Even as young as 13, Rebecca Overmeyer knew she had a passion for fashion. Inspired by her grandma, who was a seamstress, one of Overmeyer's favourite hobbies was putting together different and daring outfits to wear to high school.
Upon graduation, she knew she wanted to pursue something creative.
"When I heard Wintec was offering a fashion degree program, I jumped on it," explained Overmeyer.
Utilising the skills and knowledge she had learnt from her degree, Overmeyer started her own womenswear label, Rebecca O the Label, after graduating from Wintec.
However, the business was put on pause when she got a job in retail management and only kick-started again over lockdown, with the encouragement of her husband.
“If it wasn’t for my husband reminding me why I started my degree in the first place, I would be totally lost and probably miserable doing something I don't really love."
Overmeyer’s label prioritises flexibility and creativity. She provides customers the option to choose their own fabrics and request custom orders.
She usually gravitates towards organic fibres like linen and cotton as they are versatile to wear in all seasons, low maintenance, breathable and better for the planet. Overmeyer also has a selection of custom-made printed fabrics that are exclusive to Rebecca O the Label.
“I always ensure customers have an authentic and personalised experience when shopping my label. Customers appreciate that my brand is sustainably made and mostly handcrafted by me, or another New Zealand manufacturer.”
Moving forward, Overmeyer intends to set up her own manufacturing in-house, allowing Rebecca O the Label to continue to create custom orders for her customers and maintain a personable customer experience.
“I want to grow this business big enough so I can leave something behind for my children and generations to come," added Overmeyer.
For anyone looking to pursue a career in fashion design, she has some advice:
“Starting a business takes a while to make things happen, and it requires a lot of hard work and time. Most importantly, you have to love what you do so it lasts."
