I am obsessed with this dress, have been for years, I will never afford it - please help me find something like it I can...

[user23124]

https://pauw.com/en/products/a-lijn-jurk-11201301199a700
I have been obsessed with this dress since I saw a woman in the navy version at an event years ago. I accept I will never have the ££ for it. Is there anything I can do to get a dress like this but under £250?

You are all so talented at finding things! Thanks for any help :)

Reminds me of Kevan Jon, although he uses lighter fabrics, I think

Have something similar made? You can't have exactly the same as it infringes copy right but it could be very similar. 150 pounds plus fabric in the UK.

Nah babes I’m a veritable Prince Andrew. Never sweat in my life.

Polyester isn’t exactly known for its breathability.

“The first time I wore mine was at a wedding in London. The dress has so much volume and structure it needed its own suitcase.”

I read everything you post in a Hyacinth Bucket voice, I’m sorry I just can’t help it.

Yes it is, which is why it's used so much in the outdoor industry.

And it’s used a lot for gym clothes, but a quick google will show you people complain it makes them sweat/smell, and also causes rashes. Plus bad for the environment and often cheap looking. Natural fibres are best and anything more than £300 for non-natural fibres is a rip-off imo

Just to add there’s a world of difference between the breathable polyester used for gym leggings or outdoor wear and the kind of shiny stuff this dress is made of

Natural fibres are not always best...cotton production is only just behind oil for it's polluting ungreenest characteristics. Uses thousands of gallons of caustic soda to debride and soften the fibres, natural cotton fibres are quite rough. The finer the cotton the more it's been chemically washed, your cotton lawns and the like. The cotton industry, the world over, is full of bonded slavery and child exploitation and is really far from green. Pesticides etc, I'm not that into polyester to wear but it makes great base layers and is recyclable. Its colours are usually very stable and lightfast, It is however a petro chemical fibre. It also is a very versatile fibre as it blends with lots of other fibres to give texture, longevity and lustrous finishes to fibres, just think dance wear/luxury evening wear. If I were making this dress I'd do it in silk taffeta or a silk /viscose mix and interline for volume, it's classy indeed. The navy must be fabulous, the black is a classic. Love it.

It’s lovely but I think would only suit someone quite slim as it’s fairly bulky, why don’t you buy it and take it to a dress maker and ask her to copy it and then return, who knows, when you buy it and try it on it may not suit you at all and then you will be able to get it out of your system
The dress maker may be able to source the material

Cotton, unless you only buy organic cotton or GOTS certified cotton, which isn't quite as bad, is not an environmentally sound fabric.

Environmental damage caused by cotton

Environmental damage caused by cotton 2

Infringes copy right….. how on earth would the manufacturers ever find out, maybe if you were making multiple copies but not one

If you love a dress that much you can find a way to save up for it

Thankfully I do! Or secondhand.

Yeah ridiculous! I expect they have their hands full enough with Zara rather than worrying about small high street dressmakers

https://www.silkfred.com/womens/clothing/dresses/midi-dresses/lanti/black-a-line-midi-dress?universal=true&utmsource=app&utmmcampaign=productdetailssshare&utmmedium=shareelink&utmcontent=blackkalineemididress

This looks pretty similar, you would just need to add the bow/belt!

There you go!
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/tuc145081606?cjdata=MXxZfDB8WXww&$ja=tsid%3A11674%7Cprd%3A1546795&utm_source=Pepper+Deals+Ltd&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=www.argos.co.uk&utm_content=14023759&utm_custom1=1546795&utm_custom2=Other&cmpid=cojun&cjevent=5a9a524acc1111ef822d0d6f0a18b8fa&PID=cj_int&dclid=CNS2rZ_l4IoDFbQhBgAdHnMQJg

Two things mitigate that statement
for me. At the beginning of everything we wear is a designer or artisan, their original work is licensed to company's/individuals for garment manufacture or embellishment of a garment. That's how they earn their income. Their bread and butter so to speak. For me it's wrong to rip off people's original work. It's a serious moral and ethical question. In my eyes if your green and an ethical consumer, you should also be an ethical buyer. Someone, somewhere is always ripping off an artist/ designer. It sticks in my craw, that's why at degree shows and textile shows you'll see signs saying no phone or camera photography. Big manufacturers and sometimes sadly, other artizans rip off people's designs. It shows a lack of character and is an unprincipled practice which suggests laziness in that individual and down right thievery in a commercial or individual setting. It is policed by the industry and people do litigate. Particularly at designer and couture level. The maker or the (remaker) is the one at risk of prosecution so it's just part of business preparation to understand how to protect yourself. There are practices that one uses to interpret a design but differently, so that it is clearly distinguished in its own right and not a deliberate copy. The law even stipulates how many differences there should be from the original. Most designers and artists copywrite their work to protect their livelihoods and they need to. I don't know whether designers would know/find out or not, but as an ethical maker I wouldn't do it, completely unethical in my eyes and I'd be in the firing line should there be a problem. Not worth it.

Yes, I’m aware of all of that but unfortunately it happens all the time and very little can be done to stop it when it’s done on a small scale / a one off copy.

Even artists copy other artists work, maybe not exact copies but sometimes extremely similar

Not this one...

Is it like this one?

https://www.vinted.nl/items/5040163758-donkerblauwe-jurk-pauw?referrer=catalog

All labels on Pauw have the words "copyright protected". In practice might not do much although if you took an item to be copied it might give the dressmaker pause.

I agree that claiming to be a green and ethical purchaser but thinking copying clothes is ok is a bit of a contradiction.

I've twice sent details of rip off brands I've seen posted on here to the real brands. One was Alémais, can't remember what the other was, but both replied and said they would follow it up. I've also reported a site similar to the site linked and which has been deleted which was a fake site purporting to sell Casey Casey at knock off prices.

You could have similar made up here digforvictoryclothing.com/design/your/own/dress

Appreciate you'd want to try on and it would be more than your budget - but less than full price

Definitely have it made!
have a look on insta for dressmakers/taylors.

I would find a large fabric depot type thing nearest you (unless you live in London, Birmingham, Manchester, etc you may have to travel a little) - again will need to check on places like Reddit or google for famous fabric places known for wide selection and good prices.
Don’t order online as fabric will be massively overpriced.

The dress is lovely btw! - the price not so much! 😆

Omg I can see why! Absolutely love this dress too!!!!!

I’m so pleased that IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle saved a photo of the dress I bought from boohoo for about £30! I think it was post Covid that I bought it.

Good luck on your dress search OP.