Kelima K – She Will Be Loved

There is only one sad thing about my wedding is that I can’t do it all over again.
The experience of finding that perfect dress for the special day was sublime. No doubt, I would certainly go back to Kelima. From the very first day, when I stepped in her shop, up until today I am filled with joy and happiness of getting to know Kelima and letting her make my wedding dress.
Since I live in Savannah I was only able to meet with Kelima 2 or 3 times. Moreover, I did not have a whole year ahead of me, just about 4 months (I am not a good planner), but in spite of all these constrictions I put on Kelima she was able to make a perfect gorgeous stunning dress that people are still talking about. Working with Kelima was a real pleasure. She is such a gifted and professional designer. I am not very good with fabric terms, but every layer in my dress was of an incredibly good quality, soft, comfortable, and gorgeous. Kelima pays attention to all the little details, and makes them speak out. It is hard to imagine how hard she had to work to create the whole new dress that would fit like a glove while barely seeing me. She had to send it to Savannah via mail, since I was not able to pick it up. So, you can imagine how much trust I had to put in her.
I have to mention that I had more than one wedding celebration (one in the states, and one in my country, about 30 hour trip). I did not bother choosing another dress, since I absolutely loved my dress from Kelima. It’s a shame I cannot wear it again.
There is another and one of the most important benefits of working with Kelima. She has an amazing personality. On the wedding day I was filled with good memories of working with her. Even now, four years later, I am still thinking of those times. With the dress came confidence in my outstanding looks on the wedding day.
I also have to mention that Kelima makes other dresses as well. I always saw beautiful pieces hanging in her shop, but never really thought of trying them on, since I was preoccupied with wedding, until a couple of months ago, when I went to New York during Christmas time. I was passing by her shop and decided to stop and say hello. Guess what, I walked out with a dress. I never buy high end dresses for myself, my husband does, but this time I could not just pass by this one. It is such a delicate masterpiece made from silk (that was used for a kimono before). I was super lucky to fit in the dress. Right then and there Kelima made some minor adjustments to the dress so that it looks like it was made for me from the beginning. I haven’t worn it yet, but I am looking forward to my friend to get married to show off my gorgeous new addition!!! I love love love dresses by Kelima, and her as a designer, and a person.

I cannot say enough about how much I adore Kelima K and her wedding dresses. I was lucky enough to go into a bridal shop in Brooklyn during a Kelima K trunk show. Kelima was actually there, so I received personal service and an immense amount of compliments from her. It is hard to ask for more than that in a world full of factory-​made wedding dresses that all look the same.
Kelima took my measurements on the spot and created a custom-​made dress to fit my wide shoulders, small waist, and wide hips perfectly. She even changed the design to show off my mid-​back. The dress arrived so quickly and fit perfectly.
I felt so beautiful and comfortable on my wedding day. It is really all you could hope for. AND everyone LOVED my dress, poured over it, really. «Fits you perfectly»; «I have never seen lace like that»; «Gorgeous» etc. etc.
Through it all, Kelima has become a friend. I recommend her to anyone who is looking for a wedding dress that matches their body and personality. She has a dress for everyone.

I cannot say enough good things about Kelima K, her vision, creativity and workmanship.
I am not an «off the rack» size, and worked with Kelima on a custom gown that fits me like a glove. It was a very fun process, and I only had to go in for one fitting. Kelima listened to everything that I wanted in the dress, and delivered exactly what I was looking for.
In addition to the dress, I have one of her hair accessories and even bought one for my best girlfriend. They can be used in multiple ways — everything from a great floral hair piece to a pin or purse accent. How fun!
After seeing her latest collection she showed at Fashion Week, I’ll surely be back in NYC to plan my next custom piece.
When you get something with Kelima’s name on it, you know you’re getting something truly unique, beautiful and of exquisite quality.

