Opia Founder on Why Menswear Demands Precision

Claudia Desax founded the Zürich boutique Opia in 2008. She argues that menswear's appeal lies in its need for precision, a perspective rooted in her childhood in a remote Swiss mountain village.

Desax grew up in Graubünden, speaking the minority language Romansh. She credits early exposure to international snowboarders at nearby resorts with sparking her initial interest in clothing. Before entering fashion, she worked as a flight attendant for Swissair, an experience that further expanded her worldview.

From Side Hustle to International Player

Desax's entry into retail began not with formal training but with a scenography studies exchange in Bangkok. There, she was inspired by a DIY fashion scene. She started buying clothes at the Chatuchak Weekend Market to bring back to Switzerland. This side hustle evolved after she secured a small loan to rent a space in Zürich's former red-light district, initially focusing on Thai and other Asian designers.

The store's trajectory shifted around 2012 when Desax successfully secured the COMME des GARÇONS account after a persistent campaign. She describes this as a turning point that transformed Opia from a local store into an international player. Desax notes the often tense negotiation between brands and retailers, where brands seek similar neighbors but stores like hers value differentiation to reach new audiences.

A Curated Roster Across Two Stores

Today, Opia carries approximately 60 labels. The store recently expanded into two separate Zürich locations in November. One store near Bahnhofstrasse features brands like A.PRESSE, Auralee, and Jacques Marie Mage. The other, described as "very nerdy," is located closer to the original site and mixes labels including Evan Kinori, Jan-Jan Van Essche, and Seya.

The Alpine Influence on Taste

Desax directly links her buying philosophy to her rural upbringing. "I learned the taste of real apples, the smell of freshly cut herbs from the garden, the texture of stones and wood," she told Highsnobiety. This grounding helps her assess clothing based on material and craft rather than trends. It also underpins her preference for menswear. "Whereas womenswear often relies on frills or decorative elements, menswear needs to be very precise to make things work, which makes it much more interesting to me," she said.

Her approach remains personal. When she first discovered the Stockholm label Salon C. Lundman, she immediately thought of at least ten specific customers. Designers appreciate this quality. Keiko Seya, founder of the Tokyo label Seya, calls Desax a "simple person" without fashion snobbism who appreciates fabric and craft. Belgian designer Jan Jan Van Essche describes her as "no-nonsense yet warm, intuitive yet considerate."

A Grounded View of E-Commerce

Even Opia's early adoption of e-commerce in 2008 is filtered through Desax's background. She admits she does not particularly like selling online. However, growing up in an isolated area made her see the internet as a vital portal. This awareness drives her to maintain a digital storefront for customers for whom the physical clothes are literally out of reach.