Inspired by the power of a gorgeous gown to boost self-esteem, CAROL CHEN, founder of dress rental service Covetella, is on a mission to make women look and feel beautiful. We chat in her new showroom about the brand’s special makeover, startup life and how to bounce back from failure.
You’re a serial entrepreneur who worked on a number of startups before Covetella. What has your journey taught you?
Being an entrepreneur is a lot like getting on a rollercoaster and going with it, even when you want to get off. The first startup I was a part of experienced rapid success then eventual failure. My second steadily grew into the millions, and the third never really took off. My fourth startup, Covetella, has been almost three years in the making and is still a challenge every day.
These experiences have not only taught me how to effectively run a business, but also helped me become more tenacious, resilient and resourceful. I’ve learnt that many people are willing to help you, and that the ability to adapt quickly and stay positive is key. Also, most things don’t turn out as planned, and anything is possible if you believe in yourself and are willing to put in the work to make it happen.
What inspired Covetella’s concept, and why choose Singapore as its launch market?
I fell in love with Singapore after doing a brief consulting project here and was looking for opportunities to stay. When I went back to Texas over the holidays, my mum asked me what I was going to do with all the dresses in my closet from my pageant days, so I decided to bring them back to Singapore to see if I could sell or rent them out.
Eventually, I discovered that most women here fall into two categories: those with closets full of special occasion dresses they rarely wear, and those who only need one occasionally. So I created Covetella as Singapore’s first fashion rental marketplace, and it all grew from there.
You’ve talked about Covetella making women feel beautiful. Tell us a bit more about that concept and your new showroom.
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