Glitz Spotlight

Glitz Spotlight: Siddhartha Arya, founder of The SaleSale Sells Affordable Branded Clothes

Featuring vintage and limited-edition finds
By: Agnes / January 18, 2022

The SaleSale, a premium apparel purveyor specialising in great prices on designer item, has opened its first pop-up in Dempsey Hill. Beyond the inconspicuous entryway, The SaleSale is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience in Singapore. A museum-like trip is encapsulated by dark and sombre rooms, theatrical lighting, and a one-of-a-kind smell coupled with a handpicked soundtrack. The SaleSale brings together accessibility and designer fashion by offering significantly discounted products from over 60 luxury designer brands. This includes Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, and more. This week, Glitz spoke to founder Siddhartha Arya on what The SaleSale really is.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about The SaleSale and what inspired you to create the brand?

Growing up in a family with a strong entrepreneurial background, I saw first-hand the grit and tenacity that goes behind the scenes of a business venture. I was inspired by my family’s passion and knew that while it was not easy, starting a business of my own would be my greatest goal. I seized a window of opportunity during the pandemic where Singaporean consumers missing the pleasures of overseas retail and wanted to bring that to Singapore. 

My family had a large part to play in fueling my interest in luxury and fashion. My mum has always been especially adventurous in experimenting with fashion trends, and that started to seed my passion for the fashion scene. 

Aligning both my interest in fashion and my penchant for luxury, The SaleSale was born. As in its name, The SaleSale is a brick-and-mortar store that offers high-end labels but does away with extravagant price tags. Moreover, The SaleSale sources designer labels that are not commonly available in the Singapore market; a few being Alaia, Marchesa, Zuhair Murad and Naeem Khan. 

2. The SaleSale is all about luxury fashion at a discounted price – how is that possible?

Our strong business relationship with our distributors and wholesalers enable us to stock over 60 designer labels. We also work extensively with my team in Milan for the procurement of off-season designer pieces across USA and Europe to ensure a high level of curation in our merchandising – ideally each piece at The SaleSale should be unique and one-of-a-kind.

3. What was the biggest challenge you faced when it came to managing The SaleSale?

The SaleSale as a business is still at an infancy stage. Once it picks up, we will then be able to make revisions and improvements in our operations and backend systems. Since The SaleSale has only recently just launched, it is still a challenge to create a seamless business flow. As the team is still quite lean, my goal is to be able handover operations to my employee whenever I’m not able to be present so that operations will continue to be seamless as possible.

4. What do you love most about The SaleSale?

I love the juxtaposition of the vast space and its moody and theatrical interiors. The retail spaces at Dempsey Hill was perfect for us to execute a museum-like boutique experience that gives the clothes their own stage to shine.

5. Tell us your favourite luxury fashion designer and why do you love him/her?

This is a tough one! But if I had to choose one, it would be Naeem Khan for his ornate and intricately detailed gowns that truly are timeless.

6. Would you say the luxury finds at The SaleSale are vintage/limited edition? Why?

I wouldn’t coin the luxury pieces at The SaleSale “limited edition” ala the likes of Louis Vuitton X Supreme or Dior X Air Jordans. They are limited in the sense that we often only have one size of a select design, and these pieces will never be reproduced unless the brands happen to reintroduce them from their archives.

Shopping at The SaleSale is almost like hunting for lost treasure. It brings the joy of being able to buy that Oscar De La Renta dress you’ve missed out the previous season, the Versace mini skirt that never went on season sale or the Alexander McQueen jacket that never came back into production.

7. The SaleSale’s pop-up is only lasting till March 2022, what will happen after that?

We are planning ahead for a permanent store location in the heart of Singapore and will be sure to share more closer to the date. Be sure to stay tuned to our Instagram @TheSaleSaleOfficial for sneak peeks!

8. How do you think the pandemic has changed the way we shop?

I think consumers are in search of novelty. Online shopping is definitely great but when it comes to luxury shopping, the tangible experience is still very much important. Advanced technology could not replace how an actual piece of clothing would make you feel on the body. Hence at The SaleSale we are focused on crafting a unique and experiential shopping journey that endeavors creativity and offers a new experience for customers. 

For example, our customers at The SaleSale have shared that they thoroughly enjoyed the experience – from the comforting and opulent aesthetics of its interiors to the curation of unique pieces across the array of brands; these are elements that breathes newness in the market and we’re always finding ways to elevate this experience. 

9. What is your hope for The SaleSale in years to come?

I hope that The SaleSale becomes an accessible home for multiple high-end labels, whether it’d be in terms of brands or affordability for the fashionably astute, ultimately marrying online prices with a luxurious physical retail experience. With the global luxury market predicted to top USD$387 billion in 2025, my long-term goal is to take The SaleSale across multiple luxury goods segments like luxury cars, jewellery, and more.

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