shootystar

Jeff Liu is on ebay as Aprils Bridal http://stores.ebay.com/April-Bridal but I read on forums that you can contact him to make custom dresses by email, usually price range from 170-230 ish shipping included I found out about topspartner on this forum, their website is http://www.topspartner.com/ , they have a reputation for nice dresses but I've never seen any photos, their price range is $300+ I think Jeff Liu doesn't have pics of dresses he has made up anywhere and I had a lot of trouble finding reviews of him despite his massively high feedback on ebay so to make things easier for anyone who wants to know about him, here are some I have found looking around. They range from great to sorta unfortunate. There are a few more in this thread too I think.

Prettypigpig: I got advice on this forum to make it really detailed so I did. I thought that by putting the measurements, it would take any guesswork out of it for them. I thought the tone of my comments on the pics was nice but straightforward to avoid confusion since English isn't their first language, are they coming off as mean instead? You say there is a way to deal with mainland Chinese, can you tell me what it is so I don't come off as rude if I approach someone else to make the dress? I'm embarrassed now and worried that I came off like a jerk. >_> mochamakes3: I didn't expect an exact replica, I just thought that the 95% closeness they told me they could do would be in the shape of the dress. I'm fine with the lace and details being different. I'm fine with the pleating being different, I didn't ask that they copy that funky switching pleating on the back of the dress or anything. I just wanted a waistband and the length of the bodice to be correct and not cover my butt or hug my thighs. And yeah, they did originally say that they'd make me a new dress so I thought the adjustments I was asking for would be fine.

Also, does anyone know how to request a refund through dhgate? Monica bridal said that they called dhgate to give a refund but they said the refund process requires me to request one through my account. I can't find any refund buttons to click!

They just said that they can't make it "like you asked in the picture." and that they are "incapable" of it and that I should just go buy the dress from the bridal shop if I wanted it like the photos. Which might be a time thing but sounds more like they just think the dress is too complicated and don't want to make it anymore. It is disappointing since I already told them that it is fine that the pleats are different, fine that the flowers are different, fine that the lace is different. I just want is the top to have a waistband, all be pleated, and not to go down as far. They are obviously capable of pleating well, can probably add a waistband without trouble (well it seems simple to me, a complete non-sewer ) and I gave them the exact measurements for how long the bodice should go down. I didn't think I was being suuuuper picky and difficult, but I maybe I am. Well, if they say that they can't do it, I should just trust that they can't since they know their abilities best, but who can I ask to make it now? Jeff Lui wants $216 for it, which is fine, but can't show me any photos of his lace or appliques. Topspartner will take too long now, probably even if I do rush service with the holiday coming up.

So Monica Bridal just got back to me about my detailed pics and said that they couldn't make the dress. Now what do I do? I asked for a refund, I hope they'll give it to me and not insist I take the dress that even has sequins I specifically asked not to be used.

Thanks for all the input guys, I offered monica's $50 more to remake it and make it with 6 layers of tulle and they said they'd do it as long as I send the money first. They said they didn't want to get stuck with 2 dresses if I didn't like the second one either. That sorta comes off like they mean they won't try any harder on the second dress, but I hope it's just bad communication. Also I realized what looks so off about the top, it is just too long! So I sent them these pics, do you guys think they are detailed enough? The flower embellishments in this last picture aren't from the real isadora dress, they are some embellishments I saw done by another knock off company, I thought they looked less complicated but still pretty so I'm hoping monica bridal can copy it with out a problem.

Cookiemunchkin: Yeah, when you have time, please do post a photo of what you mean! Thanks!

Mochamakes3: My wedding is in the first week of March. Does anyone know how long their holiday lasts? They were pretty resistant to adding more layers of tulle, so I thought if I offered some more $, they'd be more likely to agree to do it. I knew the details would be different when I decided to buy a knockoff and I was comfortable with different lace and embellishments as long as the shape of the dress looked the same on me. I don't mind if the pleats are smaller or not as diagonal, but the missing pleats and missing waist band make the front look messy and the way they made the back looks like it would hug my butt, and I soooooo do not want that. I really hope monica bridal can make this dress right and in time because they've done awesome on other people's dresses.

