Million Dollar Days

Behind the Seams: Fashion, Mental Health, and Unique Designs

• Robby Choucair and George Passas • Season 1 • Episode 72

Share episode

Send us a text

What happens when you just miss out on your dream job? For Rochelle Gregory, founder of Rocky Raffaella, missing an internship with Alexander Wang could have been a major setback. Instead, it became the catalyst for building a globally recognized fashion brand. In this episode, we dive into Rochelle’s journey from fresh university graduate to dressing some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Rochelle shares her insights into what it takes to succeed in the competitive fashion landscape, revealing how her unique designs tell stories beyond fabric and thread. From pioneering hand-smocking techniques to breathing life into each piece with artisan craftsmanship, she creates more than clothing—she builds an experience. With highlights from dressing notable celebrities and overcoming industry hurdles, listeners grasp the meticulous effort that goes into standing out in a crowded marketplace.

But standing out comes with challenges. Rochelle dives into the pressures of the fashion industry, the struggle of maintaining artistic integrity in a world driven by trends, and why she remains unapologetically unique. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to truly disrupt an industry, this conversation is a masterclass in fearless creativity.

George:

You know what's really good about doing this podcast? What is it? It's that you get to connect with not only our listeners, but then other people outside of our circle and people that we probably normally wouldn't have on the podcast. That's what's really cool about this.

Robby:

Why would we not have this person on the podcast?

George:

Well, I'm saying it's outside of our realm, are you talking?

Rochelle:

about me. We are.

George:

We're talking about you, but indirectly. It's like you know, this is like the intro, where we're just about to surprise everyone with a guest speaker, because we normally do a lot of podcasts with just me and Robbie. But today we have a very special guest with us. We've got Rochelle here from Rocky Raffaella.

Rochelle:

Hello, I'm excited for this. Thank you, welcome.

Robby:

So for those who don't know who you are. Do you want to give us a little bit of a spiel about what you do and, I guess, how you guys know each other, how we've met before? Yeah, yeah, and then we'll take the conversation from there.

Rochelle:

So I am Rochelle Gregory started Rocky Raffaella straight out of uni. It was kind of like one of those things where I just missed getting an internship with Alexander Wang, which was like my dream.

George:

And who's that?

Robby:

for those of you that don't know, because I don't know who, that is, you don't know who Alexander Wang is, do you know him Well?

Rochelle:

There's a bit of controversy there now. Back then he was a very well-known fashion designer, yeah yeah, so loved his stuff. Just missed out on getting it to one other girl and I used that as kind of fuel and motivation to start Rocky Raffaella. You know, mental health is kind of part of my journey, so I just have to touch on that because that's what fueled the brand as well. It was like I wanted to create a universe to escape to.

George:

Yeah, cool, and did you kind of lose yourself in that work universe?

Rochelle:

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, that's the first time I was like this is Rochelle Gregory. Like I felt like I was 100% my true self when I designed. So then, yeah, I created Rocky Raffaella and I hit kind of big success pretty early on. Within two years, I was dressing some big names and I think that happened just from that. You know go-getter personality, like jumping to things, and the clothes are very unique. People hadn't seen them. You know, being out wearing it at the right time attracted all this crazy stuff. So that's kind of how my journey started. Yeah, today, still going strong Nine years later here.

Robby:

I am. Yeah, nice so for people who here, I am yeah, nice. So for people who don't know the brand, tell us a little bit about. Obviously we do big fans. Great jacket, by the way, Great jacket, yeah, sick jacket. How cool is the jacket I'm getting MJ vibes? First thing I said when she walked in I was like hey, sick jacket, I like red.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Notice you wear red shoes sometimes.

Rochelle:

Yes, I saw those when I came in the other day.

Robby:

Yeah, sick, it's cool. Yeah, bright, it's a cool thing, and you've got to be able to pull it off. Yeah, do you know what I mean Confidence, confidence, they make you run faster too. Yeah, of course. Why else would you wear it?

Rochelle:

Yeah, I got here in two seconds.

Robby:

Is that your?

Rochelle:

Yes, this is one of my designs.

Robby:

Oh sick.

Rochelle:

Yeah, why I think I'm a little bit unique is I kind of push the boundaries. So this is all hand smocked. So I work with, like, basket weavers and Indonesian artisans to create kind of, you know, out of the ordinary designs. It's like a hand sewn technique that creates like a texture within the material. Is that what's happening on the sleeves? Yeah, that's it. Okay cool. So yeah, for those who don't know the brand, it's kind of it's that element of yin and yang. It's like got this very feminine touch to it that it's like mixed with this edginess and kind of, you know, feminine edge. You know rebellion meets class. It's like that middle boundary.

George:

Yeah, do you have a men's range as well, or do you just do women's at the moment?

Rochelle:

No, so I do custom jackets for men, like I've dressed a few people like that.

Robby:

The shirts as well. Do you have any shirts?

Rochelle:

Yeah, Well the shirts are quite like. You'd say more like your DJs, and that kind of like. You know you've got to. I don't know. Could you pull off a shirt Me?

Robby:

A leopard pink shirt. If you'd brought one, I would have put one on now.

George:

Yeah, bring it Leopard, I'm all about leopard. For as long as I've known the two, I can't not look at a leopard and think of you.

Robby:

He said tight like a tiger because I was sitting up there.

Rochelle:

Well, I mean the shirt's a unisex, but yeah, I guess anyone can wear it, but it is Feminine.

George:

Yeah, that's right. It's a women's brand. That's right, it's more tailored towards that.

Robby:

Women, yeah.

George:

Yeah, right.

Robby:

Yeah or not, or completely the opposite. Um, yeah, I would definitely pull it off though, just for the record.

George:

So I would look at the fashion industry and correct me if I'm wrong, but I would look at that industry and think it's a really hard space to be successful in. You know, kind of like when you want to say, if you grow up and you're like I want to be an actor, I want to be a famous actor or I want to be a famous singer, it's one of those industries that so many people want to do it, so many people want to be successful in and it's it's kind of you see the best of the best but you don't see anything else in between that.

Rochelle:

Yeah, Is that a correct?

George:

assumption of the industry. Oh, absolutely it's. Is that a correct assumption of the industry?

Rochelle:

Oh, absolutely. It's like the zoo out there. But in saying that, I mean, I feel like everyone. I feel like it's really important for me to stay true to my identity. So I've always kind of created these really show-stopping pieces. They're very unique and I think that's why celebs like them so much. If you think about it, they could wear whatever they want.

George:

Yeah.

Rochelle:

But I think my clothes spoke to people because it was so different and I remember last year, when I was purely focusing on the Australian market, a lot of buyers or mentors were really trying to get me to.

George:

you know, be like other brands you know a lot Got to sell your soul a little bit.

Rochelle:

Yeah, and you know, do what these people are doing. And I stuck to my grounds. I'm like no, because people come to me for that. You know uniqueness or you know not to wear what every single other person is wearing. So I found that a lot of Australian brands, you know all are kind of staying in that Safe zone. Yeah, yeah, and I'm not and I don't plan on changing, just to be like everybody else.

