Home-based 'Glitz Girls' jazz up clothes, accessories

by Ann Bucy

SBJ Contributing Writer

They call themselves the Glitz Girls.

Donna Warren and her friend of 40 years, Beverly Bills, own a home-based company in which they design clothing, button tips and covers, earrings and picture frames.

Prior to this, Bills taught elementary music for 30 years in Ash Grove and Warren worked in an office, in the claims department.

"We've always said we wanted to go into business together," Bills said. "We both like clothes and jewelry."

It was in 1992, while attending a flea market at the fairgrounds, that their idea of owning a business came together. "We saw a woman there from Pine Bluff, Ark., who was selling glitz denim coats," Bills said.

"She had added Austrian crystals to the coats and it really enhanced their look."

They talked to the woman about her designs, and she helped them get started. She showed them how she had designed the coats and also gave them some Austrian crystals.

Soon after, they began telling friends and family that they were in business.

Along with selling their designs in Springfield, people in Branson are also snatching them up. The three lead female singers in the Baldknobbers show wear Glitz Girls earrings on stage. The pair also designed a bolo tie for Shoji Tabuchi.

For Bills, the best part of what she does is getting to be creative. "This fills a need in me, a desire, to be a designer."

Warren enjoys seeing Glitz Girls designs on other people.

"When you see someone with something you made, it feels good to know they're enjoying it," Warren said.

Besides their work being a creative release for their ideas, it has also been an emotional release. They've both had sick relatives to care for since starting the business.

"This work has been a real creative and emotional outlet for both of us," Bills

said.

"With all of life's stresses, it's nice to be able to work on a project and just forget about everything else."

Warren said she believes what separates them from a lot of other designers is that none of their creations are alike.

"We may use the same idea more than once, but we never do the same thing twice," Warren said.

Some of their clients will give them

an idea of what kind of design they want, and sometimes it's left up to the Glitz Girls what the final product should look like.

According to Bills, there's never been a cross word between the two in their 40-year friendship, and Warren agrees. "We're closer than a lot of sisters. I don't have a sister, so I consider her mine."

Because theirs is a home-based business, the Glitz Girls do not have a business address.

However, they can be contacted by phone, Warren at 887-1715 and Bills at 881-0340.

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