Meet the Vendor: RAH-Rags

By Sarah Hurley

Meet Rachel Harper, Minkology’s resident fashionista. A sixty-seven-year-old home décor and DIY project blogger, Rachel began her clothing design business, RAH-Rags, in 2012. Having always been a creative person, Rachel decided to begin upcycling thrifted clothing to replicate the look of fun clothing designs she’d encountered in her daily life. When her friends and family began asking her to make specific items for them, she decided to turn her hobby into a full-scale side hustle, launching RAH-Rags.

Rachel began her collaboration with Minkology, then Vintage Cottage, several years ago, after the shop hosted a trunk show showcasing her clothing. The show went so well that she decided to rent a permanent space in the shop. As her clientele began to expand, she needed more inventory than she could reasonably produce herself, so she began adding wholesale accessories and a few items of pre-made clothing. After a few years, many of the wholesale companies from which she sourced her items started offering designs similar to her originals at a fraction of the price for which she could produce them, and the demand for upcycled clothing among her customers began to wane, so she decided to focus more exclusively on wholesale fashion.

Rachel enjoys following the current trends and offering her customers fun, comfortable clothing that looks good at any age—which is great for our wide range of shoppers here at Minkology, ranging in age from ten to ninety-two, give or take a few years. As someone who enjoys taking her style to the next level with unique, versatile pieces in a range of colors and patterns, Rachel understands what an important role fashion can play in boosting one’s self-confidence and overall attitude toward the day ahead.

Unfortunately, around a year ago, Rachel received a diagnosis that sent her world into a tailspin: stage four ovarian cancer, for which she would have to receive several rounds of chemotherapy and an invasive surgical procedure to treat. However, as with everything she does in life, Rachel tackled this major life obstacle with the grace, positivity, and boundless faith of a true optimist, posting updates regarding her healing journey almost daily on her blog over the last year. Relying on the encouragement and support of her husband, family, and close friends gave her the strength to keep fighting, even on the hardest days. Now, eight months after her first chemo treatment and five months after her surgery, Rachel is doing very well and passionately educates women about ovarian cancer on her blog.

Over the last year, Rachel has been exceptionally grateful to the Minkology team for helping her continue to pursue her work as a business-owner with RAH-Rags. “They make it so easy for me and with my health challenges this past year, they have been amazing,” she says. “I couldn’t be as present to keep my space organized and the staff helped.” Our team of Minkologists is honored to provide support for such an incredible woman, entrepreneur, and friend.

Connect with Rachel via her personal blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, or Facebook page.