Not long after I featured eShakti.com in this post, I was contacted by someone from the company who asked if I would like to review one of their garments free of charge, so I picked out a mock two-piece dress that I felt would work for a number of occasions. eShakti.com lets you customize items to your specifications (if you choose), so I provided measurements for the bust and waist, as well as a custom adjustment for the neckline. Not to nitpick, but I'm pretty sure I inputted "wide scoop" for the neckline, yet the dress appears to have a "regular scoop." I'm sure I could have resolved this with the company but I liked how it came out, so I didn't bother.
I can't find the item on their site anymore so I think it must be out of stock, but it was $69.95, a reasonable price. However I think the fabric quality warrants a slightly lower price, maybe $50 would be more appropriate. The skirt drapes beautifully but feels and looks like bathing suit material. The top is a substantial cotton blend, holds it's shape nicely, arrived wrinkled but just needed to be steamed a bit to get it back in shape. Overall, this is a sophisticated dress, it fits well and I can see myself wearing it for various occasions, dressed up or down. I would definitely consider ordering from eShakti again based on the level of service and the wide selection of unique dresses you simply won't find anywhere else for the price. I should note that I picked out a relatively plain dress that suits my personal aesthetic but they have a lot of gorgeous prints and vibrant colors, too, so give it a look!
1. Did the website list the fabrics used? Was it a surprise that the skirt felt like bathing suit material or did they explain that in the description?
2. Also, did they fulfill their promise of "orders filled in 3 days?" That definitely sounds too good to be true, if they are really customizing each piece (though it sounds like they might not have taken too much care with customizing your neckline).
3. Do you know anything about their labor practices, i.e., are they paying their "customizers" a fair wage? It is great that they are providing such close service to their customers, but it makes me wonder at whose expense?
Thanks for doin' the research for us!
2. Regarding their shipping policy, I found this on their site: "Now, we ship in 3 business days. Yes, even custom clothes ship in 3 days. And the transit time from us to the customer is typically 4 days. So in 7 business days or less the customer gets to wear what she has ordered from us."
Having said that, I placed my order on a Monday and received my package that Thursday.
3. I'll see what I can find on this matter.
"We make in India. Our clothes are not mass produced but are individually. Our work environment is the same across all the job levels in the company. Our salaries are among the highest and we attract amazingly talented people who take ownership for eShakti. We also do not employ child labor."
Hope this helps. I got the impression that they were very willing and ready to answer any and all questions, a good sign imo.