DISCOVERING AND SUPPORTING PIONEERS IN CONTEMPORARY FASHION

Founded by Stefan Siegel in 2008 with the aim to infuse new life into the fashion system, NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL) quickly became an indispensable tool for the industry; combating hurdles emerging creatives face by providing an easily accessible network and retailing forum that enables designers to gain exposure and finance their progression independently.

Stefan Siegel, a native South Tyrolean—the German speaking part of the Triveneto region in Northern Italy—grew up in an area responsible for over 40% of all luxury manufacturing, a setting where ‘Made In Italy’ is embodied through and through. Following his high school career at Venice’s prestigious military college, the Francesco Morosini Naval School, he kick-started a colorful career while studying Economics in Vienna, when he worked for prestigious design houses and advertising agencies in the fashion and media industry.

After a successful modeling career that led him to work on five continents, Siegel went on to earn his MA in International Business Administration in 2004 at the Vienna University of Economics after which he joined the world of finance, working for Ernst & Young and Merrill Lynch, specializing in the Consumer & Retail sector. It was this experience that Stefan used to start NOT JUST A LABEL.

NJAL’s guiding spirit is encapsulated in its logo—a black sheep—a symbol chosen to represent the mission the company has set for itself: stand out, swim against the stream, break moulds and change the landscape of fashion.

In over ten years since its creation, NJAL has grown exponentially. Today, it represents over 50,000 designers in more than 150 countries and continues to serve as an infinitely expanding destination devoted to facilitating evolution in the fashion industry.