Meet Kat The Label: The Lingerie Worn And Approved By Kylie Jenner
Risqué business
If you told Kate Nixon nine years ago that her designs would be worn by one of the world’s biggest A-listers, she would have called you crazy. But what started as a university project, turned into a highly successful label with both national and international acclaim.
Say hello to Kat The Label, the Melbourne-born intimates label that has taken the lingerie world by storm. Creating intricate, vintage-inspired intimates made for every body and budget, Kat The Label aims to ‘elevate the everyday’.
But where did it all start?
Kate, the brain and hands behind the label, never anticipated that her hobby would take off as it did. It all started with a semester studying lingerie at university, where Kate’s love of the fabric and the simplicity of the pieces was born. After posting her handmade 1920s-inspired lace bralettes on Instagram, she was surprised to see a genuine interest in her humble creations. From there, Kate started selling her garments via social media and boom, Kat The Label was born.
When asked, ‘why lingerie?’, Kate highlighted that there was a gap in the market for non-overly sexualised, affordable lingerie. At the time, only large companies like Victoria Secret were leading this field.
“[Garments were] padded and over-sexualised, designed for the male gaze rather than for women wanting to wear beautiful underwear,” Kate says.
Though Kate was more concerned with the gaze of the wearer.
“My pieces are not focused on being sexy, but on comfort and self confidence,” she says.
Kate set out to achieve this goal, designing garments with little to no structure, instead focusing on allowing the fabric itself to sing. With her designs referencing an older era, corsets from the 80s and delicate bralettes from the 20s were the staples of her collection. With intricate detailing and luxe lace, the garments were made to be seen rather than hidden under clothes or purely accentuating a woman’s assets.
View this post on Instagram
When it comes to affordable lingerie, every woman knows it costs almost an arm and a leg for a nice, lacy garment. But at Kat The Label, affordability is a cornerstone of their brand.
“We want our customers to be able to buy beautiful, affordable lingerie that they can wear everyday (not just a special occasion investment piece) that you feel and look amazing in,” she says.
Sitting pretty between cheap, fast fashion lingerie and high-end brands, Kat The Label looks and feels luxe, without the hefty price tag.
“I can’t imagine spending $300 on a bra,” says Kate, who believes the label’s success can partially be attributed to the pricing.
It wasn’t until April last year when everything changed for Kate and her label. During her honeymoon in Thailand, Kate woke up to an email titled ‘KYLIE’. Below was a link to Kylie Jenner’s recent post on the ‘gram wearing one of her garments at Coachella.
View this post on Instagram
“[It was a] pinch me moment for the brand, like wow, even Kylie Jenner is wearing us now. A very exciting moment,” Kate remembers.
After gifting a garment to Kylie with little to no expectations of it seeing the light of day, this event marked a major milestone for the label, garnering international press.
After the label’s brush with Hollywood, Kat The Label gained the status to be able to work with bigger names, namely Swedish fashion influencer Hanna Schönberg in a recent collection, and expand to other markets such as the United Kingdom and Europe.
View this post on Instagram
And that’s not all for this Aussie-born label. With many exciting plans on the cards for 2024, including a pop-up store in New York City and a new flagship store in Armadale, this is a brand you’ll want to watch as it continues to thrive and grow.
So, where can you get your hands on a garment you ask?
In Australia, the label is sold online via their website, and David Jones, the flagship store in Cremorne, and stocked in ten stores around the country with plans to expand. For our Aussie’s living internationally, you can get access to the label at Saks Fifth Avenue, Urban Outfitters, Free People and Revolve.
