“I completely trust J.Scheer & Co. to restore my finest gowns. They are unsurpassed in the art of gown preservation.”
Carolina Herrera
Proper care for modern and vintage couture should be as distinctive as the garment itself. The extraordinary combination of rare fibers, hand-applied embellishments, exquisite finishes, and masterful construction that defines couture demands an equally sophisticated approach to couture cleaning and conservation. At J. Scheer & Co., the premier conservation laboratory trusted by museums, couture houses, designers, collectors, and discerning private clients, our renowned expertise in museum-quality collection care is complemented by a profound appreciation for couture design and craftsmanship. Our conservators, whose training has been shaped by textile scientists and decades of collaboration with leading museum professionals, bring an archivist’s precision to every garment entrusted to our care. Through advanced conservation science, ongoing research, and relationships with the custodians of the world’s finest collections of 20th-century couture, we provide an unparalleled standard of couture garment care.
Each couture piece undergoes an exhaustive examination culminating in a comprehensive condition report and individualized treatment plan. More than simply cleaning couture clothing, our conservators stabilize weakened fibers, meticulously repair tears, reinforce vulnerable areas, and perform delicate conservation treatments designed to preserve both structural integrity and graceful drape. Every intervention is undertaken with the utmost respect for the artistry of the designer, the brilliance of the atelier, and the irreplaceable nature of the garment, ensuring your couture remains as luminous, pristine, and enduring as the day it was created.
Proper stewardship of couture, whether contemporary or vintage, protects both its beauty and its enduring value. Left untreated, even imperceptible soiling can gradually compromise delicate fibers and embellishments, making professional couture cleaning essential to the long-term preservation of these extraordinary textiles. Our decades of caring for iconic garments within prestigious museum collections, together with the confidence placed in us by distinguished private collectors, celebrated designers, and discerning clientele, have established J. Scheer & Co. as the trusted authority for the conservation and preservation of the world’s most exceptional attire.
Special Garments Have Special Needs
Every treatment begins with an extensive examination and meticulous documentation of your garment. We analyze fibers, textile structures, dyes, trims, embellishments, fastenings, and construction techniques while carefully recording existing conditions or areas requiring conservation. Advanced laboratory testing enables us to identify stains and contaminants with scientific precision, recognizing that every substance interacts differently with textile chemistry.
Using this comprehensive condition report as our guide, our conservators develop a highly specialized treatment plan for cleaning couture clothing and any necessary conservation. While traditional dry cleaning may be appropriate for certain textiles, it can be detrimental to many couture garments. The sumptuous array of luxurious fibers, delicate finishes, couture construction methods, and artisan embellishments found in these creations requires carefully formulated cleansing systems selected specifically for each object. Conventional dry-cleaning solvents may dissolve historic adhesives, weaken structural components, or discolor vintage plastics, beads, sequins, and decorative elements, while aqueous treatments may cause select fabrics or linings to shrink or distort.
Unlike neighborhood dry cleaners, whose methods are designed for everyday apparel, J. Scheer & Co.’s conservation laboratory is purpose-built for museum-caliber couture garment care. Equipped with both aqueous and organic solvent cleaning technologies, our laboratory allows us to safely address the unique needs of the most complex wearable textiles ever created. Through extensive testing, conservation science, and decades of specialized expertise, we make informed treatment decisions that minimize risk while preserving every detail of a garment’s original artistry. The result is couture cleaning performed to the highest archival standards that protects not only the garment’s exceptional beauty, but also its provenance, craftsmanship, and legacy for generations to come.