The Bessette Method

Anyone who has spent time in the trenches of a sample sale will know it is less retail therapy, more blood sport. Racks groan, elbows fly, and somewhere in the chaos a single size 38 slingback lies abandoned, mourned by all. Bessette, the brand built by former personal shoppers Alli and Vanessa, is the antidote to all that: a calm, curated rethink of off-price fashion, powered by two women who have spent years decoding what customers actually want — and what they’ll never tolerate again.

Their new London space — opened via Appear Here — distils that philosophy neatly. It feels less like an outlet and more like a boutique designed by people with taste, discipline and an allergy to clutter. That comes from the founders themselves, whose friendship began in the slightly surreal pressure cooker of lockdown-era Matches Fashion. A shared North American shorthand, a mutual appetite for work, and a belief that “good enough” never is, became the foundation of what is now one of London’s most quietly compelling shopping experiences.

Here, Alli and Vanessa discuss early fashion obsessions, the unlikely joys of grit, and how building something together has reshaped not only their careers but their sense of what modern retail should be.

Origins and Early Influences
How would you describe yourselves as kids — were you always creative?

Vanessa: I would describe myself as outgoing and I was definitely more creative. I was very much a girly girl who loved playing dress with her barbies! My interest in fashion was there from a young age, which definitely came from my Mom. She taught me the importance of dressing well.

Alli: I was very outgoing and creative as a kid. I tried it all music, art, but fashion and interior design were always my favourite. I would redesign my room so often my mom never knew what my room would look like when she came up stairs. I also distinctly remember playing dress up and how it was the best thing ever when I was little. Vanessa and I both have moms who have definitely instilled a love for fashion in us.

How did the two of you meet?

Vanessa: We both started off as assistants within the personal shopping department at Matches Fashion within a month of each other. We started during covid, so we naturally grew close while trying to navigate supporting such a busy team during lockdown. Alli was so warm and outgoing, and we just had an instant connection as friends.

Alli: Vanessa was my lifeline when I first started at matches, learning how to do the job during covid was a challenge but I had a great support in Vanessa which made us fast friends.

What drew you to each other and what were your first impressions? How are you different now?

Vanessa: I like to think I’m not too dissimilar to what I’m like now. I always had grit and always worked incredibly hard. I guess now I just have a bit more confidence in myself, and feel more comfortable standing my ground. We always worked well together, I think because we have similar ways of working but different strengths that allow us to have a successful partnership.

Alli: First thing you may notice is Vanessa and I have very similar taste which is always great as we definety bonded over fashion intitally, but when we met we were also the only two north americans on the team which also was nice as we come from super similar cultures. The biggest thing was always the fact that early on we always talked about doing something on our own. I think we have both grown the most in the last almost two years of running Bessette, it teaches you so much about everything- friends, finances, business, and many many more.

The Evolution
How have you evolved individually and as a duo?

Alli: I think we have really learned each of our places in Bessette. When we first started the business there was so much of finding out who's place is who's, our strengths have become more refined and I think we really know how to communicate well. We both have a underlying trust in each other and we have learned now that everything always works out the way it is supposed to. I think we stress less about the small things and focus on bigger things now. Individually, I have learned a lot about my strengths as a person and the value of having boundaries. When you're running a business you have to learn to say no to some things I may have had more free time to do in the past. Lastly, I have learned the value of community, I couldn't do it without my amazing business partner Vanessa, my husband, family and close friends.

Career Foundations
What did you do before Bessette? Tell us about your paths leading up to the brand.

Vanessa: I started my career in fashion working at the Burberry head office in the showroom as an assistant. From there, I went to Matches in personal shopping, then spent brief periods at Threads Styling then Selfridges.

Alli: For me, in interior design actually and then shifted to fashion, my first job in fashion was an assistant to a private shopper. My third week on the job I was assisting fittings for members of the royal family and I fell In love with the grind of working in fashion from there.

Building Bessette
How did Bessette come about — was there a spark that started it all?

