Locals only

By Alex Jordan 16 : 12 : 2015 Not Just A Label : Made In NY : Radical Transparency

New York – Championing emerging designers the world over, e-commerce platform Not Just A Label (NJAL) raised the stakes with its first bricks-and-mortar store.

Between 4 and 13 December, NJAL ran a pop-up store on the ground floor of the Waldorf Astoria hotel
The store featured products from only the best local emerging fashion designers, manufacturers and creators

After more than 250 designer nominations and 1,000 product submissions, NJAL selected 100 local brands and designers across menswear, womenswear, jewellery and accessories to show their wares.

More than just a store, NJAL invited representatives of the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s Made in NY initiative to celebrate the five boroughs’ creative lifeblood and to talk about the future of fashion.

NJAL put on workshops hosted by industry influencers, including People’s Revolution founder Kelly Cutrone and Chromat’s Becca McCharen to discuss topics ranging from production innovation to fashion education.

‘It’s often easy for emerging designers to be forgotten,’ says NJAL founder and CEO Stefan Siegel. ‘Made in NY gives even the youngest New York designers an opportunity to realise the dream of showcasing their collections to this incredibly influential city.’

The Big Picture

As consumers become increasingly concerned with the provenance of their purchases, brands are having to go a step further by being radically transparent.