Hilandel is a brand like no other, it’s only natural you'd be curious.

Frequently ASKED QUESTIONS

Check out the Q&A below, along with links included.
Don’t see what you're looking for here? We would love to answer your questions!

WHY WOULD I GO CUSTOM VS TRADITIONAL SHOPPING?

While there are infinite reasons to choose custom, here are a few of our favorites: While the traditional market requires brides to cram into an available template, we proudly break that mold. Most brides come to Hilandel for one of two reasons - or both! 

1. The traditional market does not cater to who they are on the inside. 
   Meaning: nothing on the market is quite right, they find themselves wanting to take bits and pieces from multiple styles, but they can’t find *the one*. These brides want a design that is truly unique, one of a kind, and expresses who they are. 

2. The traditional market does not cater to who they are on the outside. 
   Meaning: The fashion industry has a long history of bias toward straight sizing. The wedding dress industry is even worse. Most brides will never try on a dress in their actual size when going into a bridal salon and dred conversations with sales associates and the limited options that will be available to them. 

How does the custom process work?

The process begins with a consultation and a concept. From there, you will have a 1:1 design meeting with Hillary, who will then source materials and meet with our team of artisans and come to you with a design presentation and price. Once we move into the creation of your garment, we will have a series of fittings which is concluded in the handing off of your custom garment. For more detailed information about the custom process, visit : Hilandel Custom Process

How far in advance do I need to start? How long does a custom piece take to make?

Just like the design and fit of your dress, the timeline for this process can be completely customized to you. We’ve worked with brides up to 18 months out from their wedding, and others just 8 weeks. We source and make everything locally which makes the turnaround time on your garment more reasonable than the traditional market.  Start the process now with a free consultation!

Who is Hillary? Who will I be working with?

Hillary is the owner and designer at Hilandel. You will be working with her throughout the entire process. She prides herself on having your look be the best possible version of what you want and doesn’t outsource designing or fittings to anyone else. She shares “My brides and I spend a lot of time together and become quite close. It’s my number one priority that they feel comfortable and taken care of.” To get to know Hillary a little bit better, check out: About the Founder or listen to her podcast interview on “The Feminist Wedding Podcast”. 

Do I need to know exactly what I want or will you help me come up with ideas?

At Hilandel, we understand that some people arrive at our appointments with a specific vision in mind, while others come looking for guidance to create a once-in-a-lifetime piece that’s creatively inspired. During the design phase, we will take a deep dive into your personal style, how you want to feel on the day of your wedding, likes/dislikes, among other things. Don’t worry about having the correct design jargon; Hillary prides herself on being a really good translator! You will leave this meeting with a clearer understanding of how you want to look and feel. Book a free virtual consultation with Hillary.

I have my mom’s dress and want to have it reworked to make it my own. Is that something you can do? How much would it cost to do something like this?

We LOVE this idea!! Reinventing a vintage find or a piece passed down is absolutely something we can do - talk about something sentimental meeting sustainability!  

The cost to do this would be different than a completely custom piece. It would depend on: if we are adding new details, the condition of the original garment, and how extensive the changes would be to the overall fit and design. Get the convo started by contacting us here so we can provide you with further clarity on the process, timeline, and estimated investment for your specific project.

I am not a bride/I am interested in something non-traditional/Do you only make wedding dresses?

Our passion is making one of a kind pieces for once in a lifetime events. That event could be a wedding, a birthday, or just because you want something special made just for you. Whether you want something that feels traditionally bridal or something completely different - we’ve got you. We've created a variety of custom pieces for our custom clients: bodysuits, rompers, jumpsuits, jackets, shorts, pants, skirts - you name it! At Hilandel, self expression, bodily autonomy, and neutrality are at the forefront of our design process and we welcome people of all gender identities. Read more about how we incorporate body neutrality into our custom process here.

Can you also create custom looks/occasion wear for my bridal party, flower girls, MOTB, & MOTG?

Absolutely! The process would be the same for individuals such as a flower girl, mother of the bride, and mother of the groom. As for groups like your wedding party, the options are endless. We could do the same style for everyone, variations of a style, or a unique look for each! This is a great way to ensure that your bridal party is *actually* happy with your choice and will even want to wear it again! 

Reach out and let’s chat more about this: Contact Hilandel

What is the investment for a custom piece?

