Foreigner-friendly fashion in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket resident Ali Goebel has just made Western women on the island’s dreams come true.
Friday 17 February 2012, 11:34AM
Her shop, Exquisite Expat Fashion, stocks clothing – including many larger sized items – from about
size 4 to 30UK.
Ali says she’d been thinking about launching the shop for a number of years, after innumerable conversations with friends that ended in complaints about not being able to find good clothing that fitted well, for a reasonable price.
Most of the fashion available in Phuket was made for Thai women’s body shapes, and often the design itself was not suitable for Western women, says Ali.
So, along with help from her friends, she stocked her shop by picking up Western-style clothing while travelling overseas. “It’s for boobs and butts,” she says with a laugh.
Right now she has more than 1,200 items for sale, both new and second-hand. These include bras, swimwear, shoes (up to size 41), underwear, jewellery and accessories, variously picked up on trips to Australia, Bali, Canada, Britain, Japan and the US.
The qualified Canadian psychologist is enjoying running the shop so far, and says business is going fairly well. Ali has always had her hand in something entrepreneurial, so opening the Exquisite Expat Fashion shop wasn’t a stretch.
People can also donate items to Ali, and receive a share of the profits when the item sells.
“The shop is designed for expat women who live here. We are not on holiday, we are not in a bikini and sarong every day,” says Ali.
“Women can come in and find something that fits and makes them feel fabulous.”
Exquisite Expat Fashion, 84/38 Soi Saiyuan, Rawai. (on Soi Saiyuan between soi 11 and 12, next to Infinity Hair Studio), 087-335-4432, alison@asian-treasures.net.
The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, but private appointments are also available outside these times.
