INTERVIEW #17 LEONORA STYLE

“The buying process should be similar to buying from a “regular store” with the satisfaction of making a positive impact on the environment.”

What is Leonora Style and when did you launch? 

Leonora is a webshop and pop-up store for selected second-hand, vintage and sustainable design collaborations. You can sell and buy pre-loved gems and discover local, sustainable designer collections. We launched in spring this year as we were inspired by new exciting secondhands we came across in the market and the increased interest of secondhand. Our own engagement in sustainability and fashion got us thinking to see how we could make our own niche and contribute to the movement. 

What is the main idea behind the concept?

The main idea is simplicity for our customers. It should be easy to sell where we handle the whole process with pick-ups outside the doorstep and subsequent presentation including modelling, creating style content and marketing of the items. Then the seller gets a 50% sales commission. 

For the buyer it should be easy and inspiring. The buying process should be similar to buying from a “regular store” with the satisfaction of making a positive impact on the environment. Clothes can be combined and presented in new ways bringing seemingly dull items into life again. We like the mix of having vintage with a modern twist. For us it’s about creating sustainable and timeless looks inspired by fashion icons. The purchase experience should be seamless making people choose secondhand over new clothes. 

 There are people who already have secondhand as a lifestyle. They know how to find and sell clothes in boutiques and different online platforms, but for the busy average person, there is probably a need to have a helping hand that can curate and take care of both the selling and buying process. The idea is to make it simple, inspiring and easy to choose secondhand. 

“The purchase experience should be seamless making people choose secondhand over new clothes.”

From where do you source your products?

We get our products from our sellers and we like to mix more exclusive brands with nice things from regular brands and vintage gems and we really love our Co-Labs we’ve teamed up this season and are looking forward to presenting more design collaborations this autumn. 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

We like to think in different styles and we also think that a sustainable wardrobe is connected to style. We think that the combination of vintage, secondhand and unique design pieces create an interesting dynamic.

When you play around and create looks in different styles it’s often about combining items you have in new ways. If you look at many popular brands what they often do is to recreate new looks based on timeless vintage style.

What has been the largest gain up until now? 

So far what really motivates us and what we appreciate the most is the collaboration we’ve had with engaging people. We love collaborating with creative designers and curators that contribute with their unique touch. For us it’s also a mindset, and we talk about that in our team, that our approach is to see everyone in our field as potential collaborators and not as competitors. Leonora collaborates with freelance experts in their fields that helps us with things we ourselves are not experts at, and they are important co-creators of Leonora.

To create a more sustainable society starts with a circular mindset where we don’t consider ourselves as competitors but rather co-creators of a more sustainable society and contributing to the SDGs. If one person or company that works for a more circular lifestyle succeeds, it’s a gain for everyone and it automatically creates more space for others around them. The more we can normalize a circular lifestyle the better for all of us and the planet.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

To truly understand our customers and the whole customer journey.How can it be easy and effortless to choose secondhand? How do we reach the majority and not only people who already have a big interest in secondhand? How can we contribute? It has also been interesting for us as we have been selling both online and from our physical store. A key learning so far has been that behaviors seem to be changing and that people prefer to buy online.

“The more we can normalize a circular lifestyle the better for all of us and the planet.”

What do you think needs to change in the fashion industry in order to make it more sustainable? 

Much needs to change in several ways. The lack of transparency around who produces the clothes, at what conditions and at what cost? Where are the garments sourced from? Then there is the behavioral area. What type of behavior does the fashion industry and the brands trigger?

It feels like secondhand has become a new type of statement for people. When choosing secondhand you’re also taking action against fast-fashion and mass consumption. You are actively choosing slow fashion and this has become a way of claiming that you are consciously acting. It is a growing movement and for many young people, “the Greta generation”, it comes natural to choose secondhand, and they also seem to find the charm with vintage fantasizing about all the stories the clothes carry. However, the majority are still shopping fast fashion and companies need to take a larger responsibility. It is not enough to say that a certain percentage of the garment is recycled if new clothes and new collections are released several times per year triggering a lifestyle continuous consumption.

Last but not least are also the values and mindset of the fashion industry and the companies. It’s not enough to use trendy buzz words like circular, sustainability or conscious if it doesn’t reflect the values of the company. It needs to be lived by its employees in terms of the type of leadership and collaboration among the employees and suppliers throughout the whole chain.

“When choosing secondhand you’re also taking action against fast-fashion and mass consumption.”

“It’s not enough to use trendy buzz words like circular, sustainability or conscious if it doesn’t reflect the values of the company. It needs to be lived by its employees in terms of the type of leadership and collaboration among the employees and suppliers throughout the whole chain.”

What is “greenwashing” according to YOU and what in your opinion, can producers and consumers do to avoid it?

It’s probably answered in the previous question, but Greenwashing is when authenticity lacks. When you try to polish the outside of a company but you don’t make conscious choices everyday, starting with yourself and your closest co-workers. Greenwashing is when there is a lack of alignment. It’s easy to use trendy words of sustainability. But to live sustainable and consciously needs to start with you and your own self leadership and the acknowledgement of our interdependence. To acknowledge that everyone can and does have an impact. That our choices and our voices do matter in the society we all co-create.

What are your top 3 tips to fashion consumers out there who seek to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?

It’s so easy to just live on autopilot and follow trends and popular brands, but to dress in your own personal style requires courage. What things do you love? What clothing do you find beautiful and tasteful, beyond trends and popular brands?

Another tip is to start seeing things in a more shared way, for example this dress is mine now, I wear it and use it with care and after some time it can be passed on to someone else. Something that takes up space in our wardrobe can become someone else’s new treasure. Finally clothes and style should be fun, your style is not a fixed set of this or that and, just as we develop throughout life so should our personal style. Dare to try things and colors that you are not used to be wearing, maybe there are just fixed ideas we carry “that a certain style is not for me”.

If you had to name ONE person/celebrity/icon who inspires you with her/his style, who would that be?

It’s hard to choose one person because it’s about getting inspired by people who are confident in themselves and their outfits, the way they radiate and live life to the fullest. It’s not about dressing in certain popular brands but it’s about personal expressions, embracing what you love and feel. 

It’s so easy to dress down at work or other places to avoid taking up space, but we contribute much more to everyone around us if we dare to wear what we love without saving it for special occasions. The name of our store actually comes from our four year old daughter Leonora who is a true inspiration in terms of living life to the fullest. She takes great joy in dressing every day. She loves vivid clothes that captures her personality and the love never stops. It’s such a joy to see her dress and enjoy herself every day, as each day is a new opportunity to shine and have fun.

Learn more about Leonora Style here and follow on Instagram!