Using my husbands Unilocal account to rave about Kelima!
Working with Kelima was wonderful. I stumbled upon her studio while looking for a dress 2 weeks before my casual wedding.
Kelima really took the time to consider what I was looking for. After describing what I was envisioning, Kelima pulled a black lace shift dress with delicate sleeves that belled at the elbow. It was perfect! (but black) She offered to make a white version for me to have in time for the wedding, which was incredibly kind of her to do for me so very last minute.
Even though timing was tight, Kelima put lots of care into the dress. She helped me choose a shade of white that would enhance my skin tone. She changed a few elements of the dress to tailor it to my personality and shape. The whole process was amazing. Because of Kelima, I had a gorgeous custom made dress that I felt beautiful and comfortable in!
Kelima is thoughtful, kind and creative. She is a real gift to her industry. Her work is lovely with exquisite detail, you can tell she puts so much care and love into each piece. I can’t recommend her enough. She is a true artist and she is a sweet, genuine person. Anyone working with Kelima should consider themselves very very lucky.

I had an incredible experience at Kelima K. Kelima created a beautiful chantilly lace dress that was exactly what I had wished for. The hand work on that dress was amazing and I received so many compliments! My veil was also trimmed with lace which complemented the dress so beautifully. I spent quite some time with Kelima and I have to say she made the experience even better. She was always friendly, cordial and you could just tell that she genuinely cared about making the perfect dress for her clients. I recommend this wedding boutique to anyone who is looking for a truly unique, amazing dress and experience! Thank you so much for everything Kelima!

In response to Kelima’s comment, a picture speaks a thousand words. I uploaded a few pictures, and as you can see, she does not know what she is doing, and that is NOT how a 5k custom dress should look.
My experience with Kelima K was absolutely HORRIBLE. Kelima is very nice, but her team plainly and simply do not know how to measure or how to sew. I had to come in for about 10 fittings, as they kept doing my dress wrong. Kelima either did not understand or ignored what I had asked for, so the dress kept having to be re-​done. For example, I asked for a deep v neckline, and kelima kept cutting it straight across, and in the end, I had to settle for a sweetheart because that is the only thing she could manage. On top of that, Kelima kept insisting that the reason the dress looked like total crap was that «my body changed», even though I neither lost nor gained any weight throughout the process. The end result was awful; the dress was ill-​fitting, bulging, sagging, the breast cups were about 3 sizes too large, and I had to keep hiking it up throughout the night. The boning was so shabby that after the first time i sat down, it bent and dented, so the dress ended up lopsided and sagging. And to add insult to injury, when she had me over a barrel 3 days before the wedding, Kelima made me pay an additional $ 500 for the «extra work» that had to be done on the dress; extra work that was done to try to fix the mess that it was from the very beginning. The dress was not done until the Thursday evening before my Sunday wedding, despite about 8 months lead time. Bottom line; do NOT entrust this most important component of your wedding to Kelima!

Kelima recently made me a qi pao for my wedding in June this year and I couldn’t have been happier. I went in to see her with a very vague, general idea of what I wanted and she worked with me to transform my very amorphous ideas into a qi pao more beautiful than I had ever imagined. She patiently worked with me on fabric selection and the shape, cut and other details of the qi pao to make sure it perfectly fit my body and was a dress reflective of my style and my personality. The dress she made me will be a dress I will keep forever and will wear for other special occasions as well. I highly recommend Kelima for making your «fashion dreams» a reality.

I cannot say enough good things about Kelima. She is so personable and hands on. I had such a wonderful experience with her. I would recommend her to all of my friends who are getting married. Beautiful unique designs along with very special time spent with such a fantastic designer. I could not have been happier.

