Welcome to Chase your Dreams

In this episode, RozeMerie Cuevas, fashion designer and founder of Jacqueline Conoir and JAC by Jacqueline Conoir, shares her experience and lessons learned from over three decades in the industry. From her first fashion show debut at a nightclub in Vancouver at age 18, to establishing her Vancouver-based brand in 1986 with just a small tight knit team, to eventually expanding into the Chinese market in 2013—RozeMerie credits teamwork, adaptability, and a tremendous amount of hands-on effort to make it all possible.

If you’re a fashion entrepreneur, this conversation will inspire you as you hear RozeMerie’s sound advice on how to create long-term success by building a strong brand DNA and making smart operational decisions.

About RozeMerie Cuevas

RozeMerie Cuevas is an icon in the Canadian fashion industry as the designer and founder behind two Canadian brands, Jacqueline Conoir and JAC by Jacqueline Conoir. Growing up, RozeMerie spent her teenage years sewing clothes for herself and for her friends but didn’t consider pursuing a career in fashion. She never thought of herself as a “designer”, but after her first fashion show at age 18 that impressed the attendees—RozeMerie realized that for her, being a fashion designer was possible and that she should go for it! Studying economics and commerce at the time, she decided to change course and apply for fashion school. Soon after, she packed her bags to attend the prestigious ESMOD School of Fashion in Paris.

Upon her return to Vancouver, RozeMerie created the women’s fashion brand, Jacqueline Conoir—the name in honor of her late mother. Over an impressive 36 year career, she has not only created and run successful brands but also received numerous design and influential women in business and business innovator awards in Canada.

In 2013, RozeMerie expanded into the Chinese market after a serendipitous meeting with a Chinese brand developer. That new partnership led to rapidly growing JAC to 100 stores in major cities in China within three years. By 2021, JAC further solidified its position by welcoming the founder of the Alfini Group as a key shareholder, enhancing its management, development, and operations. This strategic move aims to establish JAC as a leading international designer brand.

Contact info

Email: rozemerie@jcstudio.ca

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rozemerie-cuevas-72b3531b

Website: https://jacbyjc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacbyjc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JACbyJC/

Takeaways

• Believe in yourself and have a clear vision.
• Establish a strong brand DNA to make yourself identifiable.
• Create engaging experiences for your customers to create a strong customer base.
• Respect and adapt to different cultures and business customs when entering new markets.
• Focus on taking one step at a time when building and expanding a brand.
• Empower your team and lead by example.

Interview themes

What does it mean to have a strong brand DNA, and what are the benefits?

A strong brand DNA means having a distinct identity that resonates deeply with your target audience and consistently reflects the core values and mission of the brand. For RozeMerie, the brand DNA of Jacqueline Conoir and JAC by Jacqueline Conoir is centered around empowering women to feel confident and capable in any situation throughout their career journeys. This is reflected not only in the clothing designs, which are meant to make women feel strong and noticeable, but also in the stories of customers who have worn the brand throughout their careers, using it as a tool to project success and confidence.

Additionally, the Jacqueline Conoir brand DNA involves a commitment to high quality and a unique style that stands out, which has allowed it to build a loyal customer base. The consistency in these elements—empowerment, quality, and distinctiveness—has been key to establishing and sustaining the brand’s identity in a competitive market.

How does teamwork help a fashion brand succeed?

RozeMerie believes that no one can achieve greatness alone, and she has always prioritized building a strong, collaborative team. Stating that “without your team, you’re nothing,” she advises brand owners to lead by example while empowering their team to take initiative and contribute their best. RozeMerie’s approach to teamwork has created a sense of ownership and pride amongst its members, contributing to sustained growth and the ability to navigate challenges.

How to ensure brand consistency and quality when expanding rapidly in a global market?

Ensuring brand consistency in a new market requires a lot of training and communication. When JAC expanded in China, RozeMerie Cuevas took a hands-on approach to training her team. She was deeply involved in the process, personally overseeing the education of her staff on the brand’s DNA, quality standards, and customer interactions. RozeMerie relied heavily on visual and practical demonstrations, using fashion shows and store presentations to clearly communicate the brand’s identity. She attended store openings across China, to make sure that each launch reflected the brand. Through this meticulous and culturally aware approach, she was able to maintain a consistent and memorable brand experience across all JAC stores in China.

