With the festive season comes the time to dress up and be merry. You’re probably going to a couple of Christmas parties, a bunch of weddings (because people seem to like to get married in December), New Year parties, formal dinners and birthday dinners — and you’d probably want to look good, maybe even dress up a little for once this year.
This is where Singapore-based Covetella might come in handy. There are a few ways you can get a dress at this online destination: by buying, borrowing, or having a bespoke one made — ah, the choices. On the platform, you’ll find a range of styles from top designers, which are curated by Covetella’s team of expert stylists. The site also provides custom hair, makeup, and styling services which you can sign up for if you need something more elaborate than your daily grooming routine.
The Beginnings Of Covetella
With such a comprehensive site, it’s not surprising that the woman at the helm of it all is someone who is passionate about dresses and dressing up. A native Texan, Carol Chen’s life has always been about fashion. The former student at The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles had a humble start to her fashion career making couture gowns. Soon, she was exhibiting her designs at Fashion Week, where she put out her first collection of ready-to-wear clothes that was sold in over 300 stores around the US. She was even running her own garment factory in China.
This meant that over time, she’d become the owner of some 60 dresses, which her friends were always borrowing. This gave Carol the idea to create a platform where women like her and her friends could make some money selling or sharing their own dresses. Her talent and background also made it possible for there to be a bespoke aspect to the platform. Today, Covetella has evolved into a portal where the best styles around the world from famed fashion designers are made accessible to anyone.
Buy, Borrow, Bespoke
The buy, borrow, or bespoke concept is a great one, catering to customers with a wide range of budgets. Trying to be frugal and don’t need a dress for more than one evening? Borrow one! Have some cash to splash on a custom dress by a top designer? Treat yourself, and make one.
Covetella also offers a pretty unique service: they guarantee the buying back of any item discovered on the site — as long as it is in excellent condition. This means you won’t have to worry about changing your mind after you make a big purchase. On top of that, the platform also allows for the swapping of dresses: all you have to do is bring in an old dress — if it’s a great style or in good condition, they will give you store credit just for listing it.
Covetella also provides same-day shipping in Singapore — a lifesaver, if you’ve left your shopping to the last minute or forgot about a party that you were invited to months ago.
Matchy Matchy
But outfits are rarely complete with just a dress; accessories and shoes are equally important, though you might not be willing to splash out on those for one-time use. And Covetella’s got you covered for those too: from emerald drop earrings to the same shoes Carrie of Sex And The City wore to her wedding, the accessories vault is the stuff made of sartorial dreams. The same rules apply here as well — buy or borrow — unfortunately, there is no bespoke option yet.
Covetella also didn’t forget the guys — there is a selection of menswear to choose from, and it includes statement jackets and coats, cufflinks, and bowties. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, gentlemen, there are some printed slacks you could look to rock as well.
Verdict: 4/5
When it comes to fashion e-commerce, Covetella manages to marry our love for beautiful clothes and our budgets pretty well. If anything, it has shown that dressing up for big events doesn’t have to be a pain, and that we don’t always have to spend crazy amounts of money just to build our dream closets or wardrobes. That said, we do hope to see more clothes stocked in the future, as well as the list of bespoke designers growing.
Till then, happy selecting dresses for Christmas! It’s never too early to start.