Ballardong Whadjuk woman Rebecca Rickard launched Deadly Denim in Perth in October 2018, and her customisable recycled denim jackets and bags featuring the work of First Nations textile artists quickly found a fanbase at local markets and festivals. What started as a hobby is now a growing business with international exposure. 

Unexpected Beginnings

I wasn't actually intending Deadly Denim to be a business, as I was studying midwifery at Charles Darwin University at the time. I’d seen upcycled customised jackets and I had noticed labels showcasing textiles from remote Aboriginal art centres in the Northern Territory on clothing. I just had the idea of putting the two together.

I started with just six or seven denim jackets sourced from op shops, and one metre of fabric I’d purchased from Injalak Arts. After I sold those, I then bought some more materials to make more products, which then evolved into a collaboration with independent artists.

I tested the market by doing a little market stall at IndigifestOZ, a program that’s part of CinefestOZ Film Festival, to see if people liked them. It’s so exciting when someone you don't know – not your mum or a friend – buys your product. I had a wonderful response and sold quite a lot of them. It grew organically from there. 

Getting Organised and Understanding Business

Deadly Denim turns upcycled denim jackets into wearable art by featuring the work of First Nations textile artists.

To be absolutely honest, I’m not very good at organisation, but I’m slowly getting better. When I first launched, I had to give people my bank details so they could pay me. I once gave out the wrong numbers by mistake and they couldn’t make the payment! But now I have a Square, so payments are easy and I have an automatic record of sales. That’s been a big improvement.

[In the beginning], I did a lot of research. It’s really important to spend your time looking into things before you start. What are other labels doing? How do I get media exposure? I needed to educate myself because it was all new to me. But also, because I started without any money, I didn’t want to put myself under financial stress or get a business loan. It's okay to slowly build things up and learn as you go.

When I started out, I priced my products at what I thought I could afford to buy. I hadn't actually put all of the costs involved in making that piece into the equation. It was all guesswork. So I sat down with someone with good financial knowledge and they broke it all down for me, point by point. And then when I increased my prices, none of my customers said anything.

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Ways of Working

My phone and laptop are my core tools. I’m always on my laptop but, as I'm out and about a lot, I tend to work off my phone as well, so I can respond to emails or add products to my Etsy shop on the go. Etsy and Instagram have been essential for generating sales and building a community. I also dabble with Canva. I still take a lot of technical notes and have design ideas I'll write down in a notebook. And sometimes if I’m working in the space where I have my sewing machine set up and the textiles out, I just work directly from those materials. I know there are so many great apps and tools available to help you in your business, but pieces of paper in a folder can work just as well. [But] I do think that everyone should have an accountant if they are starting a business – you need to understand bookkeeping and finances. 

Working From a Home Studio

My brain works a little bit chaotically anyway, so working from home really suits me. I’ve always been resourceful and, being a single parent, I just love the flexibility of not having to try and find after-school, before-school or holiday care. I really had no idea until this turned into a business how much it suited me.

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Building a Community

Designer Rebecca Rickard of Deadly Denim shares her getting started story.

Having a community has been a huge part of the business – particularly on Instagram, where a lot of our sales come from. But more than that, what I value the most is the space it's created for sharing culture through art and fashion; it opens up an accessible way for people to ask questions. I also have my creative community. And I've got my own team with my mum, one of her friends and another paid seamstress. It’s why I always say ‘we’ when talking about the business.

Through social media, I have people wanting to purchase, people wanting to connect, people wanting to share posts. I share things that I’m doing like collaborating with artists, and build relationships around that. And people approach me through emails and ask me to do things I would never have thought of doing, too. I really love that side of it. 

After we got a bit of media attention from being invited to be part of Flying Solo, an emerging designers showcase at New York Fashion Week [in February 2021], I had a lot of emails from local schools and youth groups wanting me to come in and talk to the younger ones. I like to network, share information and bring others into any opportunities that come up. So Deadly Denim has always had a community heart to it.

Learning on the Job

I did the Ignition program for aspiring entrepreneurs at Curtin University before I started the business. And I received useful financial advice through Indigenous Business Australia during the pandemic in 2020. They helped me set up forecasting and a business plan, which was a really great process. I also listen to podcasts almost daily – I love listening to other women in business talk about their work and lives.

Other courses that have been helpful include the Lady Startup Rocket Plan, the leadership program at WAALI, and business coaching at the Wirra Hub.

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Embracing Help 

Getting started as a small business was a learning curve for Deadly Denim founder Rebecca Rickard, but one she’s enjoyed.

Outsourcing is definitely one way I've learned to be more resourceful: things like getting a rebranding and website rewrite, media statements, help with templates and so on. And yeah, just getting smarter, I guess. You just learn all of that as you’re going along. Even if I'm not earning a wage, I will pay for outsourcing things that I just physically can't do.

The Next Steps

I’ve reached out to a not-for-profit association called Activate Perth, which has a program called #FillThisSpace, where they connect the landlords of empty rental or retail spaces with businesses that want to try a pop-up. I’m now moving into a space with a couple of businesses, sharing the space and running it together. That’s prompted me to rebrand and get a logo, and generally polish my brand. Until recently, I’ve still been in a market mentality, but now it’s time for the next step.

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Natural Growth

Small business Deadly Denim now offers customers the opportunity to customise their own denim jackets.

I’m finding different things are growing from the core business. I now offer people customisation so they can bring their own jacket in and I’ll create something bespoke for them, plus workshops where people bring in their own jackets, I bring in the textiles and they create their own. I'm happy to grow to whatever size is right for my business.

What To Try 

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