One on One With Encore Plus Co-Proprietor Chantal Gaudreau

Within the coronary heart of downtown Boca Raton, you’ll discover a trove of luxurious items at Encore Plus, an upscale designer resale boutique. If you’re coveting a hard-to-find Birkin, Kelly or discover that the skyrocketing costs in luxurious items are a tad bit outrageous, then look no additional as a result of you may have discovered the place. It’s a style lover’s dream, however what places Encore Plus on the forefront of luxurious consignment are the glamorous co-owners, Chantal Gaudreau and Ayla Habibi. 

Gaudreau and Habibi have been in enterprise collectively for almost 15 years and looking out again, they had been visionaries. The sustainability chatter was not as loud and vital then, to not point out that famed on-line consignment platform The Actual Actual was not even but established. With completely different backgrounds, however a shared ardour for style, Gaudreau and Habibi merged their skills, intellects and experiences to create an ever-growing enterprise. 

On any given day, you’ll be charmingly greeted by both women. However, don’t be fooled by their ease, poise and friendliness as a result of they might additionally go as style historians. Gaudreau and Habibi know the story behind every bag, garment, shoe, and jewellery. They even have an onsite seamstress for alterations and just lately launched shoe and purse restore. It’s all a part of the round design journey that’s now being embraced with open arms. 

I sat down with Gaudreau to study extra about Encore Plus, the founders behind this native enterprise, the luxurious resale market and what’s the most in-demand merchandise proper now.

When did you begin your small business? What was the catalyst behind the thought to determine a luxurious designer resale boutique?  

Encore Plus was based in 2009. Initially, we had been working out of a 700 sq. foot house in Deerfield Seashore. I used to be transitioning from an eponymously named style line in Milan and my enterprise accomplice Ayla had an present enterprise within the house which provided alterations. We had grow to be associates over time and determined to enter the consignment enterprise collectively and utilized her present house to launch the corporate.

Over time, how has your small business grown and advanced? 

In 2011 we re-located the enterprise to downtown Boca Raton to our present house, which is extra then thrice the scale of the unique retailer in Deerfield. We at the moment supply not solely ladies’s style, however, males’s, residence equipment, alterations, shoe restore and even private styling.

Along with your brick and mortar boutique in downtown Boca Raton, you additionally promote on-line by way of a number of key platforms. At first, was it a problem to include digital gross sales channels whereas sustaining that particular one-on-one shopper relationship that you simply’re innately giving when collectively in particular person? 

Integrating on-line gross sales was an inescapable element to develop our attain, however, like all small enterprise, we did face some challenges initially. Again in 2015 we began with Tradesy, our first nationwide platform. Vestiaire Collective approached us to take part of their worldwide platform a number of years later and now we’ve integrated Livestream purchasing by way of ShopShops and Instagram weekly.  We have now added a sequence of individuals devoted to that endeavor, so we will proceed to remain targeted on offering every shopper, whether or not on-line or in retailer with the identical one on one consideration they’ve come to count on from working with us.

It’s a really aggressive market, so what makes Encore Plus stand out amongst the gang of luxurious resale avenues? What would you primarily attribute to your small business’ success?

Over the previous fourteen years, we’ve constructed an exceptionally loyal clientele which has been met with unsurpassed service. Most of our development could be attributed to the natural phrase of mouth referrals our purchasers have given us.

How do you, Chantal and Ayla, complement one another and have you ever discovered one thing new about each other within the means of working collectively?

My accomplice, Ayla, excels on the gross sales facet whereas I spend most of my time working with acquisitions and consignors.

So far as the resale market goes, what are key items which might be price shopping for as a result of they may really maintain worth over time? 

Unquestionably, Chanel and Hermes hold their worth as they’ve demonstrated over many years. Particularly, the basic Chanel baggage and the Hermes Birkin and Kelly are the important thing items for worth retention.

What’s most in demand at this second?

Chanel basic flap baggage and costume jewellery are essentially the most in demand at the moment.

What was the one onerous merchandise {that a} shopper was in seek for that you simply had been capable of safe? Are you able to just about get your arms on any highly-coveted merchandise?

We had a shopper based mostly in NY city that wanted a robe for a film premiere in Rome. We wound up sourcing a classic Valentino robe from Miami that was an ideal match. Usually, given sufficient time, we will get our arms on absolutely anything a shopper desires to search out.

How do you authenticate all of the objects that are available in?

Ayla and I are each skilled with Entrupy, which is a system to weed out faux/counterfeit objects. It makes use of a mix of AI and microscopy (assume jewelers loop with gentle). It has a 99.1% efficacy in figuring out authenticity of a bag. That coupled with our years of expertise supplies peace of thoughts for our shopper base.

What are the advantages to purchasing style objects on the secondary market?

Past the truth that acutely aware curation is extra in style now than ever earlier than and that you simply are inclined to safe objects that are extra distinctive, akin to issues which had been restricted version or offered out in any other case. We don’t see the rate of the luxurious market slowing down, however our resale mannequin makes it accessible for a lot of shoppers for whom these ever rising costs could also be out of attain. In the end, the discount in carbon footprint and affordability make it a straightforward resolution.

What’s the finest recommendation you’ve acquired in enterprise and/or life?

Alternatives don’t occur, you create them. 

Now, for enjoyable… Who’s your celeb fashion crush? 

My celeb crush is Laura Santo Domingo with the Instagram deal with @thelsd. She isn’t actually a star however a enterprise ladies who I feel is really basic and stylish and on the forefront of style.

What’s the one piece that you’re at the moment eyeing for your self? 

I’m eyeing proper now the Dolce & Gabbana navy and white print maxi skirt for the summer time.

How would you describe your fashion in three phrases?

Easy, easy and stylish.

Encore Plus Boutique; 281 E Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton; encoreplusinc.com

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