Rickie Dee, co-founder of Superette. Image supplied.
Superette is celebrating 20 years in business this year with the popular retail brand the brainchild of co-founders Rickie Dee and James Rigden, who launched their first store in 2002. Fast-forward to 2022, and Superette is a powerhouse retailer of contemporary fashion and lifestyle products with six chic stores and a seventh concept store alongside a thriving online shop. The business has grown to have 148 staff and is known for it’s stylish selection of local and international brands.
We caught up with Rickie Dee to find out how Superette is celebrating 20 years, how she defines success and what she’s most proud of?
Congratulations on celebrating 20 years in business, what are you doing to celebrate the achievement?
Thanks! Lots! It’s a project we’ve been working on for the last year, to launch and to celebrate with our customers and our team. It’s the first time ever that we’ve actually reworked our in-store packaging – from our tissue to our carry bags. Then we’re also working with a whole lot of brands over the year on exclusive collabs with some of our long-standing suppliers such as Bassike, Zoe and Morgan, Ksubi and so many more. We’ve also partnered with No Ugly to create a margarita collab with them which is something we launched in celebration of our birthday. So yeah, I guess it’s like a birthday year of celebrating. There’s also more goodness to come around Christmas time.
What made you get into fashion and what does it mean to you?
I certainly didn’t start my journey knowing that I was going to go into fashion. I studied advertising and always thought I would have a career in that. I guess I was always passionate about fashion and it kind of transpired from there. In terms of what fashion means to me – I think it’s a way of making yourself feel good by wearing clothes that you like, you know, you naturally feel great and I think that’s why I enjoy the industry.
Fashion has changed a lot in 20 years, what are the biggest differences with what you’re selling to customers now to what you started out selling?
To be honest, there hasn’t been huge changes – I mean there’s been changes in terms of brand mix, you know, slightly. But I think we’ve been really passionate about staying true to who we are and true to our roots. Everything we stock, we love, and are passionate about and I think that’s really important. We’ve learnt a lot more about who our customer is and we do have a really broad customer at Superette because we do have you know over 250 brands. Each brand has its own target audience. We have probably, if anything, enhanced the category offering within our doors. We introduced the home concept a few years back so we’re now doing a lot more in that lifestyle space. Whether it’s candles, books, or things like that. I think also with our International store, the introduction of that concept three years ago – brands sourced from outside of Australasia, it means we’re catering to a whole different customer there with new international brands and a higher-tier offering as well.
Superette’s 20th anniversary campaign.
When you look back on your achievements with Superette, what are you most proud of and what are the moments that stand out to you?
There’s been so many different ones across the years, and you know a lot of learnings too. We are really good at finding a solution to that learning and being quite adaptable. I’m beyond proud of every store that we open. It’s a really exciting part of our career every time and it’s always different. Each store is unique – so adding to our bricks and mortar concept is always something I’m really proud of. I think also the online portion of our business has grown a lot. Certainly over the years, but more recently, it’s grown off the back of Covid. We recently moved into a large scale warehouse (eight times the size of our previous warehouse) to house that and accommodate that shift.
Over your career you’ve amassed numerous accolades but how do you personally define success and what does it mean to you?
I think being successful is obviously being happy in what you do. It is often, you know, being in a role that you really enjoy, something that you really love. For me, to be successful, it’s when you’re happy and enjoying what you do because then that flows through into your personal life as well.
Conversely, how do you deal with failure and what have been some of the challenges of growing your Superette?
Still to this day, you know, you’re still making mistakes, but you know the biggest thing is you learn from those mistakes and you change and adapt quite quickly to move on from those mistakes – always looking for a solution to that problem. I think failure or challenges do make you grow, and you’ve got to make them. You’d be foolish if you didn’t think you were going to be making any mistakes. I guess the big thing is to not let them bog you down. Adapt, change, and move forward again with a new approach.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received that you keep referring back to as a business owner?
“You can’t sell fresh air.” In other words, you can’t sell ‘nothing’ – you’ve got to have something for customers to buy – and also don’t put all your eggs in one basket. James’ dad gave us that advice back in the early days. Right in the beginning we were so cautious to buy product because you know you do have a sense of “oh gosh, what if we don’t sell it” – being ok with having product and new product and consistent product so that you’ve got that opportunity for sales and I think that something that really did work for us and why Superette as a business is such a multi-branded concept. There’s something for everyone. We do keep reverting back to that advice from 20 years ago.
Superette’s 20th anniversary campaign.
There are many facets to building a business but the strength of your ideas and how you deliver them shapes a brand. What factors play into your decisions to turn your ideas into reality?
We have so many ideas haha! I think these days it’s very much changed from when we started out. You know 20 years ago, an idea had to be made a reality by James and myself – we were sort of doing it all. Now we’ve got a super collaborative team with incredible ideas which is amazing – you know – so no idea is a silly one. We have lots of planning sessions to share these ideas and then we take it from there as to how we will make that happen. I think also now, with those ideas and building our brand even further, we still always bring it back to our core values and ensure we’re all working towards those goals for the company that we share with our team. Making sure these ideas always play back to those big goals. If it does, it’s a no-brainer and we’ll roll forward with it. We are a creative business so I do think it is important that we stay agile and open to adapting to new and fresh ideas. It’s important we don’t sit still because I guess that’s when we become stale and not exciting as a brand to the consumer.
Where can we find you when you’re not running your business, how do you relax?
I’m here at work full-time and when I’m not at work I’m with my kids and my family. I do like to chill over a glass of wine and a good meal with the fam – or having a massage – hah!
With everything you’ve achieved so far, what are your goals for the next 20 years of Superette?
We’re definitely not slowing down. We’ve got lots of exciting opportunities that are on the go for this year. We’re passionate about building both sides of the business – both with bricks and mortar and online. I don’t know that we’ve thought out to what it will exactly be in twenty years time but we’re definitely working on the next five year plan with lots on the go.
Superette’s 20th anniversary campaign.
Images supplied.