How do adaptability and cultural awareness drive international success?

In order to thrive in a new global market, entrepreneurs must understand the business customs and respect the culture. For example, in the fast-paced business landscape of China, decisions are implemented rapidly. RozeMerie learned that she had to make quick decisions, but with much careful consideration prior to communicating them out loud. In regards to culture, when introducing her brand to the Chinese market, RozeMerie quickly realized that while still staying true to her brand DNA, she had to make small adjustments to her designs, such as raising necklines, in order to appeal to her Chinese customers. Her openness to adapt and learn from her team in China allowed for a positive reception of her brand and fueled its expansion—establishing over 100 stores across major cities in just a few years.

Why must creative entrepreneurs understand the business side of running the brand?

Even if your aim is to focus on the design side, in order to be a successful creative entrepreneur, you need sufficient business knowledge to create long-term success. In the early stages of her career, she made mistakes in budgeting and inventory management, such as spending too much on certain materials or not controlling inventory effectively. She advises young designers who want to focus primarily on the design side of the business to educate themselves in business. Even if a designer wants to partner with someone to handle the business side, they should still have an understanding of basic finance and operations to avoid the common pitfalls of running a creative venture.

Chapters

05:25 The Origins of Jacqueline Conoir and the Brand's Unique Vision

11:54 Challenges Faced in the Early Days and Overcoming Them

21:55 Scaling the Business: Expanding into the Chinese Market

39:13 Advice for Aspiring Fashion Entrepreneurs: Building a Global Brand

 

Transcript

Glynis Tao

Today I have the pleasure of hosting an extraordinary guest. RozeMerie Cuevas is a true icon in the Canadian fashion industry. RozeMerie is the designer and founder behind two Canadian brands, Jacqueline Conoir and JAC by Jacqueline Conoir.

RozeMerie's fashion journey began in Paris, France, where she studied design and pattern making at the prestigious ESMOD School of Fashion. Over an impressive 36 year career, she has not only built iconic brands but also received numerous design influential women in business and business innovator awards in Canada.

In 2013 RozeMerie's vision took a global turn when she ventured into the Chinese market. A serendipitous meeting with a Chinese brand developer led to a groundbreaking partnership catapulting the JAC brand into China.

Within just three years, JAC expanded to 100 stores in AAA department stores across major cities in China, a testament to RozeMerie's exceptional talent and strategic foresight. The growth didn't stop there. In 2021, the JAC brand welcomed a strategic development partner, the founder of the Alfini Group as an important shareholder. This collaboration has strengthened the brand's product management, channel development, and operational capabilities, paving the way for even greater market recognition and share. The ultimate goal, to establish JAC as a top international designer brand, both in China and worldwide.

Welcome RozeMerie, it's so nice to have you here today. Thanks for joining me on the podcast. 

RozeMerie Cuevas

Thanks, Glynis. Thank you for such a nice introduction. Very kind words. Thank you.

Glynis Tao

I had actually first heard of the Jacqueline Conroy brand in the early 90s when I was a student at Kwantlen College, which is now KPU.

RozeMerie Cuevas

You're now dating me.

Glynis Tao

Me too. But I just can't believe that when I was sitting down to write these interview questions, I was trying to just think back to the time when I first had heard of your name and your brand.

And so yeah, that long ago, which is crazy.

RozeMerie Cuevas

I often get calls from ladies or you know, some of our customers who find the product in vintage stores now. And they're like, I just found a Jacqueline Conoir in a vintage store. And they're just so excited about it. So yeah, we've been around for a long time. We've had an amazing journey. 

Glynis Tao

Yeah. And so now fast forward almost like 30 years later. We were sitting right next to each other at the BCAG meeting. So I turned over to you and asked you, how are you doing? You told me that you were living in China and you had met your business partner, you had moved to China and established your name brand in over a hundred retail stores there. So at that point I knew that I needed to have you on the podcast to share your story.

RozeMerie Cuevas

Yeah, it's been an incredible journey, I must say. I mean, you know, when I started at 22, I had no idea what would happen and where we would end up. But it has been an extraordinary, you know, a lot of challenges, a lot of, you know, triumphs. Just a really incredible journey. So yeah, I'm happy to share.