Kelima is the best! I honestly can’t recommend her highly enough. I was so very fortunate to come across her store when it was in Nolita (note: she has since moved to a beautiful space on Broadway/​Houston) and I knew from the minute I walked in that I’d find my wedding dress there. In fact, she worked with me to create the most beautiful dress (all of her dresses are stunning!); I am so in love with it. It’s classic and different at the same time. Simple and complicated. Exactly what I was looking for.
Kelima is a rare find: thoughtful, talented, and an absolute joy to work with. Do yourself a favor and check our her site or, even better, make an appointment to stop by her store! I hope to purchase many more of her dresses in the future.
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UPDATE – (Jan 2014):
Hi everyone,
Just perusing Kelima’s Unilocal reviews again, while grabbing the link to send to a recently engaged friend and thought I’d take a moment to update my previous review. I still can’t say enough great things about Kelima! I continue to get compliments on my wedding dress, nearly two years after the fact, and I love it just as much as the day I picked it up… and always looking for excuses to wear it again. ;) Since my wedding, I have recommended Kelima to a number of close friends, about half of whom actually ended up choosing to have Kelima make their wedding dresses as well. Kelima is such a joy to work with and the whole process is so custom and so smooth, it makes sense that it’s a great match for so many people. Whether you come in knowing exactly what you’re looking for (she has a great website) or have virtually no experience/​knowledge of fashion and dress design but have a few ideas (as in my case), Kelima will help guide you to the perfect dress.
Lastly, just read through a couple of the other reviews here and wanted to comment that Jenny K.‘s review seems bizarre to me, given my and my friends’ many experiences working with Kelima… it doesn’t even sound as if she’s describing the same person? Anyway, please don’t let it deter you from checking out Kelima’s beautiful designs. I know I rely very heavily on Unilocal when choosing places to spend my money and the rest of the fantastic reviews of Kelima on this site speak for themselves. Best of luck in the dress hunt and congratulations!

Not having Kelima make my wedding dress is a mistake I will always regret. Ugh, if only I could go back in time!
I was fortunate enough to randomly drop in her store that was in Nolita at the time. It was early in the day so I was able to catch her at a good time. I was specific with what I wanted, but open to her designs. What was a random drop-​in turned into an hour long session of trying on dresses, looking at fabrics, discussing fashion, etc.
I was looking for an quality, indie designer with modern designs, and she fit the bill whole heartedly. My only hesistation was that I knew she would be above my price comfort level, so I left with the notion that I was out of my league. I ended up getting a dress elsewhere which ended up costing me no more than if I had gone with a gorgeous Kelima dress.

Upon arriving, Kelima seemed confused. She didn’t say much so I dove in and explain what I was looking for. All the dresses were of high quality, but she didn’t seem to understand my body type or what I was looking for. The appointment, overall, was awkward. She should have a sales lady to help with fittings. Also, dresses are made for more petite women, not more full figured shapes.

She makes qipao!!!
I wanted a qipao to change into at my reception, and I found Kelima! She gave me a whole new experience of custom-​made dresses and I enjoyed the process of making my qipao come true.
When designing a dress (or any design for that matter), a great designer who understands your vision is a must. I came to her with an idea and inspiration, she delivered. I wanted a qipao that has the traditional concept but a modern twist (or 1950’s Hong Kong, or In the Mood for Love), with the capability to allow me dance all night (oh I do!). From picking the fabric, measuring, sketching, fittings, and making changes, she helped me see my vision through her magic. I absolutely love the final product (and I got compliments from friends and family). My husband loves the qipao on me.
Something about Kelima that I just feel so drawn to — she is soft-​spoken, she is graceful in her demeanor, and she is just so crafty. Her designs are just dreamy, romantic, and feminine that will make any bride feel like a bride that walks out of a story book. She is not pushy (to sell you her ideas), but she has her way to make you see that she is right about the dress she is making for you. All you have to do is, enjoy the process and leave everything to her.
We share the same love for tea so it’s always a treat sipping on the tea when trying on my dress (and looking at myself in the mirrow). I almost always got to carried away at my appointments because we just kept talking and talking.
I didn’t fly to TW or China for my qipoa. Instead, I found Kelima here in the city. I got exactly what I was there for and I got an experience of a life time.

