Let me start by saying I'm going to stick to facts on this review and not my emotions surrounding the experience. I wandered into this shop one evening on a whim after seeing an ad on Facebook. I wasn't interested until I found a pink Justin Alexander ball gown. Unfortunately, it was waaaaay too small for me and I was going to put it back. At this point, one of the employees informs me that they could use extra fabric to reconstruct the bodice. I was very tempted by the idea so I put down $200 for layaway. I returned to the store to show my mother the dress. I put on the dress at their seamstresses urging to show my mom how it would look (because she didn't like it). Of course I simply fell in love with it at that point and was once again reassured that they could make the bodice my size without losing the integrity of the design. It would have to be paid in full for the alterations to begin. I shelled out $822 that night and said I would be returning by March 13th, which is when I would like to see the alterations.
I went back to California and over a month passes. I hadn't heard anything from them and was due to be back in AZ in two weeks time. I recruited my sister and mother to go to the store for me to see what was going on. The lady at the front informs them that NOTHING had been done on the dress because they had been busy and my wedding isn't until December. She then assures them that the dress will be ready to see when I get there on the 13th. On the 14th I call because, of course, I hadn't heard from them. I am once again informed that the dress isn't done and wouldn't be until the 22nd. When I arrive in town, I go to the shop on the 16th, to check to see why I didn't have my dress. I'm informed the dress isn't in the store, that the seamstress took it home. This all seemed so fishy and unprofessional but hey, maybe it's normal. Im angry but I leave the store.My sister calls them at my urging and asks to speak to the owner, who isn't there because she is only in on the weekends. At this point I want my money back, my dress is three days late.
Three very long drawn out conversations ensue with the owner. She says we NEVER gave her a date, just said March. Her employee tells her my mother and sister never went into the store to speak to her two weeks before. So, I ask her if she's calling me a liar....oh no of course not "I don't recall you giving me a date, I wasn't there". She indeed was there. She in fact spoke to me about me buying a second custom gown from there for my reception dress. I am not getting a single cent back from this lady, since apparently she had to pay the seamstress overtime to get the gown done by the 18th...5 days late.
I yell at her after she chastises me for allowing my sister to speak to her on the phone first ( i have severe phone anxiety with strangers), I was present and listening while she was on speaker phone. She was condescending and spoke to me like I was a child. I informed her I wasn't a child so do not speak to me like one. She responds with "I'm 73 years old, I'm old enough to be your mother". What? Who on this earth says that to a customer? Then she says that maybe there was a misunderstanding as " the best seamstresses in Arizona are Mexican" suggesting the language barrier is the problem, not blatant incompetence. My sister is listening to this and calls her a four letter word. Ugh not something I would do but I can't control her. I inform the owner that my mother spoke to her employee IN SPANISH, (which she speaks perfectly) so there was no misunderstanding. She informs me half way through the conversation that she is recording the whole thing. What kind of business do you run that you would even think of recording a call with a customer? I just want to get off of the phone. I agree to go in on the 18th.
The dress had been ruined for me by these liars. When I arrive for the fitting, we are ushered into her office. She informs me that, once again, she is going to record the conversation. I then receive a basic transcription of our previously recorded conversation. Who does stuff like that? She then begins her 20 minute monologue, I was told not to speak until she was done. I get tired of her basically reiterating everything she had said on Friday. We never gave them an actual date blah blah blah. That the dress is done and ready to wear. According to her it's beautiful and absolutely what they had promised me. I inform her that I'm not wearing the dress and will most likely sell it. We go to the showroom floor, I quickly glance at it and ask for it to be bagged up. When I get home, I put it on. The dress has been destroyed. The pleats are sewn down, which was not how it was supposed to be. The front seam is laughably crooked. The zipper is cheap and bright white. I gave it away to a bride who was willing to fix it. I was bamboozled out of 1k by the owner, plain and simple. read more