Fabric enthusiast, Brooklyn native, and six years of experience, Andrea Pitter is our November feature for Brooklyn Success of the month. An acronym for her birth name Andrea Tora Pitter, Pantora Bridal is birth to a successful business. The young African-American designer sits with such poise and grace. Her professionalism is displayed effortlessly. She’s what some may call an “old soul.”
Pitter says she got her start in fashion early at the age of 16, when she started designing prom dresses in high school for her classmates. Her first official design order was when she was a freshman in college. She attended the Fashion Institute of technology in Manhattan, NY. She knew she wanted to design and after having her hand in sportswear and contemporary fashion wear she decided ultimately that her design passion was in bridal. Pitter says owning her own business does have its downs, “failure takes an emotional toll.” She doesn’t consume her mind with worrying about competition. Instead she says, “knowing that I have to work 10 times harder is ok with me.”
Her bridal showroom which is just a few blocks from her design studio, sits beautiful gowns. All hand-sewned by the designer, each gown consists of intricate details covered with lace, beads and crystals. “You should be the elevated version of yourself,” Pitter tells us of every bride on their wedding day. Words of wisdom from the mature designer just flows continuously as she continues, “when you get married you are half of you and half of someone else. That person should elevate you. You elevate each other.”
PHOTOS: INSIDE THE BRIDAL SHOP
She humors us as she recalls moments of the brides fittings. they are often accompanied with their bridesmaids and of course the mother-of-the-bride. “Moms try to pin [the dress], fluff the trains (she chuckles to herself) I just tell them relax, enjoy it.”
Every experience with her brides are different. The process begins with an appointment that includes a very detailed questionnaire. Information like budget, date, type of event, are all pertinent in Pitter designing the right style dress for the bride to be. then there’s the fitting. All appointments are by appointment only so that she can provide the ultimate experience. All curtains are closed so that no passerby’s are able to look into the storefront and distract the bride. It is a very intimate setting. Some brides cry and some are just completely thrown away by Pitter’s ability to capture their vision and make their dream dress into a reality.
Although the young designer says, she’s “not sure” where Pantora Bridal s going she’s “taking it all in stride,” she currently service brides locally and internationally. She’s faced countless moments of failure and advises any aspiring entrepreneur to “just start.”
Pitter likes her experiences with her brides. Brides “comeback and want anniversary dresses. They stop in to say hi.” “they are Pantora brides. they are family.”
To see more of Pantora Bridal by Andrea Pitter click here They are Pantora Brides and be just as blown away as her brides.
