A desire for luxury goes hand in hand with the aspirations that are born with a country’s growth story. India has seen a growing awareness in the realm of luxury goods though to buy them off the shelf still remains a dream for many. Dimple Mirchandani, with her firm Secret Dresser (an initiative of Azzka Trading Pvt Ltd), aims to bridge this divide with her business that lets people buy pre-owned luxury products.

‘Luxury is timeless’ is the motto of Secret Dresser and the company hopes to make fashion affordable and accessible to all. They stock well-known Indian designers like Sabyasachi, Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor and have goods from a range of international designers like Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton and Dior. Dimple hopes that the niche she currently occupies becomes more mainstream and she also has plans to expand her business globally as time goes by.

In conversation with GlobalLinker (GL) Dimple Mirchandani (DM) shares her journey with Secret Dresser and her plans for the future.

GL: Tell us about your business.

DM: Secret Dresser is an online platform for buying and selling pre-owned luxury products. We have everything from premium Indian designer wear like Sabyasachi, Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor to watches, bags, shoes, jackets by international designers like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Karen Millen, Ted Baker. The aim is to increase the rotation of products which will ultimately benefit society and the planet in some way. Also, for the aspirational set of people, they can now buy original luxury at affordable prices. It acts as the bridge between the aspirations and purchasing power of an emerging India.

The idea comes from my own collection. The collection contains exquisite Indian outfits that sometimes took months to be made by the best Indian designers, barely worn once with utmost care and some never worn lay hanging in the closet. You have to do something with them, so what’s better than sharing. And as for bags and accessories, a similar concept has been prevalent abroad for quite some time & is very well accepted across the globe.

GL: What are the challenges you have faced in establishing your business?

DM: Every startup comes with its own set of challenges. A new venture never comes easy. For us it was mostly about introducing something very new in the market. E-commerce is very new and so is the pre-owned luxury segment. An entrepreneur has to face resistance at every step, but I believe it’s necessary to climb that ladder step by step in order to reach the top. Only those who believe in themselves and learn to be better from every experience are the ones who make it there. I truly believe that challenges are good - they make you work harder & there is nothing that cannot be done over with hard work and dedication.

GL: What is the USP of your business?

DM: Secret Dresser is one of the biggest and most diverse portals for buying and selling pre-owned luxury items. The variety available makes it stand out from the rest along with the unique add on features. It is a one-stop shopping experience that brings together all luxury from top Indian designer wear like Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Anjalee Kapoor to international brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada and also all luxury items like leather jacket, boots, watches. Our mission is to redefine style by making great fashion affordable and accessible to all.

GL: What are some of the milestones of your business?

DM: Every day is an achievement for the business. However, I believe the best is yet to come...

GL: What role do you feel GlobalLinker plays in connecting and assisting SMEs?

DM: GlobalLinker is a great platform for promoting upcoming ventures. It increases awareness and brings people together.

GL: What is your big business dream?

DM: I would like to see Secret Dresser being accepted globally and seeing it introduced abroad. However, a dream is a dream that cannot be put so well in words. I believe in giving my 100% to what I do in that moment and live one day at a time. Let’s see what the future has in store for me.

GL: What is your message to aspiring entrepreneurs?

DM: If you have a vision or dream - just go for it and make it happen. You must at least try. Stay fit - live a balanced life, be close to nature; rise with the sun; eat real food; be connected to yourself; trust yourself enough and whatever you do - give it a 100%. No matter what just keep going. Be better each day.

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