Rafida Nur Aini: Building Brands Through Short Course Collaborations
As a product designer and founder of MediVidi, a jewellery brand based in Bandung, East Java, Rafida Nur Aini is building a brand that not only produces handmade jewellery but also fosters creativity and entrepreneurship among youth. To explore opportunities for global expansion, Rafida joined the Australia Awards Short Course on Women-led MSMEs: Ready to Export, in 2024 from the RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) University.
During the course, Rafida gained insights from key facilitators. One of the most memorable encounters was when she decided to meet up with Aimee Sutanto, an Indonesian-born jeweller based in Melbourne. Aimee was initially expected to be a course facilitator but had to withdraw. Rafida instead contacted Aimee directly and arranged a personal visit to her studio. They discussed pricing strategies, consumer preferences and started exploring the potential to exhibit together at an international expo.
Vocational training through a collaboration with a fellow Australia Awards Alumni
Rafida designed and executed an Award Project titled Jewellery Internship for SMKN 14 Bandung, aimed at equipping vocational school students majoring in metal craft with technical and entrepreneurial skills relevant to the jewellery industry. From the program ten students were selected for mentoring. Although the program was successful a new phase is yet to start because of funding limitations.
A highlight for the students in the program was the involvement in a MediVidi and Mycotech Lab collaboration, where they worked on a collection that combined recycled brass with mushroom leather. Mycotech Lab is an innovative startup founded by Adi Reza Nugroho, a fellow Australia Awards’ alumni, that develops sustainable biomaterials made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms. Eco-friendly and a vegan alternative to leather, Mycotech materials have gained attention locally and globally. The collaboration came about when Mycotech reached out to local creative brands, including MediVidi, to explore product partnerships. During the initial meeting, Rafida and Reza discovered they were both Australia Awards alumni, strengthening their connection.
Vocational students interning at MediVidi assisted in the design and production of the collaborative collection. They supported technical tasks such as crafting metal elements, assembling components, and prototyping designs using Mycotech’s mushroom leather. Their craftsmanship contributed to the final collection showcased at the Global Sourcing Expo in Melbourne in November 2024.
‘This opportunity not only brought international visibility to a sustainable design effort but also allowed the students to see how their work could reach global markets through meaningful partnerships,’ Rafida said.
Supporting Materials for an Australian Publisher
In March 2025, Rafida secured a B2B partnership with an independent Australian publisher, Slow Burn Books. In this collaboration, Medividi produced customised Chicago screws used in the unique binding of limited-edition photobooks, which were then exhibited at the 2025 Melbourne Art Book Fair. The order, which involved over 300 units, marked MediVidi's first formal entry into the Australian market.
'It started through a network of friends, someone from a Jakarta-based printing company introduced me to Slow Burn Books. Thanks to the short course, I had the tools and confidence to handle the inquiry professionally and negotiate clearly,' Rafida explained.
As she looks to the future, Rafida recognises that her Australian study experience reshaped her approach to business development, communication, and partnership-building.
'One of the biggest lessons I took home was how to balance purpose with scalability. The course reminded me that growth isn’t only measured in numbers, it’s also about impact,' she said.
