Silhouettes & Profiles

I found this company of talented women through NYVintage where I bought a beautiful satin cocktail dress from the 50's (I think). The detail on this dress is in the folds and draping of the thing- I had to have it taken in from an 8 to 4/6 which is no easy feat. I also needed it done in a week due to the limits of an out of town wedding I was attending. I cannot express enough what a magician this woman was, and so sweet when I asked her opinion or expressed concern of any sort. She had patience and even suggested a slight hem to make it more youthful on me. This dress belongs in a museum under the heading "Ava Gardner red carpet looks" but it's mine. Oh yeah they even reinforced the fabric where it was beginning to fray. In a word BRILLIANT

The tailors at Silhouettes & Profiles are amazing. I was recently in two weddings (one at 7 months pregnant and one at 8 months pregnant) and neither bridesmaid dress was maternity. However, they worked their magic and both dresses fit perfectly. Plus they suggested that they do the work just before the weddings to get the best fit and suggested we do two fittings to make sure the dresses look perfect. I was so pleased with their work and that I now refuse to go to any other tailor! Thanks Silhouettes & Profiles!!!

I have been to many, many tailors in NYC and am rarely satisfied. I brought in a bridesmaids dress that fit horribly and they really did make this too picky girl happy. They reworked the entire dress to fit me and stayed patient with me through many fittings. Highly recommended!

I bought a sample wedding gown in a size 14, my street clothes are size 4. My dress has beading, sequins, and a long train. Irina and her staff made my dress fit perfectly! She took the dress in everywhere and created a beautiful bustle. And she and her office manager are just the sweetest! I went to the shop at least five times for alterations before the dress fit perfectly. I love that Irina is willing to make even the smallest changes -- I have not felt like she was rushing me out of the store or trying to convince me the dress fit where it didn't. The shop is small and can be a bit crowded on Saturday afternoons -- but it's fun to have an audience! Last weekend I even met another customer whose wedding dress was altered by Silhouettes & Profiles years ago. Seems they have many lifetime customers! I think the price is very fair, especially for NYC. I wound up paying 20% more than I would have paid to the bridal shop in Maryland where I bought the dress -- and they offered... Read more

I am very slim and it’s difficult to find anything that fits me. I first brought them suits that were size 0, but looked huge on me. They ladies made my suits fit like a glove! They’re perfect and you’d never know they were altered, except that they fit me so perfectly! Because they did such an amazing job on all my suits, I took my wedding dress to them for major alterations. My dress was 8 sizes too big, and I was told it could not be taken in at the place it was bought, due to the beadwork and pickups. Of course, the ladies at Silhouettes & Profiles said it was no problem, and it wasn’t! I just picked up the dress today, and it is unbelievably beautiful! They altered my dress without damaging the lace, beadwork and pickups…and the price was awesome! I was afraid it would be super expensive, because of all the work it needed and since it’s so delicate, but it was an extremely great price. They are miracle workers! They are so wonderful. I recommend them for everything you need altere... Read more

I have only praise for this place. Irene and Anna worked absolute magic on my wedding dress, entirely recreating the dress I brought in to exactly the way I wanted it. They did not let me leave with it until it was perfect. I highly recommend this place for any and all alterations and recreations!

Thank you Citysearch for introducing me to Silhouettes & Profiles last year. I have since gone back many times. Whether it's vintage clothing, new clothes, or old clothes that need updating and altering, I can't say enough good things about the remarkable artistry and talent of these women. They have salvaged many vintage dresses I've found so that they fit perfectly and are expertly repaired. Old suits of mine that were destined for the thrift shop because they were so hopelessly out of date are now part of my wardrobe again because these amazing dressmakers brought them back to life and contemporary looking. When clothes have to be let out but there appears to be no extra material in the seams, they work magic. I don't know how they do it! True professionals..

