Dard-E-Designer Threads

cw11_anju_modishraddha_kapoor_600x450On the onset let me specify that the following post is a one-sided version of a shopper in distress. This lady, a bride-to-be (not personally known to me) wrote to me about her horrifying account while shopping for her trousseau. She requested her agony to be voiced. I had written about Salman Khan’s sister, Arpita’s woes with her wedding wear from Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla hence want to give a non-celebrity the space to express her angst.

AZA

aditivyas@

Submitted on 2015/01/13 at 3:04 PM

hey jack, was wondering if you do posts on how the designers treat their clients after taking advance money from them and keep them hanging till the last minute of their events just to spite them. We recently had a ram leela with such a designer and her Operations head after paying shit load of money for our wedding clothes.

I will also post the designer’s or her team’s point-of-view in case they wish to do so.

Here is the verbatim of the bride-to-be’s account totally unedited:

Hello jack,

 This all started when we visited Anju Modi in Delhi. The first meeting went well. We did leave from there thinking ok she seems a little money minded but then who isn’t. We trusted her judgement and ended up spending around 7 lac worth on clothes and gave an advance of 4 lac for the wedding clothes only.  I’m specifying wedding clothes here for a reason. We did like a few more pieces, which we asked them to quote us and said that if we are fine with the prices we will ask you to make them for us( we were very specific) .The second visit to her was on 10th of January for final fittings and we needed all clothes before the 19th of January as our functions were to start on the 17th. On that day of fitting on the 10th the fitting of the clothes were horrible and not something you expect from a well-known designer . Clothes were very tacky and not worth the price we were asked to pay and the quality of material was so bad that I could have cried, embroidery was so tacky it hurt (it was similar to the dress that Shraddha Kapoor wore on the ramp- white and gold) but it was very last minute for us to make any changes .

 

As if that was not enough her head of operations lady Aaradhna tried to pile on the clothes that we had asked them to quote for (which we have not approved and i have document of proof of that). She actually forced us to buy them! My sister had to eventually buy one of the pieces, which we had not approved of to pacify them !. (have proof of that as well)

 

On the 12th of January we called them up to find out the status of our clothes which were to be couriered to us and we requested a tailor to be sent with the clothes as the fitting was bad. We had put in a request only.

 

I have to mention that  the same request was well received by Rohit Bal and Raghavendra Rathore . Their tailors are in Ahmedabad today 19th Jan and we are talking to them for fittings , you can verify this easily. Rohit Bal was very hospitable and very accommodating and so was Rathore).

 

We waited for a response on this request from Aaradhana and finally called them after only being responded with “ we will get back to you” on repeated calling.

Finally on the 13th January afternoon i decided to call them up and at least get a final decision since they were not giving us a proper answer in “ yes “ or “no” – 3 days before our wedding dates.

 

From here the story will be a little of he said/she said :

 

 I called up Aaradhana and asked her if they can send a tailor since we have spent 7 lacs on our clothes as it will be easier for us instead of 3 people flying to Delhi at the last minute.

She responded by saying “ aap jab 10th ko aye the tab realise nai kiya ke kapdo ka fitting barabar nai hai?”

i was a little taken back as i was not expecting such a reply. So told her to talk properly as being a client its very insulting to be spoken to in this manner. She started raising her voice to almost shouting on why they can’t send a tailor. To which i responded that this could have been told to me politely as well instead of just shouting at a client who is in panic because you have not sent the clothes just 3 days before our functions!. It was then i told her that i will talk to Anju myself .

 

The very next minute Anju picked up my call and before i could finish my sentence of Aaradhana was being very rude – pat came a reply “ what do you want me to do about it”?

That minute I realised there was no point to this conversation and just requested her to courier our clothes so that they can reach us on 17th morning. She said make the balance payment + 6000 rs in courier charges as she was not willing to pay for it ( yes i was told that). I transferred the balance amount of 3.5 lac on that day itself but because it was Makarsankranti in Gujarat for two days the amount would not reflect on that day. So i told her this and she agreed to courier the clothes the very next day i.e. on the 14th .

