“This is our time — because why not?” declares Roksanda CEO Patricia Sancho, as we finish our interview on the top floor of the brand’s new store and concept space that opens today. Stretching over three floors on London’s Sloane Street, the store will operate until early June. Besides Roksanda’s latest collectsion, it will also showcase and sell work by florist Grandirosa, furniture company Béton Brut, selfcare label Commune and others — all female-led brands and businesses curated by Roksanda Ilinčić herself.
Walking down the street from Knightsbridge Underground Station, it feels nice to see the pink Roksanda flag among fashion behemoths like Dior and Moncler; almost rebellious. It fought hard to be there. Set up by Ilinčić in 2005, her eponymous brand is one in a handful of London labels to have stood the tests of the pandemic, Brexit, and general macro insanity. However, it didn’t do so unscathed: in March 2024, Roksanda closed its Mount Street boutique and filed notice of intent to appoint an administrator, citing challenging market conditions.
Shortly after, the label found a white knight in brand development platform The Brand Group. “I think what kept me going through all the challenges is staying true to myself and believing in that singular vision I created, which led to a very good understanding of who my customers are. It’s also key to be agile and change with the times,” offers Ilinčić.
Now, at the close of the company’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, the founder and her newly appointed CEO are ready to start building its next chapter. “We have known each other for a while by virtue of working in the same industry,” explains Sancho. “So when we started talking, we realized there is an opportunity to grow the next phase of the business because the core was already there.”
The Spain-born Londoner has extensive experience across the fashion industry: Sancho has worked for brands like Burberry, Giorgio Armani, and as the CEO of Temperley London, but also at the high street end. She spent five years as commercial director for Europe and the Middle East at Juicy Couture, as well as two years at Inditex running the accessories division. Before joining Roksanda, she ran her own consultancy advising brands on how to expand internationally and grow their product assortments.
Ilinčić, over the last 20 years, made a name for herself through bold color blocking and statuesque silhouettes, largely inspired by her native Serbia. “I have such a strong sense of where I come from, and so much love toward the country. Color is one of the things I brought from home: we have lots of sun in Serbia, and color is always stronger in the sun. The architectural sleeves that I’m known for come from our [folk] costumes, too,” she says.
Also embodied in Serbian culture is a respect for femininity. Pair that with the designer’s experience of London’s quirkiness, and you have a product offering chosen by the likes of Catherine, Princess of Wales, Tilda Swinton, and Michelle Obama, but also art world fixtures including Marina Abramović. There’s just always been one catch: Roksanda’s collectsions have been based on occasionwear.
That’s about to change: today, Replica Handbag Store Business can exclusively reveal that from as early as September 2026, Roksanda will be expanding its categories and pricing architecture to include daywear. “We want to address our customer from day to evening,” Sancho says. “Spring/Summer 2027 will be the show where you will be able to recognize our evolution from a category perspective. You should see tailored separates that feel very core to the brand, but are also very wearable from day to evening.”
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“One of the first things Patricia and I discussed when we began brainstorming was the possibility of growing the product offer beyond what I am known for,” Ilinčić adds. “Crossing that bridge into daywear is obviously incredibly exciting as a designer.”
It also takes a lot of supply chain adjustment. “In order for us to move forward, we need to have operational excellence. We are looking at where we produce; who the right partners are; and the countries that we want to focus on. We’re still a small brand, so we need to be careful with where we really invest our time and energy,” Sancho cautions.
Unsurprisingly, the territories Ilinčić and Sancho are eyeing are the US and the Middle East, though the latter currently comes with a question mark. “The past five years have been so volatile. It started with Brexit — all the challenges with wholesale partners and e-commerce. As a leader, you need to be very agile, and you need teams that can adjust quickly. Because yes, maybe this was our focus for the last three months, but if it stops making sense geopolitically, then you need to pivot,” the exec asserts. “I mean, this store didn’t happen out of thin air.”
The store is, in fact, part of this flexible expansion strategy, as it will allow Ilinčić to have face time with her customer base and get a feel for the designs that speak to them. “Currently, we are supporting the business through wholesale and our e-commerce, which is growing really healthily. But we needed a space to meet with our clients,” says Sancho.
Ilinčić adds: “The beauty of having a store is that you get to know your customers directly. You can tell them your story, but also you get to hear theirs. I think that dialogue is very important. When I started my brand, I loved traveling to different regions and learning more about what the women living there needed; why they were wearing certain things. I’ve maintained that conversation with very different parts of the world and very different cultures over the last two decades, and I think the store will open even more possibilities for that type of exchange.”
Hosting in-store events is also part of the plan. “It’s an opportunity to extend the storytelling behind not just the clothes, but the wider community. We want to give space to all these incredible women to share their stories of how they create their businesses and survive in this climate,” says Sancho. “We will start with the collaborators that are already in the space and will connect to other events taking place in the area. Like doing something with Grandirosa during the Chelsea Flower Show, for example.”
Incredibly tall, with lustrous cascading hair and dressed, of course, in Roksanda, the two emanate a Type-A female energy that is hard not to trust. “We have a lot of ideas, and a plan to make them happen. We’re also moving very fast, because we aligned and we have the energy and the passion to do this,” Sancho concludes. “When you’re a woman, you can relate to the product directly. Understanding the opportunities and the challenges that the customer has from day to evening. For us, that conversation is easy, because we are both the customer.”
Even if it wasn’t by design, punctuating your first two decades in business with a new CEO, a growing product range, and a fresh store concept makes for a strong narrative. What does Ilinčić hope will come next? “I’d like this new chapter to set the foundation for the following 20 years,” she responds.
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