Courtesy of Retold
In a region where owning the latest designer bag is standard practice, Sian Rowlands the CEO and Head Storyteller for Retold is pioneering sustainable fashion. Opening her boutique in the heart of Dubai, it’s rails are filled with pre-loved clothes, many still with their labels attached. Aiming to teach the region about the negative impacts the fashion industry often has on the environment, Rowlands opens up about her story on the first year anniversary of Retold.
Why did you decide to launch Retold?
I was enjoying a successful career designing hotels and restaurants, and a lot of my spare time was spent shopping. I used to be a shopaholic! It all came to a head about eight years ago when I realized I was broke and needed to rent out the spare room in my apartment. When I cleared out my wardrobe I realized the extent of my problem. More than half the clothes I was getting rid of still had the tags on them! I knew this story isn’t unique to me. I recognized a gap in the market. Taking inspiration from the consignment stores that I regularly visited in the UK, US, and Europe I put together a business plan. It instantly gained traction. Originally I was running the concept alongside my career so was limited to hosting events once a month in different locations, but just over a year ago, I changed things up. My passion for making the world a better place got the better of me, and I decided to focus full time on growing the concept. I rebranded and opened the doors to the new Retold boutique one year ago.
What is the motto behind Retold?
The story behind Retold is Giving Clothes a Second Chance at Happiness. Beautiful clothes were meant to be worn, not hidden away in the back of people’s closets. We want to help retell their story. The clothes do the talking but also carry a really important message about sustainability – it doesn’t have to be new to be amazing. We want to make the world a better place by changing the way society consumes fashion.
Why is sustainable fashion so important?
The fashion industry, in particular, fast fashion, has become the second biggest polluter behind oil and gas. Every year, 150 billion items of clothing are produced and the same number end up in a landfill. There is also huge waste at every step of the process. By prolonging an item’s life by two months, it will reduce its carbon footprint by up to 10%. We need to break our habits, and offering customers in the UAE this alternative, hopefully, we can make the world a better place.
What was the regions initial reaction to pre-loved clothes?
It’s been amazing! When people walk through our doors for the first time, I love seeing their reaction. Their enthusiasm and amazing feedback reminds me why I work so hard. We have some regular customers who only do their fashion shopping with us, as they know their hard-earned money can go so much further. Especially as at least 25% of our products are still brand new. There are some cultural barriers, so I know we’re not for everyone, but that’s ok. The people who are comfortable shopping pre-owned, love us.
Sian Rowlands the CEO and Head Storyteller for Retold. Courtesy of Retold
What was the concept behind your boutique?
We focus on like-new fashion, so everything either has it’s original tags or is in perfect condition. We accept all brands from high-street through to designer. We stock everyday clothing, ballgowns, vintage clothes, accessories, kids clothes and so much more. We’ll soon be launching our men’s selection too. We love to welcome people to the boutique, so I’ve made a huge effort to create a warm and accessible society space.
Why did you decide to expand online?
Online was always part of the growth plan, but we don’t plan to ever have all our current products online. We carry over 6000 items at any one time with hundreds of new products arriving each week, and we provide a very personal service in the boutique, so I want people to experience the this. We do want people outside Dubai to be able to shop with us, so they can access some of the products online!
What have you learned over the past year?
I love learning, so every step has been a valuable lesson. As our customer base grows we team love testing out new things to see how our people respond, so that’s really fun. I guess one of the things I have learned is how much people love our concept, and that fills my heart with joy!
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