Glynis Tao

Yeah, absolutely. So before we get into all that, let's go back to the early days and talk about the brand's origins. What inspired you to start JAC by Jacqueline Conoir, and how did you come up with the brand's unique vision?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, I guess the story starts, how did I get into fashion design, really? I never thought that I would be a fashion designer. It was not even an idea in my head that I could be a fashion designer. I simply sewed my own clothes when I was young and there were not a lot of fashion stores in Vancouver at the time.

My dad was very old fashioned. And so he didn't, you know, we weren't allowed to shop at what sweet 16 or whatever it was that was super fashionable at the time. So I just made my own clothes and then slowly I started making clothes for my friends. But I really never thought that was a, that was something that you would do as a career. I was actually going to school for commerce and economics. And I ended up in school and studying and I thought, what am I doing here?

But anyways, my cousin suggested that I do a fashion show at Richards on Richards, which was the hottest club  in Vancouver at the time. And I thought, what? Fashion show me? No, it's impossible. But anyway, somehow he convinced me. So I arrived with my clothes, you know, in garbage bags. All the designers arrived with their clothes on rolling racks and pristine bags. And I was just mortified. I thought, I need to hightail it out of here.

But I didn't, I just stayed and the show went on and I was in the bathroom hugging the toilet bowl because I was so nervous. But at the end of the show, the women came into the bathroom and speaking of the fashion show and mentioning that the black and white scene was a designer that was only 18 years old. And they were talking about me and they called me a designer. And at that very moment, I was like, well, maybe I better go to school and see what this is all about. And so I packed my bags and off to Paris and went to ESMOD and it was one of the best schools in the world at that time,  applied, accepted and away the journey went. So it was a really incredible start.

And then the way that we came up with the brand was my mother had passed away when I was five and her name was Jacqueline Conoir. And so the brand is actually in honor of her. So then when we rebranded to JAC, the brand name is J for Jacqueline Conoir, A for Andrea, my second daughter, and C for Celine, my first daughter. So it became JAC. So yeah, and the motto for JAC is JAC lives freely, leads by example, loves life, projects success, inspires, empowers action and knows exactly what she wants.

So the brand really was catering to empowering women, making them be the strongest that they could be, giving them the ability to walk into a room and really make a difference and allow their powerful inner side to shine. Let us worry about the exterior, you know. They focused on their ability to create success and be successful. And so that's how we created our career, our brand was all about empowering young women. And till today, we still have women who contact me by email saying they wore our garment all through the rise of their careers. And they went from being store managers to being CEOs and company owners.

So that really, really has been amazing to watch over the years. Yeah.

Glynis Tao

Wow, that's amazing. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that story and sort of the behind the brand's name. Because that was a question I was going to ask you. Where did the name Jacqueline Conoir come from?

RozeMerie Cuevas

So everyone wondered why is the designer RozeMerie Cuevas and the brand is Jacqueline Conoir or JAC. So really it was a dedication to my mom who passed away when I was very young.

Glynis Tao

Okay. That's very sweet.

RozeMerie Cuevas

A lot of logistical marketing, you know, challenges, but nevertheless, it's what we decided to do and I'm happy I did it.

Glynis Tao

Yeah. And so from that vision that you started with, has it changed much from the original vision to what it is now? 

It has always meant to be high, very high quality, reasonably priced, and affordable for most women. And it's always been there to, you know, really empower women, you know, by the way they dress to walk into a room and really show their presence. So Jacqueline Conoir, woman will, you know, walk into a room and you'll notice her.

I have customers emailing me saying that they'll wear a Jacqueline Conoir or a JAC outfit and people will stop them in the streets. So that's always really a great feeling. So it's a brand that has a particular DNA that just stands out just a little bit. So, yeah, women have been wearing it throughout their careers to advance themselves and make a presence when they walk into a room.

Glynis Tao

Well, the message must be strong enough to resonate with so many people, right? And touch them in a way that makes them feel that way. There's that connection between you and like the brand and themselves, and feeling embodying those, those feelings that makes them feel right? 

RozeMerie Cuevas

Yeah.

Glynis Tao

So let's call it talk about some of the challenges that you faced. What were some of the biggest challenges that you faced when you started the Jacqueline Conoir brand and how did you overcome them?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, I mean, I think as in every business challenges come and go and come and go and you tackle things. And I think every business has a seven year life cycle where, you know, you have to tackle all the challenges, but then you also have to reinvent yourself. So I think it's an ongoing situation.

