Rosie Bowden, Zoe de Abreu and Rachel Heather are the co-founders of Ro&Zo – a small but fast-growing, mid-market fashion retailer that has recently secured investment of £1.5M from Pembroke Venture Capital Trust.
Launched during the early days of the Covid 2020 pandemic with the aim to offer original, timeless, and affordable clothing for women, the brand sells online as well as at John Lewis, Next and Zalando.
Friends Rosie and Zoe first met in 2015 when their careers in manufacturing and wholesale crossed paths, while working for the same company.
Rosie started her career in production, and champions the importance of reliable sourcing, fabric testing, the building of relationships, the skills of price negotiation/margin control and the increasingly important need for sustainable fabric development. Zoe also shares invaluable insight in all aspects of manufacturing, garment costing and quality as well as a real passion for print and design.
Their ideas, creativity and friendship flourished over the years and led to the launch of Ro&Zo.
In 2021, the brand announced a phenomenal sales growth of north of £4M in their first year.
Following their recent investment the ladies are looking to secure their first standalone store.
We caught up with Rosie Bowden and Zoe de Abreu for the latest edition of our ‘My London’ interview series.
Favourite neighbourhood:
Rosie: My favourite neighbourhood in London, even though I don’t live there, is Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park – I love the dog park there, and it has a really nice relaxed community feel.
Zoe: I love Dulwich. My husband and I lived near there for a few years and I loved walking around Dulwich park and village early Saturday mornings and getting a coffee and a croissant.
Favourite place for brunch:
R: We often go to Belle Amie in Earlsfield. Not only does they do a delicious avocado toast, but they sell amazing house plants as well!
Z: I’m a big fan of Farm Girl Cafe in Notting Hill.
Best coffee in London:
R: I recently discovered a great little coffee truck outside Colliers Wood station called Forty Acre Coffee. In my area, it is hard to find nice coffee so I am very pleased!
Favourite gallery or museum:
R: I went to the British Museum for the first time last weekend for the ‘Egyptian Hieroglyph Exhibition’ and I was astounded by how big, beautiful and interesting it was.
Z: For me it’s got to be the V&A – I adore going to see their fashion exhibitions.
Tell us a secret:
R: I a total shopaholic!
Z: As much as I love London, I really love being by the sea.
Favourite place to shop:
Z: We recently moved offices to Angel, and I am loving exploring the shopping in Upper Street and Camden Passage. There are so many cool and interesting boutiques, and independent shops, I would recommend checking it out. Before my go to staple has always been Kings Road.
Favourite place to find inspiration:
Z: I love looking at street style in London, and get so much inspiration from seeing what real people are wearing in their day to day lives. I also use Instagram and Pinterest to get inspired, and I love looking at unusual prints from all over the world.
Best London destination for a date:
R: My husband and I love getting the train into Victoria, walking past Buckingham Palace and then up through Green park into Soho for a Saturday date day and evening. We go for drinks at Ham Yard Hotel before seeing where the night takes us!
Favourite park:
R: I have a soft spot for Regents Park, especially on a crisp sunny winters day.
Z: I enjoy walking around Kensington Gardens as it is such a beautiful view looking at the Palace.
Favourite food market:
Z: Borough Market is always a good option as they have so much variety – I especially love all the cheeses and wines!
R: I used to live In Herne Hill, and it was the highlight of our weekend going to the Sunday market by the station. Not only do they have yummy food and drinks, but also vintage ornaments and clothes.
Your sanctuary in the city:
Z: I find Kew Gardens very therapeutic as you can easily spend all day walking around and looking at all the different amazing plants. The glasshouses are very peaceful and fascinating.
R: Hampstead Heath is somewhere I go when I want to have a good long walk and reflect/de-stress.
What inspires you?
Z: My young daughter inspires me everyday to keep working hard, to succeed in my career and to be a good role model for her.
R: Overcoming challenges and achieving my dreams inspires me to get up every morning and work as hard as I possibly can.
This season I’m loving:
Z: This season I am all about metallic fabrics and jewel colours. Colour has been huge this year and I love the jewel tones of purple and green that really elevate your wardrobe.
R: I really love wearing sequins this party season! I have been styling our black sequin skirt with a knitted cardigan and I have worn it on repeat!
