From killer Dionne Lacey’s girlfriend to $7m Frankie Swimwear queen loved by Kylie Jenner and Rihanna

GOLD Coast entrepreneur Rebecca Klodinsky was linked to the notorious Lacey brothers crime scandal a decade ago, now she’s a successful businesswoman turning over $7 million a year.

Rebecca Klodinsky has transformed from being caught up in a crime scandal to a successful business entrepreneur. Picture: Tim Carrafa

GOLD Coast entrepreneur Rebecca Klodinsky was caught up in a notorious local crime scandal a decade ago, now she’s a successful businesswoman turning over $7 million a year.

The Melbourne-based bikini designer, who founded Frankie Swimwear in 2013, was making headlines in 2007 after being named in court as a potential criminal co-accomplice to then-boyfriend Dionne Lacey who was given 10 years in jail for manslaughter, armed robbery and drug offences.

Flash forward a decade and Ms Klodinsky is an entrepreneurial young businesswoman whose clothes have been worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner, Rihanna and Bella Hadid.

FLASHBACK: Rebecca Klondinsky (left) was the then-girlfriend of Dionne Lacey. She is pictured with Michelle Napapone Luangkhoth, then-girlfriend of Jade Lacey leaving the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

Though she has been well cleared of drug charges and any criminal involvement, Ms Klodinsky said she had no regrets about that period in her life.

“We met each other through school (and) to me they’re still just the same people I knew back then,” she said.

“People are definitely surprised when I say that, but they’re not bad, rough people.

“It wasn’t so much that I had to ‘get out’ of a bad situation … I know the public perception is that they’re bad people but that’s not what I know. They weren’t scary people that I had to escape from.”

Rebecca says she has no regrets of her time with Dionne Lacey.

Ms Klodinsky said she studied criminal psychology because she “wanted to be better educated in that field” after her own experience in the courtroom.

“When you’re going through (court proceedings) you’re just stuck asking yourself ‘when will this come to an end?’ but the truth is it doesn’t end and you just have to make the choice to move on. That’s what I did.

“I get asked whether I regret anything and the truth is I don’t. Every situation helps you grow and I think the fact that I was exposed to so much at such a young age really primed me for business because you learn to read people a lot better.”

Kylie Jenner wearing Frankie Swimwear. Picture: Instagram

And Ms Klodinsky, now in her late 20s, certainly knows how to run a business, with celebrities such as reality TV queens Kylie and Kris Jenner, singer Rihanna and model Bella Hadid all posting pictures in her bikinis.

But she said it all started as a hobby.

“I got the idea when my sister came home with a bikini that she had put on lay-by and I just thought ‘what is happening?’ I couldn’t believe people were having to lay-by bikinis.

“Bikinis are a staple, especially on the Gold Coast, and everyone should be able to afford one.

“So I started the business as a side project while I was studying psychology at uni to make some money and see if my ideas had any traction ... it wasn’t something that I set my hopes and dreams on.”

Rebecca Klodinsky now runs a hugely successful swimwear business. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Today, Ms Klodinsky has five full-time staff packaging hundreds of bikinis a day.

“We’re selling hundreds, it’s always summer somewhere,” she said.

“We have delivery people who pick up bikinis every day and they are always asking why we are so busy when it’s winter in Australia.

Rihanna wearing Frankie Swimwear.

“When I was started out there was no middle ground. Your only options were super high-end or Kmart. I think our low price point and high quality is what made the business so successful.”

Even Kylie Jenner, on track to become the Kardashian family’s first billionaire, is a fan of the moderately priced label.

“When Kylie Jenner wore our bikini it was totally organic, she purchased it online,” Ms Klodinsky said.

Kris Jenner wearing Frankie Swimwear. Picture: Instagram

“We had to go through the archives to find the sale, we didn’t even know she had bought it until we saw it on Instagram.

“We’ve also had Bella Hadid, Jordyn Woods, Kris Jenner and Rihanna wear them. It’s very flattering for us, especially because there are so many bikinis on the market for them to choose from.

Lauren Perez and Bella Hadid wearing Frankie Swimwear. Picture: Instagram

“Next up we’re preparing to launch ‘Frankie Baby’. It’s a line of swimmers for mums and bubs which I haven’t seen anybody else doing before.”