In Conversation with: Alli Sims and Vanessa Mace
Key Takeaways
Elevated curation transforms the previous season luxury experience from "jumble sale" to premium service
Deep knowledge of client needs and direct feedback creates a competitive edge that traditional buying backgrounds can't match
True luxury service maintains consistent attention to detail across every touchpoint - from website experience to the unboxing experience
Success in fashion entrepreneurship requires perseverance, community-building, and confidence to reach out to industry connections
When purpose aligns with career, work becomes energising rather than draining - even during the most challenging phases
It was January 2023 at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Gabriele Chanel: Fashion Manifesto exhibition. Over dinner, after being surrounded by Coco Chanel's iconic designs, luxury personal shoppers Alli and Vanessa made a decision that would change their careers forever. "If we don't do it now, when?" they asked each other, and Bessette was born.
In a crowded landscape of discount luxury retailers where designer items are often presented with little care or consideration, two former luxury personal shoppers are redefining the off-price experience. I recently sat down with Alli and Vanessa, co-founders of Bessette, the curated luxury online outlet that's breathing new life into previous season designer pieces.
Having had the pleasure of working with both Alli and Vanessa during their time as Personal Shoppers at MATCHES, I've had the privilege of witnessing their journey from exceptional client stylists to visionary entrepreneurs. Their approach to Bessette embodies a philosophy that luxury isn't just about the products themselves, but about how those products are presented, contextualised and ultimately experienced.
"For us, we want to put the respect back in the pieces. We want to keep that art of the fashion in the pieces," Alli explains passionately when describing what sets Bessette apart. This commitment to honouring the value of each garment, regardless of season, is evident in everything they do.
A Natural Evolution from Personal Shopping to Entrepreneurship
Both Alli and Vanessa took unconventional paths into fashion. Alli began with a degree in architecture and fine art before a "very, very amateur fashion blog" eventually led to an internship and sponsorship that launched her career. Vanessa relocated from Canada specifically to pursue fashion in London, despite having no industry experience or contacts - a bold move that began with an unpaid internship at Burberry.
Their trajectories converged at MATCHES in personal shopping, where they discovered a shared entrepreneurial spirit. As Vanessa puts it, "I've always said, I come from a family of entrepreneurs... I always knew the value in having your own thing. I never wanted to work for anyone else."
This mindset was evident even during their time as personal shoppers. While some viewed the role as simply another position in luxury retail, they approached their client books with genuine ownership.
"I think private shopping taught us even more [than a buying background would]. Because if you don't have that customer relationship with the customer value, what do you have? You can have amazing stock, but if you don't have the customer relationship..." Alli trails off, emphasising the fundamental truth that drives their business philosophy.
What makes their approach particularly distinctive is how they leveraged their personal shopping expertise rather than traditional buying backgrounds when launching Bessette.
"We would get direct feedback of what sold, what they like, what styles they like, what worked for them. Maybe they want a little bit oversized, but not too oversized... that is so valuable," Vanessa explains. "I've literally never worked in buying, but that's my role here... and it's made easier because of that experience."
Rethinking the Off-Price Experience
The concept for Bessette emerged from a shared frustration with the typical discount luxury experience - something they had gained particular insight into as renowned "sample sale queens" at MATCHES! There was a running joke in the Personal Shopping team that Alli and Vanessa would always be first in the queue and they always managed to find the best of the best pieces - she inspired quite a few of us to go last minute based on her incredible hauls!
"The standard that's been around for a very long time in this off-price space is just a little bit of a jumble sale," Alli notes. "When you go into any off-price site online, or if you go into any outlet store... you go in and it very much does feel like you have to dig to find something good."
Their reimagining of this experience centres on three core elements: thoughtful curation, contemporary styling, and maintaining the respect of designer pieces regardless of season.
Rather than accepting entire inventory lists from brands, they carefully select pieces that align with their aesthetic vision and customer preferences. "Maybe some other off-price retailers would just take everything, but for us... that's part of why customers enjoy shopping with us, because we've already gone through and done the digging for them," Vanessa explains.
Perhaps most innovative is their approach to presenting past-season merchandise. They photograph every item themselves rather than using brand assets, styling pieces in contemporary ways that give them renewed relevance.
“Instead of some weird 90s looking sweat suit way, we would style would style a Proenza Schouler technical jacket with some really cool earrings, with a suit trouser, a cool loafer...” Alli explains. “It gives it a completely fresh new look."
This commitment to breathing new life into designer pieces also aligns with their values around sustainability.
"Even from a sustainability standpoint... giving it that new breath of fresh air is sustainable. It's making pieces be able to feel fresh in your wardrobe," Vanessa adds.
Maintaining Luxury Service in the Digital Age
Despite the primarily digital nature of their business, Alli and Vanessa have recreated the human connection that's often missing from e-commerce through responsive communication and attention to detail.
"We have a handful, especially of our good customers who literally message us on [WhatsApp] all the time," Alli shares. "That's really nice. And I think that adds a personal touch. And I've seen a few people actually leave reviews on our Trustpilot saying, 'I love them because they have this WhatsApp and you can get in contact with whatever.' And it's very direct. And people really value that."
