This programme is for you if you have already bought a used dress or if you have your mother's dress. You can use the HC Circle Programme to get your dress repaired, resized, and made new again. It does not matter if the dress is from Helen Constance or not.

The Helen Constance Circle Programme is a high-quality service that provides two main benefits. The HC Circle programme helps brides who want to be more sustainable by making choices that have less of an impact on the environment. It also helps brides who want to incorporate family history into their wedding dress. This programme is backed by our experience in couture and artisanal workmanship. We assist brides who choose to recycle, repair, resize, redesign and re-wear their mother's or other preloved gowns and veil.

This deluxe service program tries to recycle and reuse old materials from your dresses and veils to minimize waste and damage to the environment. This helps you get the most creative value from your old dresses. Some brides find it meaningful to incorporate a piece of history, and heritage into their dress and bring their family history into the future. If you have inherited a dress, contact Helen Constance to see if it is qualified for this program.

Not only will your gown be perfect for your wedding, but this six-stage program also tries to improve and bring back life to your gown. This program is designed to do just that, and is explained below with some frequently asked questions.

STAGE 1- ASSESSMENT, RESTYLE & PLAN

• We look at your pre-owned wedding dress or your mother's dress.

• We check the condition of the fabric, lace, trim, and other features.

• We inspect the construction methods and pattern blocks.

• Feasibility studies - we talk to you about what you want for your wedding day and your goals for the dress.

• We plan changes and discuss possible additions, materials required to achieve your final aesthetic and construction goals.

• We will work out how much it will cost and how to best achieve the final look that you want for your dress so it meets your expectations and family needs.

STAGE 2- DECONSTRUCT, REDESIGN, RECYCLE & REUSE

• We will take out only the parts of your gown that are not needed. We will not take apart the whole dress unless it is necessary.

• After deconstruction, we redesign patterns for your new gown.

• We will use recycled fabrics from your old dress to make the new patterns.

STAGE 3- RECONSTRUCT, FIT & DRAPE

• We create a pattern for your final dress based on what you want it to look like. We can use cotton or the main fabric. The choice of fabric for the toile will be based on what is best for your project.

• We design the fit and drape of your new gown before we enter the next stage.

STAGE 4- REASSEMBLE & FORTIFY

• Here, we are reassembling the new pattern with your main fabrics.

• While we are remaking your gown, we also check and fix seams, clasps, zips and fastenings that need it.

STAGE 5- REFIT & QUALITY CHECK

• We work with you to make sure your gown fits you well. You can give us feedback so we know what you expect and answer any questions you have. We also check the quality of the gown to make sure it meets our high standards.

STAGE 6- PRESS, FINISH, DRESS REHEARSAL & PICK UP

• Now we will inspect, clean and press your gown. Then you can do a dress rehearsal with your mum or loved one to make sure everything is perfect. After that, we will pack your gown and you can pick it up at the final fitting.

COST

The first appointment costs $110 per hour. The consultation will take about an hour. We will look at your preloved gown and tell you what can be done with it. If the gown is qualified for the HC Circle programme, we will give you a quote for the programme. The cost of the HC Circle Programme depends on what you want to do with your gown, how much work is needed, and other factors. The quote is valid for 24 hrs.

HOW TO QUALIFY

To join the HC Circle programme, you first need to book an appointment. At the appointment, you will bring your preloved gown. If the gown fits, we will ask you to try it on so we can assess the fit. In your presence, we will look at the seams, fabrics, trims, zips, clasps and fastenings. We will also inspect the pattern and construction of the gown. With our professional experience, we will decide if your goals for a bridal gown are achievable and tell you what is possible. We will also describe the process and costs involved in achieving your bridal vision.

FABRICS

We try to use existing materials and patterns to make your wedding dress. If we need more materials, we will tell you the cost before we do anything else.

SELLING MY GOWNS

We do not sell used or preowned wedding gowns. Our HC Circle program is a special service to help you repair, resize, and redesign your used wedding gown, if you choose to wear one. All authorized Helen Constance and Empress wedding gowns are new and made-to-order only.

BUY MY GOWNS

We do not buy any preloved gowns or second-hand wedding dresses. We are not a preloved gown retailer.

DYEING

The HC circle programme does not offer to dye your gown.

Deluxe Dry Clean

HC Circle Programme does not include the cost of dry cleaning services. Deluxe Dry Cleaning Services are available for purchase at a cost in our “Other Services” drop-down menu.

To buy more than one hour of consultation, please click the arrow inside box under the title Quantity.