NEW TOUCHLESS TOUCHES AT SUDSIES
Our Protocols for Keeping Everyone Safe We miss seeing your smiles, but knowing that our team and clients are staying healthy is our new source of satisfaction. While we may not be able to be directly “here” for you, we want you to know that we are still “there” for you. Sudsies is still providing dry cleaning and laundry services, albeit with a few new contactless features with everyone’s well-being in mind. At Home Pickup & Delivery Our valets look forward to getting back to face-to-face, but in the meantime, it’s looking more like door-to-door service… or whatever your preferred spot may be. To keep newly cleaned items extra spiffy, we are providing door hooks for hanging. Simply hook over your door on the day of scheduled delivery and “poof!”, like magic, your garments will be waiting for you. For those in residential buildings, Sudsies is working with concierges and dropping off garments in a designated room or space. You can request to receive a text or other communication upon their arrival. Boutique Service At each of our four boutique storefronts, we have protective glass counter partitions (so we can still share our Smiles!). Our hooks are right next to the counter for a seamless, contactless transition of your garments. Even our hand sanitizer dispensers are touchless and are available throughout the boutiques. Curbside pickup is also available. Let us know when you plan to arrive by calling 305.864.3279 or texting 305.882.9992 and we will place your items on our outdoor racks for your convenience. Hands On About Hands-Free Each facility uses assembly technology that folds and bags your items with automated equipment, minimizing contact. In addition, our team members – from customer service, to tailors, to technicians – always wear masks and gloves for anything that requires personal attention. Please feel free to contact us anytime if you have questions about our new protocols or about our services, which still include dry cleaning, laundry, couture care, tailoring, restoration, linens, and more… Until then, we’re sending 🙂 🙂 🙂 your way! For more about Sudsies services, at any of our boutique locations, please visit sudsies.com.
NEW YEAR, MORE FRESH POSSIBILITIES
It’s a New Year, new decade, and new opportunity for Sudsies to best serve as South Florida’s favorite luxury dry cleaner. But first, with us being the sentimental kind and all, we wanted to briefly reflect on just how far we’ve come.
Suited For You
The Timeless Suit…Sudsies Shares Tips For Maintaining Its Longevity Imagine dressing for work in full coat tails, silk stockings, knee breaches, and all sorts of other fussy accessories (powdered wigs included). The early 1800s was fashioned just like that within the royal courts of England. You can thank influencer Beau Brummell for pioneering a sleeker take with simple jackets and full-length trousers. Though born into middle class status, Brummell’s high fashion sense impressed the nobles, including Prince-Soon-To-Be-King George IV, and was picked up across Europe and beyond throughout the British empire. The suit has continued to evolve in simplicity. Today, there are three main types: the everyday/professional suit, the fashion suit, and what Sudsies likes to call “The Superman Power Suit.” Price points vary, though note that higher-end labels lend themselves to a significant higher quality. This includes finer wools and other fabrics, but also stitching throughout the entire structure of the garment, as opposed to gluing select areas in place (a practice, unfortunately, found in many lower priced options). This fast fix glue approach tends to bubble and warp over time with wear and cleaning. Regardless of the occasion – or price point – each should be stored, handled, and cleaned with detailed attention. When hanging, be sure to leave space (about a hanger’s width) between each piece to avoid any awkward creases that comes with being smushed (it also makes locating select pieces much easier!). Unless you’re wearing your suit, hanging is how it should be maintained at all times…even when bringing it in to your cleaner. Simply drape your yellow Sudsies VIP bag over the hanger/s for your valet to pick up and he/she will ensure a safe transport to our boutique locations. While we return your freshly-cleaned items beautifully packaged, remove the plastic covering immediately before re-hanging. Not doing so can result in trapped moisture and eventual mildew. If you prefer covering, opt for a muslin garment bag that allows the fabric to breathe. How often you clean your suits varies. Any visible stains need to be treated right away, but also consider those invisible ones. Sweat and oils may not appear right away, but over time will oxidize, resulting in dingy yellow marks and even fabric breakdown. Similarly, odorous particles insidiously erode the material. If you attended a smoke-filled event or dined at a particularly aromatic restaurant, consider requesting a pickup the following day. Collared shirts and blouses require more consistent cleanings as they have direct contact with the body. Our cleaning technicians pay extra focus on the collar, cuffs, and underarm areas. How each suit gets cleaned depends on the specific garment. At Sudsies, we inspect each garment and