I brought my grandmother's 1940s black gown to Silhouettes & Profiles hoping to have it tailored for the Columbia University Ball with only a weeks notice...they were so nice and understanding that they got it back to me before the actual event date! Their work is flawless and to the T. I had the chest taken in, zipper replaced, and elastic replaced. The gown looked amazing! Also, when I was about to leave, I noticed a minor tear under the sleeve that I hadn't pointed out to them to fix the week prior..they were SO accommodating and quickly fixed it for me with no extra charge. I will continue to use their services for the rest of my time here in NY

These ladies are excellent. Anna altered a bridesmaid dress for me that was basically unwearable. They were able to add inserts on the neckline while keeping the v-neck essence. They really are remarkable. I would take even the most un-alter-able piece of clothing here to see what they could do. Truly a find!!!

Very nice personnel,high quality service,personal approach. Nobody could have done better! I'm very satisfied with their job and would recommend them to everybody. They do all kinds of alterations of men and women's apparel

Irina and Anna are the kindest and most perfectionistic craftspeople. I have lived in NYC for over for 40 years. I have used many tailors in my many years including some of tops on Madison Avenue. I just bought a vintage 1930's gown which they did a most fabulous reworking. I can not recommend Silhouettes & Profiles more highly. They are so attentive to details and are so accomodating. You must try them.... SPS

Hello everybody, My name is Irene, and I am the owner of Silhouettes and Profiles. I just wanted to let everyone know that our website is up and working. www.besttailorsny Please check us out and we hope to welcome any new customers, we promise you won't be disappointed. Thank you!

I needed to alter a window treatment which had been mistakenly measured and required an involved alteration. Silhouettes & Profiles did an amazing job fixing it, and at a reasonable cost. Since then, my wife and I have used them for more typical clothing alterations and they've been fantastic!

I purchased a designer gown while on vacation in Puerto Rico. It was unique,a lovely shade of red,elegant, but made for a much larger woman. No tailors in my area of NJ would attempt to alter it. After reading the glowing reviews on City Search, I decided to give them a try. Irene is a magician. She completely redesigned the bodice, made new straps, and altered the gown so that it looks like it was made just for me. Anna, the young woman who assists and usually answers the phone is delightful as is her twin sister , Caterina. I had several fittings and the gown was finished in a timely fashion and at a very reasonable price. Irene will tell you honestly what should and should not be done. Go with total confidence. You won't be sorry. Margaret

The ladies at Silouettes and Profiles were all so friendly and helpful. I have been a professional dancer for 20 years and have had many costumes custom made for my body. I felt very confident when I brought my wedding dress in to be altered.They were all so patient with me as I am a nervous bride and don't know much about how a wedding dress should fit. I felt very calm as they made choices in the alterations that actually made my dress look even more beautiful. There are no hidden fees and their prices are reasonable. They are extremely honest and talented dress makers!

I Have used many tailors in the US including Silhouettes & Profiles .most of them are just out of college students recruited for measuring and the tailoring is done by people in Asia. so you ultimately rely on Second hand service at an Expensive price.in most of the cases it is cash upfront. I have tried a real visiting tailor from Bangkok, "Savile Row Tailor". He was recommended to me by my Business colleagues in Bangkok and travels for Measurement taking 2 to 3 times a year to the US. I had 1 Suit 450 USD and a deal of 5 Shirts for 300 USD. All inclusive of Delivery to my door step. delivery time is 7 to 8 weeks ,which is the same as tom James and finished product / fitting is of a far better quality. you can check him out at www.savilerowfahion dot biz Pros: better than any US service, Price Cons: some might feel uncomfortable with tailor from the other side of the planet. not me.

The ladies at Silhouettes & Profiles are absolutely incredible! I brought them my old cashmere sweater to fix after discovering it was completely moth-eaten. It?s nothing fancy, but it was given to me by a dear friend and I didn?t want it laying around, collecting dust. They are true artists, or should I say magicians? They took a long look at the sweater, told me they had an idea, and when I came to pick it up in just a few weeks, I was speechless?. my ruined sweater was a work of art! Every hole was a beautiful patchwork of fabric and yarn. I actually regretted there weren?t more holes! Every time I wear that sweater I get compliments, and I have sent several of my friends with similar problems and they?ve created something beautiful and different each time. I don?t think I?ve ever seen anything like it before; it?s definitely the most creative technique I know of for fixing moth-eaten clothing. I recommend this place to anyone in need of a solution to their clothing dilemma!

