Manchester · England
The city once nicknamed Cottonopolis still has two very different places to buy fabric. Wilmslow Road in Rusholme has suit shops between the restaurants of the Curry Mile, and the wholesale warehouses around Cheetham Hill sell cloth by the roll and by the metre. Whichever you use, The Gilded Seam can cut and stitch it to your measurements in Pakistan and deliver the outfit to your Manchester address.
InspirationLocal notes
Sizes, customs rules and sending fabric from the UK: ordering from the UK.
A branded or boutique pack from Rusholme usually has the kameez, trousers and dupatta cut to length already. Fabric from a Cheetham Hill wholesaler is a different job, because you decide how much to buy. A long kameez, full sleeves or a wide trouser all need more, and rolls vary in width, so note the width as well as the length. Our guide to how much fabric a three-piece suit needs is a good place to start.
Ideally, send photos, lengths and your design through the quote form before you buy. We confirm whether the fabric suits the design and is enough, and how to send it to Pakistan, before you post anything.
Manchester’s reputation for rain is well earned, so think about hems. Straight or cigarette trousers that stop at the ankle stay out of puddles better than a wide shalwar that brushes the pavement, and a kameez that ends around the knee sits neatly under a raincoat. Cambric and khaddar hold their shape on damp, grey days better than fine lawn, which is best saved for the warmest weeks. Our winter fabrics guide compares khaddar, karandi, marina and linen.
Whether you are in Longsight, Levenshulme, Oldham or Bolton, ordering works the same way. Measure with the size guide in centimetres or inches, and your written quote confirms the design, production time and shipping cost. The finished outfit is shipped from Pakistan, and the quote also includes any import duties and taxes, so there is nothing extra to pay when it arrives.
Custom stitching · Custom design · Manchester
Wilmslow Road in Rusholme has abaya boutiques and suit shops between the restaurants, and Cheetham Hill sells cloth by the roll, so Manchester is never short of fabric. What is harder to find is a ladies tailor in Manchester with time to make your own design before the next family occasion. That is the gap we fill. Send a picture and your measurements, and we stitch the outfit in Pakistan and deliver it to Longsight, Levenshulme or wherever you are in the city.
A custom dress, a Pakistani suit or an abaya can all begin with the photos below. Keep the shape you like and swap the details: cigarette trousers that stop at the ankle and stay out of puddles, a kameez that sits neatly under a raincoat, sleeves down to the wrist. Or design your own dress from nothing more than a description. Before we cut, your quote confirms the fabric, the embroidery and the total in pounds.
8 designs shown
£84Regular £105· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFtwo-piece · eid
A band-collar kurta with floral embroidery down the placket, on the cuffs and along the hem, worn with wide palazzo trousers bordered to match. In four colours.
£71Regular £89· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFtwo-piece · everyday
A sage green kameez and matching trousers, with cream and soft gold floral embroidery at the neckline, sleeves and hem.
£60Regular £75· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFfrocks · everyday
A cream cotton frock block printed with indigo flowers, with a round neck, elbow sleeves and a gathered skirt to mid-calf.
£100Regular £125· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFfrocks · eid
An olive green frock worked all over the bodice and down the front with bronze threadwork, with a sweetheart neckline and short puff sleeves.
£280Regular £350· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFdresses · eid
A long-sleeved floral gown in sage and rose, with an embroidered lattice panel down the front, embroidered cuffs and waistband, and sheer pale blue panels that fall from the shoulders like a cape.
£120Regular £150· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFabayas
An open pleated abaya in navy, embroidered with soft blue irises down both front edges and above the pleated sleeve ends. Comes with a matching scarf.
£157Regular £225· 30% offDesign previewSale30% OFFjackets · everyday
A slim cognac racer jacket with raglan sleeves, a stand collar, centre zip and two horizontal zip pockets at the hip.
£47Regular £59· 20% offDesign previewSale20% OFFtops · everyday
A dusty pink button-front shirt with a pointed collar, an embroidered oval frame on the chest and embroidered cuffs in deep plum.
Custom abayas · Manchester
If you want a custom abaya in Manchester, we make it to your own measurements in Pakistan and courier it to your address. Ordering happens online and on WhatsApp: no fittings, no shop visit, and one written quote in pounds that includes delivery and any import VAT or duty.
For Manchester’s rain, think about the hem first. An abaya cut to the exact length you want with the shoes you actually wear stays clear of wet pavements, and a closed or wrap front keeps the wind out. Crepe or nida are the sensible fabrics; chiffon is lovely for evenings indoors but needs a layer beneath it. Collection designs start from £79, made to measure at the same price.
Our nida, crepe or chiffon guide compares the three fabrics, and custom abayas in the UK covers sizes and delivery.
Essential
£79Regular price £99Blessed Friday Sale · 20% off
Blessed Friday Sale, 20% off until 30 November. Back to £99 on 1 December.
Lighter embroidery on the tailored, butterfly and bell shapes. A good first abaya, or one for every day.
For example, Desert Jasmine butterfly abayaSignature
£100Regular price £125Blessed Friday Sale · 20% off
Blessed Friday Sale, 20% off until 30 November. Back to £125 on 1 December.
Fuller embroidery, or the kimono, bisht, tulip, lantern and layered shapes, which take more cutting and finishing.
For example, Desert Jasmine kimono abayaStatement
£120Regular price £150Blessed Friday Sale · 20% off
Blessed Friday Sale, 20% off until 30 November. Back to £150 on 1 December.
The cape and pleated shapes, and the large-motif designs. The most work, for Eid, weddings and evenings out.
For example, Desert Jasmine cape abayaFor Manchester
Custom design, fabric, stitching, fancy work and customisation, all arranged online and shipped to Manchester.
Searched in Manchester
The styles people in Manchester search for most on Google. Each is made to your size or measurements in Pakistan and shipped to Manchester.
Two ways to order
Both are made to your measurements in Pakistan. The minimum order is one suit, and we don’t offer free samples.
We supply the agreed fabric and make your outfit to your measurements. One parcel: the finished outfit shipped to you.
You supply suitable fabric, such as an unstitched suit, and we cut, stitch and finish it.
FAQ
Also in United Kingdom
It depends on your height, the kameez length and the sleeve and trouser styles. Send the design and your measurements through the quote form before you buy, tell us the width of the roll, and we confirm how much you need.
Straight or cigarette trousers at ankle length are the easiest in wet weather. If you love a wide shalwar or palazzo, ask for it slightly shorter so the hem stays clear of the ground.
Ready when you are
Tell us the garment, the service option and your city, and add a photo if you have one. We reply with a written quote in GBP, including delivery and import charges.
No commitment until you approve your written quote.