Here is the inspiration dress, they had it for order on dhgate so it isn't a customization job. Here they are compared I told them that I couldn't accept it as it is and they've told me that they basically won't have time to make another one because their new years holiday is coming up. Then they said that they would try to make it in 10 days. So I'm actually not sure if they will do it or not. I'm thinking of just offering $50 more to try and make sure they do it and do it well. Ho many more layers of tulle do you guys think the dress would need to become more opaque like the original? Right now it has 3 layers.

I'm so disappointed with Monica's bridal right now. I really thought that they were awesome until this point. Before deciding to go with them to make my dress, I asked them if they could make the corset really look like the photos and they told me no problem, it would be easy. I also asked them to use clear (which they call white) sequins instead of silver sequins. Now I've recieved photos of the dress and they've used silver sequins and the top very off (the back is even worse.) I also see the dreaded sewing marks front and center under the breast, a missing waistband, and none of the lace appliques we talked about on the skirt. The only upside is that the tulle looks nice and matte and the flower details are quite pretty. I sent in list of fixes I'd like for the dress but they told me that they can't fix any of them except to put some more appliques on the skirt and could I just accept it as it is. As the dress looks, I would not wear it to my wedding, I don't know what to do! Just get a refund? Pay more for them to remake it?

Wow, I'm pretty impressed with monica bridal's customer service right now. I had emailed them to see if they could change my dress from white to ivory and they said that they had already started the dress so they couldn't. I was fine with that, but today they told me that since someone else had ordered white today, I could have it in Ivory now if I still wanted. I'm impressed that they remembered and bothered to ask me even though I would have been fine with the white. It was a little bit of a tough choice since this means I'll get my dress later, but I can live with 4 or 5 days later.

The inspiration dress was made of tulle. Unfortunately, I don't think skinnifying the flower belt would make me like it. I expected the belt to be different, maybe with differently shaped flowers or different flower size ratios or no crystals, but a belt with lots of space between each flower and flowers of equal size is just too different from the photos I sent. I wish they had just told me that the belt was too complicated for them to make, I could have given them a simpler belt right away. Now I feel bad because it will have been a waste of their time and materials, plus it means a longer wait for my dress.

Karen&Rene, Cookiemunchkin: Thanks for your replies on monica bridal's Ivory. It's been 4 days since I ordered and they said it'd be done in 10 days, but on the off chance that they haven't started the dress, I messaged them to ask them to make it in Ivory if they hadn't already started it in white. ^___^ I also emailed aprils bridal about getting a photo of the dress without a belt on it and getting a replacement belt for the weird flower one. When I ordered the dress, I also asked that the beaded sash be very long so that it could be tied and hang down in the back, but in the photos it actually looks really short, while the flower one looks like it might be long. I don't know how I could have been more clear, I put measurements and descriptions right on the photos. Hmm, I should ask about that as well.

So I got photos of my dress from april bridal. It was a custom design job, but here is what I asked for: This top with this bottom and 2 detachable belts/sashes. These are the photos that they sent me to confirm before shipping: Overall I think the dress looks decent, although it's so shiny and the skirt part looks so much stiffer, shinier, and less folded and less flowy than my inspiration skirt. The lack of foldedness flowyness bothers me most since that is why I liked it I think they did a good job replicating the beading on the beaded belt, but it is SOOO wide looking.That flower belt is all over the place. >_> I had to pay extra for the belts and I wouldn't wear either of those. Should I ask them to make a new skinnier belt to replace the horrible looking flower one or is that not usually something china stores will do? And if I do ask them, what kind of belt do you guys think they could replicate easily? I just want to add something to make the dress less simple. What do you guys think? See anything else wrong with it that I should have them fix before shipping?

Ok so I ordered a dress from Monica's bridal today, I ordered it in white just to be safe. I also got an email from april bridal that made it sound like my dress from them is getting close to finished. =D