Yesterday an excited Rachel watched as her invention, the ‘bling hanger’, went on sale at Diva Orange - one of 250 stores nationally, with the jewellery hanger now poised for launch on the international market.

“This is a huge milestone for me,” said an excited Ms Chippendale.

When the vivacious young woman left James Sheahan Catholic High School as dux in 1999, she took with her the kudos of scoring James Sheahan’s highest mark in the Higher School Certificate, 99.1. It’s a record which still stands.

After starting psychology studies, Ms Chippendale realised that wasn’t the career for her.

“I did a business degree which has helped me, but people in Orange have been so supportive along the way,” she said.

Armed with a basic wire prototype, Ms Chippendale set out to market her jewellery hanger.

Business Enterprise Centre chief executive officer Bruce Buchanan, who worked with Ms Chippendale during the initial stages of her project, said the young woman’s success was deserved.

“She has just worked so hard to get to this point. She’s been a quiet achiever but she investigated all the issues and had a solid business plan,” Mr Buchanan said.

“This success hasn’t just fallen in her lap - she has worked so hard to get to this point and she’s just 27.”

Ms Chippendale’s bling hanger has been taken up by Diva and Equip jewellery stores nationally with the product being market tested in the Gulf and the USA and she has recently signed a contract with a leading 24-hour shopping channel in Taiwan.

As part of her campaign for success Ms Chippendale embarked on an overseas trip sourcing manufacturers and markets, and is now starting work on other inventions related to jewellery presentation.