Creating a Custom Jacket with Mira Couture

I am so excited to finally share the details of creating a custom jacket with Mira Couture in Chicago!

Mira Couture is known for their wedding gowns but a lot of people may not realize they also specialize in custom suits and dresses. They have the most fabulous fabrics to choose from and they can create almost anything you can dream of!

My friend Julie, owner and designer, offered to make me a custom piece of my choice. The entire experience of working with Julie and her team was so fun that I wanted to share the process with you. We used a beautiful white Chanel tweed for the fabric and it was designed with all four seasons in mind.

Every detail was thought out carefully and the end result turned out even better than I imagined. It is my favorite thing in my closet!

I knew I wanted a versatile piece and something I could wear year round – even in Chicago. A jacket was perfect since I can wear it with jeans or shorts for a more casual occasion or with a nice dress.

Little did we know, right after it was made the global pandemic hit and it didn’t feel right to share this post when so much seemed uncertain. We filmed the video below on March 1, 2020 (literally days before things were closing down).

So please keep in mind the video and photos in this post are pre-pandemic!

Now that things are finally opening up and events are being booked again (yay!), this is the perfect time to get on their calendar 🙂

Side note, Mira Couture recently made me a stunning mask too with Chanel fabric to match my jacket! I never thought in a million years I would be excited about a mask. Let alone own such a beautiful one. I was able to wear the jacket and mask together last month when I visited AmericasMart as their ambassador and received compliments at almost every showroom!

Here are a few highlights to note about Mira Couture:

• The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. Don’t be shy about asking any questions! (I had quite a few as this was my first custom made piece!)

• Mira Couture carries one of the largest fabric selections in the Midwest (including designer fabrics such as Chanel tweeds, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino.. to name a few)

• The fabrics and laces are sourced from all around the world.

• Each custom piece is designed and tailored to make it beautiful for YOU. Julie (or one of the Mira Couture designers) will walk you through each step and fitting so that the end result is flattering for your body type and reflects your style. There are not many custom clothing designers like Mira Couture!

• Mira Couture is located in Chicago’s Gold Coast and it’s best to schedule an appointment in advance. In person appointments and fittings are preferred but they are also able to accommodate clients virtually.

So what is the design process like?

I had about 4-6 inspiration images of what I liked for a jacket. Julie guided me from there with her expertise on how the final jacket would come together. She sketched out a drawing of the jacket (shown in the video). I was able to look through their fabric selections and then later choose details like buttons and lace.

Tip for selecting a fabric: This is a great tip from Julie ~ Hold the fabric right up to your face to see how it looks. I almost went with one that would have washed me out!

Keeping the jacket all white allows me to wear it with a variety of patterns and pieces too. The fabric I chose is a Chanel tweed. It is a gorgeous and timeless fabric in a creamy white color, which works as winter white and also perfect for summer. Mira Couture has an entire wall of Chanel fabric that you can choose from. Their fabric selection is quite impressive! Other designer fabrics that they carry Versace, Valentino, Missoni and more.

The sleeve length was carefully thought out too. Long enough to keep me warm, but shorter than normal so I can still pull it off in the warmer months.

Julie helped guide me on the overall length of the jacket, the number of buttons that would look best, where to put the trim, etc. All those details that make it posh.

I 100% trust her design expertise which made it look perfect! I especially love the pearl detail and the fringe that make it one of a kind. 

Here’s a look at some of the jacket *in progress* and a video below!

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I’m already dreaming of a skirt to coordinate next! Also, I will be swapping out the buttons on the jacket soon too. I found vintage Chanel ones that just arrived in the mail 🙂 I will share those and an update in another post!