sustainable CLOTHING DESIGNER | handmade private label collections| custom garments | bespoke tailoring
photo by @marieannphotography
shop the newest made to order pieces
every piece in this collection is handmade to order at our studio located in downtown des moines, IA. our head designer, gretchen’s mission for the brand is to create a sustainable and ethical clothing line for you! it is her hope to educate her customers on the difference between fast fashion and fashion that is worth your investment. by shopping our collection you are supporting a small business and will be representing an ethical fashion brand when you wear our pieces. gretchen wants to thank you for your support and wishes you a happy shopping experience!
Wear your very own designs - custom made just for you!
custom designs - general pricing sheet!
Ranging from replicas of your favorite garments to formal gowns we can do it all. Stop hunting for the "perfect" piece you won't be able to find off the rack and have it made to fit your body.
how does it work?
if you have an idea for a custom design email us to schedule a design consultation. you will either sit down with our designer Gretchen in person or communicate via email/phone to go over what you are envisioning in the final design of your custom garment.
after the initial design consultation is complete Gretchen will send you an estimate for the cost of the garment. Once pricing is approved Gretchen will get to work on the design. process of your garment and send over a final sketch for to review.
a final sketch is done, and fabric sourcing will begin - when ordering fabric from an online supplier a swatch will be provided to review - we typically source 5 swatches for you to choose from after narrowing down your ideal color, pattern, and fabrication.
after the design is finalized and the fabric is selected Gretchen gets to work creating your pattern and sewing a muslin sample for you to try on. during this first fitting any fit and measurement adjustments will be noted. depending on your garment you may have multiple sample fittings before actually trying on your garment in it’s fashion fabric.
Normally the custom design process takes anywhere from 2 to 3 fittings. If you are creating a formal gown or a more difficult and detailed piece it will take around 4 or 5+ fittings. The entire custom design process can take anywhere from 2 months to 8 months and beyond depending on the level of the design.
if you are not local to the des moines metro area don't panic - we offer our custom design process remotely as well! Click here to find out how it works.
please email: letstalk@gretchenbohling.com to set up a design consultation.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Client Testimonials:
“i have been looking for someone to help me create an ethically made and customized wardrobe forever - i found gretchen on instagram and she was the answer to what i’ve been looking for! my designs come to life through her expertise in fabrics and garment construction. “
"I have a charity event coming up and I immediately thought of gbd. I loved working with Gretchen before to create a custom jumpsuit for my petite frame and she nailed it on the first try!"
"I've never had anything custom made before but heard about Gretchen from a friend and decided to reach out to her about recreating a piece I love that I've had forever but started to fall apart. She did an amazing job replicating my favorite dress and now I have a pattern on file if I ever want her to make me another one in a different color - how cool!!"
image photography credits @5th.photos, @cherrychilesphotography
looking for a custom bridal gown, wedding suit, or formal garment?
get an idea for your budget by looking at our general pricing sheet!
if you have a vision of what you’d like to wear on your special day we would love to work with you to make that vision a reality. gretchen has worked with both brides and grooms to create both custom gowns and bespoke suits. take a look at some of her work here and if you are interested in chatting more about the custom design process send her an email at letstalk@gretchenbohling.com
how it works:
the custom bridal/suit process is very similar to our custom garment process but it typically takes more time to complete. We recommend reaching out 6-12 months before the wedding date to start the design process.
overview: An initial design consultation will take place, sketches will be finalized, measurements taken, and then gretchen will begin the creation of your gown, suit, or formal look. you will be involved in the fabric selection and finalizing every detail, including buttons, zippers, and linings to name a few. you can expect to have multiple fittings of your garment in which gretchen will make any pattern and fit adjustments. when the entire process is done your finished garment will be delivered during our final fitting - a celebration of a special process complete!
while we are based in des moines, iowa we do service locally and remotely. please email if you have questions about completing the process remotely.
client testimonials:
“i seriously cannot thank you enough for creating something so amazing and making me feel beautiful on our special day. (It also got rave reviews from everyone!)”
“erin could move so easily in her outfit and mine was exactly what i asked for. thank you for working so hard for us!”
“working with gretchen was such an easy and enjoyable process. she makes the world of formalwear bearable, especially as someone who struggles to find things that fit right. her expertise in the field made me feel comfortable throughout each fitting and i absolutely loved my dress in the end!”
“i worked with gretchen to design a suit for my wedding day and the possibilities that came with working with her were endless. she created a custom lining for the inside of my suit which made it even that much more special.”
Photo credits:
@samanthadannaphotographer - images 1 and 10
@RGphotos - images 4 and 8
@brichellephotos - image 9
schedule a fitting with our designer to tailor pieces in your current wardrobe!
pricing guide can be found below - there is a base price of $25 for any and all “small” tailoring and mending jobs.
wedding gown alterations | suiting alterations | bridesmaid alterations
our designer Gretchen tailors and alters clothing for women, men, children, and formal events. any mending needed to your clothing can also be done by Gretchen. If you have a project thpricing guide can be found hereat is out of the box we are also happy to work on that!
to schedule a fitting click here or navigate to the menu bar at the top of the page and select “schedule a fitting”
client testimonials:
"Gretchen is amazing! She will come TO YOU to do your measuring and will even deliver the finished items. Her prices are fair and reasonable. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for tailoring services in the Des Moines area!"
"I contacted Gretchen to alter my main of honor dress for my best friend's wedding. She was very responsive throughout the process, and offered to come to me for both our initial meeting and to drop off. I chose to come to her for our initial meeting and she has a very cool studio in the new Mainframe building. It took her less than two weeks to finish my work and I am prepared well in advance. She did a great job and even left me a handwritten thank you with my dress! I will definitely call on Gretchen again for any future alterations or custom work!"
photography of Gretchen done by @paigepetersonphotography
stay up to date with what’s going on here at the studio in des moines, and check out the calendar to see what events you can find gbd at in and around town!
schedule of events:
first friday @mainframearts - every first friday of the month my studio building stays open late for you all to come and enjoy a friday night out! each month features a different theme and you can enjoy local food, drinks, art, music, and shopping. come join me and the other 180+ artists in my building every first friday from 5-8pm at mainframe studios - located at 900 Keo Way Des Moines, IA 50309 (gbd is up on the 4th floor in studio 445).
if you want to follow along behind the scenes as gretchen creates custom garments, designs new collections, and tailors some beautiful clothing please follow us on our social media pages!
DSM Magazine feature: custom wedding day garments by gretchen bohling designs. photography to the right by duane tinkey
iowa state fashion show: featured designer gretchen bohling designs (gbd collection walks right after intermission at about 1 hour and 30 minutes in)
podcast interview: listen to a chat with gretchen where she talks about her business and the mission behind it.
