In These Stilettos

The “love local” series focuses on local, South African, women who are making waves in their industries. Breaking boundaries, creating empires and being the best inspiration of strong, driven women to society. This week I’m featuring the incredibly talented Nadia Turton, Founder and creator of “LABEL Collections”. Nadia began working in the retail industry where she learned the basics and gained an idea of what she liked before graduating from Cape Tech with a degree in fashion design. She spent two years in London before returning to Cape Town where she gained experience designing for retailers Truworths, Foschini and Edgars before finally launching LABEL Collections.

I have always been a more “classical” style when it comes to fashion trends, preferring items that I can wear year after year and perhaps mixing it up with one or two key pieces. I have always admired LABEL Collections style and cuts and when I found out the company was local, I had to find out more!

LABEL Collections is about luxury, quality, simplicity and integrity.

With the intention to design pieces that are for longevity and not landfill, always chic and comfortable, reflecting the confidence and versatility of their global customer.

Subtle signature LABEL Collections details allow us to evolve rather than re-invent. We love that you can purchase less and receive so much more wear, season after season, out of every LABEL Collections piece. Team the first seasons dress with this seasons coat for an instant wardrobe update.

Their collection is produced locally, where Nadia personally sources the fabrics and trims which are then created into our beautiful, easily wearable Cape Town made garments. Limited quantities of each style are produced, keeping it exclusive. Their goal is to create jobs and support positive social, cultural and environmental shifts.

Feminine, contemporary, effortless chic designs set LABEL Collections apart.

Nadia, creator of LABEL Collections, lives in Cape Town with her husband and two boisterous pugs.

Stalk away @nadiaturton

Label Collections : www.labelcollections.com and instagram : @label_collections

Read on below to find out more about Nadia and her career journey thus far.

Tell me more about yourself and what you currently do?

More about myself, well I love surfing, trail running, mountain biking, Gin and all things pretty. My favourite thing to do is spending time with family and friends and sharing a few G&T’s and see who can create the best G&T.

What I currently do? EVERYTHING – haha, So a quick run down of the process of getting a garment onto the online store and into boutques coutnry wide: First I research trends, including silhouetes, fabrics, trims, garment finishes and then I put a mood board / inspiration board together. From here I decide which direction we’ll be going this season – so many different trends and influences to be considered, I then adapt it to fit the brand and our ethos. Next step is to design the new collection, broken down into assortments – so tops, bottoms, caots / jackets, dress (knits & wovens). Once I have the basis of the collection, I then start to weigh up each design. Does it fit the brand ethos – is it chic, comfortable, easy to wear, easy to style and does it have longevity, would it be able to be worn for more than one season? Only once it has ticked all these does it crack the knod to be included into the collection. From here we source and purchase fabrics, have patterns made and then we go into production. When I see final products, I feel like a kid on Christmas day. It is the best feeling (and never goes away) when you see the actual garment made and ready to go to store. In between we arrange photo shoots for the online store and a lot of admin.

How did “Label Collections” come about?

After designing at various studios and for the retailers, I decided to branch out on my own and start LABEL Collections.

What did you study – was it in this field or something different?

I studied Fashion Design. Traveled for 2 years and then started working as a designer at a studio who supplies the major chain stores.

What was your first job and how did you progress to this?

My first job ever was as a casual sales assistant at Stuttafords and then at Juanita Pacheco while studying fashion design. At Juanita Pacheco I learned a tremendous amount about owning a store and implemented those systems when I owned my own boutique store.

What have been the highlights?

Selling my first collection to a boutique.

Seeing someone besides family and friends wearing one of my garments

My first magazine feature

Opening my own factory and employing my first ever staff member and growing from there

Owning a boutique store

Everytime I receive an order from our online store – it still makes my day EVERY SINGLE TIME!

I am grateful for every single customer and brand follower we have!

Finding and building an incredible team to work with.

What’s the best part of your job?

Seeing people wear the garments I have designed and the LABEL team has made!

It is so rewarding for us and makes what we do so worth it.

What is the most challenging part?

The most challenging part is to not produce everything we love and want to.

It is definitely that edit we do after conceptualising the collection. It often takes us weeks to decide on the final collection.

Describe a typical day in your life.

Every day is different, but I normally start with COFFEE @ 5:30 maybe 6 am if I am really lazy. Then I do something fun like surfing, riding, running or yoga, it starts the day right and somehow makes me more focused.. And then at about 7:30 / 8 am I start with emails, then at about 9 am with my rounds (going to fabric suppliers, trim suppliers, pattern maker, graders, cutters and then the factories). And then back to the office for more emails, research, processing orders, sorting orders etc. Work never stops, I am always thinking about the collections, always searching for something awesome to use or incorporate or just be inspired in general. I try and switch my Mac off at about 4:30 / 5, otherwise I’ll continue and never stop.

What are the “secrets” to your success?

I don’t think I have any “secrets”. I think it is just perseverance and grit. Trust your gut. Keep the end goal in mind – always.

How do you balance it all?

It is easy – only kidding. Somedays better than others!

What is your dream for Label Collections?

To grow the company and by doing so, to create jobs and support positive social, cultural and environmental shifts with in our local community and South Africa. We would like to continue to design pieces that are for longevity and not landfill, always chic and comfortable, reflecting the confidence and versatility of our global customer. To continue to build a community around our brand with followers and fans that are as passionate about and love the brand as we do. We really do love and value our customers and followers.