But I think some of our major challenges in the beginning, the very, very beginning was everyone wanted international brands. No one wanted local. It was very different than today where everyone wants to support local. It was a completely different mindset in the 80s and the 90s. Everyone wanted Italian fashion, French, German, anything, or American, anything but Canadian.

And so it took us a while to establish a name for ourselves, establish that we are a great designer brand, that we had great quality, that we catered to the right demographic. And we actually made a name for ourselves by doing these really amazing feminine suits. Business suits in that time for women were very square and boxy, big shoulders.

And we came in with these very beautifully fitted shorter skirts and great fitted jackets with the shoulder pads. And immediately you could recognize a Jacqueline Conoir on the street. I think some of our challenge was to make ourselves identifiable, which we did by giving ourselves a particular DNA. We created massive events because the marketing was a bit challenging.

In the beginning, we couldn't get the media on board. And so we ended up creating amazing fashion shows and events, invited media, and slowly people started to really recognize the brand and want to be connected to it. Because everything we did, we did to the best that we could. So I think initially the challenges were getting people getting acceptance, getting media coverage, finding financing. So we were a very small business, so we needed to find financing. 

So what we did is we continuously applied for competitions and we were nine time Matinee. At that time, the Matinee cigarette company used to sponsor the fashion industry, but now that's no longer acceptable. But in those days, we were nine time grant recipients and each time we won a grant, it was $35,000. So that was amazing as a designer to have that kind of injection of cash. So those are the three major challenges in the beginning. And then as we grew our business, the challenges were finding real estate that was affordable and then also growing our customer base in our VIP database.

And we did all of that through, again, really, really fabulous events and just make people feel like a family. That's continued for about 25 years. And then like anything, you know, you have a life cycle. And so in 2011, we rebranded and added JAC to our repertoire.

And it was a younger, edgier collection that attracted a different customer, but that also our existing customer really enjoyed as well. And so we added that brand and then in 2013 is when we decided to go global. And we were ready to really expand the brand. My kids had grown up. I was still very interested in fashion and didn't want to give up at that time.

And so we were looking for a partner to go international. We couldn't do it on our own. So that was another challenge.

Glynis Tao

So how big was your team at that time, at that point?

RozeMerie Cuevas

I would say we were 10 people. We were 10 people. A couple in our marketing department, maybe four or five people in our sales department. I did all the designing for so many years.

That's what I love to do. And then I had an assistant that I worked with constantly. So there was about 10, 11, 12 of us at any given time.

Glynis Tao

And did that just build gradually over time? Like from the inception of the brand, like originally were you the one doing everything?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Absolutely. My first few years I was doing the designing, the pattern making. I'm also a pattern drafter. So I was doing the patterns, the cutting of the fabric. I hired one sewer, one seamstress, but I was also sewing. I was sewing on buttons, just you name it. I was doing the fabric buying. I was doing the selling. When my daughter was born, I remember having her in the changing room and a little bucket seat and I'd sell and then I would design, then I would breastfeed, then I would, it was all really all encompassing. was really crazy, actually.

Glynis Tao

It's amazing, though, now looking back. What you have done. But I think, you know, I'm interested to know in terms of how you were able to balance the creativity part of and the more practical aspects of running a business because a lot of times designers come out of design school, fashion school, they're designers, they're not business people. So how did you manage that?

RozeMerie Cuevas

That's a really great question and something that all the young designers should actually understand is there's two parts to a business. There's the creative side and then there's the business side.

And you're right, a creative person doesn't actually understand the business side. So we made a lot of mistakes. We spent way too much money on so many things that we shouldn't have. We didn't keep our inventory under control. We bought things that were way too expensive for us and we should have held off. We should have bought the real estate that we were renting instead of continuing to rent. So there were many things that we should have done that would have put us in a better place in terms of business and profitability.

But again, you learn as you go. So any advice that I would give to a new young up and coming designer who, I mean, you choose either you want to be the creative person and just do that, or you want to be the creative person and have knowledge of the business side of things. Therefore you can actually understand when you do get a business partner or when you merge with someone or when you're working for someone else, regardless, then you understand the business side of it. You understand the expectation and limitations of the creativity.

