Repairing a zipper in a sequined dress

Sally DeSmet

Sally DeSmet

Registered Guest
Hi: I'm a newbie - enjoying the information.

I have a vintage sequined dress, and it has a zipper that does not work (teeth don't hold). The dress is all sequins and the zipper looks tricky to replace. I am afraid to take it to a seamstress, I'm not sure what to do -- I would think that a specialist that does vintage?

Any advise would be very appreciated. I am not an expert on zippers (for sure) but it would be easier to repair the zipper although I don't even know if that is possible. The dress is so cool, an old Saks dress that is all sequins and has a "snake" design. The zipper butts up so close to the sequins so I am nervous about who or where to take it.

Thanks!
 
I hear you. The dress I wore for New Years, lots of sequins, with back metal zip, and I am always ultra careful when I zip it up, as I love the dress, and it would kill me to have to deal with zipper replacement.


Is there any way you might post a picture, so that we may best advise?

I understand your reluctance to entrust the delicate task to just anyone, believe me.
 
Zippers can't usually be repaired - you're probably best to take it to a seamstress who can replace the zipper. If it's a '60s dress the zipper is probably hand set in, so doing the same will be best. I always hand sew zippers into beaded garments, they're usually too bulky to machine sew without an industrial machine, and you don't want to sew over any beads.
 
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Does anyone have a recommendation of someone to send it to? Are there seamstresses that deal with the vintage clothing and/or special needs clothing? I'm posting a few photos of the dress. I thought it was Saks, but in shooting the picture - it is I Magnin. I live in San Diego and that was a nice store back in the day.

What worries me about the zipper is that the dress is literally all sequins with a silk backing. The zipper is so close to the sequins. The sequins form this unusual reptile pattern. I agree that it should be put in by hand, can't imagine a machine doing it!
 

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Sally, thank you, and for the pictures of your wonderful dress.
I would venture to say that the sequin design is a bold interpretation of an exotic spotted cat.

Former I. Magnin shopper here; usually a window shopper, but still! What fine stores they were.

I wish I knew of a place, or person to recommend. You're right to be concerned about the work being done properly.
 
I agree with Joules that you have a variation of spotted cat.

How is it sewn in currently? How ever it is done, you should find someone who can do it again - your dress is late '80s-early '90s, as as the stores closed in '92-93, it can't be more recent than that. Are there shoulder pads? You can check the label resource for dating.

My recommendation is to look up alterations/repair services near you and take it for their opinion and pricing: you can ask to see examples of their work too. If you're not happy with their skills take it to someone else. For difficult work, you could call your local museum or historical society and see if they have a textile restorer on file but this is not a hard job so most seamstresses should be able to do it.
 
I am usually hopeless at sewing zippers in by machine - therefore I prefer to do it by hand :hysterical:. Your photo looks like the zip has been sewn by hand, so a good seamstress should have no trouble taking it out. I've never sewn a zip into a sequinned garment, but I think it should be doable, with only small stitches on the sequinned side.

Karin
 
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