Behind the Brand
Hi,
Thank you for being here and reading my story. I founded REFINE in summer 2019 after working ten years in fashion editorial including five years at Net-a-Porter. I have always loved an aesthetic defined by timeless pieces and subtle styling with a focus on quality.
Born into a family of luxury textile merchants I grew up with an awareness of what truly high-end fabric should look and feel like. Much to my surprise this was hard to find, even amongst the high-priced brands I worked with. As I have become more strictly with the quality expectations from the pieces I bought, I realized I’ve built my wardrobe with items that I would not be able to afford without the perks of working in the industry. At the same time, I was fatigued by the constant urge for newness. I still don’t understand why something is created, only to be replaced the next season.
That’s how the idea of an accessibly-priced brand with an unwavering commitment to quality and timeless design started to manifest.
I hope you’ll join our journey in creating a modern luxury brand!
Warmly,
Anina
P.S. I’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with me at anina@refine-store.com
The Product
Our mission is to refine the essentials of the modern woman’s wardrobe one piece at a time. Our founder’s family history and her love for luxurious fabrics, made it feel natural to start the brand with silk essentials. Inspired by the enduring appeal of the slip dress, REFINE has evolved from the desire to perfect this classic piece and to create a world around modern femininity. By concentrating on fit and quality the brand today consists of timeless pieces to flatter the female form, elegant yet with ease.
“A One-Stop Shop for Summer Slip Dresses”
It took a year to develop the perfect slip dress. Defined by how the little black dress used to be designed in the 90s with an alluring bias cut, a soft rounded neckline, a calf-skimming midi length and barely-there straps. Our signature style is made from a heavyweight silk satin (40 momme), in fact it is so heavy it’s hardly used by any other brands because it is the most expensive silk fabric on the market. For us it is a non-negotiable to use exactly this material because that’s where the difference lies.
The Mission
REFINE is dedicated to make beautiful long-lasting garments accessible without compromising. Using only the finest materials and limiting production to Europe, the brand strives to support local European communities and keep the carbon footprint and waste throughout their production chain as low as possible.
Longevity
Each piece of the REFINE world is finished to such a degree that it can be worn and loved for years to come. This translates into timeless designs, that transcend seasons and remain relevant and the practice of only using the highest quality materials and a production focusing on craftsmanship.
Value
We believe that luxury isn’t defined by the price tag or a logo but by the true value of a product, the effort and craftsmanship that go into it, the service and appreciation towards the customer and the integrity of the brand. Our aim is to offer our products at a fair price for everyone buying and everyone making them. The traditional retail price in our industry can be as high as 8 times the cost it takes to produce an item. That’s why it is so hard to find high quality and European made products at an accessible price. We are selling our pieces at a markup that is maximum 3 times as high as it costs to produce the garment. This markup we need to run our business, pay everyone a fair wage, develop new designs and create beautiful imagery of our designs.
Transparency
We owe it to you to be as transparent as possible so you know everything you need to when investing into our brand. This applies to how our product is made and at what cost. Unfortunately, we live in a time where sustainability is a buzzword more than a commitment and discount practices have ruined our perception of the true value of a product. That’s why it is a matter close to our heart to not only letting our customer know where we stand in our own efforts but also educating them.
If you have any questions, that haven’t been answered yet, feel free to reach out to us at tellmemore@refine-store.com
Sustainability
We are not a sustainable brand - let’s set this clear. The problem with this term is that there aren’t any legislations around its usage. Every brand can call itself sustainable, no matter their practices. We don’t want to do this. Practicing sustainability, particularly in fashion, is a complex endeavor. It requires research, resources, expertise and time. We are working towards this goal, but we still have a lot to learn and to improve. We care deeply about the impact our business has on the environment, the people working in our factories and our customers so here’s where we stand today, knowing this is an ever evolving process of education and implementation..
European Production
By limiting production (and this includes the production of our garments as well as our fabrics) to the EU we are ensuring labor laws and environmental standards are respected. It enables short transportation routes between Northern Italy, Switzerland (international warehouse) and Austria (EU warehouse), keeping the carbon footprint low. Furthermore we are cultivating a close relationship with our mills and manufacturers all of which are small businesses that are part of several environmental programs themselves such as Rete Clima.
Natural Fibers
We are only working with textiles made from natural fibers which means they are biodegradable. At the moment all our products are made with 100% silk fabrics and we are excited to soon be introducing a range of jersey essentials made with organic cotton fabrics. To be the first to know about the launch sign up to our newsletter.
Small Quantities
We are only launching new styles and colors in small quantities. Then we reproduce what we see most demand for. This enables us to avoid overproduction. We evaluate the demand and try to serve it as precisely as possible. That’s also why we don’t do seasonal sales.
Buy Less But Better
Instead of doing seasonal collections we are developing and launching products that all have a timeless appeal and are designed to be worn for years and not only a moment in time. We think that the traditional seasonal fashion calendar is not enabling sustainable practices. To release big collections that need to be sold in a short time frame and are therefore heavily discounted as short as three months after they hit the shelves is against our principles. Instead we take our time to develop the best version we can of a product and release it when it’s ready.
What’s Next
We are continuously working on making our processes more sustainable and will keep updating you on our progress here and in our newsletter. We are also open to hear your feedback. If you have any suggestions for what we could do to get one step closer to our goal feel free to reach out to us here.