Do you ever have days in your life when you just cannot find any clothes to wear, and yet, your wardrobe is full of them? Chitra Goenka and Aneesa Dhody Mehta knew this before they started LabelCentric.

LabelCentric, a pre-loved or, as we commonly call, pre-owned luxury products brand, will help you discard the items that are way too expensive, in the perfect shape, yet you don’t intend to use them again.

Also, if you’re a fan of luxury fashion, but your budget doesn’t allow you to splurge, LabelCentric is a place where you can buy your favourite luxury items at a discount of about 80-90%.

Surprised? Well, so was I, before I got in touch with the two women behind the idea.

How did LabelCentric happen?

Aneesa: We were both trying out the same idea separately and realized that the gap in the market for discussing luxury is very wide. Chitra put together an online sale while I was trying to work it out with a pop up show. When we met and exchanged ideas, we realized that the stream had a lot of potential and decided to test the market further. It looked favourable after we saw that people were coming forward and accepting pre-loved clothing.

How long is it going to be before the trend picks up in India?

Chitra: With LabelCentric, we’ve observed a steady growth since we stepped in a year and a half ago. Today, we don’t need to tell people what pre-owned luxury means. People earlier didn’t have any options, though now, they can purchase their favourite luxury brands at about 80-90% off.

How do you ensure the authenticity of the product?

Chitra:  Our USP is a 100% authenticity guarantee. We follow a three-step authentication process. I’ve got a fair idea about what an original product looks like, so once the products pass the step one, ie, me, we move on to step two, which is where the brand partners come in. The brand partners have worked with the respective brands for years and immediately can tell apart the fake ones.

We are associated with the American Authenticity Agency, that, upon verification, gives us a certificate of authenticity.

How has the friendship between the two of you evolved?

Aneesa: We had hit it off since day one. We share a special bond that is difficult to find. We are able to understand each other’s perspectives, and I really feel that we complement each other, perfectly. I have a sense of profound respect for Chitra, and her dedication and hard work, too.

What we have today, is a lot deeper than friendship.

Chitra: We handle different departments. She works with marketing, and I focus more on the brand positioning, and our paths almost never cross. We experience a sense of harmony in working together. Aneesa and I are both very compromising and work as a team, the works has improved our friendship, too.

Do you ever exchange clothes with one another?

Chitra: We cannot because we’re different sizes!

Ever plan to start your own luxury brand?

Chitra & Aneesa in unison: NO! Though we are looking to expand LabelCentric.

And, what will be your elements of expansion?

Chitra: First step, I think is to expand the product category. We constantly get requests for luxury watches, and many other things. Secondly, we don’t want to confine ourselves to India and widen our horizons by delivering products abroad, too. Third, we want to launch a pre-owned high street fashion brand, where the prices are going to be much cheaper.

What is one piece of clothing that you can’t wear and also cannot give away.

Chitra: I have this denim skirt that I just cannot fit into! I’m waiting for the time I’ll be able to get into it.

Aneesa: I have a fully embroidered gown that I wore for my sister’s wedding, which happens to be designed by her. I cannot give it away for the same reason & of course because my sister made it especially for me. *Laughs*

What would you wear if you were:

Attending a rock concert

Aneesa: A pair of jeans, t-shirt and sneakers

Chitra: Denim shorts, a ganji and sneakers.

Going to Goa

Chitra:  Denims and a ganji

Aneesa: Maybe, a cotton dress, slippers and a big hat.

Having a Girls’ Night Out

Chitra: All black ensemble.

Aneesa: Ditto.

Going for a meeting

Chitra: Denims, wedges and a white shirt

Aneesa: A knee-length structured dress with either loafers or ballerinas

Published on Oct 1, 2017.