The short answer: a custom wedding dress is a gown shaped around you. You can change the neckline, add or adjust sleeves, change the train, choose embellishments and fabric, and have it made to your measurements. At ZAKAA's New York studio in the Garment District, it starts with a one-on-one session, is made in our in-house atelier, and is refined at fittings. A personalized sketch for a custom design is $250.
Many brides find a gown they almost love. The neckline is right, but they want sleeves. The skirt is perfect, but the train is too long for their venue. Customization closes that gap.
ZAKAA is a designer-owned bridal house. Asma Zaka founded it in New York in 2014, and she designs its collections. Our New York studio is on West 37th Street, in the Garment District, the historic heart of the city's fashion and bridal world. We also have two salons in Northern Virginia. Here's how a custom gown comes together, and how to start.
The short version:
You can customize an existing ZAKAA gown, or begin a new design with a personalized sketch.
Necklines, sleeves, train length, embellishments, fabric and measurements can all change.
Your gown is made in our in-house atelier, then refined at fittings.
Share your budget and wedding date early. Both shape what's possible.
Customizing a gown or designing from scratch?
There are two ways to get a custom ZAKAA gown.
Customize a gown from the collection. Start with a design you already love, then change the details. You can see and try on the original, so you know how the shape looks on you before anything changes.
Begin a new design. If your vision isn't in the collection, we start with a personalized sketch of your gown. The sketch is $250. It's how your ideas become a design you can see before it's made.
Not sure which path fits? Start by trying on gowns. The shapes you love on your body will tell you more than any photo. Our guides to princess wedding dresses and bridal separates show some of the shapes worth trying.
What you can change on a custom wedding dress
These are the details you can customize:
Neckline. Raise it, lower it, or change the shape.
Sleeves. Add sleeves to a strapless gown, or change the sleeves a gown already has.
Train length. Make it longer for a cathedral, or shorter for a garden or a dance floor.
Embellishments. Add beadwork, lace or embroidery, or take some away.
Fabric. Change the fabric to suit your season, your venue or the way you want the gown to move.
Measurements. Have the gown made to your custom measurements for a close fit.
Sleeves are a good example of what's possible. The Elodie gown pairs a high neck with sheer floral lace sleeves. A bride who loves that lace on a strapless gown can ask about adding it as sleeves.
How a custom gown is made at ZAKAA
Every custom gown follows the same four steps.
A one-on-one session. You meet with a stylist personally trained by Asma Zaka. You talk through your vision, try on gowns, and decide what to keep and what to change.
Choosing your customizations. Together, you settle on the details: neckline, sleeves, train, embellishments, fabric and fit.
Made in our atelier. Your gown is created in our in-house atelier, to your design.
Fittings. You come back for fittings, where the gown is refined until it fits the way it should.
The best custom gown often starts with a gown you already love.
What affects the cost of a custom wedding dress?
There's no single price for a custom gown, because no two are the same. Our gowns come at a range of price points. These are the things that move the price most:
The fabric. Silk, fine lace and hand-embroidered fabrics cost more than simpler ones.
Handwork. Beading, embroidery and lace appliqué are done by hand, and they take time.
Structure. Corsetry and boning take skill and hours to build.
How much changes. Adjusting a train is a smaller change than designing a new bodice.
The best thing you can do is share your budget at your first appointment. Then your stylist can show you gowns and changes that fit it, before you fall in love with something that doesn't.
Where to get a custom wedding dress in NYC
Our New York studio is at 247 West 37th Street, Suite 703, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. It's a short walk from Penn Station and Times Square. Like all ZAKAA locations, it's by private appointment only, so book before you visit.
New York brides get the same custom process as at our Virginia salons: the one-on-one session, the choice of customizations, a gown made in our atelier, and fittings.
Plan for more than one visit. A custom gown is refined at fittings, so you'll come back to the studio before your wedding. If you're coming in from New Jersey, Connecticut, Long Island or further, build those trips into your planning. Choose the ZAKAA location that's easiest for you to return to.
How far ahead should you start?
Earlier than you think. A custom gown takes longer than buying a dress off the rack, because it's made for you and refined at fittings. Detailed handwork adds more time again.
If your wedding date is set, bring it to your first appointment and ask about timing for your design. If your date is close, say so when you book.
Can you work with the designer?
Yes, for select appointments. Some brides work directly with Asma Zaka, our founder and Creative Director. Designer consultations depend on her availability. To ask for one, mention a Designer Consultation when you book.
How to get the most from your first custom appointment
Bring inspiration. Screenshots and saved photos help, even if they're very different from each other. Patterns show up fast.
Know your non-negotiables. Maybe it's sleeves, a low back or a long train. Say it early.
Tell us about your venue and season. A ballroom in December and a garden in June call for different fabrics and trains.
Keep an open mind on shape. Try a silhouette you wouldn't pick from a photo. It often surprises brides.
If you're preparing for your first visit, our guide to your wedding dress appointment in NYC covers what to wear, bring and ask.
Begin your custom gown
Custom design happens in person, at our New York studio on West 37th Street and at our salons in Ashburn and Fairfax, Virginia. Book a private appointment and choose New York, or read more about our customization process.
FAQ
Where can I get a custom wedding dress in NYC?
ZAKAA Couture's New York studio is at 247 West 37th Street, Suite 703, in the Garment District. Custom gowns are designed there by private appointment, made in ZAKAA's atelier and refined at fittings.
How many times do I need to visit for a custom wedding dress?
Plan for your first appointment plus fittings. A custom gown is refined at fittings, so choose a location you can easily return to before your wedding.
How much does a custom wedding dress cost?
It depends on the fabric, the handwork, the structure and how much of the design changes. At ZAKAA, gowns come at a range of price points, and a personalized sketch for a custom design is $250.
Can you customize a wedding dress you try on?
Yes. At ZAKAA, you can start with a gown from the collection and change details like the neckline, sleeves, train, embellishments and fabric.
Can I add sleeves to a strapless wedding dress?
Often, yes. Sleeves can be added or modified as a ZAKAA customization. Your stylist can tell you what works with the gown you love.