George:

So you're more of a boutique like company in that regard.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

So is it difficult for you? So say, your jacket you're wearing now, could you sell 10,000 units? No Of that jacket? Yeah, so jacket you're wearing now, could you sell 10,000 units? No Of that jacket.

Robby:

Yeah.

George:

So it's like no, this is the jacket, this is the. Again. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm ignorant in this space.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

But could you? Is it just by order? So someone sees that jacket online, or you wearing it or someone else wearing it, and say hey, I love that jacket, can I have one? I'm this size and then you make it for them. Do you actually sit there and make each piece? Or just maybe not jackets, but anything?

Robby:

Are they made in order?

George:

Yeah, but are you the one that is actually sewing it together and putting it together, or do you have a team doing?

Rochelle:

that. No, I have a team doing that, yeah, yeah, so I mean, at mean, at the start, of course, like I have to teach my team, especially when I design always come up with a new concept or a new skill that I've learned. That's part of the design process, and then I'll go back and teach the team. You know how to do it, and then we go through kind of a learning process of, like, the skills that are going into the new collection. Yeah, um, but yeah, very much. Look, it still takes three days. There's still a lot of a lot of artistry that goes into it. It's all hand-smocked, which takes a lot of time. So, yeah, it's not fast-paced fashion, but at the same time, we also don't want to. You know, there's a lot of sustainability and all that these days. So, if we don't keep a lot of stock, however, we do have some, so you can order one online, but yeah, it's not going to take five weeks to get one or something like that.

Robby:

Iggy order me a pink leopard shirt now.

Rochelle:

No. So what I'm trying to say is we keep wastage in mind, but at the same time we do have some stock, if that makes sense.

Robby:

So just for the people who don't know not me, of course, other people yeah, what's hand smocked hand smocked.

Rochelle:

So it's a sewing, it's a hand sewn technique. So pretty much you, you know you do like a grid, and then it's the way you sew it, with um, a sewing needle and thread, and then when you turn it the other way, it's a whole pattern. So it creates a texture within the material. So to give that 3D effect, Is that what's happening here?

Robby:

That's it. That's cool. That looks sick. Yeah, that's cool.

Rochelle:

It looks like a braid, but it's actually called smocking.

Robby:

Yeah, cool Red leather, that looks cool.

Rochelle:

It is giving MJ vibes.

Robby:

I like it. It is very much.

Rochelle:

Why fashion? Good question, I think. Just I've always been creative. Like I struggled immensely throughout high school with learning difficulties. Like someone a teacher would explain something and I would literally think they were speaking another language. Like I just didn't get things. I was always creative. Explain something and I would literally think they were speaking another language. Like I just didn't get things. Yeah, I was always creative and that came out later when it was like what do you want to do with your life? And I was just in this absolute destructive pattern, you know, drinking all that, just living this extreme life. And I think a life coach, you know, helped me uncover that I had a love for design, but at the time I couldn't see it because it was so dark. But yeah, I guess as soon as I started it was like wow, okay, I was born to do this. Yeah, yeah.

George:

It's often a sad reality. A lot of the people that have, you know, a decent level of success do come from hard times because it's like they hit rock bottom and then it's well, what's the way out? And this is the way out, and also you hit the nail on the head Like you went to school, it didn't relate to you and it's so unfortunate. That's where the education system here fails.

George:

So many people, especially people even in traditional yeah, it's like this. Well, they're factory workers, they're an organisation to breed factory workers. I want you to go out, get a job, pay your taxes, buy a house, die. Yeah, and that's it. Yeah, there's nothing there to say. Well, hang on, why don't you go and create a one-off piece and be highly successful, have heaps of, you know, quality of life and business and all that sort of stuff? They won't ever teach that and they don't encourage it. It's like no, no, what's the square root of 53,000?

Rochelle:

Well, that's why I think I went. I think that's why I hit that kind of rebellious wildlife, because I didn't fit that. I was so different and in so many ways. So I think that's when I turned to this unhealthy lifestyle, because I wasn't what.

Robby:

You didn't fit between the lines right, exactly right. You're like I don't fit in this square or this circle or whatever shape it is.

Rochelle:

But I can party, so let's go party.

Robby:

And also partying tends to be a way where it's like, well, I'm not going to think about how I don't fit in that thing while I'm doing this. Yeah, you know what I mean. So it's like a.

Rochelle:

Escape.

Robby:

Yeah, escape Numbness.

Rochelle:

Oh yeah, do you know what I mean?

Robby:

Yeah, it's like let me just drown the pain, everything out and focus on this one thing Okay, okay, why? So what's probably the least fashionable human on the planet? I have like 37 black t-shirts.

Rochelle:

And a pair of red shoes.

Robby:

And a pair of red shoes. What's the one thing you wish, like obviously being in the space and doing what you do at that level. What's the one thing you wish everyone knew about fashion?

Rochelle:

The design process behind it, especially with my brand. It's like a journey, like I, literally just when my last collection was this, you know, I started to look at my life, at, you know, like a domino effect, like this experience or this meeting this person, and I just started to think, wow, this is like how I am here today. This is the butterfly effect, like all these small habits and choices that I had made had now created who I am today, and that kind of was like oh that's the butterfly effect.

Rochelle:

So then I started getting really into butterflies the way they looked, the colors on their wings, like everything. I went down a rabbit hole and that's the part I love the design process, and I think so much goes into it. It's not just fast fashion, you know, you're creating something that's coming out of your inner world and there's so much to it. You know a lot of brands today, even, just you know, buy other brands' clothing and take it to the factory and say copy this. And it's going on and it's happening a lot. Um, copy this in this amount of colors. And it's like throw a few roses on it and you know, call it your own yeah, make it, yeah, 20 different, yeah, and it's like, oh, like.

Rochelle:

you know there's actually real artistry that's involved in brands and you know there's so much you don't see and that's why I share a lot of it on Instagram, like me behind the scenes, creating it all because it's important.

George:

Yeah, well, it's good for people to see that process and see what's behind it, you know, and they get more of an understanding and connection with the brand when that happens too.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Now, we both do that. We share a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff just educational things in our businesses and people relate to that, especially your target audience. They'll relate to that and appreciate it and then feel more connected to what you're doing and what you're selling.

Rochelle:

Yeah, yeah.

Robby:

Do you find anyone did that for you like tried to steal a piece.

Rochelle:

Oh, it's happened.

Robby:

Yeah, oh it's happened?

Rochelle:

Oh yeah, I had a call from a friend one day and she was like she has a really big brand called Rat and Boa. And my friend, Valentina, rang me one day and she's like hey, I just want to let you know, this girl's bought stuff from me and you and she's taken it to the factory and created her own brand, mixing both of your brands. I was like what? And like back then I was like you know, let's get it.

George:

Let's burn her factory down. Yeah, I'm like she's fast.

