Don Disfraz is one of the biggest European ecommerce companies in its sector and it has Galician DNA: specifically from Ponteareas. Its origins lie in a shop that sold a bit of everything, just like many village grocery stores did: from knick-knacks to food, books to footwear. It also rented costumes for the carnival and medieval festivals that were held in the area. 

The children of the owners of the establishment, Pilar and Roberto Rodríguez, decided to take over the business when they retired and opened in 2004, under the name of Don Disfraz, an online shop selling costumes. They knew the sector, the fabrics, the trends, people's tastes... and their initial intention was none other than, while keeping their respective jobs, to earn some extra income during Carnival. But, unlike a physical shop, the internet allowed them to open all year round and the first surprise was to realise that, once the campaign was over, they continued to generate sales which, although modest, were continuous: end-of-year festivals, stag and hen parties, summer carnivals, medieval or Roman festivals, Halloween, Christmas, Epiphany parades, etc.

Since then, and with the impetus of its promoters, the figures have only increased to consolidate its leadership both within and outside our borders. Don Disfraz now sells through its own online shop in Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Portugal, as well as reaching these and other European countries through marketplaces such as Amazon. 

Don Disfraz's offer is extensive and varied. Not in vain, they have a catalogue of 18,000 references. They maintain on-site sales at their own facilities in Ponteareas exclusively during campaigns, where they also have a warehouse and offices: a total of 7,000 m2 where they keep approximately 247,000 pieces in stock. 

Carnival continues to be the busiest time of the year for his business, when 50% of the year's turnover is produced, which is a real challenge. "You have to stock a lot of material, know what you are buying, have the goods ready and have a very well set up infrastructure to sell everything in just 15 days. At peak times we manage to get 7,000 packages out in a day," he remarks. In fact, his permanent staff, which is made up of 17 people, reaches 75 during these periods.

One of the keys to the success of this Galician ecommerce has always been to keep up with trends and constantly update its offer, adapting to customer demands. "The classic costumes are no longer the most popular, now it is others based on films, series, video games...", explains Roberto Rodríguez. As purchases for the big campaigns are made almost a year in advance, joining the emerging and viral themes is a challenge that Don Disfraz responds to through its own exclusive manufacturing. "We rely on a Spanish manufacturer to adapt to the trends of the moment, thanks to which we are able to close a design and a piece in a very short time. This ability to react gives us great immediacy and a competitive advantage in the market," he says. This is how some of their most successful sales in recent years came about, from The Squid Game to the antigen test or their own design of Wednesday Addams.

Looking ahead, his main challenge is to stabilise and consolidate the company's growth, as well as to make the leap across the Atlantic to sell in South and North America.