Nestled in the busy cafe strip of Mt Hawthorn in central Perth lies a fashion lovers paradise, female-founded designer boutique Stella Rose Fashions.
Founder Jen Rabe has been running the business for almost nine years and loves every day that she gets to spread her passion for fashion among her loyal customers.
“I really enjoy helping the women of Perth find pieces that are unique and stylish, and most importantly, fill them with confidence,” Jen explained.
The boutique specialises in women’s designer fashion, proudly stocking Australian labels, as well as international designers celebrated for their unique perspective and craftsmanship.
“We love styling women who are looking for pieces to fit into their lifestyle, everything from day to work, weekend or evening styles.”
SBDC’s tailored advice
When Stella Rose Fashions first opened, Jen kept hearing about the Small Business Development Corporation. The name kept popping up at work, at university and online, so she thought she had better check it out.
It turns out, the help and advice she received from the SBDC was invaluable to her business journey. Just recently, Jen recently used the SBDC’s free one to one business advisory service when her commercial lease was up for renewal.
“I needed some advice on renewing my lease, and I was also trying to understand the deeper information in the new contracts that that we were signing,” Jen explained.
“They gave me some really valuable information in terms of my rights and tenancy within a commercial space, which was really useful.”
The SBDC offers free specialised commercial tenancy advice and information which helps WA business owners who are considering entering a leaser for their business premises.
Every rose has its thorn
Jen knows better than most how running a small business becomes a massive part of your life, and that sometimes you take the stresses home with you.
“The greatest challenges are always the ones that you can’t control, like the economic environment, the normal ups and downs of running a small business and issues with cash flow.”
“Those things can cause a lot of stress for a small business owner, and it affects you personally as well.”
But the good moments make it all worth it, because Jen truly loves connecting with her customers.
“The best part about running a small business is definitely the relationships that you develop with your community. I get to meet wonderful women and suppliers, it gives you an opportunity to be creative and you've got control of all the wins that you do achieve as well,” Jen said.
“I'm very proud that I've been able to establish and maintain the business for a long period of time and build a beautiful community of customers that keep coming back and those wonderful relationships that I've been able to develop over time.”
Full seam ahead
Something that sets Stella Rose Fashions apart from other clothing retailers in 2025 is their dedicated brick and mortar store, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
“There is an abundance of businesses online, so there is a huge advantage in having an actual storefront for your shop because people come in and you can build relationships with them.”
Despite this, Stella Rose also has a busy online store which allows customers from across Australia to shop with them.
Thanks to the help of SBDC’s business advisory service, Jen feels confident that Stella Rose Fashions will continue to flourish.
“As a small business owner, you have to wear many hats, and you can’t be an expert in everything.”
“So, I think I'd just like to say thanks to the SBDC for being available to small businesses because it’s really great to feel like you have a partner there to help you and support you through the areas of the business that you may not be as confident in.”
More information
- Access our free business advisory service including specialist commercial tenancy advice.
- Learn how shops like Jen’s can boost offline sales in an online world.
- Pick up some essential security tips for retailers.
- Make sure you know how to manage your wellbeing as a small business owner.
- Read more Western Australian small business stories.
