Rosemin Manji, has graduated from London College of Fashion / University of Arts with a BA in Fashion Management in Luxury Goods. She has over 10 years of experience in the luxury goods sector in London and Milan working directly for industry leaders such as Tom Ford, Alessandra Facchanetti, Frida Giannini and Stefano Pilati and brands like Gucci, Prada and Burberry. She made her mark in a position as the European PR Director of Juicy Couture, and reintroduced the brand to key publications like Vogue, Harpers Bazaar,Vanity Fair, Tatler, among top celebrities.
After starting her own consultancy business RR&Co, in Dubai, Manji continued her creative work as a stylist for private clients. Manji is a regularly invited on TV shows such as HearSay, Mashaheer (Dubai TV) as their fashion and social correspondent and by MTV to cover Atlantis opening Red Carpet to interview top International celebrities.
WU: Give us a little background on how you started your career in the fashion industry?
RM: I have always loved fashion ever since I can remember. I formally studied fashion in university, although my parents freaked out to learn that this is what I wanted to do with my life! I chose a program that would allow me to get some business credits to study. Instead of focusing on bluechip companies, I focused on fashion brands like M&S and GAP. Since I came from Canada, I always thought I would end up in New York, yet being in London allowed me to get as much experience possible through internships while I was in university and I loved the proximity to Italy and France.
WU: So how did you get your big break?
RM: I got an internship at Gucci in their press office and started from the bottom and worked my way up!
WU: Some people think that working in fashion is an easy glamorous job.
RM: It is definitely not, it’s real hard work, with crazy working hours all the time as it’s such an international business, especially when working at the head office you end up working on various time zones. While working at Gucci’s press office I got a chance to cross paths with Tom Ford the Creative Director of YSL and Gucci and vice president of Gucci group, where he offered me a job during my second year at the university, yet my parents wanted me to get my degree first, so as soon as I got that, I found that the doors were wide open to take me in, and back then I remember that the whole experience felt like the movie The Devil Wears PRADA. And I am talking about everything from getting coffee to dressing up models, but what I can say is that I learned more from Tom Ford and the whole experience than what I learned at the university.
WU: So it was more of a hands-on type of experience?
RM: Tom Ford is simply brilliant, he has a unique way of managing people, and since he was the Creative Director and VP of Gucci group I always had a chance to see the business side of fashion next to the creative side of managing teams of designers and creatives, and vision each season onto the runway. I learned everything about brand management from him.
After he left Gucci, I was offered another opportunity to move to Milan for a year to work with a Gucci design team with the new creative director. There I saw how factories work with designers, giving me a great way to understand how the whole process works.
When I get asked to speak at my alumni, I always advise the students to read newspapers and trade press to be in tuned with what’s happening in the economy and take advantage of the work experience opportunities while in University; this experience is priceless.
WU: How long was the whole duration of your experience?
RM: I worked with Gucci for about 5 years, after that I got engaged so I moved back to London where I got a unique opportunity to be the European Director of Public Relations for Juicy Couture, so it was great to work with the Vice President to set up the first office and showroom outside America, and to rebrand it in Europe. It was such a challenge at the beginning since I had no attachments to the brand except the tracksuit, unlike Gucci where I would spend my paycheck back in the boutique! But with Juicy Couture I wanted to rebrand it and gain market shares. So I worked on their main line fashion collections to edit the best pieces to show the press, set up concessions in top department stores like Selfridges and Harrods and expose the brand to celebrities.
WU: I have met many fashion buyers here in Jeddah, and I find their job to be very hard, although many people might not believe that. But what does it really take?
RM: Intuition and taste. As my career progressed I realized how much I like styling, and people trust my taste, and discovering that made me focus on it even more. Working with Gucci gave me the foundation that I needed, and working with Juicy Couture skyrocketed my career, where you would find a celebrity going to a party wearing something I picked for her, and when she gets asked where she got that from, she would say “Oh it’s a Juicy Couture that Rosemin picked for me”. It was extraordinary how it translated into millions sales. For example, when Kate Moss was seen in juicy cashmere dress or trench coat within days it was sold out in all the stores.
WU: So when did you decided to move on and create your own company?
RM: I got busy preparing for my wedding, and my husband wanted us to move to Dubai, plus I had a consultancy project for a British designer that was referred to me by the editor of Vanity Fair. So I thought why not give it a try, ended up working for him for about six months to launch the brand in North America.
From being a workaholic back in Europe and being immersed in the fashion industry, I was worried what would I do when I arrive in Dubai, but through Villa Moda I started with PRADA as their brand ambassador for the Middle East. I learned how fashion businesses were structured in the region. It was only until my friends and former co-workers started to call asking about region’s trends. I started to do mystery shopping and giving them feedback on their boutiques. One the first projects I worked on was Tiffany & Co. where they wanted me to reposition them in the market. So we did the official opening for Dubai Mall with a series of five events, including the Ladies Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and we recreated 5th Avenue with the New York skyline. From there “RR & Co. Bespoke Luxury Management” started to really evolve, where it has positioned itself as the eyes and ears international luxury brands.
WU: How do you see the market trend in the region right now?
RM: International brands are focusing on the Middle East now and are creating unique products especially for this market. Such as Tom Ford’s Arabian Wood fragrance, and Temperley London’s Abaya.
WU: What about the fashion sense in the region, do you see an improvement?
RM: What I like is that you can see many local designers emerging from the region, I personally like ESSA that started in Sharjah, he is super passionate about his designs, yet he has something very special in every piece of his collection. I recently wore one of his dresses to the Cartier polo event and everyone there was asking about where I got it from.
WU: Okay, time for the big question, you have dressed many celebrities, we want names.
RM: Princess Beatrice, Elle Macpherson, Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez, Duran Duran, Elizabeth Hurley, Kate Winslet, Kate Moss, Jude Law, Sienna Miller, James Mcavoy, Thandie Newton, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jemima Khan.
WU: What are you doing here in Jeddah?
RM: I was invited by RAKS Fashion to introduce five international brands at the Z Club gallery for a private sale. I brought a well edited collection of designers from London, LA, and Paris. Women had a chance to purchase items in an intimate environment and buy unique pieces. I look forward to visiting Saudi Arabia more often to showcase the latest fashion trends.
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