So, but I mean, there's a lot of ways to be creative and stick to a budget. It doesn't mean because you need to stick to a budget that you can't be creative. I mean, we were extremely creative. We put on shows for 500, 600 people. And we did it on such a small budget, you know, so you get good at it, you try to manage it.

And my husband, my partner at that time, he was the one who actually managed all of our events. And he did a great job at that. And so we looked like we were a massive company. And yet we only had, you know, 5 to 10 people as a team. 

Glynis Tao

Yeah, even though you were trying to figure it all out somehow you managed to make it all work. 

RozeMerie Cuevas

Yeah. In normal circumstances, a designer will leave the business within the first three years. And so we made it past the first three years, then we made it past the next three years and then following three years and then 38 years later, we're still here. So it's baby steps. I think it's baby step by step.

Glynis Tao

Yeah. Putting one foot in front of the other. Okay. So let's talk about scaling the business.

So from where you were then at that point, right, where you were more of a smaller startup, local brand, that time you were still mostly a Canadian brand based in Vancouver. Did you have retail stores then?

RozeMerie Cuevas

We did have retail stores. And we did them differently at different times. So sometimes we had a retail store on Granville Street. And then at one point we decided we were going to go off the main grid of retail streets. The rent became super expensive. And so I opened up a private 5000 square foot studio where we did all of our design and our sales and our shows. It was a multipurpose, huge warehouse space, which was very innovative at the time. And everyone just got on board and loved the experience. It was a shopping experience. We did little mini trends and shows and so on. So it was really fantastic.

But by about 2013, 2011, the manufacturing in Vancouver had really started to disappear. And so we were having trouble finding manufacturers to produce our kind of product. And so we really had to, we had a choice. We either had to find other places to manufacture our products, alternative manufacturing facilities or locations, or we just shut her down.

We weren't big enough to attract a large manufacturer, let's say in China or in other parts of the world, we just didn't have the quantity. And so we were stuck. So at that time we either were going to go bigger or we were going to just shut it down.

And so we tried a  to meet up with a few different investors and the different partners. And it just so happened that we managed to meet a really great couple who had just landed in Vancouver and they were looking to meet like-minded people. And we were in the fashion industry. And so they came around and viewed our product, viewed our shows and they invited me back to China to just to see what their manufacturing facility was like.

And I said, look, let me bring the brand. Let's just see what happens when it's over there. And so we brought the brand over and showcased the brand to about 200 buyers and people jumped on board. And very quickly we decided we were going to be partners and off I went to Shanghai and to Hangzhou and that's where we set up the brand and very quickly we expanded. Everything happens in China speed over in China. It's very fast. So either you're on or you're off so within four years, actually we expanded to 110 stores. That was very quick. 

Glynis Tao

Sounds like it all happened very quickly.

RozeMerie Cuevas

It was either we jump on board and try it or shut down the business because of the lack of manufacturing facility.

Glynis Tao

So this all happened out of this need where you were thinking like you needed to look for manufacturing. But you didn't think it would actually turn into what it is now like having over 100. 

RozeMerie Cuevas

We were not thinking that we would actually expand that quickly. I had no idea it could actually happen that quickly. And we were happy with the business that we had. It was a great business. was giving us a really great lifestyle you know, the community supported the local design and it was just a great little business. And the idea of having it go international, obviously was something that we always wanted to do, but we really just didn't know it would happen at that time.

And so it just happened really by accident, not by accident. We really worked hard to make it happen. I brought the two rolling racks over. I asked them to let me put the product into their fashion show and made a real statement. And people really got on board with the brand. But initially the first three days when we were there, I was sitting there with two rolling racks in a huge sales meeting with 200 buyers and no one came over because they were busy buying the other brands. And then finally, after the third day, I thought, okay, I've got to do something. I have to get their attention somehow. So I went over and grabbed a few of the ladies and a few of the buyers. And I said, look, come over, take a look at the brand. And of course they were terrified of me because I was a foreigner.

At that time there weren't that many foreigners in China. But anyways, somehow we started communicating and they tried on the product, they loved the product before you know it, everyone had come over to the two rolling racks. And before you know it, my partner came over and said, let's do business. What can we do here? And so that's how it happened really. And then very quickly, four years later, we had 110 stores, but it really took a lot of work, a lot of work.

