Help me find a Baptismal Gown for my son.

May 3, 2013 7:18 AM

Back in 2009 my wife and I found this store located in the shopping arcades surrounding the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostella. My wife loved loved loved the baby clothes, especially the baptismal gowns. I'd love to find a place with items like this in the US, preferably NYC.

Alternately If there are places that carry similar things in Madrid or Barcelona I can quite easily get someone whose taste I trust to go shopping for us in July.

posted by JPD to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

Response by poster: If it isn't clear from the website - most of the stuff is very delicate lace and linen with little bits of shantung. Most of the stuff in the US is Satin and a little gaudy for her.
posted by JPD at 7:21 AM on May 3, 2013

I'd go on Etsy, you can commission a gown or just search for someone who makes them. This kind of thing is typically homemade and can be a family keepsake.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:23 AM on May 3, 2013

Response by poster: I looked on Etsy last night, because I anticipated that would be the first response here. I searched for Baptismal clothes and really didn't find much. Is there a better search string?

I was quite confused why there was such a budding business in upsizing them to fit 8 year olds though...a wiki search solved that.
posted by JPD at 8:10 AM on May 3, 2013

When we were looking for our daughters outfit so many gowns were just frilly satin and chintz-bombs. Try Janet at Embroidered heirlooms on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/embroideredheirlooms
We ordered a gown from her with a matching blanket and it was perfectly made. I thought the prices were good too, for something which will be a family heirloom.
Try searching 'christening gowns' rather than baptismal gowns too, you might get better luck.
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 8:46 AM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Bambini Anichini?

Searching for "Italian linen christening dress" or "Florentine linen" might yield good results. I know Anichini is a fairly common Florentine surname and I believe it refers to a particularly linenmaker, but I think it may be used in the U.S. as a generic for a type of Italian linen baby clothes. My mother has a number of things she bought for me & my sister which are absolutely gorgeous and even the ones which are not "christening gowns" might be beautiful enough to do the trick
posted by crush-onastick at 9:05 AM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

You can find a vintage or antique christening gown on test pretty reasonably-- just search the vintage section. They should be closer to the style you want-- perhaps an Edwardian one?
posted by nonasuch at 9:47 AM on May 3, 2013

Lillian's Heirlooms has some beautiful gowns; they look like works of art and are just as expensive!
posted by JujuB at 10:44 AM on May 3, 2013

Feltman Brothers also makes beautiful gowns and clothes for infants. Check the high end department stores in your area.
posted by JujuB at 10:54 AM on May 3, 2013

Looks like "christening gown" gets a lot of hits on etsy. Not sure if those are what you're looking for (it's all over the place in terms of quality and taste) but there are definitely a lot of options in both the handmade and vintage sections.
posted by mskyle at 1:29 PM on May 3, 2013

Also, I realize it's not clear from my response: Bambini Anichini has a NYC location:
D&D Building | 979 Third Ave, Suite 923 New York, NY 10022 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
posted by crush-onastick at 3:11 PM on May 3, 2013