 

Today is the 19th and we have still not received our clothes in Ahmedabad. ( this i can get proof of since parcels are tracked)

 

I know this is a long email. But there was no other way to explain it since i don’t have proof or very limited proof and its a he said she said thing.

 

I don’t know how my story will help you in getting details but i hope it does so that no other client feels cheated and kept hanging till their last minute for their clothes after shelling out a bomb.

 

Warm Regards

8 Replies to “Dard-E-Designer Threads”

  1. Ash says:

    I had a horrible experience with Payal Singhal. I had given my measurements and was promised that the dress will be delivered a week before my wedding. However, I only got it a day prior and to my shock the outfit was 3 times my size. So I spent 1.5 days at her workshop sitting on top of the tailors head to fix it anyhow and in time. I got my dress just 2 hrs before my reception function. I was so stressed out and in tears that day.

  2. Laveena says:

    What jerks these designers!! Dear brides, thank you for sharing your story…I cannot even imagine your anxiety..thank you for doing this post Jack.

  3. saby says:

    I had a similar experience from Anupamaa Dayal.You should have a different thread altogether. When we go to these so called designers, please don’t treat like trash.Though we aren’t celebrity we pay the full amount what we are asked.i ordered a dress from her fashion week runway 2 years ago.I live in usa and did not have any time limit as to when i will get.At first they were really good she sends me the quotation and asked me to send the measurements.On the runway it didn’t have dupatta, so they charged me 3000 rs more.the total amt came to be abt 25,000rs.I still kept the emails as proof.when i received the courier ,i found all the measurements wrong.the length was too short in spite of giving a longer length.I’m doubtful that did they even made dress my size, and the dupatta was so cheap which doesnt even match with suit.They promised me a different dupatta and material.When i emailed them they asked me to send the dress back.. After i send her she says they no longer have the karigar that made my dress and since this was only for that season, we cannot make a newer oneI told them that i dont like the lenght at all.She makes a newer dupaatta with net and shalwar since i didnt like tht,and charges me another 15,000 with courier charges.i was so appalled and i really need the dress.its the same dress sonam kapoor is waering in the new upcoming movie Dolly ki Dolie. When i read on blogs its from the same designer, i went to her website and guess what,my dress is and still is for sale.(and i can tell its my dress pic they have taken) and she has produced such dresess with a bit variation on future fashion weeks.i can send u a pc of my dress and the link where she has put it now on sale .Now i wonder she has got all the karigar to make them. Ive lost all hope for ordering designer dresses again.

  4. jack says:

    Hi Saby,
    Yes many buyers have grievances and it’s an eye-opener for lot of people.
    I am working on an idea to collect grievances and have a video-chat with designers concerned. Cannot promise anything immediately but within a month I hope to put buyers and designers face-to-face via Skype…

  5. jack says:

    jerks indeed!!!

  6. God_Shareef says:

    Ye fashion hai ikk Randi Khaana…
    La la la….
    Very apt for Madhur Bhandarkar’s some unknown future project.
    Nice naaa… some title or may be some song…  

    Aapki God Shareef, jo RANDU MODI nahi hai.

    🙂 🙂 🙂

  7. Guest says:

    Off topic, but I remember how in 2013, RaGa skipped the republic day parade. It seems like much of the ‘elite’ would rather skip celebrating national holidays if they can get away with it. Especially if it does not have social currency.

    Which makes me wonder. How many people are trying to finagle their way into VIP seating in Red Fort this time. The ‘Leader of the free world’ is the chief guest, and it can indicate proximity to the new government. I can just imagine how many would want this photo op. VIP seating at Red Fort has got to be the hottest tickets for social/political climbers this season.
    Any goss on this Jack?

  8. Ichica says:

    Similar complaints about Dhruv Kapoor. I’d ordered a top to be customised at the Ogaan shopping event on 3rd of September in Hauz Khas, The lady took my measurements and assured me they would deliver before I’d leave for the UK (in a week’s time) Its been 3 weeks and I still haven’t managed to establish contact with them. Absolutely bloody ridiculous.

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