The co-founder of homegrown fashion label Love, Bonito dishes four things you might not know about herself and the company she runs
You can’t talk about the fashion e-commerce scene in Singapore without mentioning Love, Bonito. The pioneering online fashion label was founded by Rachel Lim and her close friends, Viola and Velda Tan, in 2006 as a blogshop called BonitoChico, when e-commerce here was still in its infancy. The business selling chic, affordable womenswear boomed and was rebranded to Love, Bonito in 2010.
With the rebranding came the chance to make the business more focused. Its new goal: to fill a gap in the market, focusing on quality and fit. “Back then, clothes didn’t fit Asian women well because most brands out there catered mainly to international sizes,” says Rachel, who is chief brand officer.
She adds that the decision to concentrate on perfecting proportions has paid off, and in February this year, the company received a US$13m investment from Japanese internet services company, kakaku.com, and existing investor, NSI Ventures. Last November, the e-retailer also made a counter-intuitive decision in this digital age and established a bricks-and-mortar store at 313@Somerset. Here, she tells us more about the brands that inspire her and the future of Love, Bonito.
Daily regime
“I usually work long hours. On a regular day, I wake up early to work out, grab a juice, shower, head into the office, have my coffee—usually a Starbucks flat white with soy milk as it helps me mentally prepare myself for the rest of the day—then I start proper. I’ll be in meetings all day, before I have a late dinner in the office with my team at about 9pm, and then head home.”
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