Authenticity Guarantee Policy

In this article: What authenticity means here · How we verify · Category by category · The words we use · Making a claim

Every piece on this platform is guaranteed to be what its listing says it is: made by the named maker, in the stated technique, from the stated materials, in the stated place and period. If a piece is found to differ materially from these attributes, you receive a full refund — with a full year from delivery to raise the concern.

What authenticity means here

Authenticity in heritage fashion is a claim about hands, materials, and origin. A listing on this platform guarantees, where stated:

  1. The maker — the named artisan, atelier, cooperative, designer, or author
  2. The technique — hand embroidery, handloom weaving, natural dyeing, hand-finishing
  3. The materials — linen, hemp, cotton, silk, wool, metallic thread, natural dyes
  4. The origin — the region or village of making
  5. The period — for vintage and antique pieces, the approximate era, stated honestly
How we verify

Every piece passes through the curator's hands before it is listed. Verification draws on thirteen years of daily work with these textiles: direct relationships with the makers and cooperatives; physical examination of stitch structure, weave, seams, and reverse side — where hand and machine tell themselves apart; comparison against documented regional typologies and museum references; and, for significant vintage pieces, consultation with independent specialists in Romanian and Eastern European textiles. Provenance is recorded at acquisition, from the maker or the previous owner.

Category by category

The Romanian blouse — ia, cămașa cu altiță

The blouse with altiță was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022 — and it is the most imitated garment in this market. Our guarantee for each ie covers: hand embroidery where stated (stitch by stitch, needle and thread — machine embroidery, where it plays any role, is declared); the regional typology named on the listing (the composition of altiță, încreț, and râuri follows documented regional grammar, and we name the region only where the piece supports it); the cloth (handwoven or artisanal linen, hemp, cotton, or silk as stated); and, for vintage pieces, the approximate period. A contemporary Romanian embroidered blouse made in traditional technique is described as contemporary — never aged, never romanticized into an "antique."

The suman, the cojoc, and heritage outerwear

Heavy wool sumane, sheepskin cojoace, and shepherd vests are guaranteed for: the material (fulled wool cloth — dimie or pănură — sheepskin, natural fleece); the construction (hand-sewing, appliqué braiding — găitane — and decorative stitching as described); the region of origin; and the period. These garments were made to work outdoors for decades — honest wear consistent with age is described in the listing, photographed, and priced accordingly. Wear consistent with the stated age is a document of the piece's life; damage concealed from the listing is a claim we honor.

Designer pieces

Contemporary designer work carries the designer's own authenticity. Each designer piece is guaranteed to be: an authentic work of the named label, sourced directly from the designer or their studio — this platform carries pieces from the maker's hands, never resale of unverified stock; the stated edition (where a piece belongs to a numbered or limited series, the listing says which); and made as described — the same standards of technique and material apply to a contemporary studio as to a village atelier.

Author pieces — one of a kind

Pieces created as single works by a named artisan or artist are the heart of the house. Each is guaranteed to be: the work of the named author; unique — one made, one sold, with the piece entering our permanent Archive once acquired; and documented — photographed and catalogued by the house at listing. Where the author signs, numbers, or marks the work, the listing records it.

The words we use

Our listings use a fixed vocabulary, and each term is a commitment:

  1. Hand-embroidered — every stitch by hand. Without exception.
  2. Handwoven — cloth made on a manual loom.
  3. Hand-finished — construction may involve machine seams; visible decorative work is by hand, as specified.
  4. Machine-assisted — machine technique plays a stated, supporting role.
  5. Vintage — a piece over 20 years old.
  6. Antique — a piece over 100 years old.
  7. Circa — our best dating, within roughly a decade, based on typology and provenance.
  8. One of a kind— a single existing piece. When it sells, it is gone.
  9. Made to order — crafted for you after purchase, in the stated timeframe.
  10. In the style of / inspired by — a contemporary piece drawing on a tradition or a design, guaranteed as contemporary work, never as the original.

A listing without one of these terms makes no claim to it — a blouse described without "hand-embroidered" is machine-embroidered, and its price says so.

Making a claim

If you believe a piece differs from its guaranteed attributes, write to us at [email] within one year of delivery, with photographs and your order number. The claim follows our Money-Back Guarantee process: first response within one business day, review with the maker and — where warranted — an independent textile specialist, and, where the claim is upheld, a full refund of the price and all shipping, plus the reasonable cost of an expert opinion where we requested one.

This Guarantee is provided in addition to, and without limiting, your statutory rights under EU and Romanian consumer law.

Still have a question? Write to us at office@blouseroumaine-shop.com