Calla the Label and the notion of ‘re-colorizing’ the fashion community – Lifestyle

Calla the Label aims to reintroduce vibrant colors and loud patterns. With quirky designs, the young brand hopes to sustain itself and grow with intense community involvement.

Yeri Afriani was at the peak of her event-organizing entrepreneurship when the trend of monochromatic fashion hit. Living in Bandung, where fashion, color and art collide, Yeri was determined to establish a brand based on a market of herself – and herself only.

“Calla the Label is an egocentric brand. Everything is based on my tastes. My principle was, ‘If it sells, thank God; if doesn’t, so be it,’” said Yeri, who founded the brand five years ago. 

Yeri presented a collection of oversized pieces in enormous patterns and bold colors in a world of fitted structures and monochromatic palettes. 

“I have a friend who recently graduated with a textile design major and another who has a garment printing factory where we can order our designs. I get all these amazing networks from my event-organizing days,” she said. “I named the label after the Calla flower. The rest is history.”

Going abroad: One of the biggest highlights for Calla the Label this year was going to Tokyo Project and gaining some buyers. (Hypefast/Courtesy of Calla The Label) (Hypefast/Courtesy of Calla The Label)

The usual pattern

Yeri, who had nearly zero knowledge of fashion or textile production initially, relied solely on her taste and the help of her artsy friends. As the brand grew, it was no longer enough.

“I started hiring people. We have in-house designers now, and I have started taking on some design tasks, such as doodle ideas. Now we launch collections twice a month with a limited number of stock-keeping units,” said Yeri, who explained that the brand’s signature oversized silhouette was one of its main selling points. “Our customers mainly range between 35 and 65 years old. They like the extra space.”

Although the more relaxed fit is one of its plus points, the textile pattern is a big part of Calla the Label’s products, and Yeri ensures that every design is high quality. To achieve this, Calla the Label consistently uses one type of material: Tencel.

“Tencel holds the patterns and their colors well. We’ve been using Tencel from day one, but now we have an official collaboration with Tencel Indonesia. The production process has been smoother than ever,” said Yeri.

“Patterns always come first with every collection. We create them first, then the models of the pieces we want to make. We recently made a perfume series, and the process was the same. For instance, the scent inspired by doodles is fresh and unisex, while the scent inspired by flower patterns is sweet with a dash of vanilla.”

Despite the high traffic and limited production, Calla the Label’s social media is – unlike other similar brands – not flooded with resellers and so-called shopping services, commonly known as just or jasa titip.

“We have loyal customers, but people will only remain loyal if we keep entertaining them. We avoid adding intermediaries to our dynamic because we want to maintain that feeling of closeness. We even name our stores Calla Home because it is a home built especially for them,” said Yeri. 

Favorite brand: Fika Wulandari collects almost all things Calla the Label, from outfits to perfumes to tableware. (Courtesy of Fika Wulandari) (Courtesy of Fika Wulandari/.)

Growing with the community

Calla the Label has a cult following, dubbed #CallaSquad, that buys every new release. One of them is Liya, who only has one name, a 35-year-old housewife living in Cibubur, East Jakarta.

“I learned about Calla the Label for the first time when I saw a friend wearing it. It was around the year 2020,” said Liya. “I instantly fell in love. She looked fabulous and immediately found herself under the spotlight, wearing a vibrant outfit. I started collecting when a friend of mine asked me to join her in a photo competition wearing Calla the Label.

“I instantly became a fan. The patterns are cute, the colors are vibrant and the fabric is very nice to wear. Another plus point is that the label’s owner is super friendly. Miss Yeri greets us personally, and when we tag [her and Calla the Label’s Instagram accounts], we will get reposted every time. This is why it is a must for my gang to wear Calla the Label for our gatherings and take a lot of pictures.”

Constant creation: Yeri Afriani was worried at first whether her designs were too much for the wider market, but her concerns have proven to be untrue. (Hypefast/Courtesy of Calla The Label) (Hypefast/Courtesy of Calla The Label)

Liya’s story is similar to that of Fika Wulandari, a 39-year-old housewife from Bintaro, South Tangerang. Fika was introduced to Calla the Label by a friend who knew she liked to wear colorful outfits.

“The quality is top-notch, and the designer is very friendly. Miss Yeri and her Callasistants [Calla the Label’s shopping assistants] treat us as partners, not just customers. Super humble, there is no gap between us – this is the first time I’ve felt like this about a brand,” said Fika. 

Fika is fascinated with the brand to the point that she gave her birthday party last year a “birthday shopping” theme at Calla Home in ASHTA District 8, South Jakarta.

“We had Calla the Label-style food and goodie bags. For the souvenirs, my guests could take home one outfit from Calla the Label that they liked from the store,” she said. “My private Calla the Label collections extend beyond fashion. I have its perfume, sandals, plates, glasses, everything! I’m always one of the first in line if Calla launches a new collection.”

According to Yeri, this loyalty grew organically. The brand’s first influencers were her friends, promoting the label out of friendship instead of monetary gain.

“I knew Neea Elvira from the time when she was still a broadcaster at a local radio station. When I launched Calla, she said she loved it and wanted to wear it. Then, I was friends with Ringgo [Agus Rahman], whose wife [Sabai Dieter] did the same thing [endorsing the product for free] alongside [Shareefa] Daanish, who is my friend as well,” said Yeri.

“However, as time goes on, Calla Squad is mainly powered by the cheerful ladies who hold impromptu gatherings wearing Calla as their dress code. I know almost each of them as I often take over the brand’s social media to see who wears our products and tags us,” said Yeri, before reciting the names of some of her loyal customers. 

“Our customers are the influencers of their own circles, and it helps us a lot during hard times. This stands true to our principle, which is the belief that everybody is a star.”

The loyalty of Calla Squad has brought growth for the brand despite the pandemic. The brand remains productive and shows aggressive expansion with new stores, including one to be launched with a collaboration with the prestigious Isetan in Singapore and a new perfumery series.

“We recently opened a new store in Plaza Indonesia. Before that, we participated in Project Tokyo 2022 on Aug. 30-31 in Japan and had a blast inviting the Citayem Fashion Week squad to walk as muses for our recent street side show in front of Kuningan City [mall in Jakarta],” said Yeri. 

“We managed to get trial buyers from Japan during those periods. It was such a precious realization that on top of our hard work, our community also brought us to this point.”