RIXO’s Founders Celebrate 10 Years Of Mixing Business With Friendship At LFW

In 2015, Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey were just two best friends and roommates fresh out of university when they came together in their shared living room to create RIXO. “The first five years of RIXO, we lived together, apart from being in the office together,” Rix tells Bustle. “We were literally together 24/7. Neither of us had boyfriends.” Other friendships wouldn’t have survived, especially remembering how difficult that time was for both of them. “We were 23. We wouldn’t even buy ourselves a coffee,” she says. “We were so careful about our spending, wanting to put everything into the business. It wasn’t a glamorous lifestyle.”

In some ways, the company is still run the same. Rix says one of the reasons they work (and what makes great leaders) is that they still don’t have an ego. Though Rix and McCloskey have divvied up their titles and departments, acting as CEO and creative director respectively, she says, “We don’t have much hierarchy within the business. Orlagh and I don’t have separate offices. You could be next to an intern, or you could be next to a director.” She adds, “I’d like to think everyone still feels that they could come and talk to either of us. We’re quite approachable.”

In many other ways, a lot has changed. On the personal front, both are now married with children (two for Rix, one for McCloskey). Meanwhile, on the brand end, they’ve expanded into brick-and-mortar, opening flagship stores in London and New York; they’ve collaborated with the likes of Liberty; and they’ve become somewhat of a London Fashion Week regular. McCloskey remembers the first time they showed at LFW in 2018, which she considers the brand’s biggest milestone. “It was a ‘pinch me’ moment,” she says.

On Sept. 19, the duo celebrated their label’s 10-year anniversary at LFW, presenting their Spring/Summer 2026 collection, a ’60s-inspired extravaganza titled “We Are One.”

“Having the whole team there, customers, press, influencers, it’s a really nice community feel,” McCloskey says. “People shout that word around, but it’s just really nice to have everyone who loves the brand together.”

Below, Rix and McCloskey recall their humble beginnings, their career advice to women, and what they’re looking forward to for RIXO.

Ten years in, what is the fondest memory you have from when you were starting out?

Rix: Being back in the living room, Orlagh and I working really closely together. One of our main suppliers sent me an email last night saying, “I missed the early days,” when it was just him and his wife. It was just the four of us working together and getting things done.

What were your biggest concerns then that, looking back, you’re like, “Oh, we didn't need to worry about that so much”?

Rix: The reason Orlagh and I work so closely together is that we’re not over-worriers, thinking, “Oh God, what if this goes wrong or that goes wrong?” It wasn’t easy, but we’d say yes to things, see the positive, and figure out a way to get it done. We didn’t have time to overthink.

You've introduced clothes, shoes, accessories, loungewear, and bridal, among others. What was your favorite product category to launch, and what's next?

Rix: Dresses are still a favorite. It is the DNA behind the brand and 80% of what we do. But we’re excited about our outerwear, seeing full RIXO outfits, and people being able to wear them in the colder months. So it’s not like a RIXO dress hidden under another brand’s coat. It’s the RIXO coat that's become quite iconic. We’re so excited to introduce leather, suede, and little embellished velvet jackets. We’ve got some beautiful shearling coats coming out this fall.

How much do you lean into trends versus keeping true to your DNA?

McCloskey: We literally do not even look at a trend. The word is banned.

How do you keep the friendship intact?

Rix: Communication is key to making sure we’re both keeping in touch with each other. It can be difficult when we’re both in completely different meetings. But we always make sure that we talk in the morning or evenings. We live close together in London, so we can get the tube home together or walk to the same tube station together.

Friends don’t always agree, and they sometimes get on each other's nerves. How do you approach that?

Rix: We both want the best for RIXO. We’re both in this 50/50, and if someone has an opinion on something, it’s not for the better of themselves or of Orlagh or of me. If we’re willing to be convinced by the other person, whoever’s got a stronger argument wins. And then once we’ve decided on something, we never blame.

People are often discouraged from mixing business with friendships.

Rix: We became too busy straightaway that we didn’t even really think about it. Everyone’s like, “Was there a Plan B?” But as soon as we put our names to it, we were going for it.

What was the most difficult lesson you had to learn in the last 10 years?

McCloskey: Being careful about what advice to take and not take, trusting your gut a little bit more, and also definitely not rushing into things.

What was a business decision you’ve made that you’re most proud of?

McCloskey: The flagship store. It was a lot of money, but we both felt really passionate. We didn’t even need the business plan to know we wanted to do it.

Rix: And it was a time after COVID when everyone was like, “Retail’s dead.” It was a big dusty old store that no one wanted, even though it was on an amazing street in London.

What would your advice be to women who want to negotiate a raise or a promotion?

Rix: Actions speak louder than words. Be willing to take on extra things or help in different areas when it might not be your exact role. If you want to progress within a company, figure out other opportunities where you can learn and what other skills you can get.

McCloskey: Don’t be afraid to celebrate the things that you do really well, especially in your reviews or one-on-ones. Sometimes women are scared to take credit.

What do you wish you had known 10 years ago when you were starting?

McCloskey: Making sure you enjoy the journey. Sometimes you take for granted that you’re doing something that you really love, and sometimes it’s just taking that moment to be really thankful for that. And not get caught up in the day-to-day and things that actually are not the end of the world.

What motivates you to keep going when things get too much?

Rix: Having each other and knowing that I would never want to let Orlagh down.

What’s the next milestone you want to hit?

Rix: Seeing the business grow. Investing in stock and being able to do that over the next couple of years.

McCloskey: I would love our accessories and jewelry business to take off.