When in 2018 my maternity leave ended after giving birth to our twin girls, I was very eager to go back to work. Exactly at this time, at our first meeting since, my business partner told me she wanted to quit our business. I was in shock! But then I realized, now it is time to fulfill my dream: I started IKIGAI LABELS.
Looking back at it, the circumstances were challenging, but in the midst of immense passion and inevitable necessity to bring a specific solution to people who can’t find slow fashion labels fitting to their values, budget or sense of style.
A year later, since 2019, IKIGAI LABELS has been my online shop bringing multiple affordable sustainable designs that goes beyond the basics and beyond the large brands we all know. Conscious clothing that is fun, to express yourself in feel alive and stay up all night, if you'd want to.
An e-boutique to discover sustainable fashion from in Europe hard to find international designers of Colombia, Uruguay, US and Canada and more, as well as more familiar local and European brands. I am still working on finding the perfect Japanese collaboration.
Because my shop is a one-woman owned business, each designer is carefully selected by me, based on above and our joined efforts to make the fashion industry sustainable and inclusive.
IKIGAI LABELS has been my motivation that keeps me going, grown since the day my twin daughters were born, and here for the long run. I am based in Amsterdam, together with my boyfriend U.N.O.M the poet and our girls.
XxX Helene Oudman
Founder IKIGAI LABELS
