Garment Alert - Rachel Gilbert dress
This garment alert relates to a Rachel Gilbert black dress with large white bow – the Kace and Delihah styles.
The garment alert will be uploaded to the DIA website under Resources/Technical Information/ Garment Alerts
| Brand: |
Rachel Gilbert |
Style name/number: |
Kace dress |
| Care Label: |
August 2024 Gentle cleaning with hydrocarbon solvents Short cycle Low temperature September 2025 (taken from website) Spot clean only – No chemicals, steam only Soak and rinse in plain cold water only, no detergents Dot Not Clean with Petroleum or Hydrocarbon solvents Do Not Wash Do Not Wet Clean See sewn-in label for further care instructions |
Fabric Content: |
Shell: 97% polyester, 3% elastane Contrast: 50% polyester, 45% nylon, 5% elastane Lining: 100% polyester |
Images of care label August 2024:
Images of care label September 2025:
Image of dress after being cleaned in August 2024
The drycleaner cleaned the dress using a delicate program and chilled the solvent to >15 in a 1 bath wash cycle of hydrocarbon solvent, the dry control temperature was also limited to 50 degrees. It was noticed during the cleaning process that there was a visible colour run as it could be seen in the solvent whilst washing.
Image of dress with September 2025 care label and test spot done
The issue and what to look out for:
Two separate drycleaners — one in Sydney and one in Melbourne — have reported significant issues when attempting to clean a particular Rachel Gilbert dress, with incidents occurring approximately 12 months apart.
In the first case, the dress was cleaned in Sydney in August 2024. The care label at the time displayed an F symbol with one underline, indicating a recommendation for professional drycleaning with a mild process. The drycleaner followed this instruction, but severe dye bleeding was clearly visible at the start of the cleaning cycle.
Rachel Gilbert responded by offering a full refund to the customer, but denied responsibility, citing that another cleaner had successfully cleaned the same style without issue. One suggestion for the different outcomes, not suggested by Rachel Gilbert by the way, was that there were two different batches of fabric involved.
Since then, Rachel Gilbert has updated the care label for this dress style, acknowledging the challenges associated with cleaning it due to dye instability. Just recently, a Melbourne drycleaner was presented with the same dress, which was heavily stained with makeup and perspiration. Given prior experiences with Rachel Gilbert garments, the cleaner conducted a test patch using White Spirit and Triple 7 (see pictures above) but was unable to proceed with the cleaning.
We are aware of another drycleaner who has successfully spot-cleaned the dress in accordance with the updated care label. However, the specific methods used and the extent of staining in that case remain unknown.
Given the high risk of damage and the apparent instability of the dye, we advise that heavily stained versions of this dress may be effectively uncleanable. In the most recent case, the customer has opted to return the dress to Rachel Gilbert and request a refund.
Recommendations:
- Exercise extreme caution when accepting this dress for cleaning.
- Always conduct a thorough pre-cleaning assessment and communicate the risks clearly to the customer.
- Obtain a signed waiver form before proceeding with any cleaning.
If in doubt, please contact the DIA Technical Support Service for guidance before attempting to clean this garment.
Your diligence helps protect both your business and your customers. Please share this advisory with your team.