Their commitment to rapid response times helps build trust with new customers - something particularly important for a new luxury business. "You wouldn't wait an entire day for us to reply to our DMs on Instagram. We're very reactive," Vanessa emphasises. "I think that's important as well, because if I message a brand and I don't hear back for a week, that's really irritating."
This service-oriented approach extends to every touchpoint, from their website to delivery. "We also take a lot of attention to detail to our packaging... how we send out our product is very important to us," Alli notes. They've applied this philosophy to physical retail as well, with their upcoming pop-up designed to feel more like a luxury boutique than a sample sale.
"Every touch point that you have with the customer to ensure that the journey is smooth... the packaging, with the pop-up, just every step of the way, it's like you're shopping on a NET-A-PORTER or MyTheresa," Vanessa says.
Aligning Purpose with Career
Our conversation turned to how Alli and Vanessa have aligned what is the most important to them with their business. For Alli, this connection is deeply personal. She shared a moving story about a client from her MATCHES days - a single mother in her fifties who hadn't been told she was beautiful in a decade.
"Having that honest interaction with her - she left in tears. And I'm not over here counselling her by any means. I literally was just like, 'You look stunning. You look beautiful.' You know, showing her how to be her best self... That's what makes it worth it for me."
This focus on the human element informs their broader mission: "A huge mission for us at Bessette is making luxury fashion more accessible... keeping that beauty in it. Life is art, and appreciating that as well."
Vanessa adds that their approach is also about making luxury accessible to more people:
"We want it to be the best of these platforms, but have it accessible to everyone. So you can be in the middle of America in some random little town and go on our website and order something really fabulous from us and still get that really amazing experience."
Their sustainability mission reveals itself in unexpected ways too. Alli recounted a story about being offered a The Row Idaho bag in perfect condition except for a handle that needed tightening. The supplier had no idea of its value (approx. £4200) and planned to throw it away. "That is not trash," she exclaims. "That is a work of art, please do not throw that away!"
Building a Business Through Community
That fateful evening at the V&A came at a perfect crossroads for both founders. Alli had recently left MATCHES and Vanessa was about to start a new role she wasn't excited about. Over dinner, after being surrounded by Coco Chanel's legacy, they made the decision to pursue their shared dream.
"We're sitting there looking at this beautiful empire that Coco Chanel has built, and we just started talking about, 'Should we just do it?'... If we don't do it now, like, when?"
Their approach to building the business has been methodical which has helped to keep it from feeling overwhelming. As Vanessa advises aspiring entrepreneurs: "The best way to do it is to start off really small... what's the first step? How can you reach closer to it?... One step at a time, and then before you know it, you're in the trenches."
Both emphasise the power of industry connections in their success.
"Using your community and your network," Vanessa notes. "We wouldn't have this business without our network that we have from working in the industry, from MATCHES and from other places as well."
Their willingness to reach out has connected them to brands, investors, and supporters creating a virtuous cycle they're eager to continue. "Anybody that comes to us, we would want to help them... it goes around."
Learning Through Challenges
Like all entrepreneurial journeys, building Bessette hasn't been without obstacles. When I asked about advice for others looking to start their own business, both founders were refreshingly honest about the realities they've faced.
"How many mistakes have we made? We've made so many mistakes, I can't even..." Vanessa admits with a laugh. "But that's just how you learn."
Alli nods in agreement, adding, "Then you never do that again. It's changed everything for the better."
This willingness to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities rather than setbacks speaks volumes about their resilience and is a crucial mindset to adopt in any role, but especially as a founder. Both emphasised that perseverance is critical - something they've found easier to maintain having each other for mutual support.
"It's so nice to have Vanessa because when she's maybe strong and I'm feeling weak, we can encourage each other," Alli explains. "There's going to be days that I'm at 20% and she has 80%, and we build off of that."
This partnership has been integral to their ability to weather challenges, providing all important accountability and motivation when things get tough.
My Perspective
Speaking with Alli and Vanessa, it reminded me how their entrepreneurial spirit was evident even during their time as personal shoppers. They consistently treated their client books as if they were running their own businesses, as the most successful shoppers do, which is a mindset that has served them well in creating Bessette.
Their journey reflects what I believe is central to success in today's luxury landscape - taking an always-learning approach in an industry that is constantly evolving, maintaining a customer-first philosophy, and being driven by genuine passion rather than financial goals alone.
What I find particularly inspiring is how they've transformed potential obstacles, like not having traditional buying backgrounds, into strengths. Their direct client experience gives them insights that purely commercial data could never provide. It’s easy to think that career pivots mean it’s necessary to discard past experience, but I believe it’s more about rather about leveraging it in new, innovative ways.
The Bessette approach demonstrates that at the forefront of luxury service is respect for the product and the client at every touchpoint, rather than a high price point or a famous heritage.
It's an ethos that also includes genuine care, attention to detail, and a willingness to reimagine what's possible.
Explore the world of Bessette at www.bessette.co.uk | Follow them on Instagram at @shopbessette
About the author: Pippa Mellor helps women in fashion create fulfilling careers and works with fashion brands to strengthen client relationships through personal shopping programmes and upskilling workshops.
Drawing from her experience at NET-A-PORTER and MATCHES and ILM L7 Executive Coaching training, Pippa offers fashion career coaching and personal shopping consulting services.