How to write an enquiry that gets a clear quote

The essentials, and why each one matters

• Country and city: they decide delivery, the import charges included in your quote and which currencies you can choose.
• Garment: a three-piece suit, a kurta, a co-ord, an abaya, a Western dress, or embroidery on something you own.
• Quantity: one piece is welcome. If you want several outfits, say how many and whether they are for one person.
• Service option: whether you are sending fabric or want us to supply it. If you are unsure, our guide to Fabric + Stitching vs Stitching Only helps you decide.

Design images that do the work

One good photo is worth a paragraph of description. Screenshots from social media, a brand’s catalogue picture or your own sketch all work. What helps most:

• Front and back, if you have them, plus close-ups of the neckline and sleeves.
• Labels in your notes: “neckline from photo 1, sleeves from photo 2, length from photo 3” is far clearer than three photos with no explanation.
• Your fabric, on Stitching Only: every piece photographed flat in daylight, with the label. See how to photograph fabric for a quote.
• What to ignore: if you like a photo but not its colour or trousers, say so.

Notes that help, with an example

Compare two notes. A vague one: “Something nice for Eid, like the picture.” A clear one: “Three-piece from my own lawn suit. Kameez just below the knee, three-quarter sleeves, round neck as in photo 1, straight trousers, bodice lined. For a family dinner; I need it by the end of next month, but a week later is fine.”

The second note answers the questions we would otherwise have to ask: length, sleeves, neckline, trousers, lining, occasion and how firm the date is. If you do not know an answer, write “advise me”, which is a perfectly good choice and tells us you want a suggestion.

Gaps that slow a quote down

• No date, or no word on whether it is fixed or flexible.
• No fabric photos on Stitching Only, so we cannot check that there is enough.
• Mixed units: some measurements in inches and some in centimetres. Pick one; see measuring in inches or centimetres.
• Unclear quantity: “a few suits” instead of a number.
• Requests outside what we do, such as altering an existing outfit or a rush order. We make new outfits to measure and do not take rush orders.

After you send it

We read your enquiry carefully and reply with any questions, then with a written quote showing the design, fabric, measurements, total and timing. Nothing is made until you approve it and pay in full. For a full list of what to gather, the first order checklist covers the rest.

If your design is your own, Send Your Design explains how it works, and customers in the USA can read the custom design page for the USA. Ordering from Australia? The quote currency is agreed with you. Start with your design or the general quote form.