It’s been a while since I wrote a proper review on this blog. For one, I think I got tired of only describing things, if I am perfectly honest, and second, I post most of my reviews on my Patreon nowadays. But there are still some items, I would love to share with this beautiful community and this blog remains a perfect space for that.

[Disclaimer: I bought this Evgenia Rebelle Velvet robe with my own money. This isn’t a sponsored post. Photo credit: Romana , @blxckdreadshots]

A lifetime investment

This year, I decided that I was sufficiently in love with Evgenia’s Rebelle collection to invest in something bigger, more personal, and eventually pricier. I felt in my heart, that this purchase would be a lifetime investment. It has been many years since my tastes outgrew the content of my wallet, and I truly see every fashion piece as a long-term investment, now more than ever. We’ll get back to that point in my next blog post.
I had been eyeing Evgenia’s silk gown for a long time. The incredible French embroidered lace that is so characteristic of the Rebelle range, the delicious empire waist, the generous amount of fabric. I loved it a lot. It was a dreamy piece of lingerie.
However, at 1350$USD it was more than I could afford. Or that I was willing to spend into one piece of lingerie, at this time of my life. Not that it isn’t worth it. I just couldn’t justify it really.

I had something in mind for a while though. A Rebelle velvet robe inspired by the brand’s signature bed jacket. I thought perhaps, it would be a good idea to ask how much such a design would cost. I didn’t want lace sleeves, I mostly wanted a longer bed jacket. At the time, the new Rebelle collection hadn’t come out yet, and I had not seen anything of the sort in the brand’s offering.
And so, I asked.

I was offered two design ideas that followed roughly the description of what I asked for, with two different prices. Eventually, I picked the one that was the most expensive because it fitted my idea better. I thought I would love it forever and it wasn’t an impulse purchase.

I had imagined it, and it was everything I wanted it to be. It turned out to be cheaper than the original silk gowns that were available (a value of roughly 800USD instead of 1350$) because it featured less of the expensive embroidery and I had a discount. It was still more than I ever paid for lingerie in one time especially since I live in Canadian dollars, but I asked if I could pay in installments and fortunately, it was a possibility.

Note that working with indie brands, paying in installments means that the product will be made and shipped after full payment of the invoice. It isn’t like paying with Sezzle or Afterpay, since they also need to make sure they aren’t spending money and energy on an unpaid project. I personally work exactly the same way, so I am happy to do business with others like that.

As a side note, Evgenia’s prices for the Rebelle range are a bit higher now than when I placed my order due to changes in the cost of material if I am not mistaken.
At the time, I had a little bit of extra money to spend on it, so I paid it faster than I thought and then, I quickly received pictures of the process from Stephanie, the designer. Note that Evgenia is a one-woman business, so everything was really only happening between us two. She was very patient and communicative and it was amazing to watch my custom gown becoming what it is now.

The making of a dream piece

I sent her precise measurements of my body as well as some of my clothes for reference. I own a bed jacket from the same collection, which I find to be a bit tight in the shoulders although it is a size Small as well. So we had to make sure this robe would be more comfortable for me. Stephanie clearly masters her art and she was able to clearly tell me what was and wasn’t possible for a durable design that would stand the test of time.

I asked for the embroidery placement to take a bit more space than it would in a regular bed jacket to balance the design a bit, and that, for instance, needed to be throughout properly so that the velvet wouldn’t weigh too much on the lace. I am so happy with how this part turned out though. It’s just majestic, isn’t it?

I also asked for 3/4 sleeves. I wanted them to be short enough to do the dishes without worrying but long enough to be comfy and warm me up during Winter.

The sleeves are actually the only thing I would change when it comes to this piece. I measured one of my rigid wool dresses with 3/4 sleeves to get the length measurement for the gown’s sleeves. Unfortunately, I gave the measurement thinking the puffy effect would be taken into consideration when creating the sleeve.
Basically, I should have clarified with the designer that the elastic would need to sit a bit higher on my arm to create a puffy sleeve look, but that I wanted the final length to be the number of cms I mentioned. For that to work, she would need to make the sleeve a bit longer than what I asked for so that the elastic could sit higher and create the “puff” with the correct length.

I am not sure if my explanation makes sense but the result is that, if I want it to be comfortable, I have to wear the sleeve higher than I intended, so it is in fact shorter than I had in mind. This isn’t a huge deal, but if I could, it would be a bit different as now it’s more of a 1/2 sleeve than a 3/4 sleeve if that makes sense.
Apart from that mild inconvenience, everything is truly as perfect as I had imagined. Perhaps a bit better. It’s no ordinary piece of loungewear. It’s heirloom material really. The silk velvet blend (82%rayon, 18silk) is delicious to the touch, and the color is so deep and luxurious. The attention to detail is delightful, with silk-covered seams at the top of the gown and sturdy yet delicate construction for the skirt. I could wear this as an evening gown for a very special event, but I just really want this piece to be part of what makes me feel great at home and only there. Besides, I really wouldn’t want to expose it to the harsh outside world. It’s certainly one of my most valuable possessions.

I feel like the Queen of Heart while wearing it. It is an excellent piece of clothing, something I want to gift my children or their children when I am old. I hope we’ll experience many great things together.

Do you have a piece of clothing that is so important to you, that you’d like to pass it on to the next generation?

xoxo Wen

Other Evgenia items featured on this blog :

• Rebelle short gown
• Rebelle bed jacket
• Lovesick Eventide Ribbon Corset