As I packed away a favorite formal gown, destined for a nine-month hibernation to make room for decidedly UN-slinky maternity wear, I took note of two things: the button that holds the dress together is missing, and dirt on the hemline. Considering I had just taken it off the dry cleaner’s hanger, I sucked up my disappointment and quickly buried it out of sight, figuring I’ll deal with it next year. So it was quite fitting when I noticed a delivery van the following day, “Alessia Couture: The First Couture Cleaner in the UAE”. The dress was already tucked away, but I decided to try them out with three other high-end items – my husband’s suit for standard cleaning, one of his jackets that had an unidentified stain across the back, and a delicate dress of my own with toddler-related marks on the front.
Alessia Couture are the first UAE cleaners to offer non-toxic, green cleaning without use of petrochemicals (and without the smell!). Their website is also a breath of fresh air; easy to navigate, and everything can be done from your couch. After emailing a few specific questions, and getting responses within 45 minutes, I created an account and arranged for my first pickup. The representative showed up with an arsenal: (literal) white glove inspection of each item - discovering a few things I had missed, an iPad to log my information, and customized hangers and clothing bags to stow everything carefully before leaving. Three days later I received a text message alert that my items were ready, and to advise when best to deliver.
And it was worth it – the dress was spotless, my husband’s suit had been repaired (they found it had a button missing), but it was the work they did on his jacket that was most impressive (see above picture). With the final bill coming to around AED 150, they are pricier than the average dry cleaner, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind when it comes to your more cherished (or tricky) items.
Based in Abu Dhabi, Alessia specializes in couture cleaning, wedding dress preservation, classic hand-finished dry cleaning, leather and suede (including handbags), and custom tailoring and repairing.
