27 Feb 2025
International Women’s Day, which takes place annually on 8th March, celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also emphasises a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
To mark International Women’s Day 2025, St Albans City Centre BID asked female business owners in the BID area to share their experiences and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Deryane Tadd, Owner & Founder, The Dressing Room :
“This year myself and my team will be celebrating 20 years of The Dressing Room. In one sense, It seems like yesterday that I started bringing my vision to life, in another it seems like a lifetime ago as so much has changed since the first day I opened on Holywell Hill back in May 2005.
Having built a successful career and reputation in retail prior to starting out my own, I didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to get banks to take a young woman seriously, so I had to learn the hard way when I was presented with unrealistic or unviable terms. Never one to give up, I had a strong business plan and a vision that I truly believed in, so I persevered and eventually after securing funding against my home opened the doors to The Dressing Room.
Fast forward 20 years and The Dressing Room has been at the forefront of independent fashion retail, blending luxury with a friendly, personal shopping experience that has captured the hearts of style-conscious customers both locally, nationally and internationally.
Success in business does not come easy and I have hit many challenges along the way, but resilience, hard work and trusting in my instincts have ensured I have weathered the storms and come out fighting stronger. As a woman, I believe adaptability is a superpower. Trends shift, challenges arise, but staying open to learning and evolving is what keeps me ahead.
Most importantly, I believe in investing time and energy into my team, lifting others as I climb. I am proud to be an employer of 20 fantastic women that are building their careers with me and bring a wealth of energy and vision to my business. I truly believe that retail is a great career and I am an ambassador for young women building their careers in retail and ecommerce. To be successful in retail now is different to what was needed 20 years ago but the same underlying skills remain: excellent people skills, creativity, vision and the ability to adapt, these are skills that can sometimes be overlooked but are so important in this sector.
Every day, as women we re-write the rules. This International Women’s Day, lets continue to build businesses and teams that inspire, empower and leave a lasting impact.”
The Dressing Room
6-8 High St, St Albans AL3 4EL
