Kleinfelds? felt a bit underwhelmed

Re: Kleinfelds? felt a bit underwhelmed

• JoBell123

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I went there on Monday and got a consultant who didn't speak English and was the least helpful woman ever. I told her my price point, which is on their lower end but I've seen ladies on Say Yes to the Dress with lower budgets and she told me that they have nothing for me.  She sent me and my MOH into the stock room to find what I wanted to try on and by the end she begrudgingly brought me a few dresses, but each time saying "this is the only one I could find for you, I don't know what else to do for you".
  
  At one point when I described a dress I had tried on elsewhere that I liked she flat out told me "if you found a dress you liked, then go back and buy it, we don't have anything for you here."
  

  

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• Little Spitfire

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I was underwhelmed at Klienfeld as well.  What you're looking for should be pretty easy to find, IMO.  there are a lot of Reem acra and Kenneth Pool dresses that fit your requirements. Have you tried Amsale in the city?  What about Exquisite Bride or Jahee bridal?  I got my dress at Bridals by Roma, and while they don't have Reem Acra, they do have a lot of dresses like you're describing.  Good luck!

  

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• Danes983 member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I went there and found the staff fake and the dresses over priced for what they were. No beading for 3K give me a break. I would move on. 3rd time is not always the charm.

  
  

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• speidelm

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I just saw something about Klenfeld's the other day on Good Morning America that kind of surprised me. Apparently Wayne Rogers  (the guy from MASH) and a few other investors put $3 million into Klienfelds because it was "declining" and their customer numbers were dropping dramatically. That was back in 1999, and I'm sure that $3 million helped, but something tells me it might be the TV show that has given this place it's revenue and reputation again and you're paying more for the name than anything.

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• Kristinathebride member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I've heard similar stories and so I decided not even to go.  I went to Exqusite in Millburn (lots of designers there but didn't find mine) and ultimately ordered my gown, a Kenneth Pool, from Priscilla of Boston in Short Hills.  POB had a great selection of designer gowns and a wonderful, helpful staff.  If you are second guessing already, I would try elsewhere.  Good luck! 

  

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• uppereastgirl member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I agree.  I felt the same way the two times I was there (once for me, once for my MOH).  The salesperson -- I think it was Diane -- kept pulling dresses for me that clearly were not at all my style, didn't pick up on cues that I did not like what she was pulling, and then after an hour was like "Well, I guess we just don't have anything for you."  Out of 1400 dress, not one I could like at all?  Really?  I think she just didn't want to try very hard and wanted to push the same dresses on me that the other brides there were oohing and ahhing over (although I would think one look at me and one look at those girls would have made it clear that we did not have the same tastes).  She also kept pushing the Kleinfeld-exclusive dresses, as if I would be super impressed that a dress was "from an exclusive couture designer in Paris." 
  
  When we went with my MOH, the salesperson (Keisha, or however you spell it) *was* able to find a dress that was a contender.  Then my best friend got paraded out into the main room to get sales pressure from all the consultants, including a visit from the owner (which was right out of a used car lot: "I'm going to make you a deal today.")
  
  Overall, I found the experience very underwhelming and not very upscale.
  

  

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• Sharbear722

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I did not have a great experience at Kleinfelds. There were dresses I had asked to try on that they had in the store that they wouldn't let me try on because the consultant felt they were "wrong for my body." Ironically, I wound up selecting a gown that was the same shape that they had denied me. I probably tried on 10 dresses there and the only 2 I had somewhat liked were dresses I had picked out myself. I even met Randy, the fashion director, and I was disappointed in his dress picks as well. He pulled a ballgown that completely ovewhelmed my small 4'10" frame (I had even said that i did NOT want a ballgown before the appointment began). I also didn't feel like I was getting the individual attention I deserved since the salon was packed. They also put a time limit on the appointment which was not enough time for me to find the dress.
  
  I wound up getting my Romona Keveza gown from Castle Couture. I was basically the only one in the salon. I didn't feel rushed at all and I don't think they would've minded if I had been there all day if that's what it took to find my gown. Completely different experience from Kleinfelds!

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• reese511

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  i thought it was WAY overrated as well.  the dresses, the consultants and everything about the store was SO old fashioned to me.
  i ended up going to J.Crew Bridal and got my dress.  the NYC store is amazing.
  
  i 2nd the idea of going to Amsale - their dresses are so amazing and much more modern than anything i saw a kleinfeld.

  

  t+sBio

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• 37 Butter Knives member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I got my dress at Kleinfeld. My only real complaint about my experience was that Randy wasn't around.
  
  I'm a SYTTD junkie, and I could tell from the show that even though K's sells lots of $$$$$ gowns, it isn't the most luxurious and amazing place ever. It's a factory - it's evident on the show, and it's evident in real life. So I wasn't terribly disappointed. Also, when I went, I really wasn't expecting to find anything ... my main reason for visiting was because it was The Salon from That Show - and I pretty much went on a whim (I was able to land an appointment the day before).
  
  I was having a hard time finding a non-strapless bling-free dress, so the fact that I found it in Pninaville (of all places) made up for many of the store's shortcomings. I also had a great saleswoman who listened to me and respected my budget (Ingrid - she doesn't do the show). Your experience at K's definitely hinges on who you get as a consultant.
  
  I had better experiences at Pronovias and Designer Loft, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Jaehee in Englewood, the only store in NJ I went to, was far, far worse than K's - now THEY didn't listen to me (just because some of the dresses I printed out happen to have crystal brooches doesn't mean I want bling all over the place) or respect my budget (salesgirl's attitude was "I think you found the perfect gown, and you WILL find a way to go $1,000 over what you told me" - even though I obviously wasn't crazy about said dress). Did I mention they're pushy?

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• jrgoogrl

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I didn't go to Kleinfield's, but I went to Exquisite Bride in Millburn and had a wonderful experience. The dress you're describing sounds like a Kenneth Pool. My dress is a Kenneth Pool. They have a great selection there and the ladies are very helpful!

  
  

  Good luck!

  

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• lynzandgreg1 member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I think Kleinfelds is overrated. Have you tryed Bijou Bridal in Paramus? I heard they are excellent!

  

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• lisab711 member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I really think it all depends on the consultant. I had Sara and she was wonderful. I loved many of the dresses she pulled, but ended up with a dress I had found online. I also chose to purchase there because the designer was having a trunk show, so believe it or not my dress was less expensive there than at Park Avenue! She also pulled dresses undeer my price point and gave me tips on how t osave money during the wedding process. I have been back to try and veils and peek at the sample, whil I wait for my dress to come in. They have been wonderful to me and my friends/family, but again I know it was because of a good sales person. If you do go back, try Sara...

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• maddie7 member

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  I had a HORRIBLE experience there- and Randy was there! ha ha... I was not treated like the girls on the tv show at all, ordered to look through racks, and she didnt pick things my taste at all.  I had a WONDERFUL experience uptown at Pronovias- the Cinderella treatment. I had a whole floor to myself with gorgeous gowns all around me. They worked with my price too.

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• LudaSeka

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  Thank you girls. I was feeling kind of jipped, baffled over why everyone was telling me to go for the experience. I didn't "experience" jack!
  
  I'm pretty sure I won't be going there a third time. I did write them an email (on their site, there's a "contact us" section where they ask you to write to them about your "Kleinfeld experience" and whether it was satisfactory or not). I doubt I'll get a response..  and if I do it will probably be a very generic one. I'm sure they get 100s of emails daily.
  
  I tried Bijou, as one poster suggested, and didn't love anything there. I'm going to try for an appointment some place else before going back to Park Ave Bridal to try on the contender dress.
  
  
  

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