It's a common misconception that custom is a luxury, only for unlimited budgets, or more expensive than buying a dress off-the-rack and having it fitted for your wedding day or special event. We get it - it can feel intimidating not to know what to expect! The average wedding dress bought in the US is $2,500. Here at Hilandel, custom dresses start at $3,000 and typically average between $6,000 - $12,000. There is a $150 design fee due at the time of booking your design meeting. Although this is non-refundable, this fee may be applied to the down payment of your custom piece. We are happy to work within a specified budget range.

Do you offer payment plans?  

Yes! We do offer flexible payment plans for those who request them. Otherwise, our standard procedure is as follows: A 50% deposit is due upon acceptance of your design should you decide to move forward with our Hilandel custom process after your initial consultation and design meeting. This retainer secures your place in our design calendar and the materials needed to make your custom garment. Your second payment will be for 25% of the total and is due at the first fitting. The remaining balance is due at the hand off of your custom garment.

Also, the cost of your design meeting and presentation [$150] will be credited toward the total cost of your dress should you decide to move forward with your custom garment.

Where are Hilandel pieces made?

Hilandel is based in New York City and each garment is 100% designed and made here. We work exclusively with locally sourced fabrics and trims hand-selected in the Garment District. Check out “NYC the Heart & Home of Hilandel” for more on this. 

Do I need to come to NYC?

Though based in NYC, we work with brides all over the country. We ask that you are available for a minimum of three in-person fittings. Most brides who do not live in the area, love the chance to book a trip to the big apple. However, we will travel to our brides for fittings, and include that cost as a separate fee.

Where will we meet for appointments and fittings?

Our initial consultation will be virtual. After that, we meet most clients in their homes within the NYC area. This gives us a comfortable space to do the intimate parts of the process like taking your body's unique measurements and conducting fittings. If you will be traveling from out of town or prefer to meet at an outside location just let us know and we will coordinate it.

What are your sustainability efforts? 

We LOVE this question and are so glad you are asking. Since the fashion industry is the third largest polluting industry and Sustainability is one of our core values at Hilandel, that truly informs every decision we make. By reducing production to custom pieces and made to measure garments, we are only manufacturing quantities that are a real and immediate demand. We do not carry inventory, we source all materials locally and only buy the amount we need. At Hilandel we work exclusively with makers in New York City for many reasons. In fact, to read more about this and our other efforts to be as sustainable as possible, check out: “NYC the Heart & Home of Hilandel”

Tell me about these skirts!

Hillary created this line of Willow Skirts because she wanted a buy now, wear now option for her clients. This could be for: 

• The busy bride who needs something special for her shower, rehearsal, after party.

• The lo-key bride who wants something festive yet versatile for her trip to city hall. 

• The bridesmaids who’d like something they will actually wear again.

• The fashion lover who wants a taste of a custom piece.

The Willow Skirt is created with our special “Made to Measure'' process, this is a peek inside what custom pieces are all about located on our online shop. To start, you will select a color. Each piece has a unique tone created by overlapping a minimum of two different colors to create our custom hues. (If you don’t see the color you're craving, contact us and let’s chat! Next, and most importantly, come the measurements. Before checking out, you will get instructions on how to take your measurements properly in the comfort of your own home, we even provide a video tutorial here. If something looks off, we will reach out to confirm. Click here to shop the Hilandel Willow Skirt.

Each garment is created one at a time with your unique measurements. We pride ourselves on making all items and sourcing all materials locally in New York City. This special “Made to Measure” process takes 1-2 weeks plus shipping, we ask you to be patient as we aim to deliver perfection. Please note made to measure items are Final Sale. We currently only ship within the US

Do you offer day-of styling services? 

Yes! Currently, this is an offering extended exclusively to our custom brides. 

It includes: Hand delivering your custom garment to the venue located in New York City. The Garment will be steamed and ready to wear. Personal dressing of the bride by Hillary, who will bring an “emergency kit” just in case. This service is for 1 hour and is $250. 

Getting married outside of NYC proper or want to extend the day of styling services to your entire bridal party? - contact us here for rates.

Sounds amazing! I’m excited to get started and book a consultation. How can I best prepare? what should I bring with me? 

Can’t wait to chat with you! This virtual consultation gives us a chance to meet, go over things like: pricing, the process, what you're looking for, and any other questions you may have. After submitting the consultation request form you will receive an email to schedule your appointment as well as a link to a short questionnaire. Even if you don’t have all the information just yet, it will help give an idea about where to start our consultation. 

As for things to bring with you: 
- Any questions you may have
- Inspiration you’ve pulled for your look and overall event
- Your predictions about the next season of White Lotus
- Pen and paper if you want to take notes (although we will send a follow up email with all the important points we go over)  

Click here to: book your Hilandel Consultation