Creating a custom design is the first step of the dress making process. At this point we agree on the dress silhouette, its style, color, fabrics used, trims, decoration and costs involved. During the dress design process you’ll be offered several draft sketches to choose from. The final sketch will be made in color.

To design a perfect costume it is very important for me to fully understand you and your needs. There are so many important things that should be taken into account when designing a competition dress. Therefore I need you to give me as much information about yourself as possible. The questions below will give you an idea of things that would be helpful for me while making the design.

1. Your dress size or hips/bust/waist measurements. Your height.
2. Your age.
3. Several photos of yours taken full length, a few close-ups, and photos of you and your dance partner (if applicable).
4. Describe your body type. What parts of the body would you like to accentuate, what parts to conceal with the dress and why? E.g. you have a scar or you’re not happy with your abdomen therefore you’d prefer to cover it with fabric.
5. Your general likes and dislikes of the dress styles and/or decoration. For example, you dislike the use of nude mesh in the costumes and you love fringe dresses. Photos or sketches of dresses you like.
6. Whether you would like the dress design to accentuate some of your dancing moves. For example, you are looking to improve your hips movement and you want a skirt that would do that.
7. Music used in your dance and video of the choreography. If the video is not available then just describe the general theme of the dance. This question mostly applies to costumes for artistic gymnastic, ice skaters, ice dancers, and ballroom dancers looking for a dress for a particular showcase.
8. Your favorite colors, colors that you find flattering your skin tone. Colors of your previous costumes.
9. Your dancing level. Any costuming restrictions which apply either to your dance level, or to the specific competition you are attending.
10. Photos of your previous costumes. Opinions about them. Did you have any problems while wearing them, e.g. the bra cups were cut too low or the color didn’t look right? Or mention things you loved about these costumes.
11. Any other requests or questions you might have regarding the dress design, fabrics used, color, brand or color of rhinestones etc.

I charge a 100 USD fee to start working on a custom dress sketch. This fee is included in the dress price, so when you order the actual dress, it is deducted from the invoice.