Client told me my pleats looked "too perfect" and I had no idea what to do

I was showing a sample for a spring dress line to a boutique owner in Austin last month and she said the knife pleats felt stiff and factory-made. She asked me to press them by hand with a lighter hand and let the fabric relax overnight. Has anyone else had to un-perfect their own work to get a better drape?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_black1d ago

My friend Shelby had a buyer in Seattle tell her the stitching on her hand-finished hems looked too clean, asked her to leave the thread tails slightly visible so it felt "authentic." She ended up making a special "imperfect" sample just for that store.

the_faith2d ago

Maybe it's just me but this whole thing makes me wonder if the boutique owner was testing you to see how well you take direction. Some buyers want to know you can adjust on the fly, not just deliver a perfect product.

murray.drew1d ago

Wait, he was paying you in store credit and still testing you? That's a new level of audacity.