More Than A Title: Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola from Almada Label
Why Almada feels like The Row – but warmer, easier, and more human.
In More Than A Title, I sit down with inspiring women who are not only shaping industries, but also reshaping the narratives around success, identity, and what it means to live life on your own terms.
These are candid, unfiltered conversations — about career and creativity, motherhood and meaning, pressure and purpose — with women who prove that there’s always more beneath the surface.
More Than A Title isn’t about job titles, labels, or perfectly optimised LinkedIn bios. It’s about presence. About people who feel relevant without explaining why. The ones who quietly set the tone – and then move on, without waiting for applause.
Almada Label, founded by Alexa Dagmar and Linda Juhola, fits that idea almost too well.
Both come from the blogging and influencer world. Both are mothers. Both know exactly how visibility works in 2025 – and seem deeply uninterested in exploiting it. What makes them compelling isn’t their reach, but their restraint. Instead of building a personal-brand-first fashion label, they built something quieter, sharper, and far more lasting. Which, honestly, is much harder.
Now, full disclosure: I’m not that minimalist. I like a bit of drama. A little mess. A life that involves daycare drop-offs, coffee spills, and outfits that need to survive reality. And yet – the calm, luxurious, almost serene aura of Almada pulls me in every time. These are clothes that make you think: Is this maybe a little too good for my actual life? And then you want them even more.
Because these are pieces you imagine passing on to your grandchildren. Clothes that feel almost too refined for everyday chaos – and that’s precisely the point. You want to reach into your wardrobe on a random Tuesday morning and come out looking like you’ve stepped straight out of an Almada campaign: cool, untouchable, strong, and completely effortless. Even if you’re just heading to kindergarten.
Alexa, based in Helsinki, is the visual instinct behind all of this – obsessively precise, deeply intuitive, and allergic to unnecessary noise. She shapes Almada’s aesthetic language: restrained, confident, and quietly magnetic.
Linda, based in Stockholm, brings the structure, the clarity, the long game. She leads operations and digital strategy, translating taste into a business that actually works – which, in fashion, is a superpower.
Almada often gets compared to The Row, and yes, the reference makes sense. But where others keep their distance, Almada feels warmer, more human, more wearable. Scandinavian minimalism without the superiority complex. Luxury without the attitude.
Right now, the brand is having a very real moment: loved by the cool fashion girls, anchored by exceptional knitwear, and pushed further into the spotlight when Jennifer Lawrence wore one of their wool coats — casually, convincingly, and instantly memorably.
And that’s exactly why this conversation belongs in More Than A Title: not because of what they do, but because of how they make you feel – even on the most unglamorous days.
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When you first decided to launch Almada Label back in 2020, what was the moment in your influencer lives that convinced both of you that “this is more than just a side project”?
It was actually something we committed to from the very beginning. Even though, in the early years, we couldn’t pay ourselves and reinvested everything back into the company, Almada was never treated as a side project. It quickly became our main focus – creatively, financially, and mentally. From the start, we built it with the mindset of a long-term brand, not an experiment alongside influencing, and that clarity has guided how we’ve grown it ever since.
How did your past as bloggers / influencers shape your vision for Almada – and in turn, how does Almada reshape how you think about social media?
Our background as bloggers was incredibly helpful when launching Almada. We were used to building visuals, telling stories, and understanding how brands come across on social media, which meant we could do a lot ourselves in the beginning – from shoots and product texts to PR.
Being on the brand side now has also completely reshaped how we think about social media. Having come from the influencer world, we’re very aware of what feels authentic and what doesn’t. Almada has made us more intentional: we think less about content for content’s sake, and more about building a visual language and a long-term brand presence.
In founding Almada, you broke into the fashion business despite not coming from a traditional design background. What was the hardest industry myth to bust?
The biggest myth to bust was the idea that without a traditional design background, doors would stay closed. In reality, the hardest part wasn’t creativity – it was access. Finding the right, reliable factories was incredibly challenging at the beginning, especially since the best ones were already working with established brands.
What surprised us was how much came down to trust and persistence. Once we found our partner in Portugal, everything changed – and we still work with them today. It proved that commitment and clarity can matter just as much as formal credentials.
How does your shared past in influencer marketing shape Almada’s community strategy? What do you think makes your customer feel seen that many brands overlook?
Our background in influencer marketing has made us very aware of how one-sided brand communication can feel. With Almada, we want the relationship to be a dialogue. We believe a brand can be both exclusive and approachable at the same time.
We actively involve our community by asking for feedback, teasing upcoming launches, and using polls to understand what pieces they’re excited about or missing in their wardrobes. What many brands overlook is simply listening — making customers feel that their opinions genuinely shape the brand, not just its marketing.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to deepen that connection through more in-person community events and shared experiences beyond social media.
When you look back at your early blog-era outfits, which style choices make you smile – not because they were mistakes, but because they were milestones in figuring out who you are?
The YSL heart sunglasses were definitely an era — probably around 2017. Not a mistake, but a milestone. They represent a time of experimenting, being visible, and figuring out our voices, which was an important part of where we are today.
Almada is described as “seasonless” – how do you define that for yourselves, and how do you balance timelessness with innovation?
For us, seasonless means designing with longevity in mind rather than a calendar. We don’t follow traditional Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter cycles, and we don’t design with the idea of marking pieces down after a few months. If a piece is great, we believe it should be available — and relevant — for more than one season.
Perfecting a design takes time, intention, and significant investment, so it doesn’t make sense to discontinue something simply because the season changes. We balance timelessness and innovation through a clear structure: roughly one third of our collection consists of core carryover pieces, one third are those same pieces reintroduced in new materials or colorways, and one third are entirely new designs.
