The rise of Rosemin

For someone who came to Australia six years ago with no professional fashion training, Rosemin Kim's progress is nothing short of phenomenal, as Belinda Smart reports

It might appear that Rosemin Kim arrived in Melbourne armed only with her experience of running a family owned jewellery business in her native South Korea and a fierce love for fashion, but appearances can be deceptive. This was a designer and businesswoman who knew where her fashion was at, as evidenced by her rapid move to a small boutique in Greville St Prahran, where she set about selling Australian designer brands with a vengeance, quickly progressing to a store on Chapel Street, where she hit pay dirt, identifying demand from the fashionistas of South Yarra for clothing with a difference. What was eventually to become the Rosemin label -- an exercise in exclusive, beautifully crafted feminine dresses and event wear - was born.

Fashion training or no fashion training, the Rosemin label sparked immediate interest, driving the company into standout growth year on year, in bold contrast to "break-even" results prior to that. Kim still complements the Rosemin brand with a variety of Aussie labels -- Alex & Alex, Georgia Hall, Nicola Finetti, La Franki, Mogil, Peep Toe and Bec & Bridge to name a few - but Rosemin is the real draw card.

With one outlet on an exclusive fashion strip and another in a CBD shopping centre - a store opened three years ago in CBD shopping centre Melbourne Central -- Rosemin is able to service a variety of customers, explains its creator.
"Some do not like to brave Melbourne weather and prefer to be safely enclosed within a shopping centre where everything is very close together. We chose Melbourne Central because it is a rapidly growing shopping centre, which has great organisation and management and has become very popular in recent years. Other customers enjoy the atmosphere on Chapel Street, the cafés and restaurants, cinemas and the wide variety of fashion boutiques; and on a sunny day, there is nothing better than a stroll down Chapel Street."

With new styles launched on a weekly basis, Rosemin maintains exclusivity through limited runs and unusual fabrications; imported silks, satins, viscose and jerseys as well as buttons and trims from South Korea. The label also endeavours to give customers something new and unexpected every season; its upcoming range is designed "to reflect the charisma, strength and sophistication of modern women", contrasting with the light, ethereal styling of the current "Romantic Fantasia" theme.

Average price points for Rosemin dresses fall between $300 and $500, while more casual, less expensive exceptions are also available. Petite herself, the designer initially created most Rosemin dresses as "one size" while others were available in extra small, small and medium, but more recently has expanded her range.

"I've been looking at the sorts of patterns and cuts that flatter certain figures because I want every woman to be able to feel special and beautiful in the designs."

The company employs around 12 staff on the shop floor, three in design, pattern making and production and one marketing specialist. Staff are rewarded with incentives for large sales and the company also operates a program giving each staff member the opportunity to work in different areas of the business.

"These responsibilities revolve from person to person, so everyone gets a chance to reflect their own ideas and aspirations for the business. This really helps to foster loyalty and enthusiasm within the staff as they feel important and constantly stimulated. In house training seminars are also held monthly for staff. Each seminar touches on different issues and staff are rewarded with certificates upon completion of each seminar."

"The beauty of our philosophy is that we give young people a chance and a voice, many of the girls that work here study fashion design, we like to give them opportunities to express their opinions and creativity within the business. We don't just hire them to become retail staff, we also nurture their own skills and talents to further improve themselves and grow as individuals. Furthermore, we are run like a family, so we work together as close-knit team, working towards the same goals; which comprise of growing the Rosemin label and getting the brand out there to be known and appreciated by "Rosemin" girls all over Australia."

Kim has always been wary of over-commercialising the brand and steers away from big advertising campaigns. Instead she relies on word-of-mouth endorsements from Rosemin's ever growing client base. She also operates a three tier VIP Customer System, with a special alterations service offered at the highest level.

"I believe my dresses are timeless and would like my most loyal customers to be able to keep their Rosemin dresses for years and even pass them on to generations in the future. So I offer my "Purple VIPs" the opportunity to change the dresses, lengthen or shorten them, add materials and motifs so that the dresses stand the test of time. We feel the system really works to keep our loyal customers involved with what is happening within the company, they are invited to all of our events and sales and really become part of the Rosemin family."

Despite the evidence of a strong business with everything going for it, it has not all been plain sailing for Rosemin. An ongoing feud with rival retailer Gasp - which Rosemin alleges has been plagiarising its designs and undercutting it with cheap rip-offs -- reached boiling point earlier this year as Rosemin retained Melbourne law firm Middletons to act on its behalf against Gasp (see Ragtrader February 9).

Having learned the hard way that registration with Government design rights agency IP Australia was the only viable method of protecting designs from copyright infringement, Rosemin had already taken the timely step of lodging its designs with Government design rights agency IP Australia, although allegedly this did not deter Gasp from continuing to plagiarise Rosemin designs. Amid estimates that around 80 per cent of Rosemin designs have been copied by Gasp, IP Australia is currently examining a number of Rosemin's designs and will need to find them "new" and "distinctive" in order to build a case.

While hopeful of a good outcome, Kim's chief desire is to be able to focus on the positive, and there is plenty to look forward to; over the years she has received approaches from a number of retailers interested in stocking Rosemin, but, ever protective of the brand, she declined more often than not. This year however, something changed. Perhaps recognising that if handled correctly, the benefits of wholesaling almost certainly outweigh the pitfalls, Kim will start wholesaling later this year.

"I think there are ways I can continue to counteract commercialism through a controlled branding strategy while selling the brand throughout Australia and eventually internationally. My current ambition is to begin wholesaling throughout Australia, begin work on international branding and of course to continue designing beautiful dresses that make women feel confident and sexy through self expression."