Fittings, Fabrics & Finishing Touches: Your Couture Journey With Isabell Kristensen Couture

Every couture garment begins long before the first fitting.

It starts with craftsmanship, precision, and the careful preparation required to create something entirely unique to you.

At our Chelsea atelier, each made-to-measure design is individually developed and constructed with dedicated time reserved exclusively for your order. From sourcing fabrics and embellishments to allocating specialist atelier workdays, every stage is carefully planned to ensure the highest standard of finish and personalisation.

Beginning Your Order

For all Made-to-Measure commissions, a 65% deposit is required upon placing your order. This allows us to secure and reserve your chosen materials, schedule production within the atelier, and begin the development of your garment.

For House Originals, full payment is required at the time of ordering due to the nature of these completed designs and limited availability.

For bespoke creations, we strongly recommend a toile fitting. A toile is an early prototype of your garment created to assess silhouette, structure, balance, and fit before construction begins in the final fabric. This stage allows for a more refined and personalised result.

Your first fitting date will be confirmed once your deposit has been received and production scheduling is complete.

The First Fitting

The first fitting is an important milestone within the couture process. At this stage, we verify the fit of the garment against your measurements and assess overall comfort, movement, and proportion.

Adjustments may be made to areas such as:

Waist fit and shaping

Neckline positioning

Hem length and balance

Sleeve comfort and movement

Overall silhouette refinement

This fitting also presents an opportunity to discuss certain personalisation details. Smaller refinements are often possible within the original design scope. However, significant design alterations or additional embellishment work may incur supplementary costs where additional fabrics, restructuring, or specialist craftsmanship are required.

Examples may include:

Full-length cape sleeves

Reshaping or reconstructing necklines

Additional appliqué or embellishment

Structural panel replacements

Extended trains or custom detailing

Following the first fitting, a further 20% payment is taken to continue the completion phase of the garment.

The Second Fitting

The second fitting focuses on refinement and precision.

At this stage, we carefully review comfort, movement, and final fit quality while making any necessary retouches or adjustments. Any bespoke design additions agreed during the first fitting will also be reviewed and refined during this appointment.

This stage ensures the garment feels as exceptional to wear as it appears visually.

The Third Fitting

The third fitting presents the finished garment in its completed form, including all detailing, embellishment, and finishing work.

This appointment serves as a final review to ensure every element meets the standards of our atelier before collection. If required, an additional fitting can also be arranged to ensure complete confidence in the final result.

The remaining 15% balance is payable upon the third fitting or collection, whichever occurs first.

For clients attending only one fitting, the final balance will be payable upon collection or shipment of the garment. Should a client request storage of the completed gown due to a delayed ceremony date, payment will be due on the completion date stated on the invoice.

Veils & Supplementary Pieces

Supplementary pieces such as veils, shawls, boleros, overskirts, or additional accessories may be commissioned separately throughout the process.

Invoices for these items are generated at the time of ordering. Depending on production timing, these pieces may either be fitted alongside the original garment or require a separate fitting appointment.

A Couture Experience Designed Around You

Every fitting is designed to offer a calm, considered, and highly personal experience. Our approach combines traditional atelier craftsmanship with modern precision, ensuring every garment reflects not only exceptional construction, but the individuality of the woman wearing it.

Because true couture is never simply made.
It is shaped, refined, and perfected around you.