Order Your Unique Grimilde Malatesta Dress: A Guide

How My Commissions Work and What My Process Looks Like

You have seen one of my creations online and now you want a little of that magic in your wardrobe. This guide explains exactly how to make it happen, how my bespoke process works, and what to expect when ordering a Grimilde Malatesta piece.

Long story short: I do not take open commissions based on customer concepts. I wish I had time, but my calendar is usually booked ten months ahead even without them. Most requests involve recreating designs I have already made, which I do not do. If you buy a GM garment, I want it to be as one of a kind as you are.

I have made a few exceptions only for returning customers with whom I have already worked seamlessly and who trust me completely. These rare cases allow me creative freedom and create the best possible work environment.
Even if you are not among them, you can still order something from me in two different ways.

1. Ready to Ship

In the Ready to Ship section of my shop you will find two types of garments:

1. Pre owned pieces I originally made for myself.
2. Brand new experimental pieces created exactly for that section.

Pre Owned: budget friendly gorgeousness

Pre owned items usually come at a very friendly price compared to a full bespoke commission. These pieces were made for my own measurements, and their internal finishing may not be as pristine as it would be in something made for others. The price reflects this and what you see in the photos is exactly what you get.
They are the perfect way to own something with a Grimilde Malatesta label without the full cost of a made to measure project.
Not all pre owned pieces require measurements. Occasionally I offer free sizing garments such as dramatic nightgowns or flowy dresses.

Brand New: creative experiments

Once or twice a year I allow myself a short period for creative experimentation. Sometimes a fabric sparks an idea that I cannot ignore. These projects are usually unusual and not everyone would understand their beauty or richness from a mere sketch. And I wish to have creative freedom, to develop the piece while working more than I would for the options below.
These garments are finished products and come in a single size. Since they are an investment of time and materials, I unfortunately have to create them in a size that matches the largest portion of my customer base. I have tried producing very small sizes before and the results convinced me not to repeat the experiment lightly. A piece in a larger size is in my plans, I am waiting for the next time slot.
Still, I want my work to be accessible to people of every shape and size, so the following option is open to anyone!

You have seen one of my creations online and now you want a little of that magic in your wardrobe. This guide explains exactly how to make it happen, how my bespoke process works, and what to expect when ordering a Grimilde Malatesta piece.

Long story short: I do not take open commissions based on customer concepts. I wish I had time, but my calendar is usually booked ten months ahead even without them. Most requests involve recreating designs I have already made, which I do not do. If you buy a GM garment, I want it to be as one of a kind as you are.

I have made a few exceptions only for returning customers with whom I have already worked seamlessly and who trust me completely. These rare cases allow me creative freedom and create the best possible work environment.
Even if you are not among them, you can still order something from me in two different ways.

2. The Bespoke Shop

The Bespoke Shop Section gets a new sketch when I have a very good idea that I cannot wait to bring to life. I usually already have the fabric, the concept and an initial idea of techniques and materials.
For each piece I create a sketch, photograph the fabrics and write a detailed description of the theme and construction approach.

These listings are open to everyone, as long as you allow me a degree of creative freedom. This does not mean altering the whole aesthetic or turning you from an elf into an evil witch, but ideas evolve during the making process, fabrics and colors ask for certain things when they get together and I need space for that to happen. It is usually there that the best for the piece happens.

How a Bespoke Order Works

You see the sketch, read the description and fall in love.
You then write to me at [email protected]

, or you purchase the listing directly and I will email you. You can request a payment plan if needed.

The final piece will be completely unique. I never replicate my designs in the same way, exactly as a painter will not recreate the same painting twice.

Why I Include Mock-Ups

Some designs, like open robes and flowing pieces, require only measurements.
More structured or fitted garments, especially bodices and corsetry, require a much more accurate process.

Made to measure usually means adjusting a pattern by numbers alone, which does not account for posture, ribcage width or shoulder direction. Two people with the same bust measurement may be an A cup and a C cup. If you are investing more than five hundred euros in a piece, it needs to fit better than something found in a shop.

For this reason I often include a mock up in the price. I create a pattern based on your measurements, build a structured toile with boning where needed, and ship it to you. We then have a video call where I assess the fit, ask you to mark certain points and take pictures.
You ship it back to me and I use all the information to alter the final pattern and create the finished garment.

I draft every single pattern on customer measurements. Yes, each time. Which requires more time than taking a pre-existing pattern to be stretched. This because every piece I design is one of a kind. Where others ask for bust, height and waist only, for my bespoke pieces we can reach up to forty different needed measurements.

Now that you understand how much more work, attention and care I put in every single piece in this shop section, you can better understand where each price somes from.

I will provide a full measurement tutorial before we start.

Process and Timelines

Once the mock up is approved, I begin working on the final piece.
I only send photos once the garment is complete. If you need to color match something, let me know before the mock up phase, so I can include fabric samples in the package.

I do not work well with micromanaging from the other side, so you will see the finished piece on the mannequin, not the in progress stages.

A project can take anywhere from a few days to a full month of work. I purchase the supplies once you have completed at least half of the payment. This does not mean your dress has started. I have a long waiting list and work strictly in purchase order.

You are welcome to ask for updates, but I will not send work in progress photos. Not everyone can interpret an unfinished garment and I prefer avoiding unnecessary disappointment and keeping all the time for working on the piece and not trying to make pictures that may or may not portray the aesthetic of the final work.

The Practical Details That Keep My Business Running

Each month I must dedicate a certain number of days to restocking Ready to Ship items. This may include wigs, whole costumes, pre Raphaelite dresses or laser cut pieces. These items support the business financially, much like bags, sunglasses and fragrances support haute couture houses, allowing them to do runways that bring the bare minimum to the pocket.
These “side” things cover the costs of promotional projects, experiments, courses, social media management, invoicing, accounting and everything that allows my work to exist and be seen.

Of my weekly fourty hours, barely half can be devoted to sewing. I am the only person doing all of this, so I am not fast. I cannot satisfy the urge to have a custom piece overnight, except for Ready to Ship items. This rhythm protects my creativity and my mental health.

Portfolio

I need portfolio photos of every piece I create.
If there are no photos, people do not know what you can do, how you’ve grown.
I photograph garments on a mannequin or a model in a protected environment and use the images for social media and advertising.

I do not do secret dresses.
When the garment is finished and photographed, I will share it. If you are a bride, I will not share your name, but I take fewer and fewer bridal commissions because of the pressure and anxiety. I have a detailed contract for such cases, based on past experience.