GENERAL INFORMATION

LJB is a simple, small scale design and production house where all garments are individually designed, skilfully cut and custom made for the client, by the designer, in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.

This page aims to offer further information about how that process looks. Though, please bear in mind that this process is personalised, flexible, collaborative and depends on each clients requirements, location, timeframe and design of their garment(s).

Contact Information

Please email hello@lulujackson.co.nz or contact me here to make an enquiry.

The Lulu Jackson Bridal atelier is based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand and operates between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Please note that all Lulu Jackson Bridal garments are made in house. A lot of my time is spent in the atelier making your garments. So, do not worry if your emails are not responded to immediately. I try to reply within 3 working days.

I am working with a handful of clients at any one time and often need to refer back to our conversations throughout the production of your wedding dress, so please aim to keep all communications via email.

Enquiries

Please reach out via email at hello@lulujackson.co.nz or contact me here to make an enquiry. LJB works with clients from all over the world! I welcome local and international customers.

Your enquiry is a touch point to let me know you are interested in working with me. This is the first step in the process.

It doesn’t matter where you are in your journey to finding your dream wedding look. You may have a really strong idea of what you’re after, or you may not have any idea, and just know that you want to work with me, most of my clients are somewhere in between. I welcome clients who are anywhere on this spectrum.

When making an enquiry, please let me know where you are based and your event date as this will affect the production process of your garment(s). You may let me know any other information you think may be important or helpful.

All Lulu Jackson Bridal garments are made in house, in my Mount Maunganui atelier. So, timeframes are flexible. However, please try to contact Lulu Jackson Bridal at least 6 months before your event date as it usually takes 6-8 months to design and make your garment. This is a guide only and timeframes may vary depending on circumstances and design of the garment. More urgent orders may be possible depending on availability.

Please refrain from sending me photos of current works by other designers. I have a plethora of vintage references and prefer to draw from those, my own portfolio, and what you love to wear as inspiration for custom designs. This would all be discussed in detail at our first consult together.

Lulu Jackson Bridal does not replicate works by other designers. If you have found something you love from another designer I suggest you purchase it directly from them.

I am open to enquiries about any custom made garments, I don’t exclusively make bridal garments.

Consultations

Once an enquiry has been made, we will arrange a complimentary consultation. This is our first meeting to get to know each other and discuss your dream wedding dress in detail!

If you are unable to attend a consult in Mount Maunganui, that’s fine. I often hold consults via video chat.

We’ll talk about all of the elements you want (or not) in your wedding dress. I will ask, prompt and guide you on this. This includes silhouette, fit, details, fabric and the overall vibe. I welcome you to talk about anything you want at this consult. I aim to understand the essence of your wedding dress!

I will also guide you on which fabric and trim options may work best for you and your design.

Sometimes, I may have sample garments you can look at or try on at your consult, this is only done if suitable samples are available.

Your measurements and photo will usually be taken at this point unless discussed otherwise. For international customers this comes later. The garments are later made to fit your body, based on your personal measurements.

We’ll also discuss timeframes and pricing. I’ll provide you with a quote at the end of our consult.

My consultations are free of charge and come with no obligations or pressure. I encourage you to think about whether it feels like the right choice for you. It is a super fun and special process.

Once you decide and confirm you wish to have your wedding dress designed and made by me, I will a require a deposit of 50% of the quoted amount. This confirms you as an LJB client and I will begin to draw up your design concepts based on the ideas we discussed at your consult. It also confirms you agree to the terms outlined here.

I work with a limited amount of clients at one time. Once we have carried out a consultation together, I will hold space open for you in my books. If I don’t hear from you for about one months time, I will reach out before opening up the space to a new client.

Consultations may take between 0.5 and 1.5 hours and are made between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Design and Sketching

Once your deposit has been paid, I will dive in and start to dream up the design of your garment(s) in detail.

While I may make initial sketches at our consult, I like to spend time on this very important part of the process. The initial design concepts may take around two months, but this is a guideline only.

When ready, your initial design concept sketches are presented to you, usually via email. I will often suggest a few designs concepts or variations for you, based on what we talked about at our consult. I accompany these with reference imagery (my own and vintage) and notes to best help you to visualise the designs.

Once I present your initial design concepts, we’ll work on the details of the design together until we come to something we both love! This is a fluid and collaborative process.

If you are unsure about any of the details, never mind, just let me know. Once we move into the next stage, the prototyping stage, it will be our opportunity to experiment with some details and refine the design further, in real life! The design and prototyping stages are integrated.

Prototyping

Once we have confirmed a clear design direction, I can begin making a prototype of your garment. Again, this may take around two months, as a guideline only.

I’ll then contact you to make an appointment for your first fitting. At your first fitting you will try on your first prototype, this is the foundation of your garment!

It’s when you see your wedding dress in reality for the first time! However, it is an unfinished version of it. It may feel quite raw at this stage and will likely be unlined, with raw edges and without closures.

Sometimes your prototype will be made in the real fabric, sometimes a substitute, that totally depends on the design and is at my discretion. Of course, using such luxury fabrics, I aim to minimise waste, so if I make the prototype in the real fabric it is often carried through to the finished garment.

The fit, fabrication and design details are scrutinised by the client and designer at this point. This is our opportunity to develop and refine necklines, waistline, volume and any other details discussed at the sketching stage.

There is often a fair amount pinning, clipping, draping, cutting and marking involved in this fitting. I’ll take lots of photos and notes.

If we haven’t already, we’ll also confirm the fabrics and trims at this point.

For international customers, or customers who are unable to attend a fitting in person, I may send physical fabric swatches for consideration.

It’s helpful if you bring your shoes and accessories at this point, if you have them, though it is not essential.

