Hire terms & refunds
Last updated 7 September 2026
The short version: wear it, shine in it, send it home, and we handle the rest. The longer version is below, in plain English, so there are no surprises for either of us.
Your four-day hire
A hire runs for four days around your event. Your gown is delivered the day before, it is yours for the event day, and it goes home two days after. Delivery is free Australia-wide, and we need at least 4 days’ notice before your event to get it to you. Earlier is always better.
Every gown on the rail is a single, one-of-a-kind piece. When you book, your dates are locked and nobody else can take them, which is also why the timings below matter.
Booking and payment
The full hire price is paid when you book, by card on Stripe’s secure payment page, so your card details never touch our website. The price you see is the price you pay: it includes delivery and professional cleaning, and there are no card surcharges.
Looking after the gown
Wear it and enjoy it. That is what it is for. We only ask that you don’t wash, iron or alter it yourself, because cleaning is our job and it is already included in your hire. Little things like a loose thread, makeup at the neckline or the normal signs of a good night are expected and covered.
Damage or loss
If something happens, message us straight away. Most things are fixable, and telling us early gives us the best chance of fixing them before the next booking. Damage beyond fair wear (tears, burns, staining that won’t lift, missing parts) may be charged at the reasonable cost of repair. If a gown is lost or damaged beyond repair, we may charge up to its replacement value, less the hire fee you have already paid.
Late returns
Return day is two days after your event. We email you a reminder, and you send the gown back the way we arrange together. Each gown is often booked again for the following weekend, so a daily late fee may apply if it comes back late without a word, and if a late return costs another customer their booking, we may pass on that lost hire. If you just need a little more time, message us before return day. We are human, and we will always try to work something out.
Cancellations and refunds
- 14 days or more before your event: a full refund to your original payment method, or move your hire to a new date, whichever you prefer.
- Less than 14 days before your event: your dates have been held and other customers turned away, so the hire is no longer refundable.
- Once the gown has been dispatched: the hire has begun and can no longer be refunded or moved.
- If we have to cancel (say a gown comes back from an earlier hire damaged), you choose: a full refund straight away, or another gown from the rail with any price difference refunded.
Custom orders
A custom piece is not bought on the website. It starts with the enquiry form on the Custom-made tab: tell us what you have in mind, and we reply by email to agree the design, a fixed price and the timing. A deposit is then arranged directly with the studio before any fabric is cut, and your piece is typically ready within 2 weeks of the quote. The deposit is refundable until making begins. Once fabric is cut for a piece made to your measurements it can’t be resold, so from that point the deposit is not refundable. Faulty workmanship is always ours to put right.
Handbags
Handbags are purchases, not hires, so please choose carefully. We don’t offer refunds for change of mind. If a bag arrives faulty or not as described, contact us and we will make it right with a repair, replacement or refund, as the law provides.
Your rights
Nothing on this page limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded, and where that law gives you a remedy, whether for a faulty product or a service not delivered with due care, it applies alongside everything above.
Questions
Message the studio on Instagram at @dorc.as8852. For how we handle your details, see our privacy policy.