Born in Hong Kong and raised in New Zealand, Laura knew that fashion was what she wanted to pursue from a young age.
Growing up, Laura had a range of interests, which included swimming in the ocean, skiing on the slopes, watching movies, walking in nature, and photography.
It was during school when she had the opportunity to photograph at fashion week and to work for her aunt’s label, Andrea More, which led to her start in the industry. Whilst at university, she assisted a photographer on fashion shoots, witnessing the fashion industry from different angles, never thinking that one day she would create a label of her own.
Having been interested in fashion as an expression and experimented with it in the past, it would seem like a natural progression.
“I got into it through trial and error, and a willingness to give it a go. Personally, I prefer comfort over the latest trend, so I am not about trying to compete with high fashion brands. I simply design what I want to wear and it is a bonus having other people want to as well,” said Laura.
Starting in 2019 on a trip to Bali with her now husband, Jimmy, Laura envisioned L’aura the Label to be a side hustle to her healing business.
Her design process starts with something she sees and instantly falls in love with. Laura noted that this could be anything in store, to second-hand items passed down through her family. From here she starts to make designs, and samples various test pieces she makes. When she is happy with the final outcome, fabric is purchased in bulk, and if needed, washed and dyed to get the right colour. Laura said that it’s then time to wait and see if the garment is successful in the market or not.
“Then we see how each item does and will add or discontinue depending on the demand. At the moment I prefer ‘made-to-order’ so we don’t have stock sitting around. If pieces are popular, I will make more in advance. Our label keeps adapting to our life as we change, for example, while I was pregnant I added more adjustable pieces, and baby clothes.”
The label is about staple garments which can be applicable to any season, and everyday items that consumers can treasure. L’aura the Label is based in both Bali and Auckland, with stock on the ground in both. Opening a physical shop is a goal for the business in the future.