Rochelle:

Actually, actually, and I remember like she used to. I remember her being like when are my clothes coming? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then what I realised was she was waiting for my clothes to arrive so she could use them on set for her own shoot. So, anyway, now when you look at the brand, it's literally like Rocky, raffaella, times, rat and Boa, and I used to get so angry because it's like I literally like work my ass off, but now it's like flattery, flattery, flattery.

George:

Yeah, well, there's um. You know what I'm about to say. Copying is a imitation is the greatest form of flattery, that's it, you know. So, like they'll never be you, they can only ever copy your idea once you've made it up. Yeah, you know what I mean. So it doesn't end up like I look at stuff like that when people try to imitate and I'm like, oh cool, there's only one, me. There's only one you. There's only one you. They can't do it better than us.

Rochelle:

Yeah, plus she would use polyester materials and people would feel like they're on a sauna. Anyway, she just didn't really understand or know fashion and tried to rip off other people. What?

Robby:

did you say Polyester materials make you feel like you're in a sauna. What does that mean?

Rochelle:

Yeah well, you can't breathe in it. It's a very cheap material, so if you're making a shirt out of it, you're going to sit there sweating. Is this polyester? I think that's cotton, from my eyes.

George:

It's a cotton T-shirt, but yeah, it's learning. I can't look at a leopard the other way, any other way. Now I've got a question for you guys.

Rochelle:

Oh, goodness me. Okay. So we obviously have this beautiful sign here that's shining in my eyes. I want to know where Million Dollar Days came from and the story behind it.

George:

Very cool, Go for it, Are you there? So we were at. Oh well, I'm pumped Great question. I think we've discussed this, but we just sort of breezed over it.

Robby:

It's a refresher.

George:

A refresher for everyone who may have. We were at a training actually two and a half years ago.

Robby:

Is it that long? Fuck it's long.

George:

It'd have to be It'd have to be at least it was about two and a half years ago, so before we started running events and doing all that sort of stuff. We're at a training to learn how to run events and do trainings on stage and all that sort of stuff, and part of the training was like he was showing us how to sell from stage and we're like man, if you nail that, you'll make a million dollars in a day, like without a doubt.

Rochelle:

Okay.

George:

You'll make a million and we're like it was honestly out of and not to shit on anyone in the room, because everyone's got their journey.

Rochelle:

Sorry, in terms of like their mindset or how they're running, no, no, no, it was the concept of selling from one to many.

Robby:

So it's the concept of get a bunch of people in a room. It started off with you. I can't remember whether you turned back or I turned back, but we looked at each other and we're like we should do an event. He's like I don't know if we should do a fucking event. And then we did, and then the whole concept of we're going to make a million bucks in a day, and then it's like hey, million dollar days, that's amazing.

Rochelle:

I love that. That's so good.

Robby:

And then that's how it all kind of come to fruition from. I think it was day four at the event.

George:

Yeah, something like that. Yeah, because we were literally there and it was like a five or six-day straight training broken into three sections, and this was the level two of the training, and we were there and, like the things he was telling us, we'd seen it from stage, from other people as well. So we knew that what he was telling us, we'd seen it from stage from other people as well.

George:

So we knew that what he was teaching us actually works. Yeah, and it was just a matter about having a product to sell from stage. And then we went out on our first event and we killed it Like we did really well and made we've openly said it like in a day I did 350 grand in sales in a day in one day Wow, Now, that's not money in the bank account right there and then, but it was committed over 12 months, whatever it might be, but you still take it.

George:

I'll take it as a win. But the whole concept behind it was like we saw how it could happen and how it could work and we're like this is you nail this and it's only a matter of time before you have those million-dollar days. And then that's sort of how the podcast came to fruition. And you know, it was probably six months post that we actually started episode one. He literally messaged me and goes hey, we should start a podcast. I'm like fucking oath.

George:

Million dollar days and then, yeah, it just started Love it and it just came from that, yeah, and it probably started off.

George:

You know our journey to making a million dollars in a day because it's such a far-fetched concept to so many people. Most people in the world that you speak to are just like I would love to have a million dollars, and we're talking about doing it in a single day, not over the course of a year, 10 years, 30 years, no, no, no, we're going to do it in a day, and even then, when it happens and it will happen it's like well, what's next? How do you make 10 in a?

Rochelle:

day.

George:

Because there's people out there like this is where the limiting beliefs come in from so many people and why I think a lot of business owners go against the grain when it comes to that. Because you could have very easily not got that internship with Alex, was it?

Rochelle:

Alexander McQueen. I mean, I wish, I wish Alexander Wang.

George:

Wang. So, mr Wang, you missed out buddy. I wish, I wish Alexander Wang Wang. So, mr Wang, you missed out, buddy. But you could have very easily gone somewhere else and gone for another internship, or gone and worked for another brand yeah, and just been that, or just went and worked retail for example yeah, like, most people do Like most people would.

Robby:

Yeah, most people would, and they want to do fashion.

Rochelle:

They're like, yeah, I'll go work at. Well, that's the thing with belief systems, and I'm very, very aware of this. I had no business experience when I started the brand I was literally straight out of uni but I did have a belief that I had a talent to show the world. So I really believe that I had this, and that's kind of what drove the brand as well, because if I didn't, I'd probably, yeah, be working for Scanlon or something.

George:

Yeah, and that's fine if you decided to go down that path and you enjoyed it, but it's the ability to go against the grain is what's really going to get you some success and fulfilment in life. I believe anyway, and that's where I see a lot of people that are in our circle and just anyone giving it a nudge and just doing something above the norm and you can still do above the norm in a job but I find that those people that have real ultimate success have just pushed the limits in whatever you can do.

Rochelle:

Yeah, I actually remember having like really limited money in the bank and I had the opportunity to dress, you know, the Hadids, which was huge in my eyes and for people who don't know who that is, they're like a really well-known family in LA, yeah, and you know, daughters. Muhammad Hadid is the father, and then the daughters are Bella and Gigi Hadid.

Robby:

They're very famous Very famous?

Rochelle:

yeah, yeah, is she a model? The two, yeah yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, there's two sisters, and then they're massive, yeah.

George:

Massive, yeah Like hugely famous.

Rochelle:

Yeah, and then they've got another sister that's not so well-known, but now she's more Dud, so yeah, anyway, of the family.

Rochelle:

We became friends, me and the half-sister, oh, friends me and the half sister, and then they had a half brother that went out with Dua Lipa and that's kind of how it all. I got my clothes on that kind of circle, but I just remember not having a lot of money and just being like you know what. This is actually a really huge opportunity. I didn't even know if I was going to meet him, but I knew that I had to get the jacket to him some way. So I got on the plane. Everyone told me not to. I kind of just jumped at the opportunity and what ended up happening was I ended up meeting him.

Rochelle:

He did a live, unbelievable, you know situation and then that, just from being there, went to dressing Paris Hilton and then went to all these other huge things, just from that. But any, if you were in a situation and too logical, you would have been like, oh, that's not a smart idea. The funds, you know X, y, z not to go. But I always had that, like you know, going against the grain of what people said and just like jumping at what I intuitively thought was right.

