BEWARE! Save your money! wasted $2,000+ had to buy another dress!
My mom flew to Miami for dress shopping 9 months before my wedding. We went to all the shops on Miracle Mil with 2 days and a $1200 budget. By the second day, I had tried on 50 dresses with no luck and was desperate. My last appt was at La Vie, which was super far out from the other shops.
We met Viviana, who showed us a very small selection of dresses that fit our budget, explaining that most dresses are "unworn/unaltered samples." (Later learned that this wasn't true, most have no tags, are altered or have been worn. They get dresses from local shops, which are consigned, meaning they only make money once a gown is sold.) I explained that I wanted a NEW, unaltered dress. She knew how desperate I was and after thinking about it, I feel like she literally showed me anything to try to make a sale, which became very visible as soon as I swiped my credit card.
For ex, she told me that 9 months was cutting it really close for ordering a dress, urging me to buy a sample immediately rather than ordering (complete lie). She showed me such random dresses, literally anything that fit my budget, even if it wasn't my style or not even close to my size. I am a street size 2 and she convinced me that buying a size 12-14 dress and have it altered with no issue (complete lie). Finally, I tried a dress that fit most of my "requirements" and at that point I felt pressured to buy it due to my "time constraints."
The bottom of the dress had an interesting style - different than I would ever pick, Viviana said it was very "fashion-forward," and not being a fashionista myself, I trusted her. I bought the dress because she said a size 12 dress could be altered easily from her trusted seamstresses (once you buy, you're on your own. The only offer to fix the imperfections on the dress, (beading that had fallen off, loose strings). I learned after buying the dress, that they would not have it cleaned for the obvious armpit stains / dark spots on the gown.
After several weeks of sending emails, they finally responded to make an appt to pick it up. I drove an hour, only to find that nobody there. An hour later, Jenise told me I didn't have an appt. I showed her the email, but she said they didn't have the dress. She told me to go pick it up from the seamstress. At arrival, the seamstress told me that the dress was way too big and it would be really difficult to fix the beading and make the dress fit nicely. She also said she hated the dress. The repairs had not been taken care of. I felt terrible. She also explained that the tulle on the bottom of the dress could potentially be steamed out, but was not reparable and it was likely that the dress had been dry cleaned improperly, which damaged the tulle. She offered to TRY to steam it for $250, but since my wedding was in CA, it would likely need to be redone. That, plus $400 in alterations (Viviana told me it would be $250), far surpassed my original budget of $1500 for everything. I had the dress steamed, but it still looked terrible (see pic). La Vie was no help. In a panic, I asked for a photo from the designer (see pic). The dress did not look anywhere near the same as it should have looked! I was completely distraught and extremely stressed out. I kindly asked for a refund due to the damage of the dress and the fact that it was not actually an new, sample gown. IT WAS A TOTAL NIGHTMARE!
Six months before my wedding, I decided to cancel my videographer to afford another dress. It was a hard, but I had no other option. I didn't have many options, but finally found my dress at another store ($1,800!). The newer dress was perfect and a size 6, not a size 12 like what Vivian sold me. I swear they will tell you anything to get you to buy from them, it's completely disgusting. I was barely able to order my dress in time for my wedding in May.
I reached out to La Vie and asked for a refund (by the way, still don't even have the first dress, it's sitting with at that seamstress's home, who never answers the phone). They said no. The LEAST they could do is offer to consign it for me and refund me if someone else bought it. That is what a good business would do, but they are so greedy and just want to do anything and tell you anything to buy a product from them.
At this point, since I still don't have the dress, I am seeking legal action. I reached out to them to let them know that I was going this route and did not receive a response. I am not the type of person to leave a review, but a wedding is the MOST important day in a lot of people's lives and it was so awful to have to go through this and do business with dishonest people. I would hate for anyone else to fall into this trap! Please BEWARE of this store! read more