Rocky Rafaela is the brainchild of Rochelle Gregory, a young designer who is dedicated to “empowering women, helping them feel their best selves, and discovering their inner strength within”.
“I was always creating fashion from a young girl, for parties in high school; however, I started the brand fresh out of university,” explains Rochelle, the founder, owner and designer of Rocky Rafaela.
Rochelle graduated from Whitehouse University of Design in 2014, with a Bachelor’s in Design.
“Despite grappling with mental health challenges since my teenage years, I discovered a therapeutic outlet in design, viewing it as my medicine. My first collection, titled ‘My Mind as a Maze’, encapsulated the emotional struggle of feeling trapped.
“However, as I delved into the creative process of designing mazes and later on cages, a transformative experience unfolded. The act of design became a liberating force, breaking the chains of my mental constraints … It wasn’t until I created the cage that I felt free, and that’s what design did. It freed me.”
In being freed of her ‘cage’, Rochelle has succeeded beyond her wildest dreams: “Our garments have been worn by iconic personalities such as Bella and Gigi Hadid, Ruby Rose, and Hailey Bieber. A highlight moment was when Ruby Rose showcased our Rocky Rafaela biker jacket in a global Maybelline campaign, filmed in New York City alongside other top models, including Gigi Hadid!”
THE YIN AND THE YANG
As part of overcoming her past restrictions, Rochelle chose to combine two parts of her personality when she created her brand name: “Rocky Rafaela is the yin to the yang,” she says.
“Rocky was my nickname straight from birth as my brother requested his ‘lil baby sister to be called Rocky. His reasoning behind this was that our grandfather was a very powerful man, he was also a boxer and the [former] mayor of Prahran. Everyone looked up to him as he also brought over people from Greece to help them out. This is where the inspiration came to call me Rocky.
“Rocky represents the hard elements, the go-getter, the strong part of the brand and Rafaela in Hebrew represents healing. This stuck with me in church one day when I heard it and later it became a name that would strongly represent the brand. Rafaela is the soft part of the brand bringing more soft elements in, flow, movement and femininity.
“The yin and yang of the brand name beautifully captures the essence of both powerful and gentle elements, creating a harmonious blend that resonates through my designs.”
Rochelle’s graduate collection was selected to showcase at Melbourne Fashion Festival, the experience of witnessing her work on the runway was a pivotal moment for the designer.
“I got goosebumps and experienced a profound feeling I had never felt before. In that moment, I found a sense of purpose and clarity, realising that I was born to pursue a career in fashion and design. This revelation marked a turning point in my life, setting the stage for the creative path that would follow.”
Chosen once, Rochelle hoped to be chosen again when she applied for an internship with her favourite designer Alexander Wang: “The application process was highly competitive, with thousands of applicants vying for the opportunity. I ended up being one of the final two candidates, but ultimately, the position went to the other applicant.”
SUSTAINABLY UNSTOPPABLE
Despite what might have been considered a set-back, Rochelle says she took it as a positive experience overall, showing her that she was on the right track as a designer, taking it in her stride and forging ahead with her brand.
“The main concept of Rocky Rafaela is the whole creative process from visual interpretation of my inspiration to reality through the creative process ending in the creation of a fashion garment,” Rochelle explains.
“The brand exudes a distinctive energy, confidence and passion. The aesthetic is focused on strong women who embody the brand’s essence, going for what they want and feeling unstoppable in Rocky Rafaela’s designs.”
As with all modern fashion brands, Rochelle tries to be as sustainable as possible; the brand’s leather pieces are made-to-order to minimise waste and uses sustainable leather – leather that is specifically a bi-product of animals being used for meat.
“There are other alternatives like plant based leather for example Piñatex (from pineapple leaves), Mylo (from mushroom roots), and apple leather. This is something we are looking into working with in the next couple of years as it becomes more easily accessible,” Rochelle explains.
While currently focusing on Australian sales and wholesale, Rochelle says that her long term goal is “international growth as well as expanding into boutiques in Australia”.
UNLEASHED PASSION
“By creating the Rocky Rafaela universe, I unleashed a part of myself that had been waiting to be discovered. Rocky Rafaela became a world I could escape into while I was trying to escape my reality,” says Rochelle.
“Through this, I am building a powerful empire where my imagination knows no bounds, transforming my visions into reality. As I craft this unstoppable universe, it has begun to shape my identity, merging who I was with the brand itself—together, we can become an unstoppable force.”
For more information and to shop Rocky Rafaela, go to www.rockyrafaela.com and you can follow the brand at @rockyrafaela.
Learn more about Australian fashion brands in our Stories Section
