After finding a wardrobe full of clothes she barely wore, the Dubai-based entrepreneur turned the idea into a consignment business focused on giving fashion a second life.
The clothes were still wearable. They simply were not being worn.
For British expat Jessica Coote, that became the starting point for a business idea after she moved to Dubai in 2024 and found herself with a wardrobe filled with clothes she rarely used.
The problem was not finding buyers. It was everything that came before the sale.
Taking photographs, writing listings, responding to messages, and managing individual sales made the process more time-consuming than Coote wanted. She began looking for a service that would allow her to hand over her unwanted clothes and let someone else manage the process.
She could not find one that worked the way she wanted.
So she decided to build it herself.
Coote is the founder and CEO of Closet Concierge, a UAE-based pre-loved fashion and consignment business designed to make it easier for people to sell clothes they no longer wear while giving those pieces another chance with a new owner.
“I decided to build the service that I wished existed,” Coote told Gulf News.
Spotting a gap in Dubai’s fashion market
The business started with Coote’s own wardrobe, but she soon realised the problem extended beyond her.
Many people have clothes sitting unused in their wardrobes even though the pieces remain in good condition. The challenge is often the effort required to turn those clothes into something another person can buy.
Closet Concierge aims to remove much of that work.
Instead of asking sellers to photograph their clothes, create listings,s and manage individual transactions, the business handles the process for them.
“What started as an idea became something I built myself from the ground up,” Coote said. “I wanted to create something that made the whole experience easier for both sides, giving people a convenient way to clear out their wardrobes while making pre-loved fashion feel more accessible and appealing to shoppers.”
For Coote, the opportunity goes beyond selling second-hand clothes. She wants resale to become a more familiar part of how people shop for fashion in the UAE.
Why pre-loved fashion made sense in the UAE
Dubai’s fashion-conscious consumer base made the city a natural starting point for the business, according to Coote.
Fashion trends move quickly, and wardrobes can change just as quickly. That creates an opportunity for clothes that no longer fit one person’s lifestyle to find another buyer.
At the same time, Coote has seen greater interest in more sustainable approaches to fashion.
“I felt that there was a genuine gap in the market,” she said. “Resale is well established in many other markets, but I felt there was an opportunity to create a service specifically designed around the way people live and shop in the UAE.”
She also credits Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem for making it easier to develop the idea.
“There is a strong entrepreneurial community he, re and I’ve found that people are generally very open to collaboration and new ideas.”
Coote said she also received support from other small, female-led businesses in the UAE while building the company.
Learning how to run an e-commerce business
Building Closet Concierge also meant learning an entirely new set of skills.
Coote did not come from a background in online retail. She had to learn everything from Shopify and SEO to marketing, social media, operations and logistics while running the business.
Some ideas worked. Others did not.
Marketing campaigns, processes and strategies had to be tested, changed or abandoned as she learned what worked for the business.
“The biggest lesson has been not to take failure personally,” Coote said. “If something doesn’t work out, I need to figure out a different way to get the result I’m looking for.”
That mindset has helped her deal with the uncertainty of building a company from scratch.
Building the business without outside funding
Closet Concierge has been self-funded since its launch.
That has required Coote to be selective about spending and careful about where she reinvests money. Rather than trying to expand too quickly, she has taken a more gradual approach to building the business.
The decision has also allowed her to retain control over the company’s direction.
Although Coote comes from a family with a business background, her relatives have worked across different industries and countries. Much of what she has needed to know about running Closet Concierge has therefore come through independent research and experience.
“I’ve had to be comfortable asking questions, researching things I don’t understand, and learning through trial and error,” she said.
“There is so much information available now that I think you can teach yourself a lot if you are willing to put the work in.”
The milestone that made the idea feel real
One of the most meaningful milestones for Coote has been watching Closet Concierge grow from an idea into a functioning business with an active community of buyers and sellers.
Its first birthday event was particularly significant.
The event gave Coote a chance to meet customers in person and hear directly about their experiences with the service.
“When you start a business yourself, there are so many moments where you question whether the idea will actually work,” she said.
Seeing customers trust Closet Concierge with their clothes, purchase items,s and return to the business gave her reassurance that the original idea had found an audience.
“Knowing that we have created something that people genuinely find useful and enjoy being part of has probably been the most fulfilling part of the journey so far.”
From a 9-to-5 job to running her own company
Building Closet Concierge eventually meant making another major decision. Coote left her 9-to-5 job to work on the business full-time.
It was not an easy choice.
There were periods when she questioned the decision, particularly during stressful phases of building the company. But her belief in the business ultimately pushed her forward.
“If you’re scared to do it, it’s probably the best time to do it,” Coote said. “It’s completely normal to feel scared, but honestly, you never will be fully ready.”
She also cautioned against comparing a business journey with what people see online.
“People rarely post their failures or the difficult moments, so you’re often comparing your reality to someone else’s highlight reel.”
What comes next for Closet Concierge
Coote’s long-term ambition is to build Closet Concierge into a leading destination for pre-loved fashion in the UAE before eventually expanding into other markets.
For now, the focus remains closer to home: changing how people think about the clothes already sitting in their wardrobes.
A dress, jacket or pair of shoes that no longer gets used does not necessarily have to become waste. It may simply need a new owner.
That idea turned a personal frustration into a business.
After moving to Dubai with a wardrobe full of clothes she no longer wore, Coote built the service she could not find herself. Now, she is betting that more people in the UAE will see the value in giving their clothes a second life.
Read more news and follow us on Instagram
Source: Gulf News