Glynis Tao

It didn't feel quick like that, right? Like, that's kind of the part that I want to get to, like really the meaty stuff. What really happened in between those years, like from when you first landed, set your foot in China, presented to 200 buyers, you know, did your thing and impress them, obviously. I'm sure your experience came into play here, right?

RozeMerie Cuevas

I mean, absolutely. I know the brand, I have a particular DNA for the brand. I was able to speak to women that I actually couldn't communicate with because of the language barrier. So I had the ability to communicate the DNA of the brand somehow. I don't know how I did it through visual fashion shows and so on. But also I was able to dress the women and give them a look. And they came out of the changing room feeling like different women, very powerful. And that's what the DNA of the brand did and does.

And so anyways, that was part of it. But then, you know, we negotiated an agreement and our agreement was a three page agreement and a handshake. I didn't go in with like a thousand page legal document. We didn't focus on that. We just focused on step by step. Can we get the brand being manufactured here? Can we design it here? Can I design 180 styles four times a year?

Because we had quadrupled the size of the collection. Is all of this possible? And so with a three page agreement and a handshake, you're relying on each partner to do their part. So I did my part, which was creating the creative look, the DNA of the brand, training the team in China, doing presentations, designing the boutiques, going into the stores, promoting the product, doing the social media, everything that and anything that I could do, I was doing.

And it was also teaching because their whole idea of what a brand was, it was very different from my idea of what a brand was. Everything had to be spotless. Everything to the final detail had to be perfect. And that, you know, in China, things at that time were very efficient, cost effective, but attention to detail was not the first thing on the list.

And so that needed to be taught to the entire team and quality needed to be taught. And so there were a lot of things that I needed to teach the team. And so step by step, you know, we built the brand over in China and step by step, my partner opened one store, then another store, then another store. And to each of these stores, I would go and again promote the brands, be present to promote. So in order to actually promote the brand, I was traveling to all parts of China. So North China, South China, East, West, wherever we were opening stores. And, you know, sometimes it was freezing cold and sometimes it was like 45 degrees and it was incredible also to visit so many different places. So yeah, it was just an incredible journey, but working seven days a week and 15 hours a day was the norm actually.

Glynis Tao

Was that your first time going to China?

RozeMerie Cuevas

It was actually my second time. The first time I was invited to China with a delegation of about another 20 Canadian companies. That was about six years prior to that. Interestingly enough, I also had an offer to bring the brand to China at that time. But at that time I slapped them with a thousand page contract and it went nowhere.

So the second time around, I realized that I had to go in step by step and not, you know, scare them away with this. Not I’m a prima donna, go in holding all the cards. My tactics were a little bit different the second time.

Glynis Tao

So that's what I want to ask you about your scaling global expansion into the Chinese market. Now that you brought your brand into China and have your business partners on board and they're helping you open up stores, you're doing all this step by step, getting the brand out there and stuff. Did you have to like, do things differently? Like in terms of how you approach business here, because I mean, you did mention some of how they see what is a brand is slightly different than how they see brand here in North America or in Canada.

So what were some of the differences that you experienced during this whole process? And did you have to adapt your design process, your styles, the sizing to fit the Chinese market?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, there were. So when you do business in another country, I do think there are a lot of aspects that come into play. And you definitely need to hear the voice of the people of the country that you're selling in. Cultural differences played a huge role. Just a small example, I love white flowers. So anytime we have an event, the, you know, the room is full of white lilies. And, but in China, white is referred to as for funerals. So anytime you have white, everyone for a funeral will dress in white, which is totally the opposite of what we might do here in North America.

But in China, everyone dresses in white and there's a particular belt they wear and everything is white flowers and so on. And so when the team was telling me, you cannot have white flowers for an opening, I was just at the beginning, I was almost irritated as you know, why could I not have these white flowers? It's such a simple request. But, you know, sure enough, a week later, a few weeks later, I see a funeral procession, you know, going down the street and everyone is in white. And so I think I realized that I needed to respect. My team really wanted us to do well. And so the idea that they were giving me or the information they were feeding me was really to help us be able to do the best that we could and respect the cultural differences. You you don't want to be showing all white flowers when that makes reference to a funeral. And also the design of that particular belt, we often had belts in our dresses, yet, you know, when it's that kind of belt, it is also again referred to a funeral. So we eliminated the belts, we adjusted the flowers,

Another thing is the low cut front line. In China you can go in short, short hot pants as you possibly want, but there's no cleavage. So the neck lines were raised just a little bit. And so yes, of course we adjusted certain things because there are cultural differences and it's important to respect the country that you are in, but they're so minor. And it's not that they're not accepted in another country. It's just, you need to be aware of certain things so that you can adjust it. Maybe the design was like this. We just kind of made it around this area. So you balance things out. 