George:

Yeah, roll the dice. Yeah Well, alex Wamosi said this the other day it's like never take advice from poor people and that's not poor as in monetarily poor, like you might be well off, but it's effectively saying don't take advice from people who haven't achieved the things that you want to achieve, or just within their own circle, their own bubble, because they're saying don't go overseas, no, no, don't do that. Do you know how much an airplane ticket is these days? It's like $1,200 return, then accommodation, then accommodation, then you've got to don't drink the water there, you'll get sick. There's so many barriers that they just put up and it's like cool, if you had listened to that, you probably never would have had those opportunities that opened up to you.

Rochelle:

Yeah, and that's also their thought system, based on what they know Off their experiences, and this is what I'm saying.

George:

Their experience isn't going to be your experience. They're getting their knowledge from the limiting beliefs that they've encompassed over the years and are giving it to you based off that. It's like hang on, when was the last time you met one of the richest families in the world?

Rochelle:

Yeah exactly.

George:

I was like hang on, when was the last time you met one of the richest families in the world? Yeah, exactly. I was like, oh well, I never did. Yeah, because I guarantee you that if you just posted it to him and spent did an express post, so he gets it soon probably. Look at it, go. Oh, it's a cool jacket. Wear it once. Maybe never wear it, just go. Oh, I'm over this now. It took two days, but now when you come here and you go, here's the jacket I personally made for you and like, wow, this is amazing, this is cool. Let's talk about it and see that you're a half decent person, because people always love to buy from people as well. They want to see the face behind the creation at the end of the day, and the fact that you've gone over there and have that connection is massive.

Rochelle:

Yeah, Well, I just quickly what else ended up happening from that. I believe like it's about what you do at that time as well. Like I remember I had a wish list. You know why are you there? Try and get into five stores like dream big, wrote them all down, emailed them 30 times. Nothing happened. I'm like I'm gonna go in there every morning. One of my top one was Fred Siegel. It's on um Sunset Boulevard. 30 emails, nothing back. Anyway went in there every morning with the jacket. On One of the mornings this lady came up to me and she goes oh, can I ask you where's your jacket from? She goes oh, I'm actually the buying manager, or blah, blah, blah, and I'm never on the floor because they're not these days, but I just happened to be here. I would love to book you in to meet with the buyers. Within a couple of months I was stocked in Fred Segal and it was like money I didn't even knew I could make.

George:

The opportunity was. You know you took the opportunity and you were persistent too, because I've heard this thing you're only 10 no's away from a yes.

George:

Yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, imagine if you knew on the 10th no you were going to get the yes next. You would go out and try and get those no's as soon as you possibly could. Yeah, but people get so discouraged at that first no that they never take the step to the next one, and to the next one, and to the next one. But you've just got to be so persistent.

Rochelle:

Oh my God, Failures is like. Every time I get a no or a failure, it's like what can I learn from this? Failures are, I believe, what made me get success, and like not being afraid of it either.

George:

So, going back a little bit to when you said you got that invitation, what was so? You'd been doing it for a couple of years, I don't know how, whatever the success was or the monetary gain was in that time, when was the? How did that first invitation come to you to be like, hey, I want your product or I want to see your product? When did you get that very first break? Let's call it? As in like a celebrity wearing, yeah Well just yeah, absolutely let's go from that perspective, because and who yeah?

Rochelle:

Okay, yeah.

George:

Because it would have been quite. I mean, in your industry I imagine it's very much about trying to get those like that micro influencer or massive influencer if you can land it wearing your stuff so that other people can look at it and go, oh wow, they're wearing that, I want to wear that.

Robby:

It's rich, yeah, it's rich, and it's influenced, that's right.

Rochelle:

So, okay, this is a cool story. So I was around the time of the tennis Australian Open and I was out for dinner with my family at a Japanese restaurant and I was wearing a jacket and anyway, it was like there was a table with Novak Djokovic, boris Becker, the wives XYZ, and I happened to know one of the girls on the table. She said why don't you come over and have a drink? Anyway, I went over, had a drink and the conversation quickly turned to what I was wearing, and this is what usually happened. It was different, it was unique. It spoke to them and the wives were like we love one, we want one, ended up creating a jacket for them Jelena Djokovic and Lily Becker. They went back to London. Then they started wearing it around, you know, to London. Then they started wearing it around, you know. Obviously, they were at events all the time. They went to Victoria Beckham's fashion show, got pupped wearing it and then all of a sudden, they started messaging me my friend wants one, my friend wants one. It just spread. And then Lily Becker happened to be in LA with Nicole Ari Parker, who's this big, famous actress, and then they wanted one. It just spread like that.

Rochelle:

And with the Hadids. That's a separate story, I think. Basically, I was like you know who are these big dogs hanging out with Some not everyone's going to be you know who are their friends? Blah, blah, blah, like where you know who are they hanging out with, who can I get in touch with? To get to the big dogs, and I think I started dressing Big dogs, the big dogs, like I think I started dressing their friends. You know, like you said before, micro-influencers who I knew was hanging out with them, and because I knew the clothes spoke, I just had to get it seen. And then Alana Hadid started following me one day and she goes hey, I just saw my friend in LA wearing one of your jackets. I really like the brand. So we started this pen pal relationship. This is the sister that you guys call the dud.

George:

The half sister that was Rob. She's called her the dud wasn't it?

Robby:

Yeah, it was me. Yeah, I'm sorry.

Rochelle:

So we started this pen pal relationship. She started wearing all my clothes to events she's obviously hanging out with her sisters. Then she had a tracksuit brand. She wanted to do a collaboration together. Yeah, so we created a jacket. Then she said she was at La Pastio one day with her dad. She was wearing the jacket. She messaged me saying hey, my jacket's getting more attention than me. My dad really wants one. So, and then that's when he was like hey, I really want one. And then I started dressing the daughters and just kind of went that way.

Robby:

Who's the biggest star? You'd say that has rocked the brand. No pun intended.

Rochelle:

Well, do you know what the funny thing is with these girls? Like, because I know Hailey Bieber's got two jackets. One was gifted through Alana Hadid and the other one was through a stylist, sam Wolf. But I don't have pictures of it, but I know she personally chose it. So because she asked for oversized, because she only wore oversized. So I created a jacket for her. But to get one of those pictures, I don't know how. So I had to wait for her to get papped or something. I don't know. Maybe I missed it, who knows. So I know that a lot of famous people have them, but it's about because they're so famous.

George:

Yeah, it's not like you could send a message. Hey, send me a photo, I'll give you a 10% discount next time.

Rochelle:

But Gigi Hadid and Ruby Rose wore it on a Maybelline ad in New York which went viral. So that was pretty big Paris Hilton.

George:

I saw on your social media page you had Robbie Williams.

Rochelle:

Yep Made him a jacket. Oops, so that's a guy that I made a jacket, and also Mohammed, see, so I can custom. You want one, don't you, robbie? I think this is it, I need a conversation.

Robby:

What? I think this is great what?

Rochelle:

you think this is a free podcast.

