A vendor at Tindahan ni Tarsee which was conceptualized by the Daily Tribune to help micro, medium and small enterprises showcase their products at Ayala Malls Manila Bay over the weekend enthused that the holiday bazaar made it possible for her to engage with friends and customers two long years after such activities were stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I have gained revenue because of the many customers that attended the bazaar. Other customers even tagged us after buying our products. We are very happy because we miss the excitement and fun of joining bazaars and meeting our clients in person," said Ariane Denise Lumod, creative entrepreneur of Simone's Closet, a Filipino brand of women's clothing, canvas bags and other accessories.

Also during her interview with the Daily Tribune's online morning show Gising Na!, Lumod shared how Simone's Closet started with women's apparel.

"The business was named after my daughter Simone who is now 14 years old. We opened the business in 2010 right after I graduated from college because ever since before, I really like fashion. I had lots of fabric accessories back then and my love for clothes is just secondary. I even started mix-matching and luckily, the business has been running for 12 years," she said.

Besides clothes, Simone's Closet also offers handmade accessories, which she has been doing since 2010.

Physical stores

Currently, Simone's Closet has two physical stores, located at the second Ayala Mall and Estancia in Kapitolyo, Pasig.

"But when the pandemic hit the country, we began selling our products online, under our website shopsimonecloset.com," she added.

Just recently, the shop unveiled its new collection, with the peg all about holiday outfits, fit for those looking for Christmas Party OOTD (outfit of the day).