My story

Ramona Dorcioman:
the Smile & the Force behind
The Dresser

She likes classical pieces… with a twist. She adores the clothes that not only put your body in the best perspective, but also emphasize your personality. “To be a trendy fashionista is not about following some trends, with your eyes closed; it’s about contouring your style according to your own personality, making elegance a habit, investing in pieces that can always be part of a capsule wardrobe, for example”, says Ramona Dorcioman, the entrepreneur who, since 2014, has been pleasing us with her chic & timeless choices on www.thedresser.ro.

Her first job was in banking – and that’s the place where she learned the rigour, exercised the diplomacy, understood how she should react in time of crisis and, most important, how much the respect for the clients mattered. Therefore, The Dresser, her project in the fashion world, is not just a shopping site: it’s a place from where you can create yourself the most authentic and timeless wardrobe, it’s a place where you could get useful advices about how to wear the pieces you bought and, on top of that, it’s a place where you could feel that you are part of a community. A community whose motto will always be: “timeless in a time of fashion”.

How have you decided to launch The Dresser? What was the motivation behind the action?

All began in my childhood: I used to go, with my grandfather, to the shop he worked at that time. It was a place full of clothes, fabrics, shoes and… Impulse body sprays ☺- my biggest pleasure was to try on clothes, to touch them, to imagine how I would wear them. My passion for fashion continued in my adolescence – I have always borrowed clothes from my mother and I used to accessorise them in different ways. While I was a student, I was that girl who always organised shopping sessions, always read glossy magazines. The years passed by and, while working in banking, I started to buy some precious pieces but I also tried to put some colour in the business outfits. After a while, some of my colleagues started to ask me for advice regarding the items of clothing & combinations to try, in order to fit the work outfits as well as their leisure clothing requirements. I liked this part a lot, therefore I started thinking of my dream again: to be surrounded by beautiful clothes, to create chic and personalised outfits, to offer the women around me the opportunity to express themselves through their clothes. Therefore, in 2014, I decided that I had to start The Dresser.

What was the biggest challenge until now?

There are a lot of challenges to face when you are an entrepreneur. There are, also, mistakes you can learn from a lot, but that bring you closer to what you desire to achieve. The hard work, the patience and my financial formation were my strengths and they helped me build the brand, bring a different approach to this fashion niche. I think that one of the biggest challenges is to convince a woman that a clothing item is a precious and timeless piece, and that it can be mixed in various combos in order to maintain a fresh style. To value quality is a way of living. Our business motto is “timeless in a time of fashion” and we intend to exemplify it more and more in the next period of time in the items displayed on the site.

Another challenge was one related to the authenticity of the pieces. Some clients were used to buy Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Burberry pieces from international sites, and they looked with a little bit of distrust at the new, 100% Romanian shopping destination. Things evolved in time and we convinced our clients that not only the products were original, but they were chosen carefully to fit a timeless wardrobe.

How do you choose the items for the site? How does your typical client look like?

It’s about a mix of different elements. First, we are talking about a continuous research of trends, collections from big fashion brands, bloggers with a relevant content in our niche. Then, all the trends are adapted to our passion for those timeless items. And last, but not least, we are open to suggestions – from all the women that are not only our faithful clients, but also dialogue partners. We are talking about a refined woman, an elegant one, with a dynamic lifestyle, who needs not only elegant clothes, but also some comfortable and versatile ones.

The most beautiful story that you had experienced with a client was…

A chic lady, that bought a Prada bag from The Dresser, called me a few days after, saying she was very happy with it. After this first experience, this lady became our regular client: she calls to ask for advice concerning the products she wants to buy, she gives us feedback about the store. Another nice moment was that when her daughter, who lives in Brussels, also became our customer.  All the meetings with such women are very pleasant: such interactions offer us the energy and enthusiasm we need to move on and develop The Dresser project.

You work with people / for people. What do you appreciate in people, what do you dislike?

My aesthetic side comes with the need of being surrounded by refined people – in mind and also in manners. I seek to be surrounded by people that have the elegance and delicacy when they give an opinion, those who have the courage to express different perspectives upon things. On the other side, I feel uncomfortable around people that use an aggressive and rude language.

What’s the first designer piece that you kept and you would still wear today?

A white shirt with metallic buttons from Prada – when I saw it in the store window, I felt the urge to enter and try it on – I fell in love with those delicate embossed buttons. When I tried it on, I knew it was going to be mine and that I would wear it for a long, long time. And that’s exactly what happened. The cut, the fabric, the buttons, the care for details, all were… so Prada! Every time I wear it, it brings me the emotion & happiness that I felt for the first time I touched it. This shirt still remains one of my favourite piece in my wardrobe.

Which are your all time favourite trends? Why?

I love the style that Maria Grazia Chiuri has promoted at Dior (since 2016, previously developed) and at Valentino. But I also have discovered a wild side of me, so I love the Tom Ford style, but also the style brought by Frida Giannini at Gucci when she was the artistic director of the brand.

What about the trends you will never wear?

The actual Gucci style by Alessandro Michele – I don’t think this style represents me, I think it is perfect for young hipsters with colourful taste, looking for innovations and trends.

Who are your all time favourite designers? Why?

I think I can find myself in the feminine style seen in Valentino designs – I love to experiment with prints and colours, but I also have a little dose of conservatism in me, so I don’t try sexy or bold looks very often.

The ultimate fashion icon for you is…     

I couldn’t decide between Victoria Beckham – she is the symbol of the perfect elegance and Olivia Palermo – for her clean and casual looks.

Which designers / pieces would you like to bring on the site, in the future?

Red Valentino and See by Chloé – for the fresh and chic style, perfect for impeccable pictures of street style.

Short story…

I would go anytime on holiday in… Austria – for my friends, for all that ordered, disciplined and clean country, for its polite and yet discreet people.

The last piece I bought was… a nude cashmere coat from Burberry; it’s a classical piece and I am sure that it will keep me company for years from now on.

The object of art I have recently fallen in love is… a brass decorative vase signed by Sacha Lakic.

The series I would see on repeat is… Sex and the City.

The Instagram accounts I check every day are… BOF, Chiara Ferragni, Dior, BeautifulDestinations, Zimmerman.

About me, Ramona, you don’t know… that I like to wake up before 7 a.m. and to sip my coffee reading magazines for at least an hour.