George:

Yeah, that's cool, Mate. Could you imagine us rocking up in leopard skins at the next Builder Summit Success conference? People will lose their mind. You want to talk about making million-dollar days. Expect nothing less Sponsored by Rocky Raffaella.

Robby:

So you've had some pretty big icons yeah.

George:

Do you still keep in touch with these people as far as are they still wanting your product? Do you find it's fads? Not in the sense, not in regards to your brand, but it's like the flavor of the week. I'm like, oh no, I'm over that now. I don't want to do that anymore.

Rochelle:

This is so cool because this just shows like this is like my thing about who we look up to, like I think I'm not putting down Australian anyway, but a lot of influencers here. They're like very these. What I'm trying to say is these ladies went on to buy from my website.

George:

Yeah.

Rochelle:

They didn't ask for it for free. They didn't say oh, I like this.

Robby:

They didn't hear that they wanted it.

Rochelle:

Nicole Ari Parker she's on Sex and the City and she's a huge actress in New York. She goes on and purchases it to this day. Lily Becker literally goes on. They don't ask for a code, they literally just go on and buy it. Yeah.

George:

They appreciate the brand and the value it gives them. It's like 100%. Whereas here we've got that mentality oh, I'll wear your jacket if you give me a free one, and then I'll put it on my page, and then everyone will want to buy one too. I was just about to say that exact line.

Rochelle:

Oh, honestly, like who we look up to here, I feel like we need to shift who we look up to because you know it's all about.

George:

But from a business perspective, do you play that game? What do you mean? Does it cheapen your brand in any way? If you play that game? Because, say, you give it to a micro influencer, I don't even know who where to begin. Who's Delta Goodrum? I don't know, son of a micro influencer, I don't fucking know, like everyone knows. If you don't know, does everyone in Australia knows who Delta Goodrum is?

Robby:

It's pretty safe to say let's ask the bloke in the corner.

George:

Iggy, do you know who Delta Goodrum is? So Delta Goodrum, she comes in. She's like look Delta.

Robby:

I can't believe you called Delta Goodrum a micro.

Rochelle:

I would love to dress Delta. Yeah, I'm just saying.

George:

Delta, come here. You're on a Delta name basis with her because you're BFFs. Now, delta, I need you to Also, she's not a micro influence.

George:

I know, I know, I'm just saying someone of that's well known in Australia yeah, here's my jacket, wear it, it's yours, it's free, Wear it around, wear it to the Voice or whatever thing she's doing right here and now. Is it a matter of her if she does that? And then everyone says, oh, I want that jacket, and then it explodes in that regard, and then you do have those sales and that influence and that reach in that regard.

Rochelle:

Yeah, I mean, it definitely works, especially if people look up to this person. They're like, oh wow, we love her and also, what a sick jacket, what a sick shirt. And they're like they want to buy it. It still works. I just think the attitude of you know tall poppy syndrome or wanting to fuzz people Like even you know, I reached out to someone who had like 5,000 followers, that's it, and they're like, oh sorry, I only do like paid work or I forget what it was, but it was like something ridiculous.

George:

It's like how do you go?

Rochelle:

from dressing these huge stars to trying to. You know.

George:

Convince someone who's not like. I don't know this person that's got 5,000 followers. Do you know what I mean? No, no. Don't this person that's got 5,000 followers. Do you know what I mean? No, no, I don't, unless I do Shit.

Rochelle:

But I still reach out to those people because I still think.

George:

The micro works. It does work. We've got I won't say who, but we know someone who has, say, 50,000 followers and they're in that fashion space and companies like I don't know. Officeworks will go here, play with these crayons with your kids and we'll give you a $5,000 voucher or whatever they give you. Yeah, and it's like money for nothing. Do you know what I mean? It's money for jam for them. They're like okay, cool, I'll take a couple of photos. Tag Officeworks and away you go. And now they think about that with everything they do it. I want. Well, officeworks gives me five grand. I want five grand from you, or I want 30% of every sale, or whatever it might be.

Robby:

I partly understand it, though, because if that's their source of income, it's like asking, it's like saying probably can you fix my car? Yeah, sure, but you've got to ask a mechanic to fix your car for free. It's like this is what I do for my, it's how I make bread.

Rochelle:

Yeah, now you want me to go do it for free. No, I get that, I totally get that part. But it's also like the attitude or only wanting to do what other cool people are doing, or like, but it's very much like that.

George:

The whole social media is like that, especially in that fashion space, I think too.

Robby:

Yeah, and I think the stars in LA, like they're beyond that.

George:

Yeah, they're not doing that for money, that's right they're not doing it.

Robby:

They're not like hey, I want to. Yeah, like I'm going to go rep your brand for you to pay me.

George:

X amount. They're doing it because they genuinely like it.

Robby:

It's like a whole different level of human. It's like when you get in any business I believe this is the case like you get clients who like the client's paying you 50 grand and they like don't call me, here's the money, it's been transferred, Don't call me. It's insane.

Rochelle:

There are like a lot of amazing influencers in Australia that do respect that and generally want to do things because they, you know, love it. So it exists for sure, but I feel like we don't want to help as much. As you know, when I was in LA, all the opportunities and everyone wanting to help in London and stuff like that. I think there's a bit more of a thing here.

Robby:

Yeah, Like if it's food off my back if you eat.

Rochelle:

Yeah, like it's all calculated, it's all strategic. It's a bit fake. There's a bit of a fakeness, you know, in certain groups and everything. Just in some areas there's also people here that also generally want to help too. I just found through my experience just the differences.

Robby:

Yeah, working in both countries, yeah, and I think there is the aspect of like I haven't been to the US, we're going very shortly and a lot of people say, when you go to the US, everyone's like oh, you won, yeah, whereas here it's kind of like they celebrate wins, don't say how much money you made, yeah, don't let them. You know what I mean. Keep it hush, because people start to frown. It's very Jealousy, yeah.

George:

You know what I mean. I use this analogy a bit and I'm keen to do it. I'm, I do it. It's like if I rock up to site in a Lambo, okay, what do you think? Imagine your builder, the builder on the job, rocks up to site and he's in a half million dollar car million dollar car, like all the tradies will look at you differently. Probably the owners will look at you differently, going oh man, you must be making a killing on my job. If you're driving a Lambo around, you're obviously ripping me off the judgment straight away.

George:

Where so many other people, like you say, in the States, there's like, oh well done, man. Like what did you do to get that and how can I do it? Yeah, exactly, like what lessons could I learn? You're obviously really successful. How do we celebrate that? Not how do we bring it down, because I'm not that.

Rochelle:

That's exactly what I've been trying to say. Literally, I've said it the way I wanted to. Yeah, my words, but you nailed it.

Robby:

The state. I think we forget how much people are in the states as well, or how many people.

George:

Yeah, it's a much bigger demographic.

Rochelle:

It's just the mentality, like yeah.

George:

What do you have aspirations to get into? Like a David Jones or a Meyer, like a bulk retailer to sell your product? Is that aligned with your brand? Or are you like selling your soul when you do that sort of stuff?