Simply the best alteration place in NYC!!!!!!!! They are not cheap but definitely worth it. The quality of their work is perfect and no other tailor can do what these talented ladies can. I have been their customer for a long time and I strongly recommend that place!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, Silhouettes & Profiles does men's clothes alteration too! But what makes this place absolutely amazing is the fact that Irene (owner) and Anna design and sell their own clothes too. They carry the most gorgeous and exquisite selection of blouses, jackets and dresses that combine both contemporary and vintage styles. I've already bought two blouses and a cocktail dress, which is simply stunning! They use their original designs and make only one copy of each, so I can be sure no one else has the same dress :)

Both Irina and Anna were extremely kind and helpful when I came to Silhouettes & Profiles to have a dress altered for my wedding. I was so worried before meeting them because I wanted the dress to be perfect...and it was thanks to them. The alterations were perfect and I plan on returning to them because I know they are so talented. I would recommend them to my family and friends and truly can't say enough good things about them. It is so rare to find individuals who not only excel at their craft but are such wonderful people.

I'm singing Irina's praises. I had a traditional, very elegant, silk Chinese Cheong-sam dress that I had bought several years ago for my brother's wedding. It has a great deal of sentimental value to me. I had the opportunity to wear it again to my boyfriend's brother's wedding, but I needed to have it taken in (I had lost about 15-20 pounds). I stupidly brought it to the taylor at my dry cleaners and twhen I picked it up, the line was all wrong. It was twisted and didn't lay right in the back at all. I stupidly (again) asked the same taylor to correct it, and they messed it up even more! I found Silhouettes and in a panic I raced over there with less than a week to go until the wedding! I asked Irene if it was salvageable, and she reassured me that while it would require a good bit of reconstructing, everything was salvageable. She finished it in just a couple of days and WOW! It was perfect!!! Beautiful!!! Even better than when I had first bought it. She saved my life! No... Read more

I have been a client of Irina for 7 years. I've just read all the four star reviews. How can I elaborate on what everyone has said? There are those people who are born and blessed with special gifts. Great dancers such as Baryshnikov, great actors like Tom Hanks, great minds as Albert Einstein. Irina without a doubt, belongs in this category.of gifted people. She is extraordinary and brilliant, she creates magic in everything she touches. A magician of the cloth. As a former stylist and collector of vintage clothing for 25 years, I feel so fortunate to be her client and am honored to know Irina. I admire her not only for her magic hands but for being a human being with a beautiful heart as well. I would also like to mention and thank the very talented Anna, who makes her own special contribution to Silhouettes and Profiles. .

I brought in a designer name suit that I got from an online outlet (Overstock) and the pants were ridiculously small. They literally had to rebuild the pants by reconstructing the waistband, and they now fit perfectly. These folks are experts! You need to allow sufficient time (a couple of weeks) for the job to be done, but you WILL be pleased.

I have been collecting and selling vintage clothing for approximately thirty-five years and had been recommended to Silhouettes and Profiles many years ago by a fellow vintage clothing dealer. Irene and Anna, her very capable assistant, are not merely seamstresses, but actually artists and often times "miracle workers". Several months ago, I had brought them a 1920's beaded dress with the entire back panel missing. I was actually embarrassed to admit how much I had paid for it. A few weeks later, I picked it up, and the missing panel had reappeared as if by magic. I still can't figure out how they did it. Besides her regular clientele, Irene has a long list of New York and California designers clamoring for her services. If Karl Lagerfeld or Galliano ever heard about her, I'm sure that she would be in Paris and we'd never see her again. In addition to being so proficient, she is also extremely modest. She has done restoration work for museum exhibits including Chanel and Schiaparelli ... Read more

This tailor is fantastic. Everyone I came in contact with, including the extremely talented seamstress who ended up doing the work on my dress, was friendly, competent and - most importantly - very skilled! I walked in without an appointment and was promptly helped. They have a trained eye and really know their trade. The alterations I needed were rather tricky (I wanted to add sleeves to a sleeveless evening dress) and required quite a bit of skill and vision. In the end, my dress looked as though the sleeves had always been a part of the design. The service was impeccable, the alteration exceptional and the entire experience a pleasure! And the price was extremely fair.

