We had the good fortune of connecting with Rosie D’Apolito and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rosie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My name is Rosie and I am the founder and creator of Made by Ro. I started my business Made by Ro in January 2018. I never thought that I would ever be a business owner, but it just sort of happened. Growing up, I loved to draw and paint and use my creativity as an escape from everyday life. My mom, Doreen, is very creative and is constantly coming up with creative ideas when it comes to arts and crafts, clothing, and home decor. I get my creative talents and my fun personality from her.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I launched Made by Ro in January 2018 when I began attending school at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I was always a creative but it wasn’t until I started going to a fashion school that I started to put my creativity into my clothing. My creativity has flourished and taken over my entire life… and my HOUSE! Going to school I had to commute from Staten Island to Manhattan almost every day of the week to go to class. Taking a boat to your 9 am class is not fun. I started creating tie-dye comfort wear to wear on my commute because it was cute and cozy. When people would ask where I got my outfit from, I would say…. “I made it”.

That’s how Made by Ro started!

I was getting custom orders left and right and it turned into a business very quickly. My clothes are still in FIT’S Style Shop today! The Style Shop is FIT’S Student Run Boutique which is open to the public. I put most of my limited edition and one-of-a-kind pieces in there for people to shop!
I launched my Etsy account later in 2019 and have become very popular nationwide ever since. My business is all about expressing creativity! My outfits are not only customizable but they are sustainable, comfortable, and made with love. I hand-make all of my pieces and I am always coming up with new ideas.

My personality is fun, bubbly and colorful just like my brand. I like to leave a little bit of color everywhere I go. Since my business is all about creativity, I mostly take custom orders so that I am able to bring my customer’s ideas to life. The best part about my business is meeting such amazing and creative people every day. I encourage people to tap into their passion and their creative side. I believe people would be much happier if they took the time in their day to create something whether it is big or small.

Everyone is creative, you just have to allow yourself to be. that’s what makes each and every one of us different.

It’s a great feeling seeing my customers so happy with the products that I make them. I rarely say no. I take all ideas when it comes to customizations and I am very good at understanding my clients. I love seeing them wear the products that I made them. I make all of my products with love!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and studied marketing. My college sparked my creativity and pushed me for success.

Website: www.madebyro.org

Instagram: @madeby_ro

Other: https://linktr.ee/madebyro

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