SINCE 1953
Artisans Dedicated to the Cleaning, Repair & Restoration of Couture Garments, Vintage Textiles & Memorabilia
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Vintage, Heirloom & Couture Restoration Services MUSEUM-GRADE CLEANING & RESTORATION EXCELLENCE Institutional Expertise & Museum Partnerships
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or decades, Margaret’s has partnered with prestigious museums and institutional collections to provide exceptional conservation and restoration services. Our team understands the unique requirements of museum environments, collection management protocols, and the ethical considerations inherent in cultural preservation. Our conservation philosophy prioritizes reversibility, minimal intervention, and thorough documentation. These principles have earned the trust of curators and conservators at leading institutions nationwide.
Conservation Approach At Margaret’s, we adhere to the highest standards of conservation ethics: • • • • •
Minimally Invasive Methodology: We employ the least invasive treatments possible to maintain integrity and authenticity Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed condition reports, treatment proposals, and post-treatment documentation Reversible Techniques: Our interventions prioritize future retreat ability when possible Scientific Analysis: Materials identification and condition assessment using spectroscopic and microscopic examination Preventive Conservation: Guidance on environmental controls, housing, and exhibition best practices
Specialized Textile Services As featured in “A Collector’s Curiosity and Challenges” published in Private Air Magazine (interview with costume collector Norman Tipton), our textile conservation department specializes in: • Historic costumes and couture garments • Tapestries and ceremonial textiles • Ethnographic and archaeological textile fragments “A Collector’s Curiosity • Contemporary fiber art and Challenges”
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VINTAGE RESTORATION SERVICES TO DISCERNING CUSTOMERS, MUSEUMS, COLLECTORS & FOUNDATIONS NATIONWIDE
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argaret’s is a family-run company spanning seven decades. The Horst family has owned and operated dry cleaning establishments for four generations. Since it is privately-owned and financially independent, the company takes a long-term vision and strategy for its brands, with an ethos of attention to detail in all aspects of its business.
handbags. We regularly remove stains, water damage, and mold, and even repair moth holes when others do not have the techniques needed to achieve the desired results. In addition, we provide complimentary analysis and consultation nationwide regarding unusual issues that can occur and provide expert recommendations on the best solutions.
As the nation’s first Five Star Certified Couture Cleaner, our guiding principle is to provide unparalleled quality dry cleaning with an uncompromising commitment to offering every customer the highest standards of outstanding service, experience and value.
This enables us to offer additional services as well as providing a reliable cleaning and repair service for all types of highend and specialty garments and accessories. We can often “rescue” garments that were accidentally damaged during a typical cleaning process. Margaret’s specialties include extensive repairs, refinishing and restoration of costumes and vintage garments.
Margaret’s caters to garment retailers, museums, and customers nationwide. We specialize in restoring damaged garments, leathers, fabrics, textiles and
Awards & Accolades • • • • •
Design Excellence Award in the Sustainability Category, from the Accessories Council 2024 Retail Textile Cleaning USA, CINET 2024 Country Award GBPA, CINET 2024 Award of Excellence, Drycleaning & Laundry Institute Best Plant Design, Nationwide Award from Drycleaning & Laundry Institute
NOTE: Brand Logos in this book are used for illustrative purposes only and do not signify an endorsement by nor an affiliation with any of the brands listed.
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HER ICONIC COCKTAIL DRESS A Cleaning, Restoration & Conservation Auction Collaboration
& THE DRESS: The Dress for Marilyn Monroe, Designed by Jean Louis
HISTORY:
Worn by Marilyn Monroe at a Press Conference to Promote The Misfits (1960). DESIGNER: Academy Award-Winning Designer, Jean Louis VALUE: Auction $65,000 Signature Logo Credit: Pinterest/PngFind 4
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Jean Louis Designer Label
FILM:
The Misfits was Monroe’s last completed film with Clark Gable & Montgomery Clift. The dress was worn at a promotional Press Conference for the film.
DESIGN: Cream/beige silk jersey with hand-painted watercolor pattern DETAILS: Circular rippling motifs in magenta, green, and brown AUTHENTICATION: Original Jean Louis label with “#2 MM” notation THE REQUEST: Margaret’s team was asked to remove extensive staining and restore the dress to its near-original condition.
