Image: Speaking with Carly Vidal Wallace (left) in Brisbane, 2018.
Season 2 Finale
Connecting Emerging Designers Across The World
Carly Vidal Wallace is the Creative Community Curator at NOT JUST A LABEL.
NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL) is the leading online platform for emerging fashion designers. The website showcases the work of 35,000+ designers from around the globe.
Carly talks about NJAL’s recent move from London to Los Angeles, and the amazing opportunities that the platform offers for independent designers.
NJAL enables buyers, editors and stylists to search for and connect directly with the world’s most innovative and fresh fashion talent.
In 2019 NJAL will be re-launching its e-commerce capability, enabling consumers to discover and shop for creative designer pieces through the website.
This episode is a must-listen for all wild and independent designers !
In this episode:
- Carly grew up around fabric and manufacturing. Her mum founded a business that still exists today which specializes in dance fabrics and costumes.
- Working in the family business, Carly launched a fashion line with these specialty fabrics.
- With the support of the then Australian Fashion Chamber, Carly established Brisbane Fashion Month – to provide education, opportunities and networking events for the local fashion industry.
- Since moving to California with her husband’s work, Carly took on the role of Creative Community Curator at Not Just a Label. She looks after 35 000 designers from around the world.
- Carly describes Not Just a Label as a LinkedIn for fashion designers. Her role involves curating the website to showcase the best emerging talent in the fashion industry.
- The site is used daily by the world’s buyers, stylists, editors. Industry people can search for and contact emerging designers directly through the website.
- Not Just a Label has different levels of designers: Black Sheep, Grey Sheep, and White Sheep.
- Not Just A Label will be relaunching e-commerce for designers in 2019.
- Past NJAL programs have included large designer pop-ups, and connecting designers with artisan manufacturers in Italy.
- NJAL works with the online wholesale platform, Ordre.
Advice for a successful photoshoot:
- Plan ahead and consider all details.
- Create a moodboard / Define your creative direction.
- Enlist a good photographer.
- Have great lighting.
- Clearly show outfits.
Design advice:
- The market is highly competitive. Your product and your story needs a point of difference.
- Ensure all of your designs and digital branding have a clear, consistent message and a clear target audience.
- Don’t lose sight of good design in pursuit of sustainable materials or processes.
Professional advice:
- Keep your online profiles and contact details up to date.
- Be professional with finances, deadlines and other non-design activities.
- Build your online profile intentionally, and intentionally interact online.
- Ensure you have a public Instagram account for your creative work. Great imagery is vital for fashion brands.
- In-person networking is necessary for building relationships and making sales.
- Before you wholesale your collection, always have a plan to be selling directly, Eg: from your website or through pop-up events. Test your product in the market.
- Investing in PR and marketing campaigns can help designers be picked up by larger retailers.
Networking tips:
- Research events in advance. Have a plan.
- Be yourself and own it :).
- Ask questions and find common ground with people you speak with.
- Get out of your comfort zone and practise!
Some of Carly’s favorite Black Sheep from 2018…
Maison ARTC (Marrakesh) 
Shahar Avnet (Tel Aviv) 
Kalina Kocemba (Warsaw) 
Sohllinn (Stockholm) 
Ines Monjo (London)
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