Apero The Label
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Wardrobe Must Have: Boyfriend Tees
I spotted these tees a couple of months ago on Instagram and I just knew that I had to have them because, let's be serious, you can never have too many tees. Every now and then, I like to add a little colour to my otherwise monochromatic wardrobe. The first one of these beauties to catch my eye was this SS91 Tee, with it's beautifully embroidered writing in that millennial pink. But then I saw this Apéro one in the matching pink and I just fell in love.Boyfriend tees are pretty much a staple in my wardrobe; I wear t-shirts nearly every day and I prefer a baggy fit. You can pair them with skirts, jeans, or even layer them under a dress. So, with my tee obsession obvious, I decided to catch up with Apéro co-founder Rachel Smith to find out a little bit more about my new favourite label.
Why did you create Apero?
To be honest, I had so many creative ideas and was tired of using them to help build someone else’s business. I wanted to do my own thing for a long time and be free to make the final call creatively and build something of my own. In the end, I had to just take a leap of faith and sacrifice a few luxuries to be able to give it a go – it was the best decision I could have made!I started the label with a friend Joel Mechielsen who is a graphic designer. I have a background in fashion design and production, so we pooled our skill sets together and created the brand last year.
You specialise in boyfriend fit tees, why? Are these the kind of tees you find yourself wearing time and time again?
Funnily enough, as much as I love how effortless cool boyfriend tees are, I didn’t really wear them that often. I created the brand as I saw a need and gap in the market for good quality trendy tee’s. Since creating Apéro, I find myself wearing them A LOT more (who doesn’t need a good tee!)
Why was it important that you donate 5% of all sales to Women’s Community Shelters?
I have worked in fast fashion for almost 10 years now and have seen first-hand the amount of waste the fashion industry contributes to the world. I wanted to do something (even if it’s as small as a 5% donation), to contribute and give back to the world and the people in it. There are so many homeless people worldwide, and we often wear our clothes once and throw them away 6 months later to buy new clothes – it doesn’t really make sense not to give back when you think of it that way.
How is Apero different?
The quality of our tees is definitely our point of difference. The cotton fabric we use wears really well, so they won’t lose their shape or fall apart after a few washes. Also, the fun design elements (embroidery and beading) and the slogans we put on our tee’s set us apart in the market. We love mantras that are uplifting and empowering for women, or just a bit of fun. LOOK 1SS91 Embroidered TeeMejuri NecklaceTiffany & Co BraceletPandora Wishbone RingA Brand A Skirt La Blues La BluesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star OxLOOK 2Apero Print TeeMejuri NecklaceTiffany & Co BraceletPandora Wishbone RingA Brand A Skirt La Blues La BluesC&M Logo SlidePhotographer: Charlie Tran (AKA my Instagram husband).