Dexter Shipp — fashion is his style
Dexter Shipp, owner of D’s Fashion in Holly Springs has many talents. He can be called an entrepreneur.
His attraction to beautiful clothes and to sports in junior high propelled him through life as a multi-talented businessman.
Shipp, 57, whose business is located in the MCJ Business Complex on Highway 178, has been in the apparel business 26 years and at his present location at 673 MLK Drive 24 years. He started his business in the incubator on the MI College Campus in 1999.
Shipp, who attended CADET and graduated in the Holly Springs High School Class of 1987, said his goal in junior high was to be a star athlete and to dress in fashion.
He played basketball under coach Henry Hood.
“He also gave us some fashion tips, different styles of neckties and tie pins,” Shipp said.
He has a passion for sales and for helping people.
“I just love it,” Shipp said. Shipp studied electronics and learned to build computers with RETS Electronics in Birmingham, attaining an associate degree.
He studied to be a financial analyst with Prime America Financial Services and was certified in 2009.
His ready smile and laughter is proof enough that he loves the life he has chosen, his career and his activities.
Shipp does custom tailoring and embroidering of clothes and screen printing. He stocks hats, coats, suits, shoes, shirts, ties, jewelry, handbags – everything. He travels to trade shows to see the latest fashions, dresses customers of all ages.
His speciality is weddings, mostly outfitting the groom and groomsmen. And he also provides apparel for choirs and mens choruses.
“I’ve been all over Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas,” he said.
He named Paul Porter, contemporary gospel singer as one of his customers and did the clothing for Porter’s gospel show on TV and for his album cover.
Although brought up Catholic where he attended St. Joseph’s in Holly Springs, Shipp is a 32nd Degree Mason at Powell Chapel Lodge #339, where he serves as Worshipful Master. He also serves as a Worthy Patron of the D Shipp Masonic Lodge OES Chapter #338 in Holly Springs.
He is both a brother and a father.
Delivered into the world by a mid-wife, Shipp is the eldest son of the late Hillie Shipp and Arby Shipp of Holly Springs. His dad worked in maintenance at Holy Family and his mom worked for Emerson.
Shipp is the oldest in his family and has a sister the late Doris Shipp, a sister, Delores Reaves, who works at ICS Head Start, a brother Devalle Shipp, a business manager, and sister Deqbunice Shipp, an entrepreneur who owns a “T” shirt business.
He comes from a family of artists and business people.
Shipp is father of Xavien Shipp, 35, of Cordova, Tenn., an entrepreneur and small business owner who writes music and performs and father of two girls and a boy.
Son Mario Jones, a heat and air specialist gave him one granddaughter, Amaria Jones, an entrepreneur who does “T” shirts and desserts.
Son Courtney Jones is an IT specialist who owns a business in Olive Branch, the father of two boys and one girl.
One of Courtney’s sons is a star football player and running back at Horn Lake High School.
Shipp is Alderman-at-Large in the City of Holly Springs, elected in 2021 and reelected in 2025.
He said as alderman his main motivation is to inspire quality in the city.
“I always was involved in helping others through my Lodge,” he said.
“We gotta rebuild and move this town forward, starting with the utility. Everything else will fall in place after that,” he said.
He believes ultimately the city will grow. Springs Industrial Park will be developed and he has a hope for unity in Holly Springs and the community at large.