Rajo Laurel - Rags2riches, Athletenique.docx

Company Background Laurel started his fashion line in 1993 with one seamstress. By 1995 Laurel’s couture business was making $11,000 annually in sales. Since then it has expanded from couture to include retail and employee uniforms for casinos, resorts and hotels. The Rajo Laurel Group of Companies brought in $1.7 million in revenue in 2014. His clients include the country’s presidents, celebrities and movie stars. Seven years ago Laurel partnered with Rags2Riches, which employs artisans in poor communities throughout the Philippines. Women weave bags, accessories and clothing made of discarded fabric for Laurel’s collections. Laurel’s collaboration with Rags2Riches made $22,000 in its first year; sales are estimated to be $350,000 in 2015.

Products of Rags2Riches with Price Included (Athletenique) The colorful summer bag collection called ATHLETENIQUE, celebrates the philosophy of fitness is fashion, where athletic and ethnic influences collide to create an amalgamation of textures and colors perfect for the season. Rags2Riches sell hand-woven items in the athletenique collection such as the following:

Product

Price

Pierre Satchel (L)

₱4,795.00 PhP

Pierre Satchel (S)

₱2,895.00 PhP

Maia Clutch (D) Maia Clutch (V) Remo Tote Bali Bucket Tote

₱1,995 PhP ₱1,995.00 PhP ₱2,395.00 PhP ₱1,895.00 PhP

Bela Tote

₱2,495.00 PhP

Availability of R2R Athletenique Collection (Nationwide & Worldwide) Nationwide Stores: House of Laurel | 6013 Villena corner Manalac Street, Barangay Poblacion Makati City 1210 Philippines

Rajo! 2F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City | 2F Shangri-la Plaza Mall Online: https://www.rajolaurel.com (website) Worldwide Online: https://www.rajolaurel.com (website) Shipping and Handling is available worldwide

Demand in Market  International personalities have been spotted with an R2R design in tow — Amal Clooney and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, among them. Such demand has led R2R to expand its presence beyond its online shop and stores in the Philippines — they now have distributors in the U.S., U.K., Benelux, and Switzerland.  AVIDA LAND, a unit of Ayala Land Inc., has partnered with Rags2Riches to help increase demand for handmade products designed to enrich lives. Rags2Riches recently launched its newest collection of home accessories out of upcycled scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics. Among these products, the handwoven rugs and pillow cases by R2R artisans will be sold online and offered to Avida residents.  With R2R’s adherence to high quality standards, demand for its products grew, prompting the enterprise to expand its product portfolio. Soon, customers from other parts of the world took notice of the artisans’ talent. But while interest for the products was strong, customers were unhappy with high shipping costs.

To ensure that the company can share the artisans’ stories and bring their products to the global market, R2R tapped FedEx for fast, reliable and specialized solutions to support their shipping requirements.

With the support of FedEx, R2R’s online store saw an increase in customer purchases from the US, Europe, Canada, Australia and the ASEAN countries. FedEx offers a special SME rate to R2R for its shipping services. This enables R2R customers worldwide to choose shipping fees and transit times that match their needs – 2 to 3 days for International Priority and 3 to 5 days for International Economy. With FedEx providing access to its trusted and efficient logistics service in over 220 countries, R2R gained access to the global market which, in turn, gave the artisans access to better lives. FedEx provides additional discount for bulk shipments. Bound by a common people-centered philosophy, FedEx and Rags2Riches are bringing Filipino artisanal talent to the global stage – one product and one story at a time, on time.

References: https://www.pressreader.com/ https://www.inc-asean.com/editor-picks/weaving-better-lives-rags2riches-making-business-goodfashionable/ https://business.inquirer.net/200504/avida-rags2riches-forge-partnership https://rajolaurel.com/show/fashion-exchange-international https://www.rajolaurel.com/page/stores https://www.rags2riches.ph/ https://business.inquirer.net/200504/avida-rags2riches-forge-partnership#ixzz5j3iqmHMx