International Women's Day: Meet 80 year-old Ronnie, who reflects on her career in fashion and as a successful entrepreneur

This International Women's Day, we shine a spotlight on Veronica ’Ronnie’ Benattar, a former fashion buyer whose remarkable career spanned decades of change in the industry.

Ronnie is now 80 years old and lives in a luxury retirement village in Southeastern Buckinghamshire at Audley Chalfont Dene.

Her career began unexpectedly in her hometown of Plymouth, where she interviewed for a manageress role with Wallace Shops. But fate had other plans. The Managing Director of Dingles, the local independent store group, spotted her potential and persuaded her to join their trainee buyer programme.

Her first assignment? Buying gloves for ten stores. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a start and Ronnie quickly progressed, moving through accessory departments before taking on the coveted role of dress buyer. Despite her predecessor’s doubts - “My dear, you’ll never make a dress buyer; you can’t see over the rails!” a 5’2” Ronnie rose to the challenge, gaining confidence, skills, and a reputation for her impeccable taste.

Scaling new heights: House of Fraser and Debenhams

When Dingles was acquired by the House of Fraser Group, Ronnie’s responsibilities grew, and so did her ambition. She eventually moved to London to become the Group Dress Buyer for Debenhams, managing a £10 million turnover for the dress departments for 65 stores nationwide.

This was the mid-1980s, an era of vibrant fashion and rapid retail evolution. Ronnie attended international fashion shows, met top designers, and sourced collections that defined trends across the UK. The process was meticulous: studying market trends, customer age groups and income analysis, building mood boards, presenting collections to directors, and negotiating with manufacturers. “It was highly pressurised,” Ronnie recalls, “but I loved every moment of it.”

Entrepreneurship and a new chapter

When Debenhams merged with the Burton Group in the late 1980s, Ronnie saw an opportunity to strike out on her own. Drawing on her international contacts, she launched her own fashion import business, sourcing unique pieces from Turkey and supplying them to stores across the UK.

Running the business single-handedly was no small feat. From designing collections and liaising with manufacturers to managing imports and sales, Ronnie wore many hats, literally and figuratively. But the demands eventually took their toll, and Ronnie decided to step back for health and personal reasons.

Her next role, as UK Sales Manager for Frank Usher, brought her back to the heart of the fashion world. Specialising in glamorous eveningwear, she worked with renowned retailers like Harrods and Selfridges, introducing new shop-in-shop concepts and collaborating on seasonal collections. It was a role she cherished until her husband persuaded her to retire a decade later.

Reflections on a changing industry

Through Ronnie’s career she witnessed firsthand the transformation of retail, from the early days of group buyers and handwritten sales reports to the dawn of computers and global sourcing.

“Retail has changed so much,” she reflects. “There was no online shopping when I started, no personal computers. Everything was done by phone, fax, and face-to-face meetings. The role I had doesn’t exist anymore.”

An inspiration for the next generation

Ronnie’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing industry. While she modestly refrains from offering advice to today’s aspiring fashion professionals, her story speaks volumes: success is built on curiosity, hard work, and the courage to embrace new opportunities.