Experience Cynthia's Atelier
An Elevated Fitting Experience
Why choose us?
Choosing a Sewing & Design Professional
As a member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals, I, Cynthia, am committed to providing quality service and uphold a high level of standards. Cynthia's Atelier LLC abides by the business practices and principles in accordance with ASDP, including Standards of Quality set forth by the organization as well as a Code of Ethics.
Sarah Price, TN
"Cynthia is a true artist. She is absolutely extraordinary at her craft, and I cannot recommend her more highly. Cynthia has been instrumental leading up to and including my wedding weekend. For my rehearsal dinner, I am wearing my late great grandmother’s silk wedding dress. My Gram was 5’1” 90 lbs and I am 5’9” 135 lbs, and this fabric is over 90 years old. Cynthia brilliantly altered my Gram’s dress to fit my silhouette while still honoring the integrity of Gram’s original dress. She treated that project as though it was her own family heirloom. Through Cynthia’s work, I feel so beautiful in my dress, and I am incredibly grateful for the time, effort, and attention to detail she devoted to this labor of love. Not only is Cynthia excellent at her work, she is also a magnificent human being. It feels good to know that she genuinely cares about each of her clients and strives to build a meaningful, personal relationship with them. I think that makes the finished products of her artistry even more beautiful and special!"
Alexa Hoffman, NJ
"Cynthia’s Atelier was an overall great experience! From the initial meet up to the fitting/pick-up, everything was smooth sailing! I needed a dress tailored for my sister’s wedding and I was so happy I took it to her. She made me feel very comfortable and understood the vision I was going for perfectly. She listened to my requests and offered her expert opinion on how to make it work. It was a very personal experience and we had great conversation during, as well. She completely changed the perspective of the dress and it came out amazing! She even had a nice timeline worked out so I wouldn’t be in a rush to get it before the wedding. I loved everything about it and I would recommend her to everyone I know!"
Gabriella Fudali, NJ
“Cynthia is TRULY the best at what she does. She took a dress that I liked and turned it into something I absolutely love and feel like was made just for me - she’s magic! She also cares about how you feel in what you’re wearing. She listens to what you want and works with you to achieve the exact look/ change that you need. I really couldn’t recommend her more !”
My Story
Behind the Designer
With over 20 years of sewing and fashion experience, owner and head designer Cynthia Matthews has dedicated her professional career to her studies and practices in the fashion industry. Having worked in both the fashion buying and merchandising fields as well as the design, visual, and artistic side, Cynthia has a well-redounded background in the world of fashion. She started her education and career in Fashion Business Management at Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and working as an assistant childrenswear buyer, and then continued her education at Brookdale Community College to be available to her young family. Her drive and educational success at Brookdale privileged her to several unique opportunities including being selected to give Brookdale's commencement speech and being featured for the college's fashion program in a TV commercial. Having a strong urge to work more creatively and hands-on, she focused her efforts on shifting into the design field after winning ACFW Student Designer competition and was re-accepted into the highly competitive Fashion Design program at FIT. Her work has been published in both Shuba and Evon magazines, and also personally recognized by other various sources including NJ Lottery and a private call from NJ First Lady, Tammy Murphy. Although the COVID pandemic was devastating to much of our nation, Cynthia utilized the opportunity to serve her community, which ultimately led to her dream of owning a studio become a reality. Cynthia is actively involved in continuing her education, professional industry organizations, and is committed to keeping the art of sewing alive.
Contact
Top 10 FAQ's
1 / What is your turnaround time for an alteration?
For Casual apparel as well formal garments ( including wedding guests, prom dresses, and bridesmaid, and dresses of the like, our turnaround time is typically about 4-6 weeks during peak bridal seasons. Requests under that timeframe may be granted depending on availability and subject to a rush fee. Please inquire about availability.
Bridal turnaround is dependent upon the bride’s timeline, fit and alterations needs, and various other factors.
2 / How long before the event should I book the appointment?
Wedding guests and bridesmaids ideally should book at least about 5 weeks before the wedding. Follow-up fittings (and pick ups) book up just as quickly as new fittings, and so this will allow for best availability for scheduling your follow-ups given the 4-6 week turnaround time in the event further changes need to be made.