Vanessa: Alli and myself were known as the “sample sale queens” whilst at previous jobs, but realized most people dont enjoy the experience. It’s a lot of shifting through a bunch of stock, generally not presented in the nicest of ways. We wanted to bring a luxury experience to outlet shopping, with a curated edit and service that is similar to a full price boutique.

How have your backgrounds shaped the brand?

Alli: The experience working directly with the VIP clientele whilst working in Personal Shopping has helped understand exactly what customers are looking for and the service they expect. That direct feedback is priceless. We also learned how to properly service a luxury customer.

What defines Bessette — and how easy was it to set up?

Vanessa:Our values at Bessette is customer service and experience over everything. We had the idea about 6 months before we decided to jump straight into it.

The Founder Experience
What’s the best thing about being founders — and the hardest?

Vanessa: My favourite thing about being a founder is just working towards our dream everyday. It’s so exciting to see our vision come to life and being people so receptive to it. The hardest challenge is just having to deal with issue everyday and just staying resilient. You don’t get days off. It’s all up to you, and that responsibility can be heavy sometimes.

Alli: Same as vanessa, getting to put all my effort towards building something I am super proud of, as well as waking up every day doing something I love. The hardest thing is also not really being able to turn your brain off.

The Brand Philosophy
What does Bessette stand for at its heart?

Alli:Bessette in scandi is BESAT(T) which stands for obsessed. We are also inspired by Carolyn Bessette Kennedys iconic style.

How do you divide roles?

Vanessa:I am head of brand partnerships, so manage the buying and relationship with the brands as well as more admin.

Alli:I am the creative director so I head up all of the socials, branding, shoots, event design, etc.

Inspiration & Atmosphere
Where do you find inspiration?

Vanessa: I find lots of inspiration from social media, as well as just living in such a creative city such as London.

What’s it like when you’re in the office together?

Vanessa: I might be biased but I love our office space. We have a small team, and we all sit at one large desk together. We also use our office as our studio, so it’s a really fun, creative space. We are always listening to Taylor Swift lol.

Alli: We have the best time! Most of the time it honestly doesnt feel like work. Our office feels like an extension of home, Vanessa and I are both coffee obsessed so we have our sage coffee machine of course so we are properly set up!

The Value of Space
Why is physical retail so important for Bessette?

Vanessa: I think physical is more important than ever. It’s so expensive to acquire an online customer now, and people really missed the physical store experience post covid. We have lots of customers who will only shop in person as they never know how something may fit and they can’t be bothered dealing with returns.

Alli: I think specifically for our business model in person is incredible. The hunt of find that special piece discounted, the feeling you get when walking into a beautiful space is unmatched.

How did your first physical space come about?

Vanessa: We always dreamed about having a pop up. We wanted to connect to our community in person, and really prove how we are different in the space by bringing the luxury retail experience to life in this off price space.

What did you learn from opening your London store?

Vanessa: There was lots of lessons as neither of us had ever opened a retail store before! I would say just think through every step of your customers journey with you. Also, going to lots of different boutiques and retail experiences will help you get inspiration.

Looking Forward
Where do you see the brand in five years?

Alli: I see us having more of a physical presence in the US, as so many of our customers are based there.

What’s the secret to a successful partnership?

Vanessa: We respect each other and trust each other 100%.

Alli: I always say being business partners Is kind of like being roomates, you dont really know for sure if it will work until youre in it, but I am so grateful for the way it has worked out with Vanessa, we really make the perfect team. I think seeing someones work ethic before hand really helps. Everyday we choose to be honest, fair and we have a mutual respect for each other that makes things flow perfectly. Kindness is always key and leaving drama, gossip and negativity out as much as possible is the key to success!

Bessette may have begun as a corrective to the cruelties of the traditional sample sale, but what Alli and Vanessa have built is something more pointed: a retail model shaped by pragmatism, instinct and a clear refusal to compromise. Their partnership — equal parts discipline and creativity — is the engine that keeps it moving, and their ambitions extend well beyond a single postcode.

In a landscape still figuring out the value of physical space, Bessette offers a reminder that the best shops are not simply places to buy things, but places that make sense of who we are and what we desire. Judging by the trajectory of its founders, this is only the beginning.