Rochelle:

That's a good question. I think for now it's like just focusing on those high-end boutiques. You know who your brand is sitting next to is also you know.

George:

So are your clothes in shops today. So if I go to a shop at Chadstone, could I find your jacket. A shop at Chadstone, could I find your jacket?

Rochelle:

So we are just looking. So we are looking into wholesaling right now, so I'm probably in under 10 stores. My prime focus is online. So, I was always trying to do too much. You know the PR, the this, the that, the this, so we've pulled it right back. Also, I'm in a completely different headspace. You know, being 13 months off, alcohol, Like my whole world's changed. So now I feel like my mindset is like a million dollar mindset.

George:

So it stopped alcohol for 13 months. Yeah, fantastic. Have you had a urge to drink again? Not once. Awesome, why'd?

Rochelle:

you stop. I think it was just fueling this. You know there was a lot of unresolved like trauma and pain within me and you know, when I drank it would come out, you know, and get aggressive or like do things, or like it just didn't, it didn't align with who I wanted to be. You know, as I kind of healed and got better, so did the drinking, but you just never knew like what could trigger me to kind of go back to something.

George:

So was it a matter of not like you'd have a couple of drinks or you'd have 13 drinks? It could be anything, yeah.

Rochelle:

I wasn't your typical alcoholic. I wouldn't drink every night. It was just when I did, you know?

George:

something bad. It was just got out of control.

Rochelle:

Yeah, something bad could happen. Um, but yeah, I just feel like my mind is in. You know, I've learned, especially when before I spoke about like failing or fucking up, like I think everything's just clicked now and I think, from trying to do too much, we've pulled it back and we're like, okay, let's work with what's good. My ranges have changed, changed, everything's kind of changed, and now we're kind of looking where we want to sit. So we're working with you know people that are aligning with you, know our growth, and now I'm starting to get into high-end boutiques around Australia. So, yeah, I'm not too fussed about that, more online at the moment, but yeah, I think David Jones and places like that, I don't know.

Robby:

It's probably not ideal.

Rochelle:

Yeah, because there's a lot of other factors that go into it as well. You know, like they have more control on what sale and I don't know. I think there's a lot of more logistics. I don't think I'm ready to do that yet.

Robby:

Yeah, absolutely. Is that the goal, though, like at some point or never?

Rochelle:

Yeah, Growth definitely. I just have to be very mindful of where I want to sit.

George:

I mean, I don't know much about this brand, but my wife wears a Ning Bing, yep, and it's like you don't know a Ning Bing. Everyone knows a Ning Bing. She loves it.

Robby:

What is it?

George:

I mean, it's a brand, oh, it's a brand. What is that? It's a brand, oh, it's a brand. Okay, there's no leopard range.

Rochelle:

That's probably why you don't know they do have a sort of animal on the front, though they do these eagle teeth.

George:

Yeah, but no leopards, so you wouldn't know. A-ning-bing, a-neen, a-neen, a-neen.

Rochelle:

Like Janine, without the J.

George:

Just like that. It and then that brand went into David Jones or Meyer or wherever it was, and then she's like, oh, I don't really like this anymore, because it lost that exclusivity that you know it was like everyone's wearing this now, whereas before it was just the select few, and now it's like everyone's got it. The t-shirts went from $300 a t-shirt to 80 bucks a t-shirt, and it's like it just became another brand.

Rochelle:

I feel like you should answer all my questions because I like exactly what Ash was meant to say. I think the brand is a little bit more niche. Yeah like level of exclusivity, yeah like you're not going to go out and like with a name being like a lot of people are wearing her t-shirt down the street.

George:

Which is totally fine. Totally fine. I'm just saying it's a different clientele If that's where you want to be.

Robby:

That's right, absolutely Like it becomes a numbers game.

George:

After that, you know, okay, you've gone from selling, you know, 50 units to 50,000 units. Yeah, yeah, so it's a different game.

Robby:

Yeah. So I guess, to reframe your question, what's the ultimate goal, like, where do you want to see it go?

Rochelle:

I want to go global. I have had my fun there. I came back to focus on Australia. Australia is doing really well, so I want to expand now. Yeah, overseas. I mean the brand is very overseas, it's very LA, it's very London, it's like that rock star chic vibes. So it does really well here. But I kind of neglected Australia.

George:

Yeah.

Rochelle:

So, now that you know we are really focused here and kind of nailing this aspect, that will be, you know, five to 10 year goal.

George:

So, cause, you were in that place, bali, bali yeah, for a little while. Yes, that place, bali, bali, yeah, for a little while. Yes, that place. You've been there before, bali Once, Once before. So you've been there. You were there for a few years living there, yeah, so what was the logic? Did you go there for work purposes, like, was that a I'm going to go to Bali because this is good for the brand and the business and all that sort of stuff?

Rochelle:

Yeah, so I kind of I manufacture there Still, yep, still. So Is that from a cost?

George:

perspective.

Rochelle:

No, it's more expensive, is it really? I find that really surprising.

George:

Yeah, I find that really surprising. I thought it would be cheaper there than what it is here, compared to what here.

Rochelle:

Oh, no, no, sorry, compared to here. Well, no, no, no, I'm talking about like China. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

George:

Because we've got a friend. I've got a friend that he's got a brand which I might tell you about another time. But they've just taken off like huge, huge, huge, huge, and they manufacture everything in China. Yeah, everything, yeah, and it's good quality stuff, but he just does it all there.

Rochelle:

They does it all there. They don't make anything here. It's just way too expensive. Like their profits just are shredded. Yeah, no, to manufacture here is just you know.

Robby:

Yeah, it's not. We're not. Australia is not a production.

Rochelle:

No, but then what happened was because I was living over there, manufacturing there. I became really close with my team and now it's like my second family. So, yeah, I think I'm very comfortable there for now. You know, the quality is great. I'm happy with everything. And why I moved there? Yeah, for work and also there's a kind of healing. You know, a lot of lost people go there and try and find themselves and I did a lot of retreats over there. I probably just got back recently.

George:

Yeah, christmas it was a.

Robby:

Christmas break Right now, and you saw my red shoes, your red shoes.

George:

Did you have you, had you heard of that one that he went to?

Rochelle:

No, yeah, I was like in the bush, doing like not ayahuasca, but like I was doing like.

George:

I don't even know what that is yeah For.

Robby:

I don't even know what that is For everyone listening. She held her hands up a bit, oh sorry.

Rochelle:

I thought you could see me I was doing emotional healing. No, we can It'll be on YouTube. You'll see it and yoga and you know all that kind of.

George:

But you did a bit of that too whilst you were there.

Robby:

Ayahuasca no.

George:

No yoga and shit.

Robby:

Of course, yeah, yeah in Bali.

Rochelle:

That's all you do in Bali I think it was a balance for me of, you know, prospering that kind of design element, and also there was a lot of healing going on as well. So it served its purpose, but no longer does so. Now I'm purely based in Melbourne, oh, so no more Bali. No, okay, we're looking at, yeah, no, but still manufacturing.

