A Journey of Resilience and Reinvention
Melbourne-based fashion designer Rochelle Gregory has carved a unique path in the world of high fashion, known for her distinctive rock ‘n’ roll-inspired designs. Her journey took a significant turn in 2018 when one of her custom leather jackets was worn by actress Ruby Rose in a cosmetics billboard campaign. This moment marked a pivotal shift in her career, propelling her into the spotlight.
However, as her professional success soared, so did the challenges she faced with her mental health. Gregory’s story is one of resilience, as she navigates through personal struggles while continuing to create compelling fashion that reflects her lived experiences.
From Inspiration to Creation
Gregory’s passion for fashion began at a young age, influenced by her Greek grandfather, who was a tailor and kept his industrial sewing machine in plain sight. This early exposure sparked a lifelong love for design, which she carried forward into her education. After graduating from the Whitehouse Institute of Design in 2014, she sought an internship at Alexander Wang’s studio in New York but was unsuccessful.
Instead of letting this setback define her, Gregory launched her independent label, Rocky Rafaela, in 2016. The brand quickly gained attention for its custom pieces, edgy shirting, dancefloor-bound dresses, and ready-to-wear jackets made from sustainable materials. These creations became a vital distraction during a time when she was working through multiple mental health diagnoses, including borderline personality disorder and depression.
Confronting the Past
For a period, Gregory experienced a sense of freedom and success, even opening a physical store in Albert Park. However, the store eventually closed, and she shifted her business online. A decade after launching her label, she hosted a self-funded runway show during Melbourne Fashion Week, marking her return with a new collection and a powerful message.
Accompanying the runway show was a 12-minute film that served as a raw and honest reflection of her life. In the film, Gregory re-enacts her experiences with hospitalization, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders. The narrative is one of struggle, yet it ultimately conveys hope and a renewed sense of self-worth.
“I turned to fashion as a distraction, a place I could hide from the truth. But eventually I had to confront my demons head on,” Gregory says.
A New Chapter
Gregory now serves as an ambassador for Lifeline, collaborating on a T-shirt campaign to support their initiatives later this year. She shares her personal history of childhood trauma, which impacted her adult life, including challenges with learning and impulse control. At 17, she attempted to take her own life, leading to a period of self-destruction involving drugs and alcohol.
“It took years of therapy to navigate all of this,” she explains. “I ended up seeing a life coach for five hours a day after a suicide attempt and after a few hospital stays.”
Stitching a New Story
Fashion has become a form of armor for Gregory, allowing her to express her pain and transform it into power. “I turned pain into power and have never been one to follow trends. My fashion has always been about a lived experience,” she states.
Having been sober for two and a half years, Gregory credits her sobriety with helping her focus on her wellbeing. “My mental health journey was really up and down because when I wasn’t Rocky Rafaela, I struggled with who I was,” she says.
The brand gave her purpose and power, but she acknowledges that she hadn’t fully healed. “Rocky Rafaela was this powerful boss lady who just got herself in the most craziest of places — from the Hadid’s house to billboards, but I had to work on my own foundations,” she adds.
A Healing Process
Creating a short film about her life, with the help of director Nick Kozakis, has been part of her healing process. The film aims to inspire others facing similar challenges to find their way through their struggles.
“I wanted to take people on a journey of my life; and show them that while my life started out quite dark, I have transformed it into light and who I am today,” she says.
In the film, Gregory adjusts the final touches on a dress she is designing. When asked about her success, she responds with defiance: “I am just getting started.”
