How it works

Why fitting in person matters

Trying the garment on allows Debella to see how it sits, talk through what you would like changed and pin or mark the alteration accurately.

Why we work by appointment

Appointments give Debella time to fit the garment properly and talk through the alterations with you. The studio is a calm, private working space rather than a busy shop floor.

Planning for a particular date? For wedding and prom alterations, please book at least one month in advance. If any other garment is needed for a specific event or date, we recommend allowing at least one month too. That applies at any time of year.

What to bring to a fitting

Bring the garment, and bring what you intend to wear with it. Shoes and shirts change how a garment should be finished, so a fitting without them can only get close.

• Suit alterations: Please bring the formal shirt and shoes you plan to wear with the outfit. The shoes help us judge the correct trouser length and break, while wearing the shirt lets us assess the jacket sleeve length properly, so a small amount of shirt cuff can show.
• Wedding dresses: Please bring the shoes you intend to wear with the dress, or a pair of a similar height. The heel height changes where the hem falls, so this is what lets the finished length be judged accurately. If you can, also wear or bring the underwear or shapewear you plan to wear on the day — it changes how the bodice sits, and it is the difference between a bodice pinned to the dress and one pinned to you.
• Occasionwear: Please bring the shoes you intend to wear with the outfit, or a pair of a similar height, so the finished length can be judged accurately.

How long a fitting takes

• Suit alterations: around 30 minutes, usually one fitting
• Wedding dresses: around 1 hour, normally two separate fittings

Individual garments vary, so this is what usually happens rather than a rule — some need less, and occasionally something needs more.

How pricing works

• Every garment is different, and the work each one needs varies with its construction, fabric and condition.
• So the price is worked out from your garment, at the fitting, once it has been tried on, discussed, pinned and assessed.
• You get a clear price and an estimated completion date before any work begins.
• Nothing starts until you are happy with both.

A price on a list is a guess made before anyone has seen the garment. A price agreed at the fitting is the actual price — and you have it, with a completion date, before we start.

Turnaround and collection

Typical turnaround, once a price and the work are agreed:

• Suit alterations: around 1 week
• Wedding dresses: around 2 weeks
• Clothing alterations: around 1 week
• Occasionwear: Prom dress alterations are typically completed in around two weeks. For other occasionwear, we will confirm the expected completion date after seeing the garment at your consultation.

We will give you an expected completion date at your consultation, once we have seen the garment and assessed the work required.

When your garment is ready, you will normally be asked to try it on before taking it away. This lets the finished fit be checked and gives us the chance to make any small tweaks if needed.

Payment options: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay and cash.

If something changes

If we find extra work once we are into the garment, we tell you before we do it. Nothing is added to the price without your say-so.