By Whitney Vickers
FAIRBORN — Clothing is an expression of confidence — or at least that’s how fashion-lover and Mirabella Boutique Owner Barbi Dewitt feels.
She opened Mirabella in downtown Fairborn in August 2015 after moving to the community from a big city. She noticed that she had a more difficult time finding unique fashion items, so she was inspired to bring it to the area herself.
“[Mirabella offers] quality clothing you can’t find anywhere else,” Dewitt said. ” … I’m all about the fit and the quality. Pretty much everything in the shop is under $50, while our jeans are in the $60 [price range].”
She describes a boutique as a store that carries trendy women’s clothing and follows the six-piece rule, which means the business will only carry two small, medium and large pieces of each clothing item in the store. Mirabella follows this rule for its plus-size clothing as well.
Once the articles of clothing are gone, they are gone and not re-ordered. The boutique also offers accessories and shoes. She compares Mirabella prices to those a customer would find at a store such as American Eagle.
“I wanted to have practically-priced clothing that was [high] quality,” Dewitt said. “In a world full of Charlotte Russe and Forever 21, where you can’t wash stuff … we really shoot to provide clothes that you won’t find anywhere else … Fit and fabric are my two big things”
She attends fashion markets throughout the year and hand-picks each item sold in the store — most of which come from Los Angeles. Dewitt has always enjoyed putting outfits together, and she grew up in a military home and said she would not have been let out of the house showing an excessive amount of skin. The clothing at Mirabella reflects that by offering pieces that give coverage.
Upon making a purchase at Mirabella, Dewit creates a customer account for each individual. For each $250 the customer spends, Mirabella offers a $10 gift card.
Mirabella Eclano is a town in Italy and where the boutique got its name. However, since the business first opened its doors, Mirabella has also become a nickname for Dewitt. She describes the clothing as trendy and tasteful as she aims for customers to leave the store with an item that is of high quality and fits well.
“Everyone is welcome — every body type is welcome, every age is welcome,” Dewitt said. “I pride myself in having a store where a grandmother can shop with her granddaughter … I want everyone to feel really welcomed when they walk through the door, like it’s their hometown boutique with the quality and customer service you would have within a boutique that has $400 jeans. That’s what we aim to do.”
Mirabella Boutique is located at 14 E. Main St. and is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
