NELSON MADE
'THIS IS NICE’ SPEAKS WITH JAMIE NELSON, FOUNDER OF NELSON MADE, ABOUT HER MOST RECENT COLLECTION TODAY
‘This is nice’: Before we begin speaking about your newest capsule, TODAY, can you give us a bit of backstory on yourself and Nelson Made? How did the brand come to be?
JAMIE: Nelson Made launched in 2018 as a range of flat sandals meticulously hand crafted in my solar powered Melbourne studio. From the beginning, our core focus has been to create modern, enduring designs with people and the planet in mind. Our offering of ultra-feminine, radically minimalist pieces has since evolved to feature more complex, directional styles that are crafted offshore by our ethically accredited, family-run manufacturers.
‘Tin’: Your newest capsule, titled TODAY, is resort wear focused and features exclusively recycled, regenerated, circular materials, including Nelson Made’s certified recycled leather. Can you share why using these thoughtful materials and practices are so important to you and Nelson Made?
JAMIE: My pain point when launching NM was the undeniable impact of the craft I loved. Footwear contributes to a quarter of the worlds growing fashion landfill crisis with some 24 billion pairs of shoes produced in 2018 and only 5% of these recycled.
At NM, we believe it’s our responsibility to create a better future for footwear. We believe the future of footwear is plastic free and naturally circular. Today has been consciously designed to minimise the impacts of the traditional footwear industry and help us move towards a waste free, landfill free footwear system with our mix of regenerated and plant-based alternatives to leather.
‘TIN’: The TODAY capsule has the perfect shoe for every warm weather occasion. How did you decide on the five final styles?
JAMIE: Today was born from 4 foundational design pillars: Safer Materials, Seasonless Design, The Perfect Fit and Affordability. When we designed our first Today collection these key pillars guided our process and ultimately the styles we launched. The 5 styles we launched with are everyday essentials that fit seamlessly into our customers' lives and make getting dressed easy. We went through many iterations and numerous wear trials to find the perfect mix for our first collection, and I think we landed on a great mix!
FAST FAVOURITES
‘TIN’: Place?
JAMIE: Cheltenham beach in Auckland, NZ, where I grew up
‘TIN’: Song?
JAMIE: Right now I’ve been listening to Filaou Bessame Amadou & Mariam (Cerrone Remix) on high rotation
‘TIN’: Colour?
JAMIE: Pink and green equally
‘TIN’: Person?
JAMIE: My husband. Sorry, boring but true
‘TIN’: Creative?
JAMIE: Gideon Obarzanek
‘TIN’: Australian designer?
JAMIE: I’m going to put an NZ one! Wynn Hamlyn
‘TIN’: International designer?
JAMIE: Elza Wandler
‘TIN’: Way to celebrate?
JAMIE: Food, wine, friends
‘TIN’: Drink?
JAMIE: Grapefruit Aperol spritz
‘TIN’: Quote?
JAMIE: “If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” David Bowie
Jamie Nelson’s favourite designer from New Zealand, Wynn Hamlyn
The Joanna Bag designed by Jamie Neslons’ favourite International designer, Elza Wandler
‘Tin’: Do you have a favourite style from the collection? I own and absolutely love the Soft Slide in Black.
JAMIE: I’ve also been wearing the Soft Slide in black. They are so comfortable and easy to dress up or down depending on your look for the day.
‘tin’: Is there a designer you look up to or admire in the Australian/New Zealand fashion industry?
JAMIE: I got to know Maggie Hewitt from Maggie Marilyn when we collaborated on a footwear capsule together recently and admire not only her passionate advocacy for the future of sustainable fashion but the fact that she is the one of the loveliest people you will ever meet.
‘Tin’: Finally, what is next for Nelson Made?
JAMIE: We have a lot of exciting plans we will share with the world soon.
You can shop NELSON MADE’S NEWEST COLLECTION, TODAY HERE