Couture Process
Couture Process
Our wedding dresses are handmade in our South Australia workroom. From designing to cutting to sewing and handwork, we specialize in meticulous made to measure gowns that are unique and custom to you. The team at Calèche are devoted to producing high quality made to measure custom wedding dresses. We take great care in making the emotional journey of creating your gown a stress-free and pleasurable experience. As your wedding day is important to us our philosophy is to keep the process as calm and memorable as possible.
At Calèche our process is made up of four different categories that may suit you depending on your timeline, budget, and style of gown. Starting with Caleche Collections, moving up to Made To Measure, then up to Bespoke and finally, Couture. No one option is necessarily better than the other however, these different options do require different processes and so it may be very helpful to have an idea of which of these options you will be pursuing. But don’t fret – if you are unsure of which option you want to pursue, it is best to start with a standard Caleche Collection appointment, in which you can browse through our collections. If you do not find your perfect gown in a close enough fit, you may choose to have it made to measure. If you do not find your perfect style amongst our collections but you still want the Calèche experience, you may choose to be more involved in the design process and work with one of our designers to create a bespoke gown. If your bespoke gown requires meticulous details and decadent fabrics, bringing the cost above $10,000, you will find yourself in the couture category.
Calèche Collections
When you come in for a standard appointment you will be able to browse through our collections of in-house sample gowns. If you fall in love with one of our sample styles, and it is a close fit, you can choose to purchase that sample off-the-rack. Sample gowns are great if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option or if you find yourself with a shorter timeline for finding your dream gown. Bearing in mind that it is likely a sample gown will need alterations to get that perfect fit; you will need to consider this in your budget and timeline.
If you fall in love with a gown from our collections but you want your gown to be brand new, you may choose to order one of our styles in a standard size. We refer to this option as ‘ready-to-wear’. This is a more budget-friendly option for those want a new gown made for them but don’t wish to pay for made-to-measure. When you order your gown in a standard size you may need some alterations for the perfect fit so it’s important to consider this in your budget as well.
Our Calèche collections gown start around $2500.
Made To Measure
A made-to-measure gown is made to the brides’ exact measurements. During a standard appointment with one of our bridal consultants, you can choose your dream gown from our collections of in-house sample styles and order it made to fit you. Working from a base pattern of one of our existing styles, you may choose to make minor changes to your gown. For example – you may want to lower the neckline, change the silhouette of the skirt or choose to add one of our detached sleeve styles. It is up to the judgement of our bridal consultants whether your style changes will require the procedure of a bespoke design, or not. Our bridal consultants are involved in the dress-making process and will make these decisions based on how these style changes affect the design development of the gown.
If you order a made-to-measure gown, a brand-new pattern will be created to your measurements, and you will come in for 3-4 fittings to achieve the perfect fit. Made-to-measure incurs a $2000 additional charge. This charge covers the new pattern, fittings, and the intricacies of remaking the gown to your measurements. In terms of budget, made-to-measure is the next step up from buying a gown to be made in a standard size and likely to be more budget-friendly than a bespoke gown.
If you are unsure whether you want a made-to-measure or bespoke gown, then we recommend initially choosing a Calèche Collections appointment with one of our bridal consultants. This way, you can start your process by trying on our sample styles. Our bridal consultants will work with you to decide if one of our styles, or a bespoke design, is right for you.
Bespoke
Interested in a custom design? You fall straight into our bespoke category. If you book a bespoke appointment, you will have a meticulous and detailed discussion with a couture designer, who will help you design your dream gown and bring it to life with a detailed sketch.
A bespoke gown will require a brand-new pattern made to your specifications and 3-4 fittings to ensure the perfect fit. A bespoke gown will also include a calico/toile fitting. A calico/toile is a ‘mock up’ of your garment made in a calico fabric. We do this step first to ensure the design and pattern is perfect before we cut into the actual fabric of your gown.
Couture
A couture gown starts at $10,000. If your gown is over $10,000, whether it be a made-to-measure Calèche style or a bespoke style, it will be categorised into couture. If you are a couture bride, your appointments will be 2 hours with one of our couture designers and as many fittings as we deem necessary to provide the best couture experience for you.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Please note – Calèche is open by appointment only. On Saturdays you may bring a maximum of 2 guests with you to your appointment, totalling in 3 people altogether.