PARTNERSHIP EXCELLENCE Margaret’s & Julien’s Auctions Collaboration WHY IT MATTERS: • Sets standard for auction house-conservator partnerships • Ensures proper care of culturally significant garments • Preserves Hollywood heritage for collectors
Marilyn Monroe & Clark Gable at a Press Conference for The Misfits (1960)
“Proper conservation is essential to preserving the legacy of Hollywood’s classic costumes and garments.” margarets.com • (866) 454-2375
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex, 1939 Starring Bette Davis
Note the trim shape of the actress...over the intervening years someone had added inches to the size using trims to enlarge the garment. Our primary goal was to repair rips and restore the costume’s original size.
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex, 1939 Starring Bette Davis
After Restoration
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From New York, New York 1977 Starring Liza Minnelli & Robert De Niro, Director Martin Scorsese Liza’s Emerald Green Evening Dress with Draped Skirt. Badly Stained with Damaged Sequined Embroidery
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From New York, New York 1977 Starring Liza Minnelli & Robert De Niro, Director Martin Scorsese
After Restoration Stain Free & Embroidery Repaired
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From The Crusades, 1935 Starring Loretta Young, Directed by Cecil B. DeMille
Before – Hundreds of seed pearls in several places on the gown were missing. In addition, the fur trim of the cape had been lost.
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VINTAGE COSTUMES From The Crusades 1935 Starring Loretta Young, Directed by Cecil B. DeMille After Restoration The seed pearls were meticulously replaced and fur trim was partially recreated due to lack of materials. The restored gown approaches the design intended by Travis Banton, one of the most sought-after Hollywood costume designers of the era.
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VINTAGE GARMENTS AND UNIFORMS Vintage Nurse Uniform
Before
After
A Collection of Revolutionary War Uniforms — Cleaned & Preserved
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VINTAGE AND HEIRLOOM APPAREL Restoration of a Vintage Christening Gown
Before
After
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VINTAGE AND HEIRLOOM APPAREL Native American Garment
Before
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After
VINTAGE AND HEIRLOOM APPAREL Cleaning and Restoration of an Ornate Religious Crown.
The gold/tan fabric is elaborately embroidered with religious symbols, including crosses and decorative leaf or branch patterns, which required delicate, least invasive treatments to maintain integrity and authenticity. It has the distinctive rounded dome shape characteristic of headwear, and the embroidery technique and pattern arrangements suggest that it’s a historical or ceremonial piece. The style and craftsmanship suggest that it has significant religious and cultural importance, perhaps an Orthodox Priest’s Crown.
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VINTAGE HANDBAG Before
After
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BURN DAMAGED HANDBAG
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WATER DAMAGE
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VINTAGE ROSENFELD RESTORATION
VINTAGE VASSAR CLUTCH
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VINTAGE PRADA HANDBAG Before
Replaced handles on a vintage Prada.
After
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CHILDREN’S SHOES
Before After
VINTAGE BRIEFCASE
Before
After
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LEATHER RESTORATION SERVICES
our leather and suede treasures deserve the same meticulous care given to museum pieces. Whether it’s a vintage designer handbag, heirloom furniture, rare books, or cherished family artifacts, Margaret’s Museum-Grade Leather and Suede Conservation Service provides the specialized preservation your valuable items need. We understand that your collection represents more than monetary value—these pieces hold personal history, memories, and irreplaceable significance. Our expert conservators can restore and preserve everything from antique leather-bound volumes and vintage accessories to family heirlooms and collectibles passed down through generations.
Our Personal Collection Care Service maintains your leather treasures with gentle hand cleaning, conditioning, and stabilization techniques that protect their integrity while preserving their character. For items requiring more extensive work, our Complete Restoration Service offers thorough cleaning, careful color restoration, professional conditioning, and archival-grade treatments that can bring even severely deteriorated pieces back to life. Every item receives the same institutional-quality care, and we return your restored pieces in custom archival storage containers with proper humidity control— ensuring your collection remains protected for years to come. Because your treasures deserve nothing less than museum-quality preservation.
After
Before
Arrived smelling of mold & mildew. 22
Vintage Saddle sore? Time for a Clean & Refresh!
VINTAGE TIFFANY TRAVEL CLOCK Befores
Afters
VINTAGE TRAVEL MIRROR
Before After
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VINTAGE LUGGAGE & JACKET REPAIR Befores
VINTAGE CASHMERE JACKET REPAIR
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Afters
VINTAGE DOLLS Before
We pay attention to the details of those things we remember best.
