My Big Break

Behind the frocks, frills and feather boas, the Australian fashion industry is among the most competitive in the world. Assia Benmedjdoub asks three ragtraders about how they broke its iron walls and what it took to get there.

Annemiek Ballesty, managing director of retailer and distribution group Fossil Australia.
I was born in the Netherlands in 1967 - oldest of three children. In 1976 my father was relocated to the UK and the three of us were moved to English speaking schools. Within three months we all had to speak English to avoid being teased in the playground.
I moved through the English school system and in 1989 I graduated in business from the University of Wales.
On graduation I moved into a world far removed from fashion, the world of auditing, joining Arthur Andersen as a trainee chartered accountant. I qualified as a chartered accountant in 2002. That same year I moved into the insolvency department. I worked on a number of high profile UK cases including Robert Maxwell's media empire, the truck and van manufacturer Leyland DAF and the defence specialist Ferranti as well as a myriad of smaller companies selling everything from Christmas decorations to computer games. Insolvency gave me a real taste for running and improving businesses as well as selling and negotiation skills.
During my seven years with Arthur Andersen my only involvement with fashion was that I was the first trainee to wear a trouser suit. I remember this being a huge discussion point at the time.
In 1997 I married David, an Australian and we moved to Sydney. I found a great role with a management consultancy called Hagen & Co where I continued my career in improving businesses, this time the focus was FMCG and supply chains. In 2000 I became a Mum to Jessica and Ryan followed in 2002. That same year Hagen & Co moved their head office to the US and with Ryan four months old, I started looking for a new challenge.
An interesting role came up with Fossil Group, a company I knew well from the UK. They needed a finance, IT and operations specialist who could turn a family-owned watch and jewellery distributor and five franchised Fossil-branded retail stores into a subsidiary of a NASDAQ quoted company. Fossil had it all, fantastic product and great brand names, such as D&G, DKNY and Diesel, just no systems and up to then very little local investment. As an extra bonus it was 500 metres walk from home. I was definitely up for this challenge.
The first 24 months were very hard work - not only were we implementing systems, relocating our offices and warehouse and doubling our head count, we were also growing every brand in the business at double digit figures and introducing new brands and retail stores.
Within 12 months I became a local director and soon became involved with every aspect of the business including retail and wholesale sales, marketing and product selection. I have loved learning about the whole fashion industry and what it takes to grow and nurture great brand names. And how could any girl not love working with diamonds, pearls and all that bling.
Last year I was appointed to the managing director role, where I am focused on sales, profitability, introducing new brands and categories and of course continuous improvement. In fact I have not strayed too far away from my business skill set after all.

Rodney Grunseit, CEO of wholesale label Sunshades Eyewear
My mother Betty started selling sunglasses from a pharmacy she owned in Bondi and she was offered a large quantity of generic sunglasses (while pregnant with me and bedridden) by a cousin who worked for a firm that wanted to quit sunglasses.
The sunglasses sold so well that my mother decided it was time to split her pharmacy and sunglass business. Betty rented a small shop space in Bondi and registered the business name '747's Sunglasses by Sunshades'. In 1975 Betty ran out of remaindered stock purchased from other wholesale companies and decided to head to Taiwan and source her own sunglasses. As a result she became the first woman to import fashion sunglasses into Australia.
One particular supplier that Betty met during her first visit to Taiwan was Gordon Tseng. During the meeting Betty told him she was the largest sunglass importer in Australia, while he told her that his sunglass factory was the largest in Asia - this was the first order that Betty had ever placed, and the first order that Gordon had received. Today he owns the largest sunglass factory in Asia, and Betty built the largest privately-owned sunglass company in Australia.

Renee Wilson, merchandiser with manufacturer Howard Chia Corporation
I graduated from TAFE in 2005 glassy eyed and eager to put my stamp on every Aussie's wardrobe. I needed experience, I needed work and I needed it now! At the time, I remember my mum telling me that I should take whatever I was given because everybody has to start somewhere. Once I graduated, I started looking and applying for full time jobs in the industry.
While studying, I did various work placements (along with assignments of course) which I found very helpful in the long run. One in particular was with Australian designer Bowie Wong. He taught me many things I needed to know about the industry and gave me many opportunities like working with various fashion shows. Being backstage and helping him out during the week made me see how hard the industry really is. To get every detail ready for a season takes a lot of time and energy. I realised, with Bowie, how broad fashion is and how many different levels there are to it. It's not just about glitz and glamour - it's about talent and hard work.
With glossy magazine covers and wafer thin models everywhere, it's easy to get lost in an unrealistic world of fashion.
This kind of experience really helped me to get my foot in the door. When you study, you can go well at anything if you try but if you go out there and do unpaid work experience, it shows you're actually interested in the industry.
I prepared my resume and portfolio as soon as I started applying for work. And finally, a response. I went in for three interviews and the last one was really intimidating. There were three people there, the Director, a manager and a senior merchandiser and it went for two hours. The first thing they said was that a lot of people wanted my job and they asked me whether I really wanted it. I told them I did. Of course I wanted it!
I am now a Merchandiser for various labels sold in some of Australia's leading retail chains. I love it and this is only the beginning.
When I started this job, I was immediately introduced to international contacts and I'm now learning from some of the most successful businesses in the country.
Now that I've entered the real world of fashion, I may just have to re-calculate the extra years I need in my life before I'll be having lunch with Alexander McQueen!