Tailor Made – A Slow Fashion Interview with Olivia Rose The Label
I discovered Olivia Rose The Label well before slow fashion had even crossed my mind. A beautiful Esmerelda top caught my eye and I fell in love with the concept of Olivia making each item especially for you.
Olivia Havelock makes each garment by hand from deadstock fabric in her Edinburgh studio. By having a limited stock and producing items only when ordered, she reduces any waste stock.
I spoke to Olivia to see her take on slow fashion and how she balances having created one of the most in-demand made-to-order labels currently on the market.
Images courtesy of The Label
What does slow fashion mean to you?
Olivia: For me, it just means being more conscious about how and why you purchase your clothing. It means understanding the craft, the time, and love that goes into making each garment.
And appreciating the seamstress, knowing that slow fashion and made-to-order takes time and is more expensive in the process.
“It means understanding the craft and the time and love that goes into making each garment”
How do you implement this at Olivia Rose The Label?
Olivia: Every single piece I make is handmade to order by myself. I love working on a made-to-order business model because it gives me so much flexibility in how responsible my brand can be.
I only make what is actually ordered so I never have too much stock or too much fabric - it's a great way to prevent waste.
Images courtesy of The Label
What sparked your interest in slow fashion?
Olivia: It came quite naturally to me to be honest when I first started my brand, I was thinking of all the most efficient ways to run it, ways to make it better for me as well as my customer. Made-to-order just fit and made perfect sense for me as a small/slow independent brand!
What impact does making every garment by hand have for clothes being more sustainable?
Olivia: For me, it makes it a lot more special - I love the relationship I have with my customers. It's a more sustainable approach as I'm only making a tiny quantity and only what has actually been bought.
I'm never trying to ‘get rid’ of stock. I just sew what is purchased - this way my customers know each piece is special and unique as my limit to what I can make is around 12-14 garments per week at absolute max!
“I have a way of making my patterns this way to create less wasted fabric”
Images courtesy of The Label
How has making your fashion line sustainable affected the style of the clothes you create?
Olivia: I’m definitely more conscious about my fabric choices. I try to work with only organic/natural fibres and only deadstock fabrics/end of roll for fabrics that aren't as natural.
A lot of my designs also have squared necklines - I have a way of making my patterns this way to create less wasted fabric when cutting the pattern out.
What has been your favourite moment in creating Olivia Rose The Label?
Olivia: At this very moment in time it would have to be getting my first ever professional studio space here in Edinburgh. I'm very excited to create my own little world here! But also launching in Selfridges was a massive deal for me and such an amazing experience.
“I love seeing scrap fabrics being used to make smaller accessories!”
What trends are you seeing in slow fashion?
Olivia: I love seeing scrap fabrics being used to make smaller accessories! This is something I like to do from time to time, by making scrunchies and small bags etc, it's a great way to reduce waste even more!
Images courtesy of The Label
How have you seen people’s interest in slow fashion change over the past few years?
Olivia: I have seen the interest grow so much! Since I started my brand in 2017 - it's grown massively especially over the pandemic and all the lockdowns - I think people were craving things that are more special and responsibly made!
What is your advice for anyone looking to slow their own fashion consumption?
Olivia: Look into smaller businesses, renting from Onloan and Hurr, for example, and second-hand places such as Depop or Vinted can be a great start to slowing down your fashion consumption.
What do you hope the future of Olivia Rose The Label looks like?
Olivia: I would love to have a couple of fab seamstresses by my side! Definitely, something I'm working on this year.
Images courtesy of The Label
What do you hope the future of slow and sustainable fashion looks like?
Olivia: I hope to see a lot more independent brands pop up in highstreet stores such as Selfridges - it would be great to see them adopt more of a made-to-order or small pop up part of the shop. Or even just lots more pop ups of slow fashion brands in the high street.
Discover more about Olivia Rose The Label here.
Help us keep the City Girl Network running by supporting us via Patreon for the price of a cheap cup of coffee - just £2 a month. For £3 a month you can also get yourself a Patreon exclusive 10% off any of our ticketed events! You can also support us by following us on Instagram, and by joining our City Girl Network (city wide!) Facebook group.
Written by Lauren Waugh
