Fabric
If you haven't found the fabric that you want in our range of fabric books, we will send you a range of fabric swatches, sourced from our list of suppliers, for you to choose from
Or if you prefer, we will go fabric shopping with you and help you choose the best fabric direct from the shops
5. Toile Fitting
All new designs are toiled so that you can 100% sure we have understood exactly what you want and that it fits you perfectly
Once you are happy, we require a second payment of 1/3 to be paid for us to proceed
6. Confirm your Fabric
At the toile fitting, we will ask you to confirm your choice of fabric
We require full payment for all fabric before it is ordered
7. Garment Fitting(s)
We will make up the garment in 2 or 3 stages, depending on the complexity of the design
We will always check the neckline, cuffs, hems etc before finishing a garment
Any detailing will be added only after the garment fit has been confirmed on you
The final payment of 1/3 is required at the 1st Garment Fitting for us to complete the work
8. Final Fitting/Collection
You will be able to take your garment away at your final fitting and it will be beautifully packed in one of our TWC garment bags

How long does it take?

• We recommend allowing a minimum of 2 months

How much does it cost?

• Every garment is different and a full costing will be given to you in writing before you place your order
• The following prices offer a guide of what are prices are:
• Shirts and Blouses from £600.00
• Trousers from £665.00
• Jackets from £900.00
• Day Dress from £700.00
• Evening Dress from £900.00
• Wedding Dress from £2000.00
• There is no charge for an initial consultation
• Design consultations are charged at £60 per hour
• All other fitting costs are included in the quote as standard

How do you pay?

• The cost of the work, including all fitting costs, is paid in 3 installments:
• 1/3 Deposit
• 1/3 at the Toile Fitting
• 1/3 at the 1st Garment Fittings
• The cost of the fabric is main in full at the Toile fitting

September 2010

The Seamstress Squad

With up-cycling the latest buzz word for everyone from savvy fashion aficionados to home bodies, the current trend is to revive designer clothes and mend old favourite pieces, be them from the wardrobe or for the home.

Designer Alterations is launching The DA Seamstress Squad, a handy new service which comes to your home and takes the hassle and time out of alterations and mending.

The majority of us have a pile of clothes, duvets and curtains which are waiting to be altered, mended and in need or major repairs but never have the time to organise them. The ‘Squad’ will come to your home armed with their sewing machines, tape-measures and sewing kits and will carry out any on the spot alterations and repairs.

This service is also perfect for red-carpet calamities, pre-party disasters or business travellers, stuck at a hotel with a wardrobe malfunction.

The service includes:-

Clothing Alterations
From high quality fitting, restyling and remodelling to altering hemlines and waistlines, cuffs and sizes. NB major alterations will be taken to head office.

Interiors and home-care
Including replacing buttons on duvet covers, altering curtains, replacing zips on cushion covers to mending woollen blankets.

Specialist vintage service
Includes fine mending, replacement of beading, sequins etc.

The DA Seamstress Squad costs £70/hour.

June 2010

Make Do and Mend Service

Are you just returning to work after having a baby and nothing fits? Is your wardrobe full of pieces that are no longer on trend? Do you buy new clothes each season and toss out pieces you think are no longer relevant

The majority of women have clothes in their wardrobes that don’t fit anymore, are forgotten about, some never worn, are old fashioned or are badly damaged.

Designer Alterations is launching a new Make Do and Mend Service, which will revamp your existing wardrobe and offer solutions on ways to update, remodel and transform tired and ill- fitting clothes into the latest looks.

Not only does this save money on expensive clothes but is better for the environment and is a more ethical approach to consumer behaviour. According to Triad UK women buy 2.15 million tonnes of clothes and shoes every year and will throw out over 900,000 tonnes of clothing each year in the UK alone.

Designer Alterations specialise in transforming unwanted garments into better than new pieces, with personalised fits and detailing. Customers can either visit the head office in London’s Battersea, or book one of their experts to come and do a home visit.

With a team of experienced seamstresses, designers and invisible menders, Designer Alterations can offer an extensive range of solutions. Initially they will edit the clothes and help advice on which pieces can be altered, mended and brought back to life. Refitting, restyling and remodelling will be done and the pieces will then be whisked away to head office for alterations.

From specialist vintage repairs, invisible cashmere mending, making designer garments bigger or smaller, to revamping ‘Granny’s’ old fur, and sourcing specialist fabrics, Designer Alterations will find a solution.

March 2010

Cashmere Redressing & Invisible Mending Service

Cashmere as good as new….

Would you like your fabulous, cashmere knitwear to look brand new and beautiful again?

We have the answer for you. We are able to offer a bespoke, cashmere revival service in Scotland.

Your favourite cashmere knits can be sent for redressing (which includes de-pilling, washing, steaming and pressing) and returned in pristine condition, as good as new.

An additional mending service is also recommended, so that small holes can be invisibly mended.

The Process:

1. Mending: The garment is examined for small holes (such as moth damage) and these are mended by expert menders, all of whom have many years experience in the Scottish cashmere industry. The yarn used matches but it is in an unwashed state preserving the natural oils so the yarns can be used to reform the missing stitches and the loose ends worked into the surrounding fabric.
2. Washing: The knit is then washed very gently in an industrial machine at a strict temperature control; this gets rid of any dirt, moth’s larvae and the oils in the yarn used for mending.
3. Examination: The knit is then re-examined after washing as more moth damage may have become apparent and then the process is repeated if necessary.
4. De-pilling: De-pilling is done mainly by hand as this does not cut the long fibres in the yarn and therefore lessens the tendency to pill in the future.
5. Pressing: The knit is placed on a large vacuum steam table and is blasted with steam which is sucked out by the vacuum thereby giving a shop quality finish to your cashmere.

Timing: 10 weeks

Prices:

Redressing: £35.00 (Excluding postage)

Mending Holes: from £5.00 - £15.00 per hole (You will be advise after inspection)