About us
Guava London was founded by Pearl Zepherin in 2012, because there was a great demand for technical expertise in garment development outside of the large established clothing companies.
Small to medium fashion companies were beginning to realise that by investing in technical skills, costs would be lowered, and profit margins increased in the medium to long term.
Graduating from London College of fashion in the 1980s, Pearl’s career experience has covered a broad spectrum from luxury companies to mid-market retailers.
This includes pattern cutting and being a toilist for high-end companies such as ‘Donald Campbell of Knightsbridge’ and Japanese designer ‘Yuki’, as well as working as Pattern room Manger at ‘AllSaints’, ‘River Island’ and ‘Laura Ashley’.
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Guava London employs highly skilled seamstresses and tailors, who have consistently worked for luxury companies such as Temperley and Peter Pilotto.
Guava London’s wide and varied experience enables the company to bring commerciality to pattern and sample, whilst maintaining a high- end finish.
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Can you communicate directly with the factory?Yes, with the client’s authorisation. This will also depend on the type of communication needed
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Do you offer Technical packs?Yes. Included in the technical pack would be garment measurements, construction comments and CAD line diagrams for development.
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Can you carry out quality control checks in the factory?Yes. The company can check on bulk production critical and minor faults for an added fee.
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How much do you charge for further fittings and amendments?The company charges half and full-day rate. Once a request has been received an estimate will be given.
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Does Guava London source fabrics?Although this is not a service offered, the company has an extensive fabric library and contacts built up over the years, so it is possible to recommend relevant suppliers.
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Can a sample be made by a pattern that has not been created by Guava London?No. This is because the company needs to control the quality from start of development. If the external pattern is not up to standard, this will affect the quality of work, and would not be cost-effective.
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Are there any product lines that cannot be sampled in your studio?Swimwear, Heavy weight leathers.
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How much do you charge per sample?The company charges per garment – based on an hourly rate. Once a request has been received an estimate will be given.
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Is the company able to produce’ made-to-order’ samples?Yes, however, the unit cost will be significantly higher than bulk production.
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Does the company manufacture bulk production?No. However, Guava London has close links with factories that can be recommended according to product.
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Does Guava London source fabrics?Although this is not a service offered, the company has an extensive fabric library and contacts built up over the years, so it is possible to recommend relevant suppliers.
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Why should I use your pattern-cutting services as opposed to a factory’s?Most factories specialise in manufacturing, and pattern cutting takes a secondary role. With Guava London, pattern cutting is the company’s primary service. Consequently, the pattern process is shortened by reducing repeat samples as the focus is to achieve the fit and look needed as early as possible, whilst retaining high standards.
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What will I receive upon completion of pattern?Pattern paper print-off, measurement specification with construction comments, toile, Gerber digital pattern format.
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Can you amend existing patterns created by another supplier?Generally, the company does not amend patterns that have been created by an external supplier. However, external patterns can be used as a reference point during development.
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Do you need a technical pack to start development?No. All that is needed is any media showing the look required. This includes mood boards, garments, inspirational images and sketches. An in-depth discussion with client would also be needed before development begins. CAD line diagrams can be created for development.
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Can you develop company garment blocks for development?Yes. The company can create technically correct blueprint blocks and measurement specifications which will encompass the unique fit of the company.
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How much do you charge per pattern?The company charges half and full-day rate. Once a request has been received an estimate will be given.
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How much do you charge per grade?The company charges a minimum of three sizes, depending on number of pattern pieces. Quotes can be sent upon request.
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Is it possible to amend graded patterns?This is possible but not cost-effective and should be seen as a last resort. Therefore, it is recommended that each garment size should be made up and checked before production begins