Irene and her team are amazing! They make the impossible, possible...couture, vintage, favorite designer pieces...whatever you bring them, they fix, alter, repair for a fair and very reasonable price!! I trust them 100% and have never been disappointed. You sense their passion for what they do and their respect and admiration for the clothes they touch. Excellent advise, creative, professional and super friendly!!

I have to say after being highly recommended by my 2 favortie vintage dealers, I started to take my beloved items to Irene and her team. I have been going there for over a year, and I will only take my precious clothing only to Irene and her staff. I do not want anyone else to touch, yet alone work on my clothing. I have to say their friendliness, professionalism and their quality of work is by far a hidden treasure in NYC. I trust Irene and her team with my most precious expensive pieces, from Chanel, Pucci, vintage gowns, to the most complicated couture pieces that need altering. Whenver I need my clothes back how ever soon, Irene makes it happen. Irene has become a dear friend, a beloved seamstress and a magician in her work. She is an absolute GEM...rare to find!!!!

I took my wedding gown and my fiancee's linen suit here to be altered. My dress was a relatively simple a line silk shantung dress that needed to come in significantly in the bust and be hemmed 6 inches. I also wanted removable straps made so that later in the evening I could stop worrying about the strapless top. The dress fits perfectly now and the owner made very clever little straps that are easy to remove and do not disrupt the lines of the dress when they are not attached. The suit also came out beautifully. It is a linen Brooks brother's suit, but my fiancee had lost about 15 pounds since we bought it so the pants needed some serious help. The length and waist were adjusted beautifully and the lining in the pants was adjusted as well. Lastly, the shirt that goes with the suit was altered to fit perfectly. I called a few days before they were due to be finished and was told they would be ready. I was very pleased. Note: they do not take credit cards, but were more than ... Read more

Since moving to New York I have tried several different places to alter my clothes and this place is by far THE BEST!!!! Irene is a sweetheart and she REALLY knows how to fit garments well. I would not trust my clothes to anyone else now that I have discovered them and recommend them to anyone. I do know that one of the employees sadly became very ill- so I imagine that it was during that time the unhappy reviewer called and is now writing about. This place is a gem and I am now using them for all of my clothes as well as my wedding garments!

I'm not sure if I agree with the review below, only because there was a short interval of time when one of the employees was very sick and she may have been a bit off from her usual self, so I'd apologize for that person's experience, but I know that I go there with anything I need altered, from my wedding dress that I had done, to regular clothes that need to be fitted. They have great service, the friendliest owner, Irene, and everything is done on time and in the highest quality. I recommend this place to anyone who wants a good price and a job well done!

Hello, my name is Irene and I am the owner of Silhouettes and Profiles. I heard that there have been some negative reviews about my company and I'd like to offer an apology and an explanation for it. The manager of Silhouettes and Profiles had found out that they were very sick and before taking a leave of absence, was somewhat discourteous with the customers. I'd like to apologize for this and let all new and old customers know that with the manager's leave of absence, I assure all customer service and work to be attentive, considerate, and on time. Please visit us and we promise you, you won't be disappointed. -Irene

I saw this had great reviews on citysearch, including an editorial award, so I brought my bridesmaid dress here to get some minor tailoring done. I called a week before the wedding to confirm the alterations were being done, and was told she was too busy to check on my dress. I called back again that day and she coldly informed me that they would not be able to get the alterations done in time, despite assuring me from the outset that the time period was fine. Now I am scrambling to get alterations!! I am sure they do wonderful work, but if your item is time-sensitive, don't get stuck like me. :(

Tailoring services include alterations and repairs, vintage, antique and handbag restoration, custom-made clothing and more.