What do customers need to know about your business? What is your philosophy and mission?
We are a company with 16 years of experience in retail fashion and 30 years in wholesale fashion. In 2007, we bought a 15,000 sq. ft. facility in Greenville, South Carolina that provides 35 dressing rooms and special areas for each one of our departments.
We specialize in bridal, pageant and prom gowns and have the pleasure of dressing many beautiful brides and their bridal parties, pageant contestants, fashionable prom girls and prominent women.
Our bridal shop won the prestigious Diva Award for prom dress retailer of the year. We are also members of the Better Business Bureau and the Bridal Upstate Association.
Owner Dimitra Mandala’s experience comes from over 30 years of dressmaking. After graduating from design school, she worked in the Los Angeles fashion industry for such notables as Nolan Miller and Bob Mackie. She was then recruited by famous pageant designer Stephen Yearick in Greenville, SC. When Mr. Yearick relocated his headquarters to New York, Dimitra decided to open up her own salon.

What divisions do you carry?
We are a full service shop for special occasions and formal wear. Our divisions are bridal, wedding party, tuxedos, prom, pageant, quinceañeras, homecoming and short dresses, cotillion and debutantes, and other services.

Do you offer dress or gown registration?
Yes, we do. We register gowns in order to assure that we sell one style of dress per school, pageant or event.

Do you offer out-of-state shipping for non-local customers?
Yes, we can even ship international.

Do you have a web site? If so, can dresses be ordered online?
We have two web sites and they are e-commerce. DimitraDesigns.com is our main web site. Our customers can reach all of our lines, including Bridal, Special Occasion, Tuxedos, Accessories and Services (hair and make-up salon, alterations, wedding officiators, wedding invitations and wedding gown preservation).
We have such a large selection of prom dresses that we had to create an entire web site, DressProm.net, dedicated to a wide selection of prom dresses and prom accessories. The customers can search the dresses by designer, price, style (18 styles to peruse: Sexy, Plus Size, Fit & Flare, A-Line, Ball Gown, Mermaid, Hi-Lo, Short, Slinky, Straight, Gothic, Modest, Novelty, Print, Quinceanera, Tall, Celebrity and Two-Piece) and color (15 shades of colors: White, Black and White, Black, Silver, Neutral, Brown, Gold, Yellow, Pink, Red, Purple, Blue, Orange, Green and Multi Color).

What special services do you offer to allow your customers a convenient shopping experience?
Having it all under one roof.

Describe some of the custom and unique services that you offer to your clients.
Complete pageant preparation. Total wardrobe coordinating, coaching and modeling.

Which designers do you carry?
Jovani, Partytime Formals, Prima Donna, Precious Formals, Cire by Landa, Terani, Tony Bowls, Faviana, Alyce Designs, Tiffany Designs, Riva Designs, Moonlight, Nicole Batki, Mori Lee, Flirt by Maggie Sottero, Cassandra Stone, La Femme, Joli Prom, Wow! Prom, Me Prom!

Depending on age, is there really a big difference between a prom or pageant dress?
Yes. Prom girls do and can wear pageant gowns. The reverse does not work.

Based on what you’ve seen at recent markets, what new styles excite you?
Prints and textures.

What trends do you see becoming dominant in the coming year, and where do you see the industry heading?
Eventually all looks do come back with a new twist.

Why do you love what you do?
I have the fairy godmother syndrome!

Dimitra Designs
established 1992

303 N. Pleasantburg Drive
Greenville, SC 29607
Dimitra Mandala
dimitradesigns.com
864-467-0801