Susan’s Bridal

Susan Chen is a designer who had a bridal shop in San Jose that closed in 2003. However, she still designs and sew custom dresses from her home office in Cupertino. She made a silk gown for me a few years ago. I brought in magazine pictures to show her what I wanted, and she sketched out a design. I brought in a piece of clothing to show her the color I wanted, and she suggested different fabrics I could choose.
We did a preliminary fitting with a muslin pattern to get the size right. I had a second fitting with a muslin prototype of the top of the dress. I asked her to adjust the shape of the neckline, and she was able to make the modification. I had two more fittings, and the dress was completed on time. Depending on the occassion, you may want to visit her a few months in advance.
Overall, I was very pleased with the quality of her work and materials. Both the lining and dress are silk, the seams are perfectly smooth, and it fits like a glove. I believe the cost was appropriate for the materials and service. I highly recommend Susan Chen for custom tailoring services.
The only improvement I suggest is that she establish a website with photos of her work.