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Before launching Bessette in 2024—a curated destination for discounted fashion—Alli Sims and Vanessa Mace were known to their friends and coworkers as the sample sale queens. The cofounders met in 2020 at Matches and instantly bonded over their shared love of ’90s-coded, minimalist fashion—and certified steals on The Row and Toteme. Over their three years at the multi-brand retailer, first as assistants, then as personal shoppers, “we would be those people who would leave work early to go to the Matches sample sale,” Alli jokes. “[Their] sample sales were notorious because you could get all the best pieces at incredible prices, and they happened every three months.” The pair would walk in and make a beeline for the accessories table, scanning the room for any personal favorites they saw on the way. Once, Vanessa muses, she spotted the big silver buttons of a Khaite jacket peeking out from a rack (a style high on her wish list) and didn’t hesitate to grab it.
Their colleagues would often leave these sample sales empty-handed, stunned at how the two could navigate this sea of clothing to unearth the designer gems they all had hoped to go home with. “They would tell us, ‘I literally do not understand how you guys walk out with these amazing pieces,’” Vanessa says, joking that some people even offered to pay them to shop on their behalf. That never happened—it did, however, serve as an eye-opener to the state of physical sample sales, where a lack of care for old stock was coupled with a general inaccessibility to discounted fashion beyond the major metropolitan cities (and outskirts thereof).
Bessette, named after Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s enduring style, was born from this desire to flip the script on what sample sales could be. Instead of adopting the take-all model of reselling past-season designer, Vanessa and Alli wanted to elevate the experience into a desirable destination for brands’ archival stock. The company’s premise and promise of “curated luxury fashion up to 70% off” brings a boutique approach to the online outlet with a sharp curation that emphasizes quality over quantity; long-lasting design over fleeting trend. Vanessa is keen to point out that although outlet pricing isn’t without its negative flavor, “[Bessette’s] biggest point of difference is that brands really want to be associated with us.”
The platform will appeal to the fashion girl with an affinity for certain contemporary labels. Pieces from Róhe, By Malene Birger, and Anine Bing are sourced alongside higher-end scores from Khaite, The Row, and Jil Sander—a mix that reflects the cofounders’ personal tastes. And while neither is immune to the electrifying jolt of uncovering a great deal, their goal is to temper the familiar feeling of getting caught up in the moment with versatile, seasonless finds. “What we’re buying is definitely for more of a timeless wardrobe—something that someone could invest in and have for seasons to come,” Alli explains.
Ahead, the cofounders share their go-to looks for a packed work week, sourcing the best designer sale finds—and filled with pieces available to shop in their latest drop for Bessette.
Summer Suiting
To master transitional spring dressing in mercurial London, outerwear is essential. Vanessa describes her Proenza jacket here as the perfect spring layer—a light cotton jacket with a silver buckle, which she paired with a black wrap skirt from Toteme instead of trousers for a more feminine feel. “When you don’t really want to think too much about an outfit, a nice jacket or blazer is a great way to feel put together.” She styled it with heeled thong sandals, also from Toteme, for a dressed-up lunch look. Alli, meanwhile, finds relaxed sophistication in her uniform of flowing trousers and a kitten heel. “When I don’t really know what to wear, throwing on a pair of tailored trousers, whether they’re white or black, is just so easy.” She paired it up here with a green Róhe vest, which she likens to an elevated version of a tank top. All of these are tried-and-true wardrobe essentials that speak to their love of versatile pieces “that can be styled a million different ways.”
Easy, Breezy
Come summertime, Alli and Vanessa naturally gravitate to relaxed A-line dresses for practical polish. A little sweater wrapped around the waist is key for Alli, who might encounter a breeze on her morning bike ride to work. For Vanessa, a flowy midi in a neutral shade streamlines her getting-ready routine. “You don’t even really have to think about any colors matching,” she says of her steady rotation of creams, blacks, and beiges (and the occasional navy) that she “feels best in.” Both are fond of styling their dresses with a kitten heel or a pair of flat sandals, adding elements of interest with a statement cuff or a pendant necklace.
No Such Thing as Too Many Trench Coats
If you catch Alli biking around town, chances are she’s in heels and a trench coat. At 5’3, she says she tends to wear a little heel almost every day. “I’m famous for biking in my four-inch Tabis,” she quips. A long trench coat clearly doesn’t intimidate her. With four and counting, including a treasured one passed down from her grandmother who lived in London in her 20s, she loves how easy it is to layer. “It can go in anyone’s wardrobe,” she says, listing out the styles she has: two beige, a silky white option, and a green design. “I love this Anine Bing one in particular because it’s quite minimalistic, [more of] a Mac style.” Styled here with a small shoulder bag, also from Anine Bing, she’d likely opt for a roomy tote to fit her laptop on her way to work.
Business in the Front, Party in the Back
The star of this look is Róhe’s cream blazer top, which can be worn in two ways. Vanessa says it’s a piece that “really does play into my personal style, which is wardrobe classics with a twist.” Crafted out of a lightweight linen, it’s a great choice for right now, she adds, since it’s not too warm. She styled it with black capri pants from Cos—a trend revival she took some time to warm up to. “I wasn’t against it, but I didn’t think it was really for me,” she says. “It’s actually such a cool look, though, and super comfortable, like wearing leggings, which is nice because I’m all about comfort.” When not dressing it up with her kitten heels of choice, she sees herself wearing it with a flat leather flip-flop and an oversized shirt for a more laid-back take.
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