This is the time you must discuss any changes you wish to make or qualms you may have. Details may be reconsidered, at the discretion of the designer.

For international customers, or customers unable to attend an in person fitting, a prototype fitting may or may not be carried out, it depends on the design of the garment(s). If so, it will either be done virtually, on a mannequin or fit model, and discussed over email or video chat. In some cases, I will send a physical prototype sample to an international client for fitting.

Production Fittings

Next, the production of the final garment(s) commences. Again, this may take around two months, as a guideline only.

This part of the process may require one to three fittings.

Your first production fitting is the last opportunity for any major changes.

The garment(s) will be made in the real fabrics! Though some details such as closures or hems may be left unfinished or incomplete.

This is so we can further refine fit the of the garment(s) and confirm the details of the design.

For example, I may do drapery or trim placement on the body, or may only carry out a small amount of any intricate embroidery or hand work to start with.

At your last production fitting, or “almost final” fitting your garments are very close to being finished, with nearly all details complete. Occasionally, minor tweaks may be required to fit and finish your garments to perfection. This is usually only something small such as a hem length or closure placement.

Lulu Jackson Bridal will contact you to make appointments for these fittings and re-fits when necessary.

Please bring the shoes and undergarments you plan to wear with the garment(s) to these fittings, and any accessories are helpful. It’s also helpful if you wear your hair similarly to how you plan to wear it with the garment(s).

I custom make some accessories so welcome you to discuss these with me at any stage during the process.

For international clients, once satisfied with the prototype sample, I will move straight to the final garment and send this to you when it is ready. Please see further notes below for international clients.

Finished Garment Collection/Delivery

Once satisfied with the production fittings, I will carry out all of the beautiful finishing details required to complete the garment(s).

This includes any minor tweaks, intricate hand work, adding labels and pressing.

I tend to work backwards from the wedding date to structure my timeframes and your garment(s) is typically ready 4-6 weeks before your event day, but up to 2 weeks before the day, unless discussed otherwise in advance.

Once your garment(s) is complete, Lulu Jackson Bridal will issue a final invoice. This is final cost minus the deposit you already paid. Upon payment of the final invoice your garment(s) will be prepared for your collection.

This will include a final fitting. The garment is finished and accepted as final at this point.

I will provide a garment bag and hanger to store your garment.

For international clients, or any client who can’t make the final fitting in person, the finished garment(s) will be folded into a box and shipped to you. A garment bag and hanger will be supplied. I aim to send final garments to international clients around two months before the event date.

Further fitting information

Please don’t wear much makeup, fake tan or oily skin products to fittings as they may mark the fabric.

I welcome you to bring to your fitting a bridesmaid, friend or family member for an extra set of eyes, or just for fun! If so, it is helpful that they understand this process before hand. The atelier is a small space so I advise that you bring no more than 2 extra people to fittings. It’s also not very safe for children.

I will record all important discussions made at fittings.

While I’ll try to avoid it, fitting appointments may be postponed at times due to unforeseen circumstances.

For international customers, or any customers who are unavailable for in-person fittings with me, I aim to accomodate for this! It may place some requirements on the design, such as an adjustable closure, so I can be confident in an accurate fit for you. I will design these details in a purposeful way which works cohesively with the garment as a whole. This would all be discussed in further detail during a consult together.

Pricing and Payment Information

Custom bridal looks typically sit between $4000 - $8000 NZD. This is a guide only. The price will depend upon the design of the garment(s).

A quote is usually given at the first consultation. I’ll always quote the maximum amount I expect the discussed custom made garment(s) will cost. I.e. it will not cost any more than this.

Quotes for custom made garments are estimated based on the ideas discussed in the consultation process. They are priced as a whole service and influenced by a combination of materials, labour cost, intellectual property and expertise.

All prices are quoted in New Zealand Dollars and include GST and shipping charges.

Two payments are required for your order. Lulu Jackson Bridal requires a 50% deposit on the quoted amount to confirm you as a client, and initiate the design process and production of your garment. Once the garment is complete, your final cost will be confirmed and the outstanding amount is required for payment before your garment may be collected or delivered.

Pricing is subject to change should anything change significantly between issuing the quote and the finished garment being collected. I will always be transparent about this before hand.

For international customers, customs duties and/or local taxes are at an additional cost to the client.

Fabric Information

Lulu Jackson Bridal uses high quality, mostly natural, fabrics such as silk, cotton and wool. These fabrics have many outstanding qualities such as luminosity, breathability, richness of colour and luxurious hand feel. Though, it is accepted that they may be delicate and require tender care. They may be more prone to creases and absorbing moisture spots than their synthetic counterparts. Fabric of this nature may carry minor slubs and imperfections which are not faults. In my opinion, this is part of the life and beauty of natural fabrics.

‍Measurement and Sizing Information

The fit of your garment(s) is based on the bust, waist, hip and other measurements Lulu Jackson Bridal takes at the time of consultation.

From the prototype fitting onward, it is advised that you try to maintain the same measurements. From the first production fitting onward, any adjustments required to cater for changes in size may affect the final price.

I often work with clients whose body may change during the production of their garment(s). I try to cater to this where possible. Please keep me informed if you expect these measurements have changed or will change at any time.

Please do not hesitate to contact Lulu Jackson Bridal for any measurement or sizing enquiries or concerns.

If you are unable to attend a consult in person, you will need to supply your own measurements. I will guide you clearly on this. If so I’ll suggest you take a tape measure and have your fiancé or a friend take these measurements using my instructions, I find I get exactly what I am after this way. I will usually ask for your bust, waist, hip, height, usual dress size, usual bra size, and any additional measurements depending on the design of your garment.