Purple Finch bridal designer & tailor — Local services in San Francisco

I was dissatisfied with the service I received from Olga. I had a bridesmaids dress that was too small and could not zip up. I was in a time crunch as the wedding date was approaching. I contacted several tailors in the area to fix the issue. Olga responded the same day saying that she could likely fix it, and we promptly scheduled a first meeting. She was also gracious when I had to change the first appointment time.

When I arrived to the first appointment, she suggested doing a corset back with the dress, i.e., removing the zipper and replacing it with loops sewn into the back of the dress and a string to tie it up. She said she could use fabric from the bottom of the dress to do this. She convinced me this was the best solution because I could tighten and loosen to my liking. I agreed on the plan and we agreed to come back in one week after the job was done. She said she could finish the task in the agreed upon timeframe.

She stated the price would be $120 to do the corset back, and an additional $80 to take a few inches off from the bottom to account for whatever heels I would wear. I thought this was strange, because if she was already going to take fabric from the bottom to do the looping, why do I have to pay an extra $80 to make the dress shorter at the bottom for heels? I asked her and she agreed to forgo the additional $80 and to just do the job for $120.

Two days before our appointment, she texted me at night asking to reschedule as she now had other orders and was expecting some delays. Unfortunately, I was flying out of town and could not possibly reschedule. She said okay and we kept our original appointment time.

When I arrived to the appointment, she surprised me by letting me know there was actually not enough fabric on the bottom to complete the corset back, so she instead used a cream sheer ribbon to tie the dress together. The ribbon visibly contrasted with the dark burgundy of the dress. This was a shock to me as she had my dress for a week and at no point expressed any issues with the fabric or executing the job. I was frustrated that she had not communicated this issue with me sooner, and instead tried to give me this random solution. I told her during the appointment that this was not what I was expecting and that the string had to be the same color as the dress. She told me to simply go to a fabric store and buy a matching burgundy ribbon for $5. This was unprofessional to ask of a paying customer.

I told her I needed her to get the fabric herself and finish the lacing. She agreed and said I could come back in a couple hours. I paid her an additional $5 to cover the cost of the ribbon.

When I came back, she hurriedly handed me the dress outside. I said I'd like to come up and do a final fitting again, but she repeatedly told me she "did not have time." She got visibly annoyed at my asking, and simply showed me the new ribbon was now the correct same color of the dress. I thought this was unfair, as I am a busy lawyer and I took time out of my schedule to meet with her a third time after this unexpected issue. My time is valuable too, and if I pay for a service, I expect to have the job well done, have ample communication should any issues arise, and to do a final fitting with the absolute final product. I did not get that from Olga.

I took the dress outside and told her, for the future, she should be more communicative with her customers. I think she means well, but clearly she has time management issues and sometimes bites off more than she can chew. She should not agree to do rush orders if she cannot fully execute. I also think if I did not question or challenge any of the peculiarities that arose during our meetings, she would have charged me $80 more dollars than the job was worth and let me leave with a cream string that did not at all match the dress. This experience fractured my trust in her business. I am glad she fixed the issue, but I will not...

I had a pretty heartbreaking experience with a bridal shop that sold me a dress two sizes too big — likely with the intention of funneling me into their in-house alterations, which would’ve cost me over $2,000. I felt completely defeated and honestly a bit scammed… until I found Olga.

From the moment I reached out, Olga was a total lifesaver. She responded right away with clear pricing and availability, and was kind enough to squeeze me in despite the tight turnaround. I had just a few months before my wedding, and she immediately made me feel like I was in good hands.

Not only did she expertly tailor my elaborate (and oversized) gown to fit like a dream, but she also brought her own creativity to the process — suggesting thoughtful design tweaks and even a fun, beautiful bustle idea that turned into a bow in the back. It was one of my favorite little surprises on the big day!

Olga worked magic with delicate fabrics, made everything feel easy, and somehow kept me calm in a moment where I was starting to lose hope. Her talent, precision, and warmth quite literally saved my wedding.

If you're looking for someone who’s not only a master of her craft but also deeply kind and reliable, look no further. Olga is incredible, and I’m endlessly...

I purchased an off-the-rack dress for my elopement that was elaborate and beautiful, but two sizes too big. I only had a month before my wedding and reached out to multiple alterations places across San Francisco. Olga responded quickly with transparent pricing and timing. I was able to get in with her quickly for a consultation and she agreed to help with this dress. She squeezed me in for the two alterations sessions before my wedding and each time, I was amazed at her progress each time. She worked with delicate fabric to make the dress fit perfectly. She even came up with her own bustling system that would work with the dress... and it held up on a hiking elopement! I can't recommend Olga enough. She's a true expert with...