proceed with the best technique based upon the materials, make, and any select areas needing specific attention. We are particularly adept at hand cleaning, which avoids completely submerging the garment in solutions, thereby helping to extend its structure and longevity. Considering Brummell also allegedly made “bathing daily” a trend, we’d like to think he’d appreciate our approach to wardrobe cleanliness too. “We work with Sudsies because they go above and beyond. When our clients request cleaning, pressing, or alterations right away, Jason and his team always figure out how to make it happen. Furthermore, their expertise is evident in the way they treat our merchandise. Sudsies understands luxury, both in garment care and customer service, which aligns with the overall experience Brioni is committed to providing our clientele.” – Vito DeGennaro, General Manager, Brioni Bal Harbour
DEALING WITH DESIGNERS
Why It’s Important To Pick The Right Dry Cleaner When It Comes To Your Luxury Wardrobe Items “Pssst, go for Gucci!…” “Yoo hoo, it’s YSL!…” “Over here for some Hermes!” Anyone who has walked by a high-end retailer or specialty department store display can almost certainly relate to the siren calls of these designers. Perhaps that’s why luxury apparel is the top-performing sector amongst the world’s 100 biggest brands, according to global brand consultancy Interbrand. Louis Vuitton and Chanel lead in brand value, while Gucci is cited as among the fastest-growing. Additional labels that fall into the report’s top fashion brands include Hermes, Dior, Burberry, and Prada. The look, feel and workmanship of designer items are undeniable, setting trends while retaining a timelessness. This level of quality and the way you feel wearing it; however, comes with a steep price tag. Such an investment warrants equally exclusive care, making dry cleaner selection an important choice. Not all cleaners have expertise in the proper care of luxury pieces. In fact, very few of them do. So, how can you tell the difference? “Ask questions,” says Sudsies President Jason Loeb. “Do they know what a hand-rolled hem on a scarf is and do they know how to protect it when pressing? Do they know how to hand clean? Do they have specialty equipment that accommodates high-end clothing? Do they offer wet cleaning capabilities… all of these options are necessary to be able to provide care that’s best for the individual garment.” In depth knowledge of fabrics, garment construction, and workmanship, coupled with the proper tools and techniques to care for an item is necessary to avoid exposing the article to complete submersion in solvent and harsh mechanical action. Gentler processes like hygienic steam disinfection, followed by hand-emphasis cleaning on key areas (ie underarms, collars, etc.) and treating stains relieve the stress imposed by commonplace cleaning practices. These time-consuming, yet minimal contact processes avoid wear on the delicate fabrics, hand stitching, and embellishments associated with many luxury wears. Loeb goes on to provide some tips on how to best help your luxury cleaner before bringing an item for care. “When purchasing a designer or custom-made piece, ask for a swatch of the material. We can use this to help us determine how exactly the fabric will react to select cleaning formulations and best make any adjustments if needed. This swatch can also come in handy if you ever experience any rips or tears. Our tailoring team can make a much more seamless repair if they have the original material. The same theory applies to securing any extra beading, thread, buttons, and all other unique embellishments as a safeguard in helping maintain the original integrity of the garment.” Furthermore, try and clean your garments upon wearing them. Loeb explains that while you might not be able to see any visible stains, the fabric is hosting perspiration, body oils, dead skin cells, and airborne contaminants, all of which micro-abrade fibers, oxidize over time, and even become aggravated with delayed cleaning. If you do know there is a stain, make sure to advise your cleaner what it is, so technicians can treat it with the most effective formula to counteract it. Although tempting, try not to remove a stain yourself, for then the technician will have to first remove whatever you used to fix it before actually getting to the original culprit. The sad truth is, that using the wrong pre-treatment could make the stain permanent, remove color, or damage the fibers. Sudsies is a preferred dry cleaner for luxury shopping areas, including Brickell City Centre, The Design District, Bal Harbour, and Lincoln Road. Sudsies’ reputation has become so renowned, that the cleaner receives items daily from clients around the world via its Sudsies Express mailing service. Locally, label lovers can enjoy complimentary pickup and delivery across Miami-Dade county, as well as Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Palm Beach, or visit one of Sudsies’ boutiques. More information about designer and couture services can be found at sudsies.com. Please dial 305.864.3279 or email [email protected] for any questions, concerns, restoration information, or specific queries and requests regarding your garments. https://youtu.be/1SoctNBXQ6Y?si=sjbY6TM3mz7nhkYi
