Monroe the Label was made to fill the gap in your wardrobe
image via @monro3thelabel/instagram
as told to daisy henry
“I’m always trying to challenge myself technically.”
Sometimes you find the best fashion labels browsing aimlessly in-store; other times, it comes from a friend whose outfit you can’t help but admire. It was at the recommendation of Mulan Puchman that we discovered Monroe the Label.
Working out of her Brunswick studio in Melbourne, Monroe the Label is the creation of 26-year-old designer Ashley Monroe. Having grown up with a love for sewing, she went on to study fashion at RMIT, selling singlets on Depop before officially launching her label.
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When it comes to design, Ashley’s process often begins by identifying a gap in her own wardrobe, whether that’s with an oversized jacket, a striped, asymmetrical top, or dresses with her signature hook-and-eye closures. She also finds that, whether it’s conscious or not, her Malaysian-American heritage tends to inspire her work. “I find that designing while keeping in mind the fashion history of both of my cultures helps me feel connected to them.”
A labour of love, every Monroe the Label piece starts with a sample that’s made and measured on Ashley. “I think it helps that my size is around mid-size, so it’s easy for me to picture if it will look good on smaller or bigger sizes,” she explains. Size inclusivity is a core principle of the label, with most pieces running from a 4XL to an XS, with plans to expand.
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Fashion Journal: Hi Ashley! Tell us a little about yourself. What’s your fashion background?
Ashley: I’m 26 and based in Melbourne, with my studio in the heart of Brunswick. I studied fashion design with honours at RMIT. I remember sewing my first pair of boxer shorts on my mum’s old Bernina machine when I was eight and understanding from that moment that sewing was going to be a really big part of my life.
How did Monroe the Label begin?
I’ve always been really interested in making clothing ever since I was really small, particularly sewing and embroidery. The brand actually started on Instagram, where I would sell hand-embroidered jeans that I got from the thrift store (the account is actually still on Instagram, I can’t take it down because I lost the password).
After the jeans, I started sewing singlets and selling them on Depop while studying at university. I was lucky enough to be able to use my degree to define my style and help develop the backend of the brand.
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What are you hoping to communicate through Monroe the Label?
Sustainability has always been a core part of the brand. It’s been really interesting to see how that can scale when moving away from handmade clothing but it’s really fulfilling! In terms of designing, I’ve always just made clothes that I feel cool and comfortable in. I think that’s the basis behind all my designs and it has developed as I’ve gotten older and my style has changed.
How would you describe the label’s aesthetic or ‘feel’ to someone discovering it for the first time?
I hope that the feeling people get when they discover Monroe is exciting and fresh. I always try to create clothes that I’ve never seen before and pieces that would look good on anyone. A big ethos of the brand has always been to make things that make you feel cool when you’re wearing them.
Beyond the clothes, I hope people can see the dedication behind the brand. I try to be really transparent about how everything works, who we are as a team and how much of myself goes into every part of the brand and I hope that comes across.
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What inspires you most when you’re designing?
I’ve always been really excited by the art of making clothes and my design process normally starts with a gap in my wardrobe and an idea of a piece I want to wear. When it comes to sampling, I’m always trying to challenge myself technically and find ways to make garments both efficiently and of high quality that are tailored to fit – I am the first fit model for all of my pieces!
I’ve also found that my heritage comes through in my designs, even unintentionally sometimes. I am half Malaysian and half American but live in Australia, I find that designing while keeping in mind the fashion history of both of my cultures helps me feel connected to them.
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What kinds of materials do you most love working with and why?
Yay, I love this question, through my University work, I found that I really love working with good-quality nylon. I love how lightweight it is, which gives it a drape that you can’t find in many other fabrics. I also am a huge fan of Cupro or any cotton with that brushed, peach skin texture. I think the texture is what really gets me (for the moment). I hate shiny finished fabrics.
How big is your team?
At the moment I work full time, and both Jack and Kristelle come in once or twice a week. Kristelle is a long-time friend who just fell into the business and Jack was a mate who came in for a uni internship, and I just couldn’t let him go.
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Can you tell me a little about your supply chain, from design to production?
I create a mix of both handmade and manufactured garments; I always pattern and sew the first sample fully. Normally, I start by doing all of the production myself for the first release and once there is demand beyond what I can realistically make, I pass it on to a small, family-run factory based in Pakistan. I have worked with them for over five years now and have gotten close with Asma and Abdul, as both of our businesses have supported each other’s growth.
I’m also really particular about fabrics and will always start with dead stock fabric I’ve sourced from Drapers or The Fabric Store. I often ship rolls of fabric over, or Abdul sources some rolls locally that are both a mix of dead stock and new, which I clarify on our website.
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How does your sizing work?
I create each sample for myself initially and I normally wear a size 10 to 12, which translates to a large at Monroe. I try to make all pieces with the intention that they will look good on anyone. I think it helps that my size is around mid-size, so it’s easy for me to picture if it will look good on smaller or bigger sizes.
For our most popular pieces, we make up to 4XL and I will also soon be releasing an XXS!
What are you most proud of so far?
The Melbourne pop-up! It was definitely the biggest project I have even taken on with the brand and it was a roaring success. It was months and months of work that all accumulated into one weekend. That was so worth it. I also love interior design and getting to build the retail space was a lot of fun. It was also really fun to expand my design to more than just clothing. I designed stickers, bags and posters, which was really fun.
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Where are your hopes for Monroe the Label over the next five years?
I have so, so many that it’s hard to keep track! I’ve really enjoyed the photography side of the brand and I’d love to create more interesting shoots in future and maybe even a short film. I also loved the pop-up so much that we’ll definitely be doing more, maybe even internationally one day. And also, I would love to have our own permanent brick-and-mortar store down the line.
Keep up with Monroe the label here.
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