This is one of my most asked questions. Interestingly, it is one of the most difficult to answer. There are some standard prices which I will list below. But for many cases, the construction of the garment and the alterations needed will dictate the amount of work necessary to perform the alteration. For example, not all dress hems are the same. Some dresses have one layer. Some dresses can have as many as six or more. That is literally altering a dress six times. The pricing must reflect that. The cost difference can be from $25 to $225. Often times I will have the client text me a picture of the garment. Custom design works very similarly. Sometimes we will either draw a composite sketch or gather a collection of pictures to get a clear idea of what the client wants. In essence, If I can see it, I can quote it. Having said that, here are some standard prices for regular, non-bridal or non-formal alterations:

Plain Hem $10 -$15
Jean Hem $22
Skirt hem $35 - $75
Suit cuff $45
Straps $25 - 65
Bust in $45 - $65
Waist in $25 - $35
Taper pants $25
Jacket in$35
Sides in -$35 - $65
Zipper replacement $35 (minimum)

This is one of the most difficult questions we hear in our industry. It is literally impossible to tell unless we have a complete design in place. You see, we have to know what we will be making :).Only then may we quote a price for it. The cost of a dress depends entirely on the design our bride chooses. To that end, wedding dresses cannot be quoted without either consultation or in the event our bride provides some form of visual of the exact dress she wants. However, we can say that JRA Designs custom dresses usually begin at $1700 and increase in accordance with the complexity of the design .

Generally, we ask at least 3 months to construct a wedding dress. However, it depends on the time of year and the complexity of the dress. Once I know the design, I can better assess the exact timeframe to construct it. But 3 months is a safe amount of time to estimate.

JRA Designs creates garments for a wide variety of occasions. Although our target industry are weddings, we also design costumes, formal wear, couture gowns and sometimes even upholstery and curtains. We often make clothing for children as well. However, I generally do not manufacture clothing for men nor do I make ties.

In short, rarely and no. Although it is possible with much effort, I do not recommend custom making a dress when long travel is a necessity. JRA Designs typically works within a 100 mile radius of the studio. This covers an area north to San Luis Obispo as far south as the LA area. For most fittings, it is required that we meet in the studio. I often require the use of immobile equipment in the course of our fittings.

Consultations are always free. However they are by appointment only. We ask that you come prepared with ideas and or pictures to give us some direction. Some women know exactly what they want. Some do not. For those that do not, we suggest to bring pictures of things that catch your eye. It does not even have to be a dress! They can be anything from a dress to part of a dress, a landscape, a bottle, whatever! This will tell us much about your personality and what you would be best suited for. We begin from there and will help you design your dress…

JRA Designs can re-design or reconstruct just about any dress. However, you must keep in mind that there is usually a high degree of limitation on what we can do to the dress. The extent we can change your mother's dress is contingent upon the current style and condition of the dress itself. We recommend that you bring it in and let us examine the possibilities together.

Yes, call us for a consultation and fitting. : )