Store for lovers of bargains and labels
What planted the seed for The Backroom?
I LOVE a bargain and I love nice things. After a consultation with stylist and image consultant Amanda Bosch (I needed help with my wardrobe), I realised there was a need for a place in PE where people could sell the good quality, hardly worn clothing they’d spent a lot of money on.
It’s the only way to shop in London, NYC and LAX!
It’s said that if one million women bought their next item of clothing second-hand instead of new, we’d prevent six million kilos of carbon pollution entering the atmosphere.
You literally started in a backroom (hence the name), then moved to your own shop?
I converted the garage at the back of our house into a stunning little shop last year and was open two mornings a week. I soon realised it should be open for longer.
I found the perfect place in Walmer and was able to retain The Backroom name. I also found the right person to run it: Aurette de Reuck has more than 30 years’ retail experience.
What’s the response been like?
It’s been amazing. To date, we have 170 clients who supply us with amazing pre-loved, sometimes new clothing, shoes and accessories.
What sort of items and labels do you stock and how does it work, in a nutshell?
We work on a consignment basis and if stock is still there after three months, we either reduce the price, ask the client to collect or donate the clothes to different charities.
We prefer, in no particular order, Trenery, Country Road, Zara, Mango, Pringle, Topshop, H & M, Kenneth Cole, Karen Millen, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Miu Miu, All Saints London, Desray, Phase Eight, Coast, Next, etc.
Where do you source stock? You also get hubby (celebrity photographer David Dettmann) to buy some overseas?
I source a lot of stock from London and get David, who travels there frequently, to bring it back. I’d like to go to London myself and trawl through their amazing, highend charity shops. I also have a friend there who sends me new, one-of-a-kind pieces with tags still attached.
Any standout pieces currently in store?
We have a pair of Karen Millen leather pants and some Miu Miu sneakers worth R10 000 that we are selling for R2 500.
What sort of feedback do you get from clients?
I had a lady come in who found the perfect wedding dress for her second wedding – nothing elaborate, just elegant and understated, and she even found shoes to go with it. Gone are the days where people want to spend R5 000 on a dress they’ll only wear once.
Who are your clients?
Our client base is very varied. We have a lot of regulars.
Any pieces that would be super cool for a Christmas or New Year’s do, or summer in style?
We recently got some beautiful dresses in that would suit formal or informal functions.
The Backroom is at 62 Main Road, flanked by Juan Joubert Hair and That Place on Main. Call 079-177-3778 or follow them on Facebook.