Every week it seems there’s another sample or archive sale to go to, as brands try to offload their end-of-season stock (as some social commentators have noted, what was once your average clearance sale has in recent years). But sample sales aren’t known for being the most relaxing of shopping experiences – something that co-founder and creative director Alli Sims Peter knows too well. “[At one sale], I had women literally coming up to me and ripping things out of my hand, to the point where security had to get involved,” the stylist, who previously worked as a private shopper at Matches, tells .
That’s why Sims Peter, along with her fellow co-founders Vanessa Mace and Sylvette Jacobs, decided to found Bessette – an online platform that offers carefully curated sample sales online (the name is a nod to ’s enduring style). “We want this experience to be super luxurious,” Mace, also formerly a private shopper at Matches, explains. “We want you to feel like you’re shopping on any other luxury platform, just that the stock is discounted.
” As part of the site’s bi-monthly drops (released on the 1st and 15th of every month), you’re likely to find hand-picked pieces from the likes of The Row, Prada, Khaite, Toteme and many more – available for between 35 per cent to 80 per cent of the RRP. Unlike traditional outlet stores, Bessette will take one-off pieces, or pieces that are available in just one or two sizes, from brands and retailers, meaning that .