Glynis Tao

Okay. So was there a big learning curve for you at that in the beginning?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Absolutely. The learning curve was tremendous. I also realized how fast things happen in China. And so I had to get on board making decisions very quickly. I would ask for something. Or I would just think about asking for something. And the next morning it was on my desk. And I hadn't thought about it clearly. And so I had to really think very, very carefully about what I asked for because it would be on my desk the next day.

Another huge challenge that I had to get used to in terms of manufacturing. So because China is very cost effective and less quality at that time and our team was very cost effective. So, you know, I would say I need this blouse and I need this print on this silk blouse and here's the sample, give me a price. I would get this top back, I would get the price, we would put it into production or you know, put it into sales, put it into production. And then a week later, the store manager would call and say, the customer washed the t -shirt or washed the silk top and the print is gone. So I'm like, wow, that's interesting. So I call the manufacturer, asking why the print had actually disappeared. And he said to me, well, you didn't tell me that the print needed to stay. If you had told me the print needed to stay for a few extra RMB, the print would have stayed.

And I was just, but isn't it common sense that the print should stay? But the way of thinking is completely different. The primary key at that time was the cost. So if you want to lower costs, well, the print may not stay. It may stay, but it may not stay. Now, if you identify quality as your number one item, then they'll give you a different price. So I had to really think about what I was asking for, how I was asking for it and be very clear on what I wanted. And so that was a very big learning curve. Where in things that we just assume here, you can't just assume over there. 

Glynis Tao

You have to be very clear on what ask for and how you communicate that as well. So do you have any issues with the language? Do you speak Chinese or Shanghainese?

RozeMerie Cuevas

I've learned some Chinese, you know, the colors, the sizes, the garment types and categories and so on. But the actual language to speak, it's a very difficult language. I really try. But when you're working 18 hours a day, it's really hard to then learn a new language.

Glynis Tao

Yeah. But I guess if you're in that environment, maybe you pick it up.

RozeMerie Cuevas

A lot. And we built a team that actually spoke English.

Glynis Tao

How many other Canadian designers can you think of that you know?

RozeMerie Cuevas

There are a lot of small businesses, I know a few businesses that have gone over and tried like Aldo shoes went over and tried a few times. LaVie en Rose went over a few times to try but all didn't manage to get on board there. But then there are companies like Lululemon, they're very successful in expanding their products into the Chinese market. There's North Face, there's Arcteryx, there's Canada Goose. So mostly activewear and outdoor wear have been very successful in opening the market in China.

Glynis Tao

Yeah, because I'm just wondering, you know, what was it like to be a completely new brand, to just show up in another country and then just open up shop there, right? You're not known.

RozeMerie Cuevas

As a small designer, as an independent designer, it's really impossible to do what we did without a partner. It's very difficult unless you have really deep pockets but even then you need to know the business culture. And the business culture is very different. It's all about who you know and who you can connect to and how you can make yourself noticed. And there is a whole ton of government sponsorships for individuals who will partner with Chinese partners. And so there's a lot of tax breaks and rent incentives and subsidies that you can apply for when you actually have a partner.

There are a lot of ways to do business in China. You do need to figure out how to maneuver it all. And I have so much of that knowledge in my head and firsthand experience, so I'll be looking to guide other companies who are interested in going into that market.

Glynis Tao

Yeah, absolutely. Because I think you would have a wealth of knowledge with that having experienced it. Actually, another part of this why I was so interested in reaching out to you, wanting to talk to you about your experience of bringing your brand into the global market was that I was talking to a friend of mine who's a local designer here based in Vancouver, and she's been doing it for a number of years. She's very strong technically, strong technical design, know, pattern making all that stuff. She's trying to break into the market here in Vancouver and having a hard time. She's got a strong brand DNA, it's got a particular look, but I'm like, I don't know if maybe this is just not something that's very Vancouver, like, you know here we're more laid back, West Coast lifestyle into more of the outdoor recreational stuff.

