Meet Dervla Louli, Founder of Compare Retreats

Meet Dervla Louli Musgrave, Founder of Compare Retreats

Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and wellness with effortless style, Dervla Louli Musgrave is redefining what it means to live intentionally. As the founder of Compare Retreats, an award-winning platform for luxury wellness travel, Dervla has built a career around purposeful living and mindful consumption.

Guided by her “buy less, buy better” philosophy, Dervla brings thoughtfulness and intention to everything she does. In our chat, she shares how she curates wardrobes for herself and her children, her approach to well-being as a busy mom, and why platforms like Retykle make circular fashion second nature for her family.

You can now shop Dervla’s featured Retykle closet here, filled with her children’s most-loved designer pieces, each ready for another rotation in the loop.

Q: Are there specific items you now prioritize for quality and longevity?

A: I buy less, buy better and have less time to shop. I have a lot of Lululemon, Varley, SKIMS, Khaite and Toteme in my closet. I’m also on the endless hunt for the perfect pair of trainers to run around in but keep reverting back to New Balance which my kids and husband love too.

I gravitate towards brands that I know, trust, wash well and usually have a relationship with. The founder of La Coqueta is an incredible working mother and my children spend a lot of time under the age of three in her designs. Mini Rodini is another brand with an incredible team that I collaborate with. The kids love their sweat sets especially when we travel. Another friend who works with Ralph Lauren really converted me to their clothes because they’re such great quality and wash incredibly well. Warm coats are a top priority for us as we spend a lot of time in Ireland outdoors.

Q: As the founder of Compare Retreats, you advocate for intentional well-being. Can you share more about the mission behind your company and your views on well-being as a mother?

Compare Retreats is my travel agency, media company, consultancy and awards for the best spa hotels, wellness retreats and healthy experiences in the world. It is my ikigai and brings me great joy, even more so since having children as they often join my adventures. Since having children, time has become my most valuable asset so I had to prioritise and simplify my wellbeing protocol. My non-negotiables are strength training 3 x per week with PT James Chester and prioritising protein at every meal, I am working on the sleep part which I haven’t managed to tackle just yet.

My advice is to just do you, cut out the noise, find out what works for you, and stick to it. Little trips to recharge are also very helpful.

Q: You’ve mentioned that you live by the philosophy of ‘buying less and buying better.’ How do you apply this to children’s wear, where items are often outgrown quickly? How does a platform like Retykle fit into this mindset for your family?

A: I curate both of our wardrobes with a quality over quantity philosophy and stick to tried and trusted brands like Khaite, Toteme and Lululemon for myself, and Mini Rodini, La Coqueta, Ralph Lauren and J. Crew for the kids.

Nassim from The Happy Space helped us create systems to make our wardrobes hardworking and sustainable. I use Retykle, PAKT, HULA and Salvation Army as our go to places to resell and donate items often. It is fantastic to have a dedicated place for outgrown children’s clothes and once it’s full I send them to Retykle.

Q: The concept of circularity is key to Retykle. As a mother, what value do you find in recirculating your child’s outgrown clothing, and what message do you hope this practice sends to other parents about sustainable consumption?

A: It’s emotional (preserving memories), financial (smart budgeting), and eco-friendly (less landfill). I hope parents see it as stylish, practical stewardship—teaching kids care over consumption. It took a long time for me to let go of my children’s clothing because they held precious memories, but once I started it felt like the most natural thing in the world. I am so glad Retykle founder Sarah Garner and so many friends and neighbours who Retykle convinced me to begin.

Q: What are your most treasured pieces that you have in your Retykle closet and why? 

I hunt for Shanghai Tang discontinued styles religiously and the silk pyjamas are my most treasured pieces for the children. Their festive looks from Retykle are usually captured in their photos with Santa each year and I love the holiday edits every season.

We spend summer and winter in Ireland and both seasons require warm & waterproof clothing so I’m always on the lookout for smart quilted jackets on Retykle. But my greatest achievement has been recently finding matching Mini Rodini looks for my three year old son and one year old daughter. New, with tags, a perfect pair.

Website: Compare Retreats

Socials: @dervlalouli | @compareretreats