Karen millen dress cannot be dry cleaned..

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

I bought two dresses from Karen Millen a couple of years ago. I had a wedding coming up and loved them both so decided to get both of them. I wore one dress to the wedding and not the other. I then got pregnant has dc3 and finally fit into the other dress for the first time this summer.

I wore it twice on holiday and brought it to the cleaners when we got back. All the colour in the pattern of the dress ran and I got a report from the cleaners saying that the dress was faulty as it wasn't possible to clean it without the dye running.

I brought the dress back to KM a couple of weeks ago. They had their cleaner try to fix it (they couldn't) and will only offer me £50 store credit as this is the last known selling price of the dress and I have no receipt. I am a very regular customer and this is really upsetting me.

Surely if the dress cannot be cleaned then it shouldn't matter when I bought it it isn't fit for purpose?? AIBU? I really was expecting more from them

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

KM haven't said it's the cleaners fault. Also their cleaner couldn't fix the problem. I'm not blaming anyone really, I just think they've handled it very badly.

[TSSDNCOP]

Look back at my previous post. Your potential solution lies with finding your statement and determining whether there was a known fault with the dress. Be nice, you never know you might get more than your £50.

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

I'm always nice

[gobbynorthernbird]

Their cleaner wouldn't be able to fix the problem if the colour had already run.

[minimumeffort]

I took my KM dress to the dry cleaners a few months ago and he warned me that there was a risk of the colours running as they are known to clean badly (he had had an issue with one). Luckily for me, this particular dress was ok but its obviously a common problem.

[mammmamia]

Haven't read the whole thread but KM shouldn't sell a dress that can't be dry cleaned, or change the labelling if it can't. I think they should offer you some vouchers.
If this was in the US you would get your money back.

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

I have at least 15 KM dresses and I've never had a problem before. I love their stuff

[LRDMaguliYaPomochTebeSRaboti]

I love KM stuff, but they can be totally crap about admitting something has a design flaw. I have stuff from them that is ten years old and still lovely, and stuff that fell to pieces within weeks.

[ColinButterfly]

£50 is fair for not having the receipt and given the age. HOWEVER I think it is disgusting that they charge what they do for clothes that cannot be cleaned.

My friend had a problem with some shoes from there, soles buggered after one wear and couldn't be re-soled because of their design.

I've got a couple of dresses from there but think it's so overpriced for what it is.

I'd be cross if accused of purchasing off eBay because their sizes are so inconsistent - too risky!

[kali110]

We dont know that it wasnt the cleaners fault they are known for covering their own back

[garlicbaguette]

I've just Googled "karen millen dry cleaning". You might find the large quantity of results interesting.

I stopped buying Karen Millen after two coats literally fell apart at the seams. I didn't expect them to last for ages, but neither one made it past four months! Overpriced crap (with ludicrously skinny sleeves.)

Are you on Twitter, Fish? Follow a whole bunch of fashion journalists, consumer action groups, Karen Millen and Martin Lewis, then tweet them pictures of your dress with your gripe. Often works.

[garlicbaguette]

Just realised my Google results weren't THAT impressive, it's mostly ads for K. Millen or dry cleaners! Still a fair few tales like yours, though.

[mikulkin]

Just write an email to their head office. They will sort this out for you. A friend of mine bought a bag from KM, used it for 7 months and suddenly the colour started getting off the bag on her clothes. She wrote an email to head office, followed it up with phone call and they sent a reply saying she will be refunded full price. She didn't have receipt too. I think they are not authorised to do full refunds in the shops.

I love km too :)

[mumofweeboys]

How do they know u didnt buy it in the sale for £50?

[mumofweeboys]

Most places have same policy of refunding/exchanging at last price, argos and next for example (returned gifts without receipt)

[Pickle131]

I had a Saturday job at a dry cleaners back in the late 90s and KM clothes were known to be problematic. I've never shopped there for that reason and I see nothing's changed!

[Lj8893]

I have never shopped at Karen Millen so can't comment on thier refund policy but I do work in retail so will state what we would offer (very very similar)

After a couple of years, a faulty item unworn or not would be difficult for us to sort out in store and most likely would be referred to our head office. We would do it up to a year in store.

Even so, without a receipt we wouldn't be able to give you back full price in store, our system wouldn't even tell us what the full price was, only the current or last known price.

If you had a bank statement with the date of purchase on, we could trace back your purchase and in extreme circumstances (which I would say yours was) we would be able to refund the price you paid.

I'm sorry, but in retail, prices change so frequently and quickly that its just not possible to give back full refunds without proof of purchase and price paid. I think that's perfectly understandable.

However, head office may be able to do more for you than instore, store staff including management have very little power and authority when it comes to refunds.

[Eastpoint]

I had the same experience with a Diane Von Furstenberg dress I bought from Matches. They gave me an in store credit for the amount I paid. I don't shop at Karen Millen, do they ask you for your post code etc each time you buy something? If so they should be able to trace your purchase on their system.

[coraltoes]

Km sell polyester dresses at silk prices. Total tat. How in gods name they retain such a "high end high st" brand is beyond me. Their complete lack of customer care is evident... Wy would you ever sell dresses that can't be cleaned? Because you don't give a shit once the till has closed.

OP they have stung you. And I really feel for you. I'd take your hard earned cash elsewhere and leave them to their over branded devices.

[greenfolder]

I think offering you the last retail price on a dress you have had for several YEARS is pretty reasonable. This means they have accepted what you have said. To ask for proof of what you paid (which you can get with a bit of searching) also seems reasonable. Never shop there again if you want but the words nose, face , cutting and spite spring to mind!

[Goodadvice1980]

As an avid KM customer, just wondering if there's an update OP?

[steeking]

I had a lovely velvet winter coat (Not KM) which was dry clean only. The cleaners refused to do it because they said a certain adhesive had been used somewhere on it and the cleaning fluid would cause it to fall apart. I washed it on a wool cycle and it came out beautifully.
I don't put anything to the dry cleaners now- a gentle hand wash will do.

[MollyBerry]

This is a useful link
www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange#goods

"You have up to six years after you bought a good to complain
(In Scotland, it's five years after you first realised there was a problem)...Yet the longer it's been and the less durable the item, the harder it'll be to fight for a full refund. In such a case, you might have to accept a partial refund or credit note"

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

They wouldn't budge from £50 store credit so I refused and said I'd pick the dress up. I'm going to send to head office and see how I get on. If they couldn't go past £50 then it def should be cash and not credit.

[WineIsMyMainVice]

Good advice Sleepdodger! I would definitely write to them.
I think you could expect more of them especially as you say that it must be obvious that the dress is from there. I don't think its fit for purpose if you can't clean it!
Good luck!