There’s a strong commitment to transparency, even around factory origins and costs. Was there a moment when you realized: “We’ll show everything – even the parts most brands hide”?
There wasn’t a single moment – it was a principle from the start. Transparency feels like it should be the industry standard, not a marketing angle. We’ve never felt we had anything to hide, so it was natural to be open about our factories, production processes, and costs.
For us, transparency builds trust and accountability. When you’re open about how things are made, you’re forced to stand behind every decision – and we believe customers today value honesty more than perfection.
Your knitwear is crafted in places as diverse as Inner Mongolia, Italy, and Portugal. How do you carry the spirit of Helsinki minimalism into those very different production contexts?
Helsinki minimalism for us is less about geography and more about mindset. We’re very particular about the factories we work with. We’ve tested many over the years, but the partners we’ve chosen truly understand our Scandinavian design language and quality standards. We carry that spirit through clear design briefs, material choices, and ongoing dialogue. No matter where production happens, the aesthetic and intention remain the same: restraint, functionality, and quiet refinement.
Which material or production decision was the most challenging to negotiate – and which one surprised you by how much it elevated the final piece?
Tapping into leather has definitely been one of our biggest challenges. It’s a completely different world compared to other materials, where even the smallest adjustments can dramatically affect the final result.
Our Sienna Suede Trench is a great example – while it’s been a huge success, the first prototypes didn’t make the cut. We spent nearly a year refining the design before it went into production, and that process really reinforced how much refinement elevates a piece.
Your scaling journey has been remarkable: from a small brand in Finland to being stocked in Harrods, Le Bon Marché, and Printemps. Reflecting now, what was the boldest gamble you took in that process?
In many ways, the boldest gamble was starting at all. We launched Almada during Covid, without traditional industry backgrounds, and while both of us were heavily pregnant – which in hindsight was either very brave or slightly crazy. Beyond that, the real gamble was being crystal clear about our strategy. We chose quality over quantity and said no to many retailers early on, even when exposure felt tempting. That patience allowed us to grow with partners that truly aligned with the brand.
In a fast-fashion world obsessed with “newness,” you deliberately slow things down. How do you explain that pace to investors, customers, and even yourselves?
Slowing things down is much easier when you’re aligned internally. We own 100% of the company, which gives us the freedom to think long-term rather than chase quick wins. Because we’re still funding the company ourselves, every decision matters. We’re extremely selective about the pieces we create, and we only move forward when we believe in them completely. That discipline isn’t about resisting growth – it’s about building something that lasts.
Sustainability is at the core of your brand. Beyond materials and factories, how do you imagine Almada contributing to a shift in how people think about consumption?
For us, sustainability is as much about behavior as it is about materials. We want to encourage mindful purchasing – choosing pieces with intention, not urgency. That’s why we don’t do sales or seasonal discounts, and why many of our pieces are carryovers. Some people need a year or two to decide on a purchase, and we think it’s important that the piece is still there when they’re ready.
When you each dress in your own Almada pieces, how do you choose which piece feels “right” for you that day?
It really depends on the agenda. When we’re travelling for work, we love to dress up properly – heels, leather skirts, more elevated pieces.
On everyday days, like school runs with the kids, we gravitate toward simplicity and comfort: crepe trousers, clean silhouettes, and something easy like our Awa crewneck. That balance is exactly how we design Almada – clothes that adapt to real life.
Both of you have navigated motherhood while simultaneously building a fast-growing brand. What have been the most grounding strategies or support systems – and is there anything you’d tell other mothers who feel they’re constantly choosing between ambition and presence?
We’ve been incredibly supported by the Finnish – and Swedish – daycare systems. The trust, care, and sense of community there has been grounding, and we have enormous respect for daycare teachers. Motherhood has actually brought more clarity and boundaries. We’re intentional about being present when our kids are home, and that presence makes us more focused at work. To other mothers, we’d say: ambition and presence don’t have to cancel each other out – with the right support and self-compassion, they can strengthen one another.
How has becoming mothers (or navigating pregnancies) shaped not only your leadership but also the way you think about clothes – comfort, durability, and legacy?
Motherhood has influenced everything – our leadership, our priorities, and the way we think about clothes. Comfort, durability, and practicality matter deeply, but so does feeling like yourself. It’s also shaped how we lead. We want Almada to be genuinely family-friendly, in how we work with our team, collaborators, and partners.
If Almada were to have a “spirit piece” – a design that captures its very soul – what would it be, and how do you imagine its story evolving in ten years?
The Shea Shearling would be our spirit piece. It captures Almada’s essence through contrast: softness and structure, comfort and intention, everyday wearability paired with longevity. In ten years, we imagine it as an icon – continuously refined rather than replaced. Some customers might still be wearing their original Shea, beautifully worn in, while others discover it for the first time. Its story isn’t about novelty, but continuity – a piece that grows with the person wearing it.
My curated Almada wishlist:
Loved this conversation with Almada as much as I did? I’d genuinely love to hear what stayed with you. Are you already an Almada girl — or quietly planning your first piece?
And if you know someone whose Pinterest boards are full of Scandinavian minimalism, quiet luxury, and perfectly cut coats (or who, like me, is forever dreaming of that Almada chocolate brown coat), send this interview their way or forward the newsletter. After all, good style – and good stories – are always better when shared.
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Have to admit I didn’t know the brand before - looks like a true gem! Chic, minimal, elegant - pieces to last!
I love these personal insights, but I also love these matching scarf / coat situations. I wonder how they stay in place, but would love to try. Ultimate chic!