Stefan Siegel, a native South Tyrolean — the German speaking part of the Triveneto region in Northern Italy – grew up in in an area responsible for over 40% of all high-end and luxury manufacturing, a surrounding where the ‘Made In Italy’ label is really being defined. Following his high school career at Venice’s prestigious military college, the Francesco Morosini Naval School, he kick-started his colourful career during his studies in Vienna, when he gained experience in the fashion and media industry working for prestigious design houses and advertising agencies. Following a successful modelling career that took him to five continents, he achieved his MA in International Business Administration in 2004 at the Vienna University of Economics. After graduation Stefan joined the world of finance, working for renowned companies such as Ernst & Young and Sal. Oppenheim in Switzerland, and finally the Merrill Lynch M&A Investment Banking group in New York and London specialising in the Consumer & Retail sector and advising publicly listed fashion powerhouses.

Stefan used his gained experience to establish NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL). Although launching the company on a shoestring in 2008, NJAL today is the leading global platform for emerging fashion designers and ranks among the most respected websites in the fashion industry. As the world’s leading designer platform for showcasing and nurturing today’s pioneers in contemporary fashion, it represents over 23.000 designers from 150 countries. It is an infinitely expanding destination devoted to facilitating growth in the fashion industry and has established itself as a distinctive creative hub fostering innovation.