Somewhere in Time

Down To Gown

| By Katie Shroeder | Photography by Greg Gillis|
From CS Bride’s 5th Anniversary Issue

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Rick and Lynda Wood, owners of five-star certified couture cleaner Davis Imperial Cleaners, set the standard for restoring and preserving wedding gowns. So we asked the experts: When it comes to seeing a vintage gown’s potential (or potential flaws), what should a bride look for?

A Musty Odor
Mildew can weaken the tensile strength of a fabric beyond repair.

Discoloration
Long-set stains can hinder the process of restoring a fabric to a uniform color.

Fume Fading
Like furniture, a dress that was stored with only a part of it exposed to sunlight can fade irreversibly.

Snags and Tears
Keep an eye out for rips that can’t be seamlessly fixed by a tailor.

Davis Imperial Cleaners, 3325 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., 773.267.4560, davisimperial.com.