But I'm like, maybe you want to explore another market, like don't just limit yourself geographically to Vancouver. What would you say to someone like that?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, it's really hard, I'd have to see the product first to be able to make any advice or to give any advice, I think. I mean, it's a very tough industry, the fashion industry is super tough, and it's changed tremendously over the years, people's needs have changed, the way people spend money has changed, the way people go out has changed. And so I'd have to see the product first to understand the product and whether it's a viable product for a particular industry or community.

But I mean, we also had a tough time, a tough go at it at the beginning. I remember we had pasta for dinner every single night until we could get the brand going. And it really took us at least 10 years to get the brand really going and a really good customer base. But the way we did it is we just made designing and developing the brand part of our lifestyle. So we would do huge events and that would be our entertainment or we would, I don't know, I can't remember exactly how we did it, but every night we would invite customers to the boutique and we do special events. And I was just working all the time, all the time. There was no balance between life and vacation and this and that it was like seven, 15 hours a day for sure.

Glynis Tao

And that was before kids?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, it was before kids, during kids, with kids.

Glynis Tao

Everything in between. Yeah. You managed to make it work.

RozeMerie Cuevas

The fashion shows they came to all of our events. They were at the booth at this, you know, our studio after school. They were just part of it.

Glynis Tao

My goodness. Are your kids involved in your business at all?

RozeMerie Cuevas

No, they have their own careers. You know, they saw how difficult it is.

Glynis Tao

No, thanks.

RozeMerie Cuevas

Yeah, you have to have the passion for the industry, the passion for the business, and if you don't, it is tough. I think to do this business, you have to really love fashion. You have to love what you do, be prepared to put in the time.

Glynis Tao

What personal qualities or skills do you believe have been most instrumental in your success as a founder?

RozeMerie Cuevas

I think I'm really strong at leading by example. I think that's one of my key reasons for success. I empower the team. I think that without your team, you're nothing. So really to be able to empower your team, put the team before yourself is really important. You have to have a lot of stamina and you have to really be able to inspire people and motivate people. I think you have to also believe in yourself and know exactly what you want and just go for it.

So those are all messages within our JAC message. So JAC lives freely, leads by example, loves life, projects success, inspires, empowers action and knows exactly what she wants. So that is the JAC woman. That's our JAC team. So no matter how you cut it, those are the important elements of knowing what it takes to be successful.

Glynis Tao

And those I guess core values or what you would say has been is woven into the JAC DNA brand DNA.

RozeMerie Cuevas

And also surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and people who are strong individuals in what they do as well and so I definitely could not have done any of this all on my own. First, it's the people who are around me that were supportive, that helped, that were always there to lend a helping hand. And then there's the team who worked endless hours and really gave their all to make it a success. So I think, and it's a team effort, no one person does it individually. So I think when you acknowledge that, I think it's karma. Life is karma. You give out what you get back. And so that's what I believe is actually the key to any success.

Glynis Tao

Amazing. Is there anything that you would have done differently in your journey with your business?

RozeMerie Cuevas

If I would have done it again, I would have done everything possible to buy the real estate in which we were doing our retail stores. I think if I had to do it again, I would definitely buy the real estate. Instead of paying rent all those years, I would have done my best to manage to buy the buildings that we were renting. After all, real estate is what actually goes up in value tremendously.

Glynis Tao

Right. Any final advice that you would give to aspiring fashion entrepreneurs who want to build a global brand?

RozeMerie Cuevas

Well, I think I would tell them they should talk to as many people as they can, speak to people who have experience and who have gone through the challenges. And although the challenges today are very different than they were maybe 20 years ago. There is a common thread so learn from the people who have already done it. Again, believe in yourself. Don't give up, but have a clear vision.

Glynis Tao

Amazing. Where can people find you if they want to get in touch with you?

RozeMerie Cuevas

You can post my email address. I'd be happy to take emails. No problem. Yeah. Thank you so much. And your brand Jacqueline Conoir brand is on Instagram and all social media.

RozeMerie Cuevas

JAC is on Instagram. I have a Facebook JAC by JC or RozeMerie Cuevas. Also, I think I've given you all those links. You're welcome to post them. I'd be happy to speak with people if they need my help.

Glynis Tao

Thank you so much, RozeMerie, for being here today and sharing your insight and knowledge into the fashion industry.