Brides, ideally, should book their initial wedding dress fitting at least 3-4 months in advance. Keep in mind, more time should be allowed if you anticipate weight fluctuations or if the dress needs major resizing or other major changes.
3 / Can you take on a rush in less than the typical 4-6 week turnaround time? I need my dress in two weeks!
Rush requests can often be accommodated, for all clients (including brides), but must be requested and informed of date needed by before you book your fitting. We will do our very best to get you in, depending on availability, and to get your alterations done in time before your special event, however this is subject to availability and a rush a fee. Please call or email before booking to be sure the accommodations can be made.
4 / Does the online booking fee count toward the alterations cost?
The booking fee covers the time we spend during the fitting and consultation. Here, at Cynthia’s Atelier, we offer more than just alterations. We provide an elevated fitting experience which is in a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere a full-service experience. All concerns will be discussed, from shoe and accessories options to undergarments and all concerns regarding fit. We are not just seamstresses, we are fit specialists. And so, we strive to be sure you leave feeling confident about the decisions we agree on and guidance received.
5 / But what if I still feel like something is a little off when I come back for my follow-up fitting?
During your follow-up fitting, we request that you not just pick up, but actually try on the dress and look over everything. Although we strive for perfection the first time around, our work is guaranteed and are willing to continue to work on it until you are completely satisfied. At Cynthia’s Atelier, we strive for perfection, clean, even stitches, flattering fit, and quality craftsmanship. If you have any questions or areas of concern, please point them out during the appointment and we will be happy to address them!
6 / I booked for one dress, but I’ve decided afterward that would like to bring more!
We would be happy to fit you for all your garments! Please just notify us in advance if you plan to bring more than you indicated in your initial fitting so that we can allot for the appropriate amount of time. We do our best to never double-book clients so that you have our undivided attention during your private fitting, and so we would like to ensure you have the appropriate amount on time for everything you want to bring!
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For all Casual items, up to 6 garments may be fitted during your single session.
For formal items, up to 2 gowns may be brought for each session.
For bridal, one wedding gown may be Brough for each session. If you would like to discuss other bridal-related garments (like bachelorette, bridal shower, honeymoon, or rehearsal dinner, etc), you may either book an additional appointment online or reach our via email and we’ll be glad to assist!
7 / Every time I come back for a follow-up fitting to pick up my garments I have more garments to be fitted! Can I bring them at my appointment?
You should consider our Frequent Fitter subscription service that gives you even more perks! Your turnaround time will be faster, you will get priory fittings even during peak seasons, and you can always bring new garments to be fitted during your next follow-up!
We are so thrilled that you’re happy with our service and would love to take you on as a repeat client! If you’re not a Frequent Fitter, please let us know before your pick-up that you plan to bring more items to be fitted so that we can book you for a new fitting and allot the time for both your follow-up and new garments.
8 / Oh, no! I’ve confirmed booking, but I need to change the date and time!
Once you’re in as a paid client, your online booking fee is non-refundable, but we will do everything we can to accommodate your appointment request change! Feel free to shoot us an email letting us know of your request including the day and time you’d like to change it to. Appointments are time-sensitive as we book up very quickly, so what you see available now may not still be there if you wait, so let us know as soon as you possible. Feel free to reference our online availability under Book Now to see available appointment times.
9 / Can I just drop something off for repair without booking online? It’s just a simple fix.
We’re sorry, we do not offer drop-off service or small fixes for single items. Our studio offers a full service experience and we are by appointment only so that we can best serve each of our clients and address them in a timely manner. If you have a few casual items to be adjusted, fixed, or fitted, feel free to book a single session under Casual and we will be glad to go over all your concerns during your session! You are welcome to book a single session for just one casual item to be alternated, but we encourage you to make the most of your visit by bringing up to 6 items!
10 / I am so thrilled with your service! Can I refer you to my friends? I know you’re so busy!
We are so grateful that we’ve been able to exceed your expectations and provide excellent service! To best support our small business, your word-of-mouth referrals are gold to us! You can also write us a 5-star Google review, or shoot us an email sharing your photos of your special day - which we’d love to share on social media! Or you can tag us directly on Instagram @cynthias_atelier and share in your local Facebook groups for recommended tailors in your area. We are honored that you’ve entrusted us with your most special garments, and promise to provide the same treatment for your friends!