Debbie Rivet buys two made-to-order evening gowns from London designer Safiyaa, returns them both according to company policy, then watches her refund disappear into an 8-month black hole of ignored emails and disconnected phone calls. Can anyone get Safiyaa to answer?
Q: I placed two orders with Safiyaa, a high-end London designer of evening gowns, earlier this year. I ordered the same dress — the Serendipity Pale Blue Long Dress — in two sizes to see which fit better. Each dress cost $1,995, for a total of $3,990.
When the dresses arrived, I realized the fitted style just wasn't right for the occasion. I immediately requested a return authorization by emailing the company at the address listed on the company's website. I got no response. I tried multiple times. I also emailed another address. Nothing.
Finally, out of desperation, I reached out via Instagram. Someone from Safiyaa responded and provided a return authorization. I shipped both dresses back via FedEx and have the tracking receipts proving delivery.
Then I waited for my refund. And waited.
I sent multiple follow-up emails requesting my refund. No response. I tried calling, but the phone line goes straight to voicemail and disconnects before I can leave a message.
I filed a credit card dispute with Capital One. They initially issued a refund, but later reversed it, saying too much time had passed. I had been trying to give Safiyaa time to respond, and that patience cost me my chargeback rights.
It's been 8 months since I returned the dresses. I see Safiyaa advertisements daily on Facebook and Instagram, and I've noticed other customers commenting about similar customer service problems. I have FedEx receipts, email records, Instagram screenshots — a complete paper trail. But Safiyaa won't respond to any form of contact. Can you help me get my $3,990 refund? — Debbie Rivet, Rosedale, La.
A: Safiyaa should have processed your refund immediately after receiving the returned dresses.
According to the company's own explanation, you purchased the dresses under a return policy that allowed refunds. That policy was in effect when you made your purchase. The company confirmed both garments were received at its facility. At that point, Safiyaa had a legal and ethical obligation to issue your refund.
Made-to-order luxury goods come with special risks. These aren't items sitting on a shelf. They're custom-crafted for you. That's beautiful from a craftsmanship standpoint, but it often means strict return policies or no returns at all.
Here's what you could have done differently. First, excellent work keeping that paper trail! You documented every email, every Instagram message, every phone call attempt. That's exactly what smart consumers need to do.
However, there's one critical mistake: You let the window for your Capital One dispute close. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you must notify your credit card issuer in writing about a dispute within 60 days. Giving Safiyaa time meant you forfeited your right to a credit card chargeback.
The lesson? When a company is ghosting you and you have a valid chargeback, don't wait. Push it through.
You can also escalate disputes by contacting executive customer service. I publish executive contacts for thousands of companies on my consumer advocacy site at Elliott.org. Unfortunately, Safiyaa wasn't in my database before your case — this London-based made-to-order fashion house wasn't even on my radar.
My advocacy team contacted Safiyaa on your behalf.
"We can now confirm that both garments were received at our facility and that a full refund has been issued to Ms. Rivet's original payment method," a representative told us. "We sincerely regret the delay."
A company representative explained it recently overhauled its returns process after experiencing problems with worn garments being returned. While protecting the made-to-order business model is understandable, that's no excuse for ignoring a customer with a legitimate return for eight months.
Safiyaa also noted it now operates under a no-refunds model in the U.S., in line with industry standards for made-to-order fashion. But the company honored the policy that was in place when you made your purchase — which is exactly what it should have done.
Before ordering custom-made clothing, it's important to understand exactly what you're agreeing to. And if something goes wrong, document everything and don't let your credit card protection expire while waiting for a company that's clearly not responding.
Bottom line: Safiyaa issued your full $3,990 refund.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/