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The stockings that launched luxury lingerie and swimwear business PDL Distributors
When mother and son team Penny and Dimitri Parolis founded PDL Distributors in October 1993, the first brand they launched locally was Mura Hosiery. The South African distributor is returning to its roots by offering the new look, repackaged Mura Hosiery still made to the standards of Italian excellence that helped build the PDL Distributors business in the early 90's.
Penny and Dimitri started PDL Distributors after noticing an absence of Heritage World lingerie brands in South Africa. They kickstarted this particular business journey by travelling around the country selling Mura pantyhose to unsuspecting retailers.
“My mother Penny and I had invested in a partnership and opened small shops in 1990, called the Sock Spot, selling bespoke socks, ties and hosiery. However, after noticing the high number of returns we received in local women’s hosiery, we began investigating alternatives, and a chance meeting with a Belgium representative of Mura, began our journey,” comments Dimitri.
The Italian hosiery brand hails from Asola, a small town in the heart of a textile industry in Northern Italy. Featuring a reinforced cotton gusset and handmade seamless detail in the toe, their pantyhose been shaped and fitted to smooth and streamline one's natural curves. Mura articles come with 'Ethical Products' standards and are made under strict labour control conditions.
Mura Hosiery was the first of a now extensive portfolio of fine global heritage brands of lingerie, swimwear, shapewear and hosiery stocked by PDL Distributors.
After testing a range of Mura hosiery compatible to the South African consumer in their stores, The Sock Spot, Penny and her husband Harry flew to Italy, signed a contract and became the authorised and sole distributors of Mura Hosiery in South Africa and hence, PDL Distributors was born.
PDL Distributors team
Perseverance the key to growth
In 1993, Penny and Dimitri packed their bags, and in the middle of summer went to Johannesburg and cold canvassed the shopping malls in the city and its surrounds, to sell Mura to the retailers.
Jokes Penny, “There I was, in 35-degree heat in Durban in the middle of February, wearing Mura Hosiery, trying to sell hosiery to the biggest retailers in the country. We were so naïve, but our passion and perseverance has always been there and has been the key to our growth."
Their most memorable moment was sitting in the middle of Walnut Grove Restaurant in Sandton with patrons staring in awe of Dimitri, who was confidently holding up a pair of pantyhose, explaining to their client the fine qualities and Italian excellence of Mura.
“We grew our business by believing,” says Dimitri. “Every 'no' is one step closer to a 'yes'.”
