By JOYCE SÁENZ HARRIS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Could you accessorize 31 looks with the same little black dress?

If it’s Elli Grace’s Valerie shift, sure.

Society Stylist’s Valerie Elizabeth spent all of August in Elli Grace’s black, sleeveless viscose-jersey shift with a cowl V-neck. Using different belts, jackets, jewelry and scarves, she easily made 31 different looks out of that one $150 dress. (It wasn’t literally one dress; she had a duplicate, so that one could be washed while the other was being worn.)

The national media took notice when Valerie Elizabeth blogged about her little-black-dress experiment at www.societystylist.com. On Monday, NBC’s Today will show the nation, with 31 mannequins dressed head to toe, how Valerie put all her looks together.

But if you want to buy the Valerie dress for yourself, you’ll have to go to Elli Grace (www.elligrace.com).

The boutique opened in mid-June on the second level of the Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, across from Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s the first store for the sprightly label from designers Sojung “Sue” Yang and Lamarr Nanton.

The design partners met at a previous employer, Manuel Designs in Frisco, but they came from opposite sides of the globe. Sue, 32, grew up in Seoul, South Korea, while Lamarr, 36, was born in sunny St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She put in time at Donna Karan, a designer known for soft lines, while he worked at Giorgio Armani, the master of tailored construction.

“But our vision is the same, pulling us together,” Sue says. “In the big picture, we want to make clothes that make people happy.”

“A lot of detail and construction goes into our garments,” Lamarr says. “We wanted to make something versatile, simple but different from what you find anywhere else.” He gives special emphasis to fabrics with exquisite hand and drape, such as the ones used by Marc Jacobs, Versace and Hermès.

What makes Elli Grace special? The line is, in Sue’s phrase, “flirty, feminine and soft, but with an edge.” At first glance, it might seem ideal for women in their 20s and 30s, but Sue says their customers have ranged from 15 to 65. Mothers and daughters come in together to shop – and her own mother has Elli Grace pieces in her wardrobe.

The two designers craft each piece themselves and, unlike most shops, they’ll make minor fit adjustments free of charge. If you don’t see your size on the rack, don’t despair: They’ll make it for you. “A customized garment takes two to three days,” Lamarr says.

The shop also sells accessories such as handbags, belts and leggings, specially chosen to complement the designs, and Sue makes earrings and other pieces of jewelry sold at Elli Grace.

Wondering who Elli Grace is? No, she’s not a silent partner in the shop. It’s a pet name: “Grace” was the name of Sue’s first dog, and “Elli” is her dog now living with her parents in Korea.

Joyce Sáenz Harris is a Dallas freelance writer.