In September 2022, Ma Lilia Sablay launched Style Reissue as an e-commerce resale store but she always had the intention to open a brick and mortar store one day.
"I want to be part of a community," she tells V.I.A. less than a year later having just officially opened Style Reissue's storefront at 6031 West Boulevard in Kerrisdale. The boutique will offer consignment and resale of authenticated contemporary designer items.
"I am 56 years old starting my dream business," says Sablay, who has 15 years of experience in the luxury resale business in Vancouver. She managed the flagship location of Turnabout on South Granville but in 2021 says COVID redirected her life as it did for many working in retail and hospitality.
Sablay says that while her life was turned upside down she took it as a sign that she was meant to service the industry with her "own touch."
The designer resale industry in Vancouver has exploded in the last few years with many businesses flourishing online and opening physical locations. With the support of her client base, Sablay felt she was ready to pursue her passion for "retelling the story of sustainable fashion through style."
"That's why I named my company Style Reissue," she explains.
Sablay is admittedly nervous about how new she is to business ownership. "All I have is a dream to service [the] community," she says, but her mission is to encourage women and help them deal with their excess pieces that need to be worn again, if not by the original owners.
"I want ladies to continue retelling the story of beautiful garments with their own story," she adds.
