A business owned by Filipino-Australian Rachel Dela Torre Aitkin has won the Australian Wedding Industry Award for Brides Choice in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Tropical North Queensland.
Based in Cairns in Queensland, AustPhil Alterations was launched in 2015 and has established a strong presence in the Cairns garment alterations scene.
Before moving to Australia with her partner, Rachel she worked in a manufacturing company in Hanoi, Vietnam where she was head-hunted by a large company in Korea as a Quality Control Manager. In her work in Korea, she was dealing with known designers such as Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, and many more. They moved to Cairns in 2010 where she worked with some local alterations shop before she established her own AustPhil Pty Ltd.
In an interview with The Philippine Times, Rachel shared that the reason why AustPhil Alterations thrives in Australia is due to the absence of knowledge of garment engineering when it comes to high-end wedding gowns and men’s suits. This presented a lucrative market in the high-end alterations business, especially in Cairns. Rachel’s skills that she gathered through all her years of experiences in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Korea helped her to produce quality products for her customers.
When asked about her message to prospective business owners, Rachel stated, “choose an industry that you know and have experience in. Develop an achievable business plan and stick to it. Ensure that your capital is sufficient and work hard, follow, and achieve your dream. Never give up!”
Rachel was excited to share the news of her award, now for the third consecutive year. Brides Choice is an annual industry award that recognises and supports businesses that operate in Regional Areas of Australia.
If you want to know more about AustPhil Alterations, you can visit their Facebook page: AustPhil Alterations. You can also book your visit at their shop by contacting 0402 632 940. The business is located at 3 Thomas Street in Cairns North, Queensland.
