What can I say, this experience was nothing short of amazing! I was on the hunt for a bridal dress and tried everything from a lace slip dress by Free People, to scoping out dresses amongst the masses at the scary David’s Bridal, to trekking to Georgetown to the J. Crew Bridal only to be unimpressed, and finally stopping by Francesca’s Bridal in Baltimore. Despite seeing several dresses I liked, I knew I wanted to have mine made. My mother is an avid reader of The Washington Post and had seen an article about Jill and her involvement with a Johns Hopkins team redesigning Ebola suits. I realized that her atelier is located in Hampden just a few minutes from where I live. I contacted her team prior to beginning my search and they let me know the price range and options. I decided to keep looking but ultimately reached out again months later and scheduled an appointment. As soon as I walked through the door I knew it would be a great endeavor. Jill is just the most lovely woman and despite creating intricate, complex, elegant, and stunning dresses was not at all snobbish or intimidating but accessible and spot on with my vision of the gown. She drew a sketch and that was that! Every little detail was incorporated, for the most part on that first day, with neat additions later on during the process. She is such a pro that she guessed by sight my measurements at my first fitting. Jill’s original assistant Mia, moved out of Baltimore and was replaced by Sarah. Both women are wonderful, stylish, muses for the studio and the transition was seamless. I followed up to confirm an appointment and Sarah promptly responded. There were a few tragic, unforeseen events which meant changing appointments, but I was so impressed with Jill’s utter dedication to her clients. The JAG team was always focused on the final product and their continued expert pacing. The dress creation is a process but the most fun and luxurious one a bride can imagine. If you or someone you know is tying the knot soon and wants to have a couture dress to wear and cherish for years to come, contact the Jill Andrews team. I can assure you, Jill delivers exactly what you have in mind. I’ve seen her creations from beach/boho to Alice in Wonderland and even Christian Dior style corset underpinnings. The best part of my dress was the Sophie Hallette lace which supplies to Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino. It really helped the whimsical Midsummer Night’s Dream aesthetic I was going for. They also sell bridal mix + match separates, fascinators, and do dress alterations.
Serena E.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Baltimore, MD
I contacted Jill after my wedding gown was badly damaged by another local seamstress. From the beginning, she was friendly, knowledgeable, and very professional.(As was Mia, Jill’s assistant.) Their studio looks like something out of a movie or a fairy tale, full of beautiful fabric, dress forms modeling Jill’s fantastic creations, mirrors, antique furniture(to match their wonderful historic building), and about a million sewing machines. Jill was very reassuring about repairing my dress, which was especially important to me since I’d had such a bad experience previously. I never doubted her capabilities, and was continually impressed with how meticulous she was, catching details that even I had overlooked. She treated my silk dress very gently, and did her best to undo the damage that had been done. She asked lots of questions and took notes during the initial consultation, and took even more measurements and notes at our second appointment. By the third appointment, the dress was nearly complete and everything had been done beautifully! She only had another hour of work left on it, so offered to drop it off at my home when it was finished. Above and beyond! The quality of Jill’s work is amazing. She took the back of my dress, which was cut up and fraying, and put in a gorgeous corset back. She even reinforced the seams to be extra sure everything would lace evenly and hold up under stress. Jill also removed yards of unevenly sewn tulle – which I’m sure took a very gentle touch – and replaced it with properly gathered and sewn tulle. When she was done, my dress looked even better than when I’d bought it. So basically, whether you’ve got a damaged dress, a vintage dress in need of alterations, or an imaginary dress you’ve been dreaming of your whole life, Jill’s your gal! Jill saved my wedding dress when I’d given up hope on it, and I am so thankful that she was a part of one of the most important days of my life.
Amy M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Baltimore, MD
Amazing, love these gals! I went here to have a bridesmaid dress altered. For a curvy girl such as myself, I never felt so comfortable having a dress altered for my body. Jill gave me really helpful information on the best undergarments to wear and made my dress fit me perfectly! Such a gorgeous space and fun atmosphere.
Caroline b.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Austin, TX
Let me start by saying, I did not get my wedding dress here. BUT, these gals are AWESOME. I am getting married in Texas, and was struggling to find a dress that felt like something truly special. I had thrown around the idea of getting a gown made and found them online. Sent a wacky email, and within a day or two they’d responded wanting to set up a time to talk about my gown. Fast forward a few months, I’m home visiting family in MD, and my first stop from the airport was their studio. The place was adorable! We had a great meeting and within and hour, had a sketch that just seemed perfect. I loved a bodice that I had seen online, and luckily there was one in the shop I could slip on the see how it fit. We went from there discussing the skirt. Jill brought out books with photos of dresses for inspiration, then we discussed fabrics. The fabrics they had were incredible! I was in love. The dresses they had in the shop(that they had made/were making for others) were gorgeously sewn. There were photos of gowns that Jill had made for the theatre, and damn, this girl can bustle. All in all, I found another dress, but please. Please. If you need a gown made, look them up. You won’t be disappointed.