Review : Sophia's Fashion Ocean - Horrific Experience!

My first review, something I've always wanted to write about, something I never saw online before I did my mistake, something I want to stick up a HUGE banner of caution to everyone who reads this : Sophia's Fashion Ocean!

Very fancy name, oh yea! Fashion Ocean would seem like a really posh name for a boutique where you can get suits stitched. This place is more of a status quotient for ladies in Palakkad and wonder how! Name comes from the very owner of this boutique - Mrs.Sophia Kishore! Started off as a tiny li'l designer in the town, people were amazed with her designs and soon she flourished her business and sure took advantage of her talent, shot her rates sky high and became rich in no time! Yes, she is the one!

My Experience :

I had heard about all these from my friends. But then I thought it doesn't really matter to me and thought I'll try once! - My worst mistake!

So, it was my friend's wedding and my friend took me there. As we waited outside, we could see Ms.Sophia talking to one of her customers whom she was already attending to. A while later, the conversation turned into chaos and I saw this customer lady walking out talking to someone on the phone explaining that Sophia cheated with the bill. I regret not walking out with her that day!

I headed in and spoke to her and explained what kind of dress I was looking for. The moment she knew I'm an NRI, she looked all the more interested and starting bragging about how good she is.. Blah blah! C'mon lady! I need my dress stitched!!! I'm not here to listen to your non-sense!

I insisted that we start discussing about what I'm there for. She took out a pen and started drawing random popular designs of hers and I really did not like it. So, I drew and showed her what exactly I want. She did not find it too pleasing that I had a better idea and she finally agreed to do it. I asked her what the bill would come to, approx.. And she made a lot of fuss telling me not to ask her. She said she can't tell me unless the work is done. Hello!!! It's my dress and my money! I ought to know how much it would cost! After 15 mins of coaxing, she said it would cost approx eight thousand bucks! It was way too much for the simple design I asked her to work on. Well, anyway, I was in no mood to argue. She gave me cut out of cloth pieces and asked me to get all the cloth material that was needed - OH MY GOD! So, your bill is excluding all that? But I preferred to just keep shut!

The day came when she was supposed to deliver the dress and I called her that day but the dress was not ready. My friend's wedding in ten days and I had to get it asap to try it on and alter it if required. Called her the following days and they kept saying its not ready. After days of arguments and coaxing, they agreed to give me just a day before the function.

I went to collect the dress and I ended up waiting for over before they let me see my dress ,an hour talking to this snob lady, Sophia, listening to all her nonsense. She had on display an array of glittery cloth material and tried brain washing me to pick one for a salwar. I casually asked her how much it would cost and she said she charges FOUR THOUSAND RUPEES for a single simple salwar (with hardly any embroidery) !!!! Holy shit! And to my shock, the beed/thread work she had showed me from her archives were not really impressive.

An hour later, my dress arrived and I was excited to see. Sophia flung open the dress and I was literally SHOCKED!!!!!!! She had a whole different design done to my dress with all kinds of flashy colors in it. She kept saying that its the same design and made me try it on. I was so furious, it looked like a clown's costume from the 80's. She said the bill has come to a f****in TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND RUPEES!!! I knew this was the time to argue ! I said I cannot take this dress and this is not what I wanted. Plus, she had made a huge mess out of it. I mean, why would I even pay for her gloss extravagant experiments on my dress? We argued for an hour and Sophia was so not ready to accept her mistake. I took my dress, threw the money on her face (Yes, literally! ) and walked away. That's the least I could do. Sophia kept cursing me as I walked out !

I told the story to my neighbors and they laughed and said Sophia is known for this, said there has been instances when she has sent gundas to her customer's place to get the money  (Obviously when they refused to pay so much and take the dress. The customers would just leave the dress there and walk out without paying. Later I realized I should've done that). It seems people are scared of her to even complaint such instances. Man! This is one hell of a lady, like really! My friends and neighbors warned me not to go there , of course I won't!!!

My Final Verdict :

Sophia is unmistakably one of the cheapest women I've met! I would strongly recommend not to go to her unless you want to get your pockets ripped off, for horrible looking dresses that she offers! People should really come up with their experiences and take some strong action against her. Stop letting her make a fool out of everyone !

I don't have anything personal against her. This is a true experience that I'm sharing so the world knows!