4 August, 2014
Style

Dressed to impress! Customised clothing at AURZA

4 August, 2014
Tell me if this sounds familiar: youโ€™re in a changing room trying on a dress that looked great on the coat hanger… Now that youโ€™ve got it on, you notice it could probably be looser around the shoulders, tighter around the waist, and maybe a little longer. The reality is youโ€™re short on time, low on energy and desperate for something to wear so you settle for how it looks and head to the check out. The classic โ€˜fashion compromiseโ€™.

Aurza6 ย  Fed up of constantly finding themselves in that position, Stephanie Holland and Jessica Stephens (Hong Kongโ€™s answer to Trinny and Susannah) decided to take matters into their own hands by creating AURZA, an online custom-made clothing company with a mission to help women look and feel fabulous. Always on the lookout for classic pieces โ€“ particularly when it comes to building our work wardrobes โ€“ Charlotte and I decided to give the AURZA experience a whirl.

Aurza4 Whether youโ€™re a seasoned online shopper or a total novice, the AURZA website is a piece of cake to navigate, and, once you start getting stuck into the design process, itโ€™s highly addictive! To create your garment, you simply select your favourite silhouette from a number of classic, couture-inspired options; mixing and matching elements from different styles is also possible i.e. you can take the top from one dress and merge it with the skirt from another. From here, the real fun begins. By changing the length, colour and fabric of elements, such as the neckline, sleeves and skirt, you can create a look that is completely your own. Accent details like leather belts and trims can also be thrown into the mix, resulting in endless options.

Aurza2Charlotte and I figured out what dress designs we wanted after holding an AURZA fitting session at Charlotteโ€™s apartment. The AURZA team arrived with racks of clothes and wine ready to go. The next couple of hours saw us trying on a stack of gorgeous dresses while we were given personalised style and colour advice โ€“ it was a really fun way to spend an evening and something I definitely recommend doing if youโ€™re a โ€˜try before you buyโ€™ type shopper. AURZA prides itself on tailoring clothes that are โ€˜made to fitโ€™ as opposed to being โ€˜made to measureโ€™. Sizing is simple. With a databank of over 10,000 3D body scans, AURZAโ€™s garment patterns have been modeled on โ€˜realโ€™ womenโ€™s bodies. You can opt to order using AURZAโ€™s standard sizing model (based on those 3D body scans), or you can create a bespoke pattern based on your key measurements.

Aurza3 When it came to sorting our sizing, we were lucky enough to both have a 3D body scan conducted in AURZAโ€™s Kowloon office. Following this, we also measured ourselves by following the easy guide on AURZAโ€™s website and submitted four requested measurements: bust, waist, hips and height. Our DIY measurements were checked against the scan results and the dresses went into production. Three weeks laterโ€ฆ The results โ€“ to be completely frank โ€“ were awesome (or should I say, AURZome!). Charlotte and I knew the dresses would be fantastic but were still blown away by the craftsmanship of the finished products. Not only was the fit incredible (I mean, how could it not be when a garment is designed especially for your figure), but the look and feel of the fabrics were nothing short of exquisite.

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Charlotte opted forย the Coco with cream bateau and long ruffle pencil in teal โ€“ she paired the dress with a leather obi belt. I ordered the Christina with faux leather ruffle pencil and trim. While there isnโ€™t much of a price range in AURZAโ€™s collection (most dresses are between $1,900 – $2,200), theirย pieces are designed to stand the test of time in terms of both style and quality. As mentioned earlier, if youโ€™d prefer to see in order to believe, an AURZA fitting party is the perfect excuse to invite a few friends over for a night of fashionable fun. In regards to the 3D body scan service, this is available to all women placing orders in Hong Kong at no extra cost. Besides doing your part for fashion research by helping contribute to AURZAโ€™s measurement databank, the scan allows you to see your body from angles youโ€™ve probably never seen it before e.g. from the top of your head looking directly down. The process is super simple and completely embarrassment-free โ€“ we highly recommend doing this if you have the chance.

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Whether itโ€™s a classic pencil dress to make you feel great in a client meeting, a knock-out number for a first date, or a party dress with the โ€˜wowโ€™ factor, garments that are cut to fit your size and shape have the ability to make you feel a million bucks. Next time youโ€™re trying on something thatโ€™s not quite right, take our advice and get in touch with AURZA โ€“ we could all do with less fashion compromises. www.aurza.com

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About the bloggers

emma-180Originally from New Zealand, I’ve called HK โ€˜homeโ€™ for just over three years and absolutely adore it. Travel, flat whites and Thai food are just some of the things that spin my wheels. I also love a good #hashtag.
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Check out Emma’s blog Bright Girls, Big City and follow her on Twitter @EmmaDeeNZ.
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charlotte-180

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Iโ€™mย Charlotteย and Iโ€™m a born and bred Hong Konger. I’m obsessed with yoga, wellness and fashion.
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Charlotte is the other half of blogging duoย Bright Girls, Big City. Follow her on Twitterย @ingramcharlotte.
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