How Long Does a Custom Pakistani Outfit Really Take?
A realistic stage-by-stage breakdown so you can plan your timeline with confidence.
"How long will it take?" is one of the first questions every customer asks—and one of the most poorly answered in the Pakistani fashion industry.
Vague promises of "2-3 weeks" that stretch into 2-3 months. Missed wedding dates. Last-minute panic alterations. The stories are common, and they're almost always avoidable with proper planning and honest communication.
This guide breaks down exactly what happens at each stage of creating a custom or made-to-order Pakistani outfit, and how long each stage actually takes when done properly.
The 8 Stages of Creating Your Outfit
Design Consultation
3-7 daysUnderstanding your vision, discussing styles, reviewing reference images, finalising design details. Includes back-and-forth on colours, embroidery placement, neckline, sleeves, and silhouette. For custom work, this may include sketch approvals.
Fabric Sourcing & Dyeing
5-10 daysFinding the right base fabric, custom dyeing to achieve exact colours if needed, sourcing embroidery materials. Custom dyeing alone can take 3-5 days. Rare or specialty fabrics may require additional sourcing time.
Pattern Making & Cutting
2-3 daysCreating patterns based on your measurements, cutting fabric pieces. This stage requires precision—mistakes here affect everything that follows.
Embroidery
2-12 weeksThis is where most of the time goes. Light embroidery might take 2 weeks. Heavy bridal zardozi can take 8-12 weeks. A moderately embroidered formal piece typically requires 3-5 weeks of hand embroidery work.
Construction & Stitching
3-5 daysAssembling the garment, adding linings, finishing seams, attaching embellishments. Complex silhouettes (like heavy lehengas or structured blouses) take longer than simple kurta cuts.
Quality Check & Finishing
2-3 daysInspection for defects, loose threads, embroidery quality. Pressing, steaming, final touches. Any issues discovered here require correction before proceeding.
Customer Approval
2-5 daysVideo sent for your review. Time for you to examine the details and confirm you're happy. If changes are needed, additional time is required.
Shipping
3-5 daysExpress international shipping. Customs clearance may add 1-2 days. We recommend building in buffer time for any unexpected delays.
Total Timeline by Outfit Type
| Type of Outfit | Embroidery Level | Total Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury pret / Ready-to-wear | Already completed | 1-2 weeks (sizing adjustments + shipping) |
| Light formal | Light embroidery | 3-4 weeks |
| Party wear / Wedding guest | Medium embroidery | 4-6 weeks |
| Heavy formal | Heavy embroidery | 6-8 weeks |
| Bridal lehenga / sharara | Heavy to full coverage | 8-12 weeks |
| Heavily embellished bridal | Full coverage, multiple techniques | 12-16+ weeks |
These timelines assume everything goes smoothly. No fabric sourcing delays, no artisan illness, no customs holdups, no revision requests. Building in buffer time is always wise.
When Should You Start?
Our recommendations for when to begin the process:
- Wedding guest outfit: 2-3 months before the event
- Mother of the bride/groom: 3-4 months before the wedding
- Bridal outfit (moderate embroidery): 4-5 months before the wedding
- Heavily embellished bridal: 5-6 months before the wedding
- Full bridal trousseau: 6-8 months before the wedding
The earlier you start, the more flexibility you have. Rush orders are sometimes possible, but they limit your options and increase stress.
Why Sellers Give Unrealistic Timelines
If these timelines seem longer than what you've been quoted elsewhere, there are reasons for that.
Some sellers quote unrealistically short timelines to secure the order, knowing they'll make excuses later. "2-3 weeks" sounds more appealing than "6-8 weeks," even if the latter is honest.
Others genuinely intend to deliver quickly but underestimate the work involved or overcommit to multiple orders simultaneously.
And some use machine embroidery instead of hand embroidery, which genuinely does take a fraction of the time—but they may not be transparent about this.
If someone promises a heavily embroidered custom bridal outfit in 2-3 weeks, either the embroidery isn't hand-done, the outfit is pre-made stock, or you're about to experience significant delays.
How to Speed Things Up (Legitimately)
Be decisive during consultation. Every day spent going back and forth on design decisions is a day added to your timeline. Come prepared with reference images and a clear sense of what you want.
Choose from existing designs. Made-to-order pieces based on existing designs skip the custom design phase entirely. You still get custom sizing and colour choices, but the pattern and embroidery design are already established.
Select readily available fabrics and colours. Custom dyeing adds time. Choosing from existing fabric stocks can save 1-2 weeks.
Respond quickly to approval requests. When we send videos or images for your sign-off, prompt responses keep things moving. A 5-day delay in your response is a 5-day delay in your delivery.
Be realistic about embroidery expectations. If you want something in 4 weeks, it can't have the same level of hand embroidery as something made in 10 weeks. Adjust your expectations or your timeline.
Our Commitment at AÏNN London
We give you an honest timeline at the start of every order. We'd rather tell you it takes 8 weeks and deliver in 7 than promise 4 weeks and deliver in 10.
You'll receive proactive updates throughout the process, including progress photos of your embroidery. You'll never have to chase us for information.
And every piece is shown to you via video before dispatch, so you can approve the finished work before it ships.
Our standard delivery window is 10-12 days for made-to-order pieces from our existing collection. Custom designs and heavily embroidered pieces are quoted individually based on their specific requirements.
Ready to Start Planning?
Book a consultation and we'll give you an honest timeline for your specific requirements.
