‘Ladies suits’ worth Rs 8,500 shrink after first wash, bridal boutique to pay Rs 35,500

3 min readNew DelhiJul 8, 2026 05:30 PM IST

The complainant said he purchased the ladies' suits ahead of a marriage function, but when the dresses were handwashed as instructed, they shrunk to one-third of the tailored fitting. (AI-generated image)

A consumer commission in Srinagar has held a bridal boutique liable for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice after two ‘ladies’ suits’ purchased for a family wedding allegedly shrank to nearly one-third their size after being handwashed as instructed. The commission directed the boutique to pay 35,500 as compensation and litigation costs.

President Dr Farah Deeba and member Shabnam Munshi found that the seller failed to address the customer’s grievance despite repeated requests. The panel was hearing the complaint filed by one Feroz Ahmad Bhat, who bought two ladies’ suits for his wife and daughter from a store called Paristan, The Bridal Lounge, in July 2022.

“Opposite party (bridal boutique) is held liable for not only being deficient in service but also for adopting unfair trade practice. It is also acknowledged that due to such acts of the opposite party, the complainant has suffered mental pain, agony, harassment and financial loss,” the July 1 order read.

The complainant claimed that he purchased the ladies’ suits ahead of a marriage function on July 21, 2022, for Rs 8,500 after the shop assured him of the quality and standard of the cloth material.

He said that after the purchase, his wife and daughter got the suits tailored to their size. However, it was alleged that when the dresses were handwashed as instructed by the boutique, they shrank to almost one-third of the tailored fitting due to the use of substandard cloth material and became unusable.

This forced him to approach the boutique seeking a refund but they ignored his requests. He then served a legal notice which was also ignored. Later, the boutique allegedly assured him over WhatsApp that his grievance would be resolved. However, nothing came of it, prompting him to move the consumer commission. Advocate Shahid Zameer represented the complainant in the matter.

‘Boutique gave low-quality products’

The commission found that despite having received the payment for the ladies’ suits, the boutique had provided a product of low quality. It also noted that the boutique did not choose to appear for the proceedings, nor file a written version of its side.

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The forum directed the bridal boutique to refund the Rs 8,500 cost of the ladies’ suits and pay Rs 25,000 compensation for mental pain, agony and harassment, along with Rs 2,000 as litigation charges to the complainant. The boutique is to comply with the order within 45 days.

Aim of consumer laws

The panel pointed out that the object of the Consumer Protection Act, 1987, is to provide better protection for the consumer’s interests. The Act aims to settle disputes quickly without the aggrieved consumer having to seek a remedy in the form of a regular civil suit.

The objective of the Act is to promote the welfare of society and enable consumers to participate directly in the market economy. For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states (Jammu and Kashmir Consumer Commission Helpline: 1800 180 7114) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.

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Richa Sahay is a Legal Correspondent for The Indian Express, where she focuses on simplifying the complexities of the Indian judicial system. A law postgraduate, she leverages her advanced legal education to bridge the gap between technical court rulings and public understanding, ensuring that readers stay informed about the rapidly evolving legal landscape.

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