I just bought my third dress at this shop. The first was for my wedding reception, the second, a lacy classic modish cocktail dress, the third, a wool hand pleated one of kind dress. All Kelima K designs and fitted by Kelima, herself.
I’m not sure which store Sandra M. went to, but her review doesn’t sound like Kelima’s store, nor does her dress look like something from Kelima K. Don’t be scared. Customer service at Kelima K is top notch, and most of the time, the owner is there to help you pick out the dress of your dreams and make it fit right on you.
I’ve been shopping there for three years, and I’ve only encountered kindness, patience, and the drive to get it perfect as you want it. Try it out yourself, and feel free to browse the pretty designs. Kelima plans to launch a capsule casual dress line next year, and possibly even holiday dresses this year, so keep an eye out for new stuff soon… I will.

I got married almost 4 weeks ago and I’m writing this review because I’m upset I can’t wear my dress again. I am obsessed with the custom dress that Kelima made for me.
Ladies, I highly recommend designing your own dress with her because the experience is so great. I got exactly what I wanted. i had flowers moved, i changed the bottom a month before the event, and it was all done by Kelima. She was so great to work with, by far my favorite vendor. She spent hours on end with me and never made me feel like I was being a pain with all my changes.
At my wedding, all night people were like– «That is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen!». She also did all my bridesmaid dresses, and even made them to shape the girls sizes.
I have no regrets with what I ended up with. Everything down to the button was made for me.
I loved the experience in the store and I’d recommend her to anyone looking for a bridal gown.

my dress found me as soon as I walked in the door and my appointment began. i still am not sure why the people who work at bridal shops are so terribly rude, when in fact they are getting so much of our money. in the end, the dress is what matters, and mine was absolutely beautiful. The customer service definitely needs some polishing though.

She was 2^nd on my list for the «perfect wedding gown» to squeeze my ass into.
I walked into the store and met Kelima, a soft-​spoken designer who is attentive, helpful, and not the least bit snotty. She patiently helped you into each dress and took the time to listen to your desires.
Her designs are simple and elegant, and she’s willing to work with you on creating an appropriate wedding dress to fit your body.
If I could afford her, she’d be a wonderful designer to work with.

Recommended for: Evening/​day wear, unique dresses, original gowns and yes, bridal wear.
Service 6, Selection 6, Quality 6.
Taking a stroll through Soho (showing the various neighborhoods), her eyes catch a few dresses in the window. We ring the bell, and Kelima comes to the door, just finishing a bridal appointment. Who knew the designer worked at her own boutique — love boutiques where the quality truly is representative of the designer.
Kelima was kind enough to talk us through some of the summer dresses at the store, but was sad she didn’t have her size. Kelima said it’d take about a month and would call me when it was ready. With a special Opera Ball we are readying to attend at the end of Sept. we looked at a few dresses and went through the process for custom designing her own gown — a one of a kind design and gown.
Next month should be very interesting… and you can bet your bottom dollar my girl’s going to have an amazing gown and hands down, I think we found our designer! The fabrics used were sumptuous, elegant and begged to be looked at and touched. We even saw a dress being finalized that was made of a material you wouldn’t dream of, yet, was absolutely breathtaking…
For exceptional service, quality and attention to detail, i absolutely recommend you see Kelima; and while I wasn’t «allowed» to look at any of the bridal-​wear, I can only imagine how amazing they all look. Being part Japanese, I was amazed at the Bridal Kimono’s and it brought me back to when I was in Nishi-​Shinjuku with my sister when she wanted to look at Wedding Kimonos (girls like to dream).
Guys and gals, this is one designer you must absolutely check out!!!
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Update — 6÷30÷07
Came back and we’re going to be working with Kelima on designing her dress for Opera Ball. After perusing a few things and looking at the new line, we came upon a dress that was absolutely perfect for her… the silloute, color, everything. It was perfect.
There were also 2 kimonos, a wedding pink kimono that was absolutely breathtaking and a silk everyday kimono that could increase any womans hotness oh, 10x!!!
Look forward to seeing Kelima in a month for the first fitting!
Sean Approved: Absolutely Definitely YES!!!