By Lisa Yates
The Times Editor Barbara DuBose owns and runs the The Perfect Fit, a highly
successful ladies' boutique for new designer clothing and
special orders. Haute couture devotees are unlikely to visit
any other designer boutique with such an informal and relaxed
atmosphere – anywhere.
“The way it works is, someone calls saying she needs certain
types of clothes, or a dress for a particular event,” she
said. “Then, we'll sit down together and look at sketches or
pictures of different designs.
“I have books with sketches and fabric samples in different
colors to look at - we work from there. For example, if a
customer finds a dress she likes, but she wants a different
collar. We can do that, because it is custom made and fitted
to her. We also get a lot of designer samples in the store and
do trunk shows.”
Arguably Southwest Louisiana's best-kept secret, the volume of regular customers speaks for itself - customers who come for
something special, or to browse at leisure through selections
of casual wear labels, such as Forty Grand, Ingenuity, DaRue,
and JSS Knitwear of New York, to name but a few. Handbags by
ALGO of Switzerland and La Neige are in stock, or can be
special-ordered.
The Perfect Fit has a large selection of evening wear
available, too, including full-length dresses, cocktail
dresses, jackets, tops, skirts and trousers. Labels include
ALGO of Switzerland, Vionie of Germany, Christian Weber of
Italy, Lourdes Chavez of California and David Hayes of
California.
“It's not too late to order for Mardi Gras,” DuBose said. “I
can have it ready in time. I do a lot of Mardi Gras orders,
especially for kings, queens, princesses and their parents.”
Her Mardi Gras gowns start at $850, but each design is unique
in color, fabric and fit, put together by highly-skilled
dressmakers whose wizardry makes the magic real!
“Nobody in town will have that same dress.” DuBoise said.
The magic begins with the fit, she said. “You can take a
$3,000 dress, but if it doesn't fit your body, it won't make
you look good,” DuBose said. “On the other hand, you can take
a $300 dress - fitted perfectly to the body - and it will look
great.”
Hence, the name of her business – The Perfect Fit.
The Perfect Fit also offers a selection of summer clothes and
swimwear suitable for winter cruises in warmer climates.
“I do a lot of cruise and resort wear, too,” DuBoise said. “In
fact, I have some in the back I am working on, now, for a
customer.”
Making designer labels more accessible to customers
Customers do not have to travel to Houston or New Orleans to
shop for fashion.
“I've noticed all throughout the years, people will say they
have to go out of town to shop, but they don't,” she said.
In fact, there are those in Houston modeling their businesses
after The Perfect Fit.
“Vendors tell me that we were one of the first in the nation
to establish a storefront like this,” DuBose said. “An agent
said there's now one in Houston and one in Florida.”
In this couture atelier, everything is finely crafted,
tailored and coordinated for the client – even those clients
with more modest budgets.
“Some people say, 'I can't afford you,'” DuBose said. “It
hurts me to hear people say that. I love people and want then
to be comfortable here.” She said, designers send in samples making designer labels
more accessible to customers in Southwest Louisiana.
“Our Ingenuity line is geared more towards the career girl,”
DuBose said. “The most expensive piece is $225.”
Another misconception she wanted to clear up was a mistake
appearing in the telephone directory. “We are NOT a resale shop,” DuBose said. “We are listed that
way in the phone book, but it's a mistake. I've been trying to
get that mistake cleared up for years.”
She said the store sells new merchandise only. An unusual
selection of jewelry is always available and changing with the
seasons, including Starfire jewelry by Charlie Wharton. Currently, the store is featuring a trunk show by David Hayes
of California.
From February onwards a large selection of wedding outfits is
available - suitable for the Mother-of-the-Bride, or guests.
References on where to get hats, shoes and bags to match are
provided.
“I have a fashion agent from Seattle,” DuBose said, revealing
her source. It's best to begin preparing in advance during the wedding
season, she said.
“We ask for at least three months,” DuBose said. “Of course,
we can get it done more quickly in some cases.” Before a dress is ordered and sent to the designer, the
client's measurements are taken.
“When the dress arrives, 95 percent of the time it arrives
fitting perfectly to the customer,” DuBose said. “If during
the fitting it requires adjustments, our seamstress, Edith
Lee, provides expert alterations.”
Jamie Scimemi is also a part of the team at The Perfect Fit.
“Jamie does the bookkeeping; and, she helps with everything,
including weddings,” DuBose said.
The shop owner also works with numerous models. “One of our models is modeling in Germany for Vionie, now,” DuBose said. “She is one of our 15 house models.”
These models participate in a style show each year to benefit
the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana.
At this year's show, DuBose modeled one of her original
designs – it's breathtaking!
A seamstress
She started in business as a seamstress. “I've always had a thing about clothes,” DuBose said.
She began sewing as a young girl on her mother's sewing
machine in Roberts Cove, La.
“My mother did all of the sewing for the family – I was one of
10 children,” DuBose said. “She didn't want us to touch her
sewing machine, but when she went out I would sew.”
She said she got caught every time!
Like her mother, she sewed for her own family – her husband,
Stephen DuBoise, and their five children. "I never worked (outside of the home) until my children were
grown,” Du Bose said.
In 1983, she went to work part-time for Mr. And Mrs. Maurice
Kleinman, who owned The Fashion.
“Mrs. Kleinman started me out in the dressing room,
introducing me to customers,” DuBose said. “I got to see how
she treated the customers. She kept me under her wing and I
began doing some designing on my own, at home. The major thing
I learned was customer service – that's the bottom line. You
have to bend over backwards for your customers. The customer
is always right.”
When the Kleinmans retired, Robert and Debbie Nolan bought The
Fashion. DuBose said she continued in their employment until
the store closed. Afterwards, she worked for Bill Lawton, who owned a retail
store called Mary William.
“I worked for him until he retired,” DuBose said. “I then
worked for his granddaughter, Marcie Duhon Harper, managing
her store - Mary Margaret - for seven years.” Throughout the years, customers encouraged DuBose to open her
own store.
“My customers kept encouraging me,” she said. “When I turned
65, I opened the store. On January 24, 2006, I had my first
trunk show – it was phenomenal. It's been a success story.”
For more information, call 433-5855, online at
www.perfectfitlc.com, or visit The Perfect Fit, 312 Pujo St.,
Lake Charles. Store hours are by appointment; or, 10 a.m. - 4
p.m., Mon. - Fri.
