Breaking Free from Retail Therapy: How Isabel Varela Overcame $100K in Shopping Debt

My vulnerability creates a safe space for others to be vulnerable. Whether they struggle with shopping or other patterns, I teach my clients how to feel secure in their bodies and minds, reminding them they have the power and control to choose.

–Isabel Varela

Is Shopping An Addiction?

Once upon a time, a fashion designer named Isabel Varela found herself in over $100,000 in shopping debt. What started as an attempt at “retail therapy” soon became a shopping problem. Her love for collecting clothes became an obsession, what she calls her “perfect drug.”

Years later, Isabel came to terms with her shopping addiction. She saw the movie The True Cost and began to focus her life’s efforts on being part of a solution to unhealthy consumerism. She wrote and produced a documentary, “Fashion Addict,” which exposes her journey into and out of shopping addiction.

I would use clothing to hide and numb myself from feeling my emotions. It was a toxic and unhealthy relationship. No amount of clothing and other material possessions could ever fill my empty void.

Her new goal was to involve others in discussions about the mental health factors that can make shopping addictive. The former fashion addict is now the founder and CEO of Repurpose Your Life, LLC, and a NY State Chapter REMAKE Ambassador’s leader.

We caught up with Isabel about her transformation from a shopaholic with over 100k in debt into a mindful consumer who now mostly shops at swaps and thrift stores.

Read on for her tips and tricks for undoing attachment to clothing and compulsive consumption and how to shop more carefully and sustainably.

How did you get $100,000 into debt?
In the early 2000s, credit cards and layaway payments were easy to get, and I piled on $100K of debt across seven credit cards.

How did you get OUT of debt?!
It took about five years. I worked as a Tailor Manager at Suit Supply, part-time at Nordstrom Rack, started my tailor and alterations business, and started my Airbnb business. I progressed through various retail positions with increasing salaries as a Master Tailor at Saks Fifth Avenue, Balmain, and Thomas Pink while scaling my alterations business to include two to three sewers and a pattern maker. I also established myself as a celebrity master tailor for JLo, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and many more.

As for the Financial Management Journey, when my monthly credit card payments increased from $25 to $2,500, and I spent $100-500+ weekly on clothing, I took out a loan with 4% APR to consolidate my credit card debt. I generated additional income through Poshmark and Etsy sales, stopped shopping for 1 year and 8 months, reduced overall expenses, and cut out extracurricular things. I also invested 20% of my income into stocks. Once debt-free, I invested 60% of my tailoring business income.

What were you running from with retail therapy? As you call it a “perfect drug,” what were you using it to escape from?
I was buying clothes because I was lonely and desperate to belong—trying to feel some love.

Every shopping trip gave me this IMMEDIATE high: walking in the door with so many colors, options, outfits, the attention from salespeople, the feeling of finally belonging somewhere, of becoming someone else, even if just for an hour. But the high would wear off, and I’d charge more on my cards… it’s the same feeling and high you chase with other types of addictions. Looking back, what I thought was my biggest shame has become my greatest gift. It’s why I’m so passionate about helping others repurpose their pain into purpose in their life and business, using their own stories to become someone else’s survival guide.

Can you elaborate a little more on how ending your shopping addiction allowed you to discover “who you really are, without brand name affirmation…”?
When I stopped using clothes and what I wore to define myself, I discovered I was a creator, an artist at heart. I had been using clothes as a mask and shield, thinking I would feel worthy and beautiful if I wore the right things.

I found my voice through sound healing, my purpose through helping others, and my strength through overcoming challenges. Without the constant noise of trends and shopping, I could finally hear my intuition and spiritual calling and the purpose of why I was born. When I stripped away all the brand names and external validation, the void became filled with real connections, creative expression, and spiritual growth.

I teach this in my coaching now: how to peel back the layers of who you think you should be to discover who you are.

Just like we repurpose our clothes, we repurpose our lives.

What is the value of decluttering?
Decluttering helps you dive deep into your attachment to clothes. It lets you see what you wear and confront your different identities and old stories. It is such a powerful tool because, suddenly, you’re face-to-face with everything you’ve been avoiding. It’s more than just organizing clothes—every piece you touch holds a memory, a story, an old version of yourself. There are the pants that used to fit, the dress your mother bought you that you feel too guilty to give away, and the ex-boyfriend’s t-shirt. Each item carries an emotional weight.

When we declutter, we’re not just letting go of clothes; we’re letting go of who we used to be, confronting how we used to feel, and releasing old identities that no longer serve us. That’s why it feels so overwhelming: you’re sorting through layers of your past self. It’s like going through a death and rebirth process. This is why change is challenging for most people. We get attached to the clothes because of the stories they represent.

How do we declutter?
I developed my Transformational Decluttering Method to help us face these stories with compassion and understand what we hold onto so we can consciously choose what to carry forward and what to release. Identify clothes that are truly your favorites. Consider what fits well and is tailored to your body, the best colors for you, what accentuates your curves, and what makes you feel confident and sexy.

How do we restock our closet sustainably?
Before making a purchase, consider whether you already have a similar item or can modify an existing piece to meet your needs.

What do you mean when you advise appreciation of the craft?
Appreciating the craft goes much deeper than just buying expensive ethical items. Having sewn since I was 10 years old and becoming a master tailor, I know firsthand the energy, love, and time that goes into making garments. How we treat our clothes is also how we treat the people who make them—we’re all connected.

When you interact with someone in a bad mood versus a happy mood, you can feel that energy, right? It’s the same with our clothes. When garment workers are treated poorly, work in desperate conditions, and rush to meet impossible deadlines, that energy of despair and stress becomes part of the garment. Just like a meal made with love tastes different than one made in anger, clothes made under ethical, caring conditions carry different energy than those mass-produced under stressful, exploitative conditions.

It’s all connected: how we treat our clothes, how we treat others, and how we treat ourselves.

Isabel sharing her expertise with others.

How has your shopping addiction experience influenced your current coaching approach?
My story of overcoming a shopping addiction resonates with many women because it demonstrates that it’s possible to transform any struggle into strength.

The wellness retreats and programs I offer help you discover new ways to feel worthy and connected to yourself through yoga, sound healing, or mindful practices. When you transform your relationship with yourself, everything shifts, from how you view clothes…to how you’re making an impact through your work, art, services, products, and everything in between.

If you’re ready to declutter your closet, undo a shopping compulsion, or transform your relationship to clothes and how they serve your body, feel free to reach out to Isabel.