White Orchid Alterations offers a high quality professional fitting and alteration service for ladies and mens clothing but specialises in bridal wear, including bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride and all types of evening wear.
Stella has gained significant experience and skill since graduating from fashion design college and has worked within the fashion industry and clothing alteration trade for over 30 years. It all started with her first job in Bournemouth where she worked for a leading south coast designer specialising in bridal and evening wear before leaving to set up on her own.
Stella started White Orchid in 2001 however it’s not Stella’s first business venture. Her first business was called “Bellisima” and was located on the top floor of FabricLand in Bournemouth. There she worked as an independent dressmaker making ladies clothes to order and carrying out a small number of alterations and repairs for an growing group of loyal customers. At that time she mostly made bridal wear and evening wear but also other ladies wear for those who wanted something custom made or a little different. It was this experience of designing and making wedding dresses from scratch that has taught her the skills she had today that enable her to alter almost any wedding dress, bridesmaid dress or mother-of-the-bride outfit without it being obvious that it has been altered at all!
Stella works daily in our cabin studio located in Corfe Mullen but if you are a bride you may see Stella for a fitting at one of the many Bridal Shops that she provides
fitting and alteration services for in the local area.
All types of work are carried out including:
- Bridal gowns
- Bridesmaid dresses
- Mother-of-the-Bride outfits
- Prom dresses and Evening Wear
- Everyday ladieswear and mens-wear
- Business and formal garments
- Everything from silk and fine lace to cotton and denim
It’s all about the fitting!
It has been said, “Clothes maketh the man…” (or women!); although this is true in part we believe it’s the fit that completes the desired look.
Well fitting garments yield many benefits including high levels of comfort, a superior look and will help to prolong the life of your favourite clothing. You will feel more confident not only because you look good but because your clothing will not let you down and reveal parts of you that you don’t want to show!
- Have you every wondered why the rich and famous always look good?
- Or why that celebrity you admire always looks slim and elegant?
Admittedly they probably spend more on their wardrobe than the rest of us earn a month but the defining factor is that they will have their garments fitted to their own unique shape by a professional seamstress, dressmaker or tailor.
White Orchid provides this clothing customisation service to all its customers for a fraction of the price that the celebrities are paying, allowing you the unenviable feeling of that prefect fit. From a sale pair of jeans to a designer wedding gown the same level of care, eye for quality and professionalism is applied to all fittings to ensure that your are completely satisfied with the end result.
Tips for Ladies when you come to your fitting…
In order to ensure that you get the best possible fit there are a few things you need to remember before you come in for your fitting.
All garments, but especially bridal wear, prom dresses and evening gowns rely on a good foundation and in this case your underwear is an essential part of the ultimate look. So make sure you remember to bring with you to the fitting the underwear you will be wearing on the day.
Shoes, shoes, shoes…also an essential items for your fitting, without the correct pair (or ones with a very similar heel and sole height) then the correct hem length cannot be guaranteed. It’s also worth remembering that the choice of heel height effects the visual line of your leg and especially your calf muscle.
Tips for Gentlemen when you come to your fitting…
Of course a gentleman’s underwear is not an essential foundation garment for a suit to fit well, however it is equally important that the following guidelines are taken into consideration.
Ensure that you are wearing a suitable shirt when having a jacket fitted; it’s no good if you turn up in a jumper or sweatshirt and then expect your jacket to fit correctly (unless that is what you will wearing under your suit). Also try to make sure that the shirt sleeve length is right for you, only a small amount should protrude from your jacket sleeve, just enough to show off your diamond cuff-links…shirt sleeves can be adjusted to ensure that ultimate look of course!
The shoes should determine trouser length; ideally the trouser front should just break upon the apron of the shoe. Although the width of the trouser leg (wide, straight or boot-cut) and personal preference will always be taken into to account.