
Designers
We Want to Fill Our Closets with RetrofĂȘte
The brand elevating party dressing is our latest obsession.
There are party dresses, and then there are RetrofĂȘte dresses. And the latter, according to fashion editors, celebs, and anyone who subscribes to a more is more mantra, are the ones elevating party dressing, one sequin mini at a time.
Founded by husband-and-husband duo Ohad Seroya and Aviad Klin, RetrofĂȘte is marked by beaded embellishments, swingy silhouettes, and pieces reminiscent of the Sudio 54 era: fun, alluring, best when worn twirling under a disco ball.
Founded by husband-and-husband duo Ohad Seroya and Aviad Klin, RetrofĂȘte is marked by beaded embellishments, swingy silhouettes, and pieces reminiscent of the Sudio 54 era: fun, alluring, best when worn twirling under a disco ball.
âAt 16, I started in retail, so I always knew [fashion] was the market I wanted to be in,â says Seroya, who, like Klin, was born and raised in Israel. âThe company I worked for offered me the opportunity to be a buyer, and from there I worked my way into showroom management. Working for a showroom helped me realize I had so many more ideas I wanted to share with the worldâultimately inspiring me to manage my own business.â
Klinâs foray into fashion was much less linear. âBelieve it or not, I actually started out as an engineer,â he says, adding that he later worked in finance. âBecause I was with Ohad, I was always involved in some way in his personal business ventures. When I graduated with my MBA, I decided to start working with him on private labels and other projects. Naturally, we ended up building a business together.â
Having helped numerous brands grow, they had a keen sense of what the market was missing. Additional inspiration came from their personal vintage archive, which included bygone â70s and â80s sequin pieces. âThis was our chance to bring these time periods back into fashion, create beautiful patterns with sequins, and expand and develop all of the research we had collected over the years,â Klin says. The labelâs name is a mix of that vintage inspiration, retro, and the French work for party, fĂȘte.
Klinâs foray into fashion was much less linear. âBelieve it or not, I actually started out as an engineer,â he says, adding that he later worked in finance. âBecause I was with Ohad, I was always involved in some way in his personal business ventures. When I graduated with my MBA, I decided to start working with him on private labels and other projects. Naturally, we ended up building a business together.â
Having helped numerous brands grow, they had a keen sense of what the market was missing. Additional inspiration came from their personal vintage archive, which included bygone â70s and â80s sequin pieces. âThis was our chance to bring these time periods back into fashion, create beautiful patterns with sequins, and expand and develop all of the research we had collected over the years,â Klin says. The labelâs name is a mix of that vintage inspiration, retro, and the French work for party, fĂȘte.
âWe take pride in the hard work our team puts into perfecting each look,â Seroya says. âMost of our sequin styles are hand sewn in India, our denim and velvet is done in Italy, and silks and lamĂ© are produced in China.â That attention to detail, which is evident in every piece, helped RetrofĂȘte garner fans immediately upon launching in 2018, before the range was even in stores or online.
âGwyneth Paltrow wore our Grace Dress in Bronze to the Avengers Premiere,â Klin says. âIt was unreal for us. We were a new brand just starting out, and here was someone famous, a movie and fashion icon, wearing our piece! Later in the year, J.Lo, the queen, wore our Gabrielle Robe for her birthday. That was a big moment for us, too. Itâs been exciting to see the people we love, love the work we do.â
Currently, Seroya and Klin are working to expand RetrofĂȘteâs denim, silk, and lamĂ© styles, and the brand is in talks with Harrodâs for a holiday pop-up. âWe hope to work our way up to hosting a runway show,â Seroya says, with Klin adding one more goal: âGetting a style on Ariana Grande!â
âGwyneth Paltrow wore our Grace Dress in Bronze to the Avengers Premiere,â Klin says. âIt was unreal for us. We were a new brand just starting out, and here was someone famous, a movie and fashion icon, wearing our piece! Later in the year, J.Lo, the queen, wore our Gabrielle Robe for her birthday. That was a big moment for us, too. Itâs been exciting to see the people we love, love the work we do.â
Currently, Seroya and Klin are working to expand RetrofĂȘteâs denim, silk, and lamĂ© styles, and the brand is in talks with Harrodâs for a holiday pop-up. âWe hope to work our way up to hosting a runway show,â Seroya says, with Klin adding one more goal: âGetting a style on Ariana Grande!â
Click through to shop our favorite RetrofĂȘte styles:
Photos: Courtesy of RetrofĂȘte
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