The Founders of Cult Scandi Minimalist Brand Almada Label Share a Glimpse Into Their 9-5

Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola lift the lid on their stylish world

almada label founders alexa dagmar and linda jihola and images from their atelier
(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

Understated, refined and infinitely covetable, Almada Label is the Scandi minimalist brand you don't realise you're seeing everywhere. Founded in 2020 by Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola, the Helsinki-based brand was born from the best friends' shared desire to create high-quality, season-less wardrobe staples that feel as thoughtful as they are timeless. Over the years, its pared-back knitwear, sharp tailoring and elevated basics have become favourites of some of the world's most stylish figures—Jennifer Lawrence, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Sofia Richie and Ashley Graham, included.

Here, Almada Label founders Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola open up about life behind the scenes of their nine-to-five—from daily rituals and their creative process, to the lessons they've learned along the way.

a model in an almada label campaign

(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

We can't start the day without... A proper skincare routine. We never leave the house without SPF on our faces.

We’re both working moms, so our wardrobes are built around versatile, elevated essentials. The idea is that you can reach for anything in your closet and know it will mix and match effortlessly. Comfort is always key; when you feel comfortable, you naturally feel more confident.

Our office essentials are... Matcha—always within reach to sip between meetings. We’re also flirting with the idea of getting red light masks for everyone, because why not multitask skincare at work?

almada label founders linda juhola and alexa dagmar in their studio

Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola in their studio

(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

After work looks like... Evenings dedicated to family time. Since becoming moms, our work–life balance has become much better. Then, once the kids are asleep, we admit to a bit of doomscrolling before calling it a night.

Design inspiration comes from... The idea of pieces that move seamlessly through different moments of the day; versatile, comfortable, easy to care for, yet always refined and chic. Our lives are layered, balancing running a business, motherhood, and travel, and that reality naturally shapes our design process.

How did we become brand founders? We both come from a marketing background and were among the first Finnish bloggers over 15 years ago, which meant we had the opportunity to work closely with a wide range of brands over the years. The idea of creating something of our own started bubbling up quite early on, but it took time to find the right partners and factories and to build the business properly.

a model in an almada label campaign

(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

What’s special about Almada Label is our ethos... Creating season-less, high-end pieces at an accessible price point. We don’t do markdowns, as we want to offer the best possible value from the start.

Our favourite thing about our job is... Being able to work together, as best friends—what’s not to love? We get to brainstorm daily, share both the challenges and the wins, and travel together. There’s really nothing better than that.

behind the scenes at almada label

(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

The 'pinch-me' moments have actually been quite frequent... From bumping into someone wearing our brand (this just happened last week in Paris!) to being stocked by some of the world’s most prestigious department stores, such as Harrods and Le Bon Marché. Those are the kinds of moments that still feel a little surreal.

Our biggest career highlight to date? We feel like it’s still ahead of us...

The most important lesson we've learned is... That there are so many moving pieces, you can’t predict everything. What matters is how you react and make the best of each situation.

a model poses for an almada label campaign

(Image credit: Courtesy Almada)

Our business has evolved a lot over the years. We started as just the two of us during COVID, handling everything from production to customer care, so a lot has changed since then. Today, we have a small but highly effective team of six. It also took time to truly refine our processes, from logistics to production, but now we feel everything is in place, allowing us to focus on developing the brand further.

We’re always juggling multiple projects... From designing future collections to refining our marketing strategies, but right now we’re especially excited about opening our Stockholm office and showroom.

As for what's next? We’re preparing something very exciting—something we’re doing for the first time. All we can say for now is: mark your calendars for August!

almadalabel.com

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Clementina Jackson
Fashion Editor

Clementina Jackson is the Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes, edits and commissions stories spanning catwalk trends, industry news, shopping must-haves, long-form fashion features, and interviews. She was previously Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, and has also worked for a range of titles including Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Tatler, and Cosmopolitan.