Delicate, Romantic Clothing with Timeless Appeal

When actress Melanie Griffith chose a gown to wear to the Hollywood premier of "The Mask of Zorro," she wore a Tabitha Thomas design.

"While Melanie Griffith was filming recently in New Orleans, she purchased two of Thomas' dresses from us. Tabitha has the best hand in making her dresses feel like an authentic piece," said Joe Parrino, owner of Fleur de Paris, a special occasion dress shop on Royal Street in the heart of New Orleans.

Ms. Thomas and her company, Astoria Designs, Inc., specialize in romantic evening and special occasion apparel created from fine fabrics of silk, cotton tulle and natural fibers.

Beyond the luxurious cut and fabric, Thomas' detailing is flawless. Each garment is detailed with exquisite trims, some beaded, others finished with Venice lace -- and later hand-dyed to achieve a stunning effect.

Outside of her celebrity client base, Thomas' designs have become the must-have pieces for sophisticated women who want romantic styling and superior workmanship with the finest fabrics. Her designs are often the choice for a wedding or bridesmaid dress.

Thomas has built a strong "buyer's" clientele who feel that her approach to clothing is not only timeless, but appealing to customers from Miami to Las Vegas to New Orleans.

While other design houses are pumping out clothes in tremendous numbers and commanding top prices, in Thomas' South Miami design studio, every piece is cut, sewn and finished one at a time. Her retail prices reflect the level of workmanship. "My customers don't want to be seen in the same off-the-rack that everyone else is wearing," said Ms. Thomas.

Tabitha Thomas is a native of Miami, Florida. She studied dance at the University of Miami before turning to design. She was intrigued by the costume side of the theater before devoting herself fully to the profession. "When I was in dance school I read a book called "From Feeling to Form." My designs evoke emotion and sensation and movement within the human body. I like to create a piece that makes someone feel sensual," Thomas said.