Karen Tierney at Studio Trousseau

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1036 Central Ave # A
Alameda, CA 94501

History

It all began with Vintage Dance. I studied dance history at Stanford and then was part of a performing group called Danse Libre. We were required to wear historically accurate 1850s ball gowns, so I began researching and studying original patterns. I made my own gowns, then others asked me to make theirs. At some point custom wedding gowns and alterations were added to my work. I went to Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles for a year to learn restoration and now I specialize in restoration of vintage wedding gowns and making custom corsets.

Specialties

13 years experience helping brides with Modern Gown Alterations, Vintage Wedding Gown Restoration & Re-sizing, Custom Wedding Gowns, Historic Costumes and Corsets. My particular specialty is working with and repairing lace. I also make custom gowns, veils and head pieces to go with your gown. Please find my Studio Trousseau page on Facebook to view more pictures. To contact me by email: ktierney13@yahoo.com I offer a free 30 minute consultation to discuss what needs or what you want to change about your gown. Always call ahead for an appointment. For custom gowns I need a minimum of 5 months and for alterations 2 to 3 months. While sometimes I do rush (less than a month) projects, I often can't do them because of my work load. My goal is to make this process the least stressful part of the wedding planning in a friendly, calm and personalized environment. Best wishes, Karen

Reviews

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4.551 reviews
Susan E.
8/23/2025

I fell in love with a 100 year old lace dress I found at the Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale. It was so beautiful, but had many holes and the lining was shredded. Karen meticulously repaired...

Eliza B.
3/10/2024

Karen did a truly excellent job doing some wedding alterations for us! Not only did she make some adjustments like letting out the pants and shortening my vest (not pictured), she also beautifully...

Victoria S.
2/6/2022

I came to Karen to make a dress from scratch. She makes very beautiful corsets, which was a big piece of my dress, however it was just too expensive for me to have made, so we decided that I would...

Photo of C. R.
C. R.
8/22/2012

I can't recommend Karen and Studio Trousseau highly enough! I purchased my lace mid-century wedding gown conditioned on finding a suitable restorer within a week. I took it to Karen for a...

Photo of Peggy C.
Peggy C.
7/17/2014

Karen is a sweetheart! Her studio is atop her gorgeous home in Alameda that my bridesmaid and I just fell in love with. From the moment we stepped in, I felt at ease and knew my dress would be in...

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