Rochelle:

Yeah, still manufacturing. How long did you live there for, on and off since the brand? Maybe eight years on and off. But I did stints, like I had the store in Melbourne and I was in LA for like four months. I was in London for a bit like just kind of chasing the business, just doing whatever I needed to do. So it wasn't like I was stuck on the island, like I never stayed there more than one or two months at a time, and if I did I would go crazy. Yeah, you need that city element, you know. Yeah, it's very different place.

George:

I've been for a very long time.

Robby:

So I wouldn't even tell you. So you've been in business for nine years now. Yeah, what's your um, what is? If you could talk to yourself when you first started this whole journey, what's the one thing you'd tell yourself, like, what's the one thing where you're like, you know, my biggest worry was this or I wish I did this at the start, or I wish I. I wish I knew what.

Rochelle:

I wish I honestly got on top of my mental health earlier, of my mental health earlier. I think that drove this kind of you know, because I was solely running the business and every aspect of it. When I wasn't good, the brand wasn't good. So it was kind of like this up and down roller coaster of hitting huge success but then hitting rock bottom because I mentally was not okay. So I think if I'd caught on to that earlier.

Robby:

but then again, it was my journey. Yeah, it was my journey. So what is it that allowed you to get to the point Like was there a particular thing, like the straw that broke the camel's back? Was there a moment, an event, a thing that occurred where you're like this is that you can talk about? Obviously, yeah, this is it enough, enough's enough. You know what I mean. Like was there something that occurred that you wish had occurred earlier?

Rochelle:

I think just fucking up that much over and over again.

Robby:

So just like a compounding effect of all the events over and over, and then you're like you know what I'm fucking over this.

Rochelle:

Yeah, until I looked at myself. I remember hitting all this success right. I remember sitting next to Mohammed and I was looking at all the people that watch in his life when he went like this, he was talking about this amazing designer talking me up, I go. It was a surreal moment and all these famous names were watching me and I just remember that night being like what's next? Like you know, I was chasing success, but it wasn't making me feel good.

Rochelle:

You know that that was that lasted that time being. And then I was like, okay, you know, what are you going to do next? So it was like I remember being like you'll never be happy if you don't fix what's within, because you can keep chasing success and making all this money at Fred Siegel and God, I was doing whatever I wanted but I wasn't happy. So it's kind of like you know when you talk about I'll be happy when, or like you know when I don't know I get that car, when I make that money. It was kind of like that just happened and I was like, all right, you need to fix all this stuff, otherwise, no matter what you do, for work will ever, ever purely make you happy.

George:

Yeah, without a doubt. I think that's very well said, and it's also a lonely. It's a lonely journey up the top. You know you have no one else to go to. It's like you're the brand successful, it's you, the brand's not successful it's you. You can't go home and speak to your parents and go oh, you know, had a shit month, yeah, and what advice are they going to give you? Again, like you, look at who you're going to for your advice. They can't necessarily help you, and that's good that you were able to reach out to certain mentors or people or do things that then brought you that inner peace and balance that you needed in your life.

Rochelle:

What's that quote? It's like the wolf climbing the hill is never. No, the wolf on top of the hill is never as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill.

Robby:

Yeah, it's like. I've heard that one.

George:

I don't think I have either. It's a good one. It's a good one. There's another one. It's like there's a. It's about a wolf. A wolf that's. There are two wolves inside of you. Oh yeah, a wolf that's yeah.

Robby:

The Japanese. Yeah, that one.

George:

And it's like the bad wolf the good wolf. Yeah, it's like the fear. There's the wolf that has the fear and then there's the wolf that has the courage. It's like which wolf wins.

Rochelle:

Yeah, which one do you feed? It's like whichever one you feed. Yeah, I don't know the exact quote now I want to find it. Yeah, I've heard that. Yeah, that would. That would definitely be kind of you know, or or maybe working for a company before I mean, I just went straight into it like in the deep end, maybe kind of learning you know all the things.

George:

I don't know, that can also hinder you too.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Because it's like this is how you do it to be successful, and that's it. And then you go out and try and replicate what a hugely successful company has done, and then it fails.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Whereas when you do it, you've done it your own way. And yeah, look, arguably it could have taken you longer doing it your own way, A hundred percent. But also it adds that unique twist to it as well. Yeah.

Robby:

Yeah, creative elements, I think your own way. Yeah, but I think there'd be some business fundamentals that you probably learned the hard way, yeah, and then you're like I wish someone showed me this. Yeah, yeah, like I could. I said the same thing because we had a.

Rochelle:

We spoke about this on the podcast a few weeks back and I to know about what I'm going to do and then go do it. Yeah, when it comes to personality, I don't think I could have like I'm very set on like doing things Like I can't. I had someone reach out to me if I could mentor them or help them and I was like I don't actually know if I could teach what I do, like it's so out of the book on how I work. People would be like you're crazy, like I don't, I don't do things the way that normal people would do them.

Robby:

Yeah, but that's not to say you can't teach someone how to do it. But I don't know what I'm doing. But you know, the highest level of mastery is teaching. Yeah. So if you had to, if you were forced to show someone how to do, it, you need to understand what you do better. So if you're forced to show someone how to do it, you need to understand what you do better. Yeah, so you'll actually get better at what you do, because you kind of have to.

Rochelle:

Okay, maybe I'll write a book.

Robby:

Maybe you'll write a book, maybe you'll make us a jacket.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

Robby:

Maybe Smocking.

George:

Smocking, I'm going to smock her jacket.

Robby:

Hand smock, hand smock, that's right. What?

Rochelle:

would you guys tell your younger self, did you answer that question just?

Robby:

now, that's what I. We were talking about our journeys at that time. That's what I said. I said, if I could redo this again, I would go sit down with someone and learn a lot of the fundamental stuff that I learned over a longer period of time. Yeah right. It's all about timing yeah, yeah, yeah, that was my thing.

George:

I would be. When I first got into the industry because I worked for the big companies or all these companies that I work for I was very arrogant in the sense that I was like, nah, I'm just going to be really good at construction and learn nothing else, I don't need to learn about anything else.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

And I would go back and say no, like learn about just read books. Like read more books, learn about business, learn, think outside the box. Like just because everyone is doing it this way, it doesn't mean you have to do it this way, you can do it other ways. Yeah, and I reckon, had I had that mindset when I first started my business, or just better educated, I think I would have gotten to my goals sooner.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Or achieved my goals sooner.

Rochelle:

I remember hearing something about oh my God, I've gone blank the inventor of the iPhone.

Robby:

Steve Jobs, there we go.

Rochelle:

And then, you know, he talks about kind of like using two ideas and putting them together. I think it's like synthetic imagination. So it's like, for example, he did a phone, an iPod and an iPad and just put them together. So they were existing ideas, but no one had done them before. So that's kind of like where I was with the jacket, the jacket that kind of all the celebs want. You know, there was the iconic biker jacket that was created back in I don't know whatever 40s, 50s, yeah, and I created that with a hand carving technique, which was already done in Indonesia and which they do, and I put that together and that's when the jacket went so viral, because people hadn't seen it before. So it's just about also, you know, putting other people's, you know ideas and creating something that no one's done before.