After
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VINTAGE LACE RESTORATION
HOUSEHOLDS & RUGS Before
14’ x 17’ Hand Woven Area Rug
After
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SMOKE & ODOR RESTORATION
S
moke and odor restoration of couture garments and accessories is a Margaret’s specialty. Not all restoration jobs are the same. Garment damage that occurs during and after a fire, for example, requires a wide variety of expertise and a diverse range of technologies and equipment. The type of treatment best suited for any single item is influenced by many factors including the fire temperature, the presence of food, plastic, chemical odors and the amount of moisture exposure. Margaret’s Restoration Service has the nation’s broadest spectrum of cleaning and remediation technologies. In addition specialized experts on staff understand what is needed to assure the best possible results for fine textiles of all types, including leather and suede, window treatments, handbags, shoes, vintage dolls and all fine clothing and accessories.
100-year-old Fire-Damaged Doll Restored
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100-YEAR-OLD GARNET LAMP
Garnets from Lamp, before and after
“Clear” beads from Lamp, before and after The lamp was completely dismantled, and missing and broken beads were replaced. It was then carefully reconstructed with a similar bead pattern using the newly cleaned garnets and clear beads.
BELOW: the Restored Vintage Lamp
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SMOKE • ODOR • INSECTS Mold & Mildew on a Leather Jacket
Before
After
After
Smoke Damage to an Italian Casmere Sweater Moth Damaged Knit
Before
After
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CLEAN BY MAIL® WORLDWIDE
D
on’t trust your treasured articles to an unproven dry cleaner or shoe repair shop. Margaret’s worldwide CleanByMail® service cleans and/or repairs your handbags, ties, leathers, suedes, sweaters, knits, and even preserves wedding gowns, easily and safely no matter where you live. We’ve developed custom shipping boxes and carefully package each garment properly for protection. In addition, you can submit an estimate request on our website (along with photos of your item) as well as obtain a CleanByMail® request form to accompany your order. Video consultations for advice are available with one of our expert technicians. If your home or business is located outside our Southern California pickup and delivery areas, you can now ship items to our CleanByMail® service using UPS. This provides a convenient way to send cleaning or repairs to us. With over 4,900 UPS Store® locations, professional couture garment care has never been easier. It’s like having 4,900 Margaret’s drop off locations. Return shipments will come directly to you. Submit an Estimate Request 30
Visit Our CleanByMail Page for Details.
MUSEUM-GRADE STORAGE & CARE
S
ince preserving historical textiles and valuable collections require specialized environments, Margaret’s offers dedicated archival storage facilities specifically designed for museums and serious collectors. Our climate-controlled repositories can accommodate collections of any size and scope, including individual garments and textile artifacts.
Climate & Humidity Controlled Archival Storage Facilities
Our museum-standard positive pressure environmental control systems ensure artifacts remain contamination-free, with precise humidity and temperature regulation tailored to textile conservation requirements.
Multiple Cleaning Technologies focus on what the best plan is for a specific garment.
All facilities feature: • Archival-quality storage methods meeting institutional standards • UV-filtered lighting systems to prevent color degradation • Monitored security systems with 24-hour surveillance • State-of-the-art fire suppression technology designed for irreplaceable collections
Multi-Spectrum inspections check for special cleaning issues
• Comprehensive documentation and cataloging services For institutions undergoing renovation, collection transfers, or specialized conservation projects, our facilities provide the secure, controlled environment necessary for long-term preservation of historically significant and high-value textile collections. margarets.com • (866) 454-2375
Vapor Treatments include Hydroxyl, Ozone & Vaportec. Facilities are available for all types of items.
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SINCE 1953
MARGARET’S LOCATIONS SAN DIEGO HEADQUARTERS NATIONWIDE CleanByMail 5150 Convoy Street San Diego, CA 92111
LA JOLLA
NEWPORT BEACH
LOS ANGELES
DEL MAR/RANCHO SANTA FE
7511 La Jolla Blvd. La Jolla, CA 92037
2272 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064
1831 Westcliff Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660
3790 Via De La Valle, #213 Del Mar, CA 92014
NEW YORK & NATIONWIDE
Katia Graytok, CMO Contact for Media, PR & Communications 732.208.8185 • katiag@margarets.com
May 2026
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margarets.com • 866.454.2375 General Inquiries: info@margarets.com