Hardworking style maven Rickie Dee has much to celebrate with business partner James Rigden this month. Their coveted Aotearoa retail business Superette has just turned 20, and there are many moments to reflect on. The pair and their ever-growing team have launched a number of Superette house brands, debuted a luxurious space in Newmarket dedicated to far-flung designers (Superette International), and in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, moved to an online distribution warehouse eight times bigger than the previous one to adapt to a rise in e-commerce growth.
As Dee explains, the Superette customer is at the core of everything they do. Superette aims to delight each individual who walks into one of their eight stores nationwide, from the curated selection of fashion-forward brands to the contemporary decor.
In celebration of 20 years of Superette, we get up close and personal with Rickie Dee to look back on the past two decades — from memorable style moments to the trends that have come full circle.
We started Superette when we were 21 years old. It was just James, myself and one other employee. Now we’ve grown to have 148 staff! We’ve stayed true to the Superette ‘lifestyle’ concept; we’ve always sold art, books, fashion — all the things. With the pandemic hitting two years ago, we experienced substantial online growth. We moved into a warehouse eight times the size of our previous one in the middle of the pandemic to adapt.
We’ve learnt a lot throughout the years, the most significant thing being who our customer is. We tailor our buying and offering to that customer. Our Superette in-house brand launched in 2015, born from the need to fill gaps within our existing offering. It has grown to be one of our top brands. We also launched Superette Leisure Club in 2021 — right in the middle of Covid! There was a huge uptake with track suiting and people working from home — so that collection has had a great response ever since.
It’s vital that customers can walk into any of our stores and put together an outfit from a variety of brands instead of just one. There are so many brands out there, and it is hard to limit ourselves with the brands we choose to stock, and I think that’s where the idea of Superette International originated. We were inspired by what we saw at the likes of Paris Fashion Week— we wanted to pick up brands that were further afield from Australasia.
My favourite Superette memories? Pre-covid, we always made sure we had amazing Christmas parties with our team, and I’m looking forward to getting back into that. It’s important to get everyone together to celebrate. Another great moment would be growing our team to where it is today — having everybody around us come on the journey. The increased size of our new warehouse for sure was also a big moment – installing conveyor belts was pretty cool!
My style has evolved over the past 20 years. I mean, looking back at some of the photos, I think, gosh, that was wild. Also, throwing kids into the mix has meant you have to dress more practically. I still do like to dress up every day, you know, we are in the business of fashion, and I think it’s important you don’t slip into casual mode all of the time. But certainly, on the weekends, I’m in a tracksuit and activewear. I think my style is still very much the same vibe, but it shifts as new brands come along. Presently, I’m into the 90’s — I love a low slung jean. I think it looks hot.
Over the years, I’ve seen many trends come and go. We’re seeing flared pants coming back — we stocked them when we first started the business. I don’t think there are any trends that I would rather have not happened — because, at that moment, we were really passionate about them. A few iconic throwbacks like the Sass and Bide Black Rats legging come to mind. They’ve just relaunched them (even though we don’t stock Sass and Bide anymore), so that’s a good example of things that come full circle.
At the moment, my go-to outfit would definitely be a blazer and jeans with a heel. It’s such a practical outfit, great for being on the go while still having an element of feeling dressed up and being in business mode. There are too many brands to name in terms of what I’m currently coveting. I love Camilla and Marc, Anine Bing, Rohe, and Samsøe Samsøe.
There are a few investment pieces in my wardrobe — staple pieces I’ll keep forever, like my Camilla and Marc leather jackets and pants. I’ve got some denim from Bassike’s very first collection that I still wear today; they’re very ’90s esque. So many jackets have remained in my wardrobe, like wool coats and trenches.
Turning to homewares, I can’t get enough of coffee table books! I love Maison Balzac candles and glassware, and their incense is amazing. I’ve been burning it at home. I recently got a new bedside stool from Special Studio. I’m super into it.
My style advice for others? Always wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. Don’t follow trends too heavily if it’s something that isn’t you.
For more on inspiring women in fashion, read our profile on personal shopper Gab Waller, to step into the world of designer sourcing.
