National Gown Cleaners, LLC

07/30/2025

Dear Valued Clients and Friends,

After nearly a century of running our family business, it is with mixed emotions that we announce our retirement. We have cherished every moment of our work and are incredibly grateful for the trust and support you have given us over the years.

Despite months of searching for a new location after our insurance company canceled our coverage due to the specific liability requirements we needed, we were ultimately unable to secure the proper insurance to continue protecting our clients. This, along with the challenge of finding the right people to carry on the conservation aspect of our business, led us to make the difficult but necessary decision to close our doors and retire on a high note.

Christine, our company CEO, is now happily retired with her husband, Shawn, enjoying their two grandchildren. The rest of our team—many of whom dedicated over 45 years to our company—has also embraced this new chapter in life.

To all our past clients who entrusted us with your most precious heirlooms—from wedding gowns passed down through generations to museum collections and even rare and beautiful garments from royalty and celebrities—we are deeply honored to have been part of your stories. We also appreciate everyone who remained on our waiting list while we worked to relocate, and we thank you for your patience and loyalty.

While we will miss the work we loved so much, we are excited for this new journey in retirement. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of our legacy.

With gratitude and warmest wishes,
Christine Morrissey and the Team at National Gown Cleaners

01/16/2025

Always good to learn new tricks of the trade.

Book Review: Pigments of British Medieval Illuminators will be required reading for anyone with an interest in manuscript/book culture… It is a model of interdisciplinary collaboration led by two outstanding research groups who have produced a hugely valuable publication in an under-explored area and [whom] should be congratulated on bringing readers ‘closer to the sequence of individuals who prepared the inks and pigments and applied them to those pages. The names of these myriad workers are lost, for the most part, but their handiwork lives on, rich in information’.

“News in Conservation” Issue 105, December-January 2025, p. 46-48. https://issuu.pulse.ly/1tcz6ir9ie

Image credit: Book cover courtesy of Archetype.

01/12/2025

A little tip that anyone who washes clothes can use.

01/06/2025

What a great exhibit. Loved the collection. A must if you’re in Los Vegas.

12/10/2024

All our past NDA’s for the Royal Family have been shredded. A long history gone in a few minutes. What a ride it’s been.

12/03/2024

The long journey ....

Today, I was so honored to deliver a very special, very old italian linen set that I've had the privilege of working on over the years for. Dr. and Mrs. Gaudiani. They have been a client for many years, and it felt so perfect that they were one of the last clients I was able to personally provide my services for.
Their home is nothing short of extraordinary—with incredible views that just take your breath away. It's a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design, which just happens to be my favorite style of architecture. I’ve always had such a deep appreciation for the way those homes blend with their surroundings, and Mrs. Gaudiani was so kind to share some architectural insights with us including a personal tour of the property.

My husband Shawn J Morrissey and I were so grateful that Dr. Gaudiani dropped in to say hello while we were there. He is a very prestigious and well respected Thoracic and Cardiac Surgeon and over 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with my aneurysm in the aorta he offered me a second opinion. I was blessed that he took the time to see me and I will always be grateful to him.

It was an emotional moment, seeing this long-standing relationship come full circle as I was able to contribute one final piece to them. I will always be grateful for the trust they’ve placed in me over the years. -Chris

11/30/2024

The Journey of Removing the Red Wine Stain:

Initial Shock and Disappointment: When a red wine stain happens, especially on something like a gown, it's easy to feel panicked or disappointed. Red wine stains are notorious for being tough to get out. At first, it probably felt like a lost cause.

The Long Process: This job took a year to completely remove the stains. This involved a lot of trial and error—trying different methods, products, or techniques. We used multiple treatments over time, going at it slowly.

The Small Victories: Each little success, whether it was lightening the stain or seeing progress after a treatment, was a small victory, motivating us to keep going. It’s the kind of process that teaches you perseverance and the importance of not giving up.
The Final Reward: After all that time and effort, seeing the gown completely free of stains was an incredibly satisfying moment. It’s like the work was all worth it in the end. It’s not just about the gown being spotless, but about the effort and care we put into it over the course of the year.

The end result was not just about cleaning a fabric—it was about the pride that comes from doing something thoroughly and with dedication.

~Christine Morrissey

11/28/2024

Good memories of a family time.

11/13/2024

Finishing up some really great gowns before the holidays. Many are fantastic! Almost caught up!

11/11/2024

For all our freinds out there who need a reminder you are loved. - Christine

One of my favorite jams...

Lyrics
Could you be loved and be loved?
Could you be loved and be loved?
Don't let them fool ya
Or even try to school ya! Oh, no!
We've got a mind of our own
So go to hell if what you're thinking is not right!
Love would never leave us alone
Ay, in the darkness there must come out the light
Could you be loved and be loved?
Could you be loved, wo now, and be loved?
Love your brotherman
(Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
(Could you be, could you be loved?)
(Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
(Could you be, could you be loved?)
Don't let them change ya, oh
Or even rearrange ya
Oh, no
We've got a life to live
They say, "Only, only
Only the fittest of the fittest shall survive"
Stay alive, eh
Could you be loved and be loved?
Could you be loved, wo now, and be loved?
Say something (Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
(Could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something, say something
(Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something (Could you be, could you be loved?)

"Could You Be Loved" is a 1980 song by Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers. It was released as the first single from their twelfth and last album, Uprising (1980), and is also included on their greatest-hits album Legend (1984). It was written in 1979 on an aeroplane while The Wailers we...