Getting a designer lawn suit stitched: what to send

Record the pack before anything else

Before you open the quote form, lay everything out and take stock. Designer packs vary a lot between collections, and the label is the quickest way to confirm what you should have. If something seems to be missing, raise it with the shop before you post anything to us; our guide to reading an unstitched suit label explains the usual abbreviations.

• The label or tag: photograph it. It usually lists each piece and its length.
• Every piece, flat: the shirt front, back and sleeves, any separate embroidered panels, the dupatta and the trouser fabric.
• The small extras: neckline motifs, lace, sleeve and trouser borders, and any buttons the brand includes. Keep each in its own bag so nothing goes astray.
• The catalogue image: a screenshot of the look as the brand styled it, if you want to follow it.

Follow the catalogue, or make it yours?

Some people want the outfit exactly as the brand photographed it. Others love the fabric but not the shape: a shorter kameez, a different sleeve, straight trousers instead of a shalwar. Both are fine, and both start with the same thing, which is telling us clearly. A screenshot with notes such as “keep this neckline, sleeves to the elbow, no lace on the hem” is far more useful than a long description.

The pieces do set some limits. An embroidered front is made for a certain length and width, so the kameez cannot be much longer than the panel allows, and a heavy neckline motif usually decides the neckline shape. Our article on using the neckline pieces and borders from your pack goes through the options piece by piece.

Every label packs its suits differently

Some labels favour a fully embroidered front with plain sleeves; others print the whole shirt and add a separate border. Some include an organza or chiffon dupatta, others a printed lawn one. If your pack is from Sana Safinaz, Maria B or Sapphire, for example, the matching brand page notes what to look out for before you post it.

Whatever the label, the questions we ask are the same: is the fabric suitable for the design, is there enough of it for your measurements, and where should each embellished piece go?

Measurements and the written quote

Send your measurements in centimetres or inches, with a note of how loose you like your kameez. Catalogue looks are often styled closer to the body than people wear day to day, so say if you prefer more ease. Our measuring guide walks through each measurement.

The written quote then sets out the design, the use of each piece, your measurements, the total including delivery and any import duties, taxes and customs or courier fees, and how to send the fabric. Nothing is cut until you have approved it and paid in full. Cutting cannot be undone, which is exactly why the details are settled first; see design approval.

Sending it from where you live

You post the pack to us in Pakistan after we confirm it, and the finished suit comes back as a separate shipment. Country pages such as Stitching Only in the USA or in Saudi Arabia explain the quote currency there. To begin, upload your photos on the Stitching Only quote form, or read more on the unstitched suit stitching page.