Young woman opens Yorkshire prom shop after own disastrous dress experience

A young woman who was left in tears buying her prom dress has launched her own shop in Yorkshire selling gowns for school leavers.

Lia Brehmer’s prom plans were almost ruined when she was made to feel fat when shopping for her own frock, and she only went to the ball after her mother Donna Gadd found a dress with another supplier. Her mother was so incensed that she launched a dress business in Brighouse to make sure no teenagers goes through a similar experience.

Now, seven years on, the firm has proved to be so successful that Ms Brehmer has opened a second Prom Den in Horsforth, to serve clients in Leeds and North Yorkshire.

She said: “I remember the stress of prom night and how tough it can be finding the dress of your dreams which no other girl will be wearing on the night. I was so badly treated when I was preparing for my prom as a 15-year-old. I was a healthy size eight but the woman in the shop made me feel like I was fat and suggested we get a floaty dress to cover up my weight.

"I was in tears and my mum was so angry that we went to another supplier. After that she set up her own prom dress shop so that no other girls went through the same experience."

Most mixed schools in Yorkshire have proms to celebrate the end of the school year after GCSEs, a tradition picked up from the US where the prom has been part of the high school calendar for decades. Ms Brehmer said she didn’t hesitate to join the family business, and loves working with her mother.

The average price of a dress is between £299 and £495 and the pair work closely with schools and social workers to support families and young people by giving away dresses to pupils who, without help, would not be able to experience prom.

She said: “I was helping out in the Brighouse shop for years when I was growing up so I had a good mentor in mum. She had a very simple philosophy which was to make every girl feel special and I hope that I am continuing that tradition in the store in Horsforth. I give every girl who comes through the doors the wonderful prom experience that I never had. I won’t sell the same dress twice to the same school so no girl has to worry that their big night will be overshadowed by another pupil in the same outfit.

“We make every girl feel special with their own individual stylist so that they get the dress of their dreams and feel like a princess. Prom season is here already with girls coming in thick and fast to secure their dream dress. Girls love sharing pictures on social media of their choices and we have special areas in the shop where they can shoot pictures and videos.

“We have a dress in the shop which every girl signs to commemorate their prom year. We love seeing the girls sharing pictures of their big night on social media and we celebrate proms all over Yorkshire on our feeds with lots of those unforgettable images.”

Ms Gadd said that business has been booming since she started seven years ago and she was keen to open a branch serving Leeds and North Yorkshire.