Robby:

And that's where you're in now.

George:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah cool, so is that where you look to get your inspiration from as far as yeah, bikers.

Rochelle:

No, my inspiration comes from my inner world, like what's going on at the time. Like you, never, know there's so much going on.

Robby:

I find this interesting because I'm like the least creative person that.

Rochelle:

I know.

Robby:

Like I am just so zero. One like binary logic no, no design, yeah, zero. When I say I have 37 black t-shirts, I'm not kidding, that's your thing.

Rochelle:

You own the black t-shirt. I'm not kidding, that's your thing, you own the black T-shirt.

Robby:

That's your thing.

Rochelle:

That's my creative deal by looking at see, this is probably my strength and this, like my brain, like if you said design a collection just off this, like already my brain started Do it, do it Already, we'll buy it. Do it. We'll buy it One picture like the line work, the lights, like my brain just goes, and that's my strength. So when it comes to design, that's fine. It's about learning the business side that I've had to kind of jump into.

Robby:

So that's why there should be. You know, that would be a cool jacket. By the way, it'd be a sick jacket. We'll give one away To me. So if someone wanted to buy a jacket, where could they get one Online? Yeah, give us a bit more details, can?

George:

I just guess, just work it out, just figure it out the smocking jacket, the smocking jacket, so online Buy that Aussie chick that lived in Bali for a while.

Rochelle:

No, not anymore. I'm very Melbourne based. Wwwrockyrafaelacom. Spell Rafaela for everyone. R-a-f-a-e-l-a.

George:

Very cool, very cool, yeah, that's brilliant.

George:

Dom, just go back 15 seconds on the podcast and sort it out. Hey, just on that. Yes, so it's random. So, sideways, I was listening to this podcast the other day. Yes, why else would you not? What else would you listen to? So I was listening to this. And then, as I was listening to the podcast, I said through the mic, because I asked Siri a question, and I was like, hey, siri, what's the capital of Australia, you know? Yeah, so it came through the speakers Shut up, seriously, northern Territory. So that happened right. And as I said that through the speakers of my car, then Siri connected and answered the question again because I do, you get what I'm saying? Yeah, so it would connect to the phone. And then I'm like, no, shut up, and then it would go back into the podcast.

George:

But before that point, Because it goes back to the 15 seconds prior, and then it would say it again, hey, siri. And then it would go through it again and it would just keep looping.

Rochelle:

Was this on your recording?

George:

No, no, because it was coming through the speakers in my car and my phone was in the car. So every time I would say, hey, Siri, then my phone would go off, then it would connect to the Bluetooth, and it was just a vicious cycle. For like 15 minutes I had to turn my Bluetooth off, throw my phone out the window.

Rochelle:

Oh, what a nightmare.

George:

It was full on.

Rochelle:

Sideways. Thanks for sharing that, no thanks.

George:

Thanks for listening, so that's really cool. If people want to find you on socials, where do they go for that?

Rochelle:

Rocky Raffaella, yeah, r-o-c-k-y-r-a-f-a-l-a.

Robby:

That's the company. Do you do any personal brand stuff? Not really.

George:

Personal yeah, do you do personal brand as well as your company brand? Yeah, do you think that's important in your space that people see the face behind the brand?

Rochelle:

Yeah, I share a lot more behind the scenes there and I can talk about things a bit more openly where I keep the brand. I share some things because I've also got two different followers on both. But yeah, I think Rochelle at Rocky Raffaella. No, not at Rochelle underscore Rocky Raff is where I kind of show the nitty-gritty stuff of the design.

George:

Yeah, at Rochelle, underscore Rocky Ralph is where I kind of show the nitty gritty stuff of the design. I think that's important. I think every I don't think I think any business you're in, you should have a professional brand. It's like a portfolio yeah, without a doubt.

Rochelle:

Yeah.

George:

Yeah, without a doubt, that's awesome.

Robby:

One last question. Go on, why Rocky Raffaella?

Rochelle:

Oh, good one to end.

Robby:

Robbie, I was just thinking about it. Then I was like I thought it was your name for ages.

Rochelle:

No. Until I remember that it wasn't First name Rocky, last name Raffaella I think 15 minutes ago.

Robby:

I'm pretty sure Probably 15 seconds.

Rochelle:

So Rocky was my nickname since birth, since birth. Since birth, yeah, since birth. My parents asked my brother what do you want to call your sister? He's four years older. We had a grandpa who was a boxer died from a brain tumor. He liked boxing, so he said Rocky. So since birth that was Rocky, and then the Raffaella Raffaella. I heard it in a church one day and I looked up the meaning because I just really loved it. And in Hebrew, so random, it meant God to heal. So the Rocky and the Raffaella is very yin and yang. So the Rocky is like that unstoppable force, that masculine energy. Raffaella is like the God to heal, the creative side, the artistic approach, and that's how I design with both kind of soft and hard elements.

George:

Very, very cool. That's very cool. I like the meaning. I like the logic behind the brand and the name. That's really cool.

Rochelle:

It rings well too, Rocky Raffaella.

George:

Yeah, it does.

Robby:

Yeah, it's actually got a very cool flow to it. Absolutely Well, guys, make sure you follow the journey. And Well guys, make sure you follow the journey and buy a jacket before Robbie does. And you can't, because by the time this comes out, that's right, he would have bought three. Give her a follow and make sure you send her a DM and say make a million dollar day jacket. Let's put the pressure on. Put the pressure on.

George:

And the only way you can do that is if you subscribe to this podcast, Because if you do that, then that's how we can all put pressure on on Rochelle to make us million dollar day jackets.

Robby:

I might start calling you Rocky for now.

Rochelle:

People do, it's not weird.

Robby:

It's no, it's fun, you heard it here first Thank you guys for having me on here.

Rochelle:

You're both very smart guys. Always love a chat with you both.

George:

Who's smarter? Well, you both. Who's?

Rochelle:

smarter. Well, I'm going to have to say George, and I'll tell you why, because I know him more and we've had more one-on-one conversations, it makes a lot more sense. That might change, could it won't.

Robby:

It will, it will. Nah, that's fair. I'll give you that one. You can have it.

George:

You're older than me as well. I am. I'm 40. Over the hill. You've got to give me some wins every now and then.

Rochelle:

Not over the hill. 50 is over the hill.

George:

Nah, I might go out and buy some red shoes tomorrow.

Robby:

They might work for you. Does it work that way? That's not how it works. I'll race you. We'll see who's quicker In Vegas. In Vegas, done You're on.

George:

Awesome. Thank you so much, guys. Thanks, rochelle, for joining us and we cannot wait to have you back here next week and, as always, I hope you have a millionth of a day.

Robby:

Thanks guys, bye everybody.

People on this episode

Contributor

George Passas

Host
Contributor

Robby Choucair

Host