Where to buy affordable fashion for Petites? Read an interview with the owner of the stylish Petite fashion brand DIIMA Apparel! On this Petite blog, we have had many interviews with different Petite brand owners, different locations, styles and price points. I am happy to see brands that offer lower-priced clothing so all the shorties around the world can look stylish! Most importantly, there are more and more brands selling fashion for Petites!

However, now let’s jump right into the interview. Please comment if there is a Petite brand or inspiring shortie that you want me to interview (or maybe it is you?) Let me know and let’s get to know each other! Last but not least, follow the blog for more fashion for Petites, shopping finds and self-esteem!

Interview with affordable fashion for Petites brand- DIIMA Apparel

Tell us about you! What is your name? Where are you from? What did you do before working on your Petite brand?

My name is Alana, and I’m from Los Angeles, California. I’ve worked in a variety of fields before deciding to create my petite clothing brand, including marketing. Marketing helped me tremendously in launching my own brand. I later transitioned into the healthcare field. I currently work as a registered nurse alongside working on my clothing brand.

How did you come up with the idea of creating the brand?

I always loved fashion, but didn’t think about creating my own clothing brand until relatively recently. I remember coming up with clothing and branding ideas while I was in nursing school. However, it took some encouragement from my partner and my dad to start turning my dreams into a reality.

How tall are you? I am 4’9! 🙂

I’m 5’2” 🙂 

Only a few years ago (and I am 32 now), I realized that I belong to the Petite category because I am curvy. I thought Petite means a very skinny woman. Was it your stereotype too and why do you think people think that?

I can see why some people may think the word “petite” correlates to being skinny. “Petite” correlates to being “small,” which can encompass different things to different people. However, it’s important to note that in the fashion industry, “petite” specifically refers to height (typically 5’4” and below). It has nothing to do with body shape, size, weight, or any other factors.

From a young age, I knew that “petite” specifically refers to height in the fashion industry, because I always knew I had to look for “petite” sizing due to my own height. However, these options were always so hard to find, or even nonexistent with so many brands. 

What fashion struggles have you experienced as a Petite woman? I remember that my mom had to hem all my pants when I was little. And all sleeves were always too long.

I completely relate to that. My mom and grandma have hemmed many items of clothing for me from a young age – all kinds of pants, dresses and jumpsuits. Whether in person or online, shopping was always a hassle. The vast majority of clothing I encountered was not made for women of my size. When it comes to online shopping, it was always apparent that the models were much taller than me.

Therefore, I knew that most skirts, dresses, and pants would not fit me the way they were depicted in pictures. I became used to wearing tights and leggings as my everyday pants, because anything else would have required altering. It was discouraging when I wanted the ability to wear different styles of clothes, but could not due to the additional time, labor and/or money required to try to make these pieces work for me. 

Maybe other non-fashion-related struggles you have had as a Petite? In the workplace, dating game…?

One thing that came to my mind was the daily struggle of trying to reach the top shelves in my closets and kitchen cabinets! This can also occur in public places, such as if I need to reach the top shelves at grocery stores. While there can be some inconveniences, I generally have not considered my height to be a limiting factor in my life. I enjoy being a petite woman. One of my goals is to help other petite women also feel as confident and beautiful as they should.

I relate to that so much- about the kitchen cabinets and about not having a victim mindset. Please tell me more about DIIMA Apparel. What is the style of your brand and clothes?

The mission of DIIMA Apparel is to deliver high-quality clothing that is stylish, affordable, and beautifully fitting. I take great pride in building a community of women who pride themselves in who they are. We offer trendy, quality, unique, versatile pieces for women 4’9” and above. We are not a fast fashion brand, as our pieces are timeless staples.

One thing that I think makes my brand special is that I put a lot of thought into every piece we offer. I genuinely love everything that we offer, and do not promote any piece that I wouldn’t personally wear myself. From casual to formal pieces and everything in between, we have something for everyone and every occasion. 

That sounds amazing! And what price point does it have and is it available internationally? I live in Spain. It is very important for me (haha).

I try to keep all of my pieces as affordable as possible for my customers, without compromising quality. It’s important to note that there are additional costs associated with offering custom petite clothing, since it is not the industry standard. Small batch production also comes with additional costs. Petite women will not have to spend any additional money or time getting any of our pieces altered- they are already perfectly tailored. I want to make my clothing as accessible as possible to women around the world. We ship worldwide, and I hope to continue to grow DIIMA Apparel internationally in the years to come.

What struggles you have or have had with the brand and in business? How do you overcome them?

One struggle I face with my brand is having limited time. It is difficult to balance running my clothing brand while also working in the healthcare field and taking care of other aspects of my life. There is so much that goes into DIIMA Apparel, from managing business operations to marketing strategies, that I handle all by myself. I have a lot of ideas that I am not always able to turn into reality due to already managing a heavy workload.

Therefore, balance is essential. I remind myself that as long as I try my best, that is enough. I place a lot of emphasis on self care and wellness, because I believe that living a healthy lifestyle is an important component of long term success.

Totally true. In business you have to put yourself first, because there would not be a business without you in the first place! What is your vision, goals or plans for the 2024? Any new launches?

I’m so excited for 2024, because we will have a variety of new launches! From new petite dresses, to petite dress pants, petite flare jeans and much more, there is a lot to look forward to. Some of my other goals include continuing to write blogs and create engaging content for our social media channels. I am excited to continue growing our community, helping and connecting with even more women through fashion.

Therefore, I would encourage readers to follow us on social media and sign up for our email list to be the first to know about new product launches, blog posts, and other exciting news in the petite fashion community. 

What would you tell other Petite women that want to start their fashion brand and business? How to get confidence, strength and motivation?

The key is to be passionate about what you’re doing, because that will be your fuel to keep you going. Your confidence, strength and motivation have to come from within you. One thing that helps set my brand apart from other clothing brands is me.

I am a petite woman who understands the struggles that other petite women face, and I believe that relatability is an important asset. In addition, everything about my brand embodies my individual style, creativity, and expression, which is something that gives me an unreplicable edge. I believe that taking pride and leaning in to everything that makes you unique is essential to help set you apart and help you succeed. 

SOME LAST SHORT QUESTIONS BEFORE WE END: Your 2-3 TOP Petite brands/retailers and why?

Honestly, I never knew of any petite brands or retailers throughout my life, which is why I started my own! That being said, I have occasionally been able to find petite friendly options at other retailers. For example, while Amazon is not a petite brand, I have found a couple of petite friendly dresses here. However, options like Amazon can be hit or miss for petite women depending on the piece.

True, I once found amazing Petite leggings on Amazon but that is about it! Your MUST-KNOW style tip for Petite women?

Know your inseam length! This is a measurement that will help you find pants that fit perfectly. I created a video to show others how to measure your inseam length.

Another style tip I would recommend is monochromatic outfits. This is when your outfit incorporates variations of a single color or shade. This is a style that I find to be very chic and flattering, especially for petite women. 

And that was DIIMA Apparel- stylish brand with affordable fashion for Petites. Thank you so much for your time and cannot wait to see your brand evolve, grow and reach new goals in the future!

We do not talk enough about the fashion for Petites. Therefore, I created my blog and now community/membership to help other short women. When I was a teenager, there was no fashion for Petites and no one to ask for help or style tips!

If you sell a fashion for Petites and want a promotion (or you are a regular brand or retailer), shout out or be interviewed, please e-mail me at info@glambutfirstcoffee.com! Any questions about fashion for Petites?