5 Of The Best Alteration, Restoration And Repair Services Online In The UK
One fashion editor sent her favourite vintage dress, shoes and designer handbag to be restored and repaired, and these were the best services.
After eight years working in fashion, and 30 years of loving clothes (yes, my adoration was sparked immediately when exiting the womb), I have amassed quite the collection of clothes and accessories. Recently, I've become much better at reselling and donating pieces that no longer fit me, or suit me and my life. But, a pile of ill-fitting dresses, busted up bags and unwearable shoes have remained, just waiting for their day in the sun.
You probably have a pile just like this; full of jeans that fit on your legs but not your waist, boots with worn down soles, and maxis you'd prefer at a midi length. My haul was not so lovingly shoved into an Ikea bag and sat in the back of my closet, but this year, I decided to do something about it.
Of course, my local Timpson's is ideal for run of the mill resoling needs, and there's a special place in my heart for my local dry cleaner and alterations specialist, The Brighton Tailor, who fitted my wedding dress to perfection, but I'm intrigued by the recent surge of online and collections-based companies promising efficient services with ease. So I put them to the test, and this is what I found.
The LOOM App
One of the few up sides to my pandemic-enforced long engagement was being able to find matching Rejina Pyo bridesmaid's dresses secondhand. Three women, three sizes and, luckily for me, three years to find the same same dress style.
Post wedding, and post more compliments about my bridesmaid's dresses than my own wedding dress (just), I resold two of them in the spirit of circularity. But the one in my size, I instead decided to dye my favourite colour, red, to wear for many weddings to come.
Enter The LOOM App, which connects people and projects with creators who can make your upcycling dream a reality. Be it making a corset out of old polo shirts, or just, like my project, dyeing an almost-perfect dress, the makers at LOOM will respond to projects posted on the site.
Project posted, responded to, and agreed upon, I've now received back my favourite style dress in the ideal wedding guest hue. Easy peasy.
The Handbag Clinic
Few items complete an ensemble like the perfect designer bag, and if it's a vintage classic? Even better.
Luckily for me, my mother bought me an already secondhand Louis Vuitton Noé (created to carry up to five bottles of champagne, so the perfect bag for a passionate alcohol-lover like me) for my 18th birthday. Unluckily for me, I was a stupid teenager and student and took no care with the coated canvas and cowhide leather trim, leading to my perfect bucket bag being water-stained and breaking at the seams.
A vintage classic that has seen much better days? Not nailing its ensemble-completing mission.
Cue The Handbag Clinic, the luxury restoration specialist (as well as preowned designer retailer) which did nothing less than transform my tired, broken bag into a seemingly new accessory. After an initial assessment of the bag from their lead artisan, I was given a detailed explanation of how long it would take (16 weeks due to the complex nature of the restoration, usually it's more like 5-6 weeks) and what they would do (for example, replacing hardware studs). The platform picked up my bag and 16 weeks later delivered the transformed article.
Not only will I be sending all of my busted accessories to The Handbag Clinic, but I'm going to buy less-than perfect vintage and secondhand pieces safe in the knowledge they can be made to look brand new.
SOJO
I tasked SOJO, founded by Josephine Philips in 2021, with the hardest job I had: to completely transform a vintage Romanian cotton dress (don't ask). The neck was way too small and the shoulders pinched, so I brought it into their Selfridges pop-up to get in fixed.
While the company does hold occasional pop-ups (keep an eye on their Instagram for information), the usual process is via their website or app and door-to-door service. Using zero-emissions couriers your item will be altered and returned within 5 days, making it a swift process.
If you're worried about sending off your items, not only are SOJO's alterations done in house with experienced tailors, but they also recommend sending in another item that fits you well so they can match the fit. If that doesn't satisfy you, they can also arrange an in person fitting in the comfort of your own home.
Thankfully, my previously unwearable vintage dress is, well, completely wearable now thanks to SOJO's tailors. By opening up some pleats on the neckline, I can slip the dress on easily, and the vintage design hasn't been compromised. Perfect.
The Seam
When I spotted a pair of powder blue, real ballet shoes from the Opéra National De Paris (and one of the last pairs to be made) in Wolf & Gypsy last year, I had to buy them. But, I knew their paper thin soles would be destroyed after a few short outings.
Cue The Seam, a company hellbent on 'bringing about a revolution in caring for our belongings'. By using their sleek, online chat feature, I was connected with an expert cobbler and was able to explain how I wanted the shoes to be soled, without losing their delicate silhouette.
Using a home collection service with Royal Mail (which insures up to £2,500) I said goodbye to my flats, only for them to be returned less than a week later, sole replenished and ballet shape perfectly intact.
With an at home fitting option available, and makers who can do everything from restore your trainers to hem your dress, The Seam is a solid choice.
Make Nu
I'd originally envisioned sending Make Nu my aforementioned Romanian dress, as they specialise in reviving vintage pieces. However, as soon as I saw their collaborative project with Chillie London, seeing them rework old jeans into incredibly now denim maxi skirts, I changed course.
With the option to either send in your own discarded denim, or leave it to them to source, Make Nu will return to you a classic Nineties-style maxi with that worn denim look.
My new skirt aside, Make Nu work with fashion graduates and industry professional to create repairs that are: 'carried out through a style-lead lens, increasing the lifespan and adding unique charm to each piece.' This means Sashiko mended patch repairs, adorable embroidery, pearling visible mends and denim patches as well as your standard hemming and button replacement all through a handle online portal.
With the option of posting yourself, or choosing Royal Mail's premium collection service, you cant get your clothes fixed with ease.
As for my maxi denim skirt, it's been a hit at ELLE HQ where I paired it with some kitten heels and a slightly oversized shirt.
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