Merciel

01/21/09

Beautiful, Unique Wedding Dresses

by lj1979 at Citysearch

I've never written a review before, but I had to write in to off balance the reviews here. Jinny and her dresses are beautiful, unique, and as a previous reviewer said, for the bride who wants to look like herself only better, rather than like a gauzy princess. Her designs pay strict attention to cut, seaming, fabric and other details to make twenty or so white and ivory dresses look so widely and beautifully different. Jinny was as excited to see me in my dress as my mother was! And she was honest--I would put on a different dress that I loved on the hanger but not as thrilled with on me, and she would say "that's not you" before I had to say the same. It was the first place I went (I used to walk by it a lot when I lived in the neighborhood) and I went all around to big and small places, but I came back. It was the dress, the experience, and the knowledge that my dress is made just for me by a true artisan, rather than pumped out as a part of the big crazy industry. And for those who are conscious consumers, Jinny's seamstresses work in the Garment District, so it's all local! I recommend her highly. You might not find your dress there, but you will have a good experience shopping.

• Pros: Beautiful dresses
• Cons: There are no bargain basement options here

10/19/07

Perfect Dress and Highly satisfying service!

by juliegayer at Citysearch

Jinny at Merciel is extremely skillful at creating beautiful designs that fit perfectly and flatter in all the right places. My dress was incredibly unique, made with luxurious materials and with a very fine sense of detail. I was one of those women who was not comfortable in any of the big sample sales or stores. Her store and her manner make the entire experience of bridal shopping enjoyable, not painful, and individualized. I agree with the other reviewer who reccommends choosing one of Merciel's designs and customizing it to your liking with subtle changes. That's what I did, and I have not stopped hearing compliments about the Dress!!! Even some of the toughest fashion critics in my life were gushing about the dress! Another benefit was how comfortable the dress was! The whole experience couldn't have been more perfect or satisfying--and I didn't think I would ever feel this way about a dress!

• Pros: Customized, fine detailed work

08/25/06

Fantastic

by shwebiel at Citysearch

I wrote a review for this wonderful shop that was, for some reason, removed from the site. I got my wedding dress from Merciel, and it was exquisite. Other brides-to-be who attended my wedding have repeatedly asked me where my dress was from. I was dreading the process, and the owner made it into a laidback experience. She was extremely attentive to details and open to my opinions and my preferences. She was honestly invested in the outcome, and was thrilled when I stopped by the store to show her pictures after the wedding. The designs in the store are provocative and interesting [weird: Citysearch won't let me use the word se*y!]. They are for the bride that doesn't want to feel like a princess on her wedding-day, and just wants feel like a beautiful woman. I can't recommend her highly enough. Maybe it's best to stick to her designs, and ask for modifications on those (which I did), since the other reviewer seemed to have had a bad experience when she tried to describe a dress from scratch. That review almost scared me out of trying Merciel for my own wedding, and I